Anxiety / Depression

Thank you for that post Jared @crashngiggles.
I struggle to be a strong supporter to my brother battling mental illness and his recovery.
That video hit home.
Thanks again

 

Anytime you need to talk, I am here for the TW community. I have spoken to many TW members of the phone to help them with issues they struggle with. If you ever want to talk just PM me

 

Thanks Jared
I met you a few years back at a Walmart meet in Worcester.
Thanks for what you do.
I appreciate the offer.

 

Fought with Anxiety for 4 years, used to fly helicopters, got so bad I couldn’t fly!! I found that living a balanced life not to up and don’t get to far down is a key. Find the things in your life that are mostly causing you stress and change it. God walked me through this and it took awhile but he got me there ! No more Anxiety!! It was hell on earth !! Prayers for all that suffer !!

 

My anxiety has ebs and flows. Lately its been worse than usual.
I started doing yoga weekly and not only has it been good for my fitness but its incredibly relaxing and calming.

Last year was a rough year for me stress wise. So much so I was becoming prehypertensive (I’m 27 years old). Yoga has helped control my anxiety in a way that just breathing exercises alone didn’t help.

 

I'm bipolar type 2 so I don't get the highs/mania, but I do get incredibly depressed. It can last for minutes, hours, days, or months - sometimes even years. I was diagnosed with that and an undefined anxiety disorder when I was 15. The past 3 years have been so bad that I've had to step down from a management job to part time at a retail store, to stepping down from part time to on and off medical leave. I've had to get on my province's disability program because I can't work consistently due to my mental illness. I've been on my most current leave for going on 5 months, no end currently in sight.
A lot of people will preach going to a therapist and getting help but it's a lot more difficult than that. Sometimes you get so comfortable in a sense that you just can't make yourself get help and it spirals from there. You're the only one that can decide when and how you see a therapist or counselor but from someone who's had a disability for going on 10 years related to this I can confidently say counseling does help for most people, and some will benefit from psychiatry. If you need medication or if you think it may help it may be worth while too but get someone who is competent with psych drugs because most GPs have very little training and their say isn't always best. For me, a mood stabilizing medication and an as-needed anxiety medication has been a life saver. I've never been addicted or dependent to a medication either - I think a lot of people can gauge that and if you can't then your doctor, psych or general practitioner needs to be on top of your care and on board at all times.
Most important thing is to be assertive and aware. Be assertive so you get the help you need and be assertive with yourself so you know when it's getting unmanageable. Be aware of your moods, anxieties, and psychosis if you can and do what is best for your health - sometimes you can't see what's best but your family and friends can. Listen to your support systems.

 

Did someone say mental health issues? Hi

 

It’s mental health awareness month. Never hesitate to seek help or someone to talk to. Here are some useful resources:

National Suicide Prevention Line:
800-273-822

Crisis Text Line:
Text ‘HOME’ to 741741

Also, explore NAMI.org and find support near you. This is great for people who have a mental illness, parents, siblings, friends, etc.

 

Yes. You don't have to be crazy to join this thread, but it helps.

 

Debilitating anxiety has been an ongoing battle for me, off and on, since I was a child. No fun. With a strong support system, finding appropriate professional help from *competent* doctors, and the correct medication *if needed*, there is hope. It will always be there, at least in the background, but I know I'm stronger for it and hopefully can help others out due to the challenges I face.

 

I suffered from anxiety for 50 years. I was prescribed Lexapro and life has been awesome ever since! I could have had a great life, but better late than never I guess.

 

Reading Jean-Dominique Bauby's book "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" really changed my views of life & therefore depression.
Only 131 pgs, a must-read:

$11 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375701214/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

"In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young childen, a 44-year-old man known and loved for his wit, his style, and his impassioned approach to life. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20 days in a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to express himself in the richest detail: dictating a word at a time, blinking to select each letter as the alphabet was recited to him slowly, over and over again. In the same way, he was able eventually to compose this extraordinary book.

By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," keeping in touch with himself and the life around him.

Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This book is a lasting testament to his life."

 

@crashngiggles Thanks for the work you do as a therapist and the help you give members here.

 

Afraid it's not quite that simple. Being 'unhappy' and being 'depressed' are two very different things.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. I have had many clients that had happiness in their life but couldn't shake their depression. I have also known many who were unhappy in their situation in life but not depressed. Medication can be needed but not always necessary. Hard work and challenging negative thoughts helps people gain the self confidence that they need to overcome adversity.

 

I wish my disorder was as simple as you say it is. Unfortunately it's not that easy.

 

It may for some people but that didn't quite work out with the joker did it.....

 

Unfortunately, no medication, supplements, or pill is going to rid people completely of depression. In my practice, I have referred many people for medication and even supplements but that is only a part of the battle. A good medication is like put on glasses for the first time, First you have to find the right prescription and you can clear some of the fog or blurriness away but then it is up to you to focus on the motivation to make the change.......or NOTHING will change. I see way too many doctors who just blindly prescribe an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med without referring a person to see a professional like myself to help them create the change that they need but can't do it on their own. But before I refer anyone for medication, I will try a lot of other things first to help them facilitate change without taking something everyday. We unfortunately live in a "I'm feeling bad therefore I need to take something to make myself feel better" type of society. There are no quick fixes in this world without recognizing that covering up something or ignoring something doesn't make it go away.

 

Crazy af here ! Lol. You’re not alone. Yup, it sucks.......... But that’s life.