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Nervous Breakdown it’s Okay Not To be Okay
W A dominant theme in our society is that you should be happy, and if you’re not, there’s something wrong with you. But this is not true – Life is difficult at times and it is okay not to be okay.
W A HT IS ? IT
WHAT IS IT?
A nervous breakdown is a type of mental health crisis. Although it is not a formal diagnosis, it is a recognized reaction to a great deal of stress and occurs when someone is no longer able to cope with that stress or function normally. A nervous breakdown can be treated by diagnosing and treating any underlying mental illnesses, managing and treating substance use disorders, and learning healthier coping mechanisms for stress. The term “nervous breakdown” is sometimes used by people to describe a stressful situation in which they’re temporarily unable to function normally in day-to-day life. It’s commonly understood to occur when life’s demands become physically and emotionally overwhelming. Nervous breakdown isn’t a medical term, nor does it indicate a specific mental illness. But that doesn’t mean it’s a normal or a healthy response to stress. It is a term describing intense symptoms of stress and an inability to cope with life’s challenges. There isn’t one agreed upon definition for what constitutes a nervous breakdown. What some people call a nervous breakdown may indicate an underlying mental health problem that needs attention, such as depression or anxiety. It’s generally viewed as a period when physical and emotional stress become intolerable and impair one’s ability to function effectively. Having a mental illness can make a person more vulnerable to stress and its negative consequences. In many cases of nervous breakdown, an individual has a mental illness that has gone undiagnosed and untreated. Trying to live with that mental illness along with the stresses of daily life can come together to ultimately lead to a breakdown. There are two common mental illnesses that often underline nervous breakdowns: anxiety disorder and major depression. 2
A nervous breakdown will often fall under one of three types:
Type A.
Burnout syndrome that may or may not be related to work stress. Under enormous life pressure, people will run into a wall of exhaustion and fatigue. Their performance in work and life will likely suffer. They even lose interest in their commitments, distancing and depersonalizing from their roles in life.
Type B.
Type C.
A breakdown with underlying anxiety or depression. When depression or anxiety disorder exist, and the host of stressors is intense, one may face a very serious crisis. They may experience panic attacks, which can bring a range of frightening physical symptoms. Depression or major depression may result in suicidal ideation and attempts.
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WHAT IS IT?
A breakdown that involves psychotic symptoms. It’s possible for stress to be severe enough that it triggers psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, or depersonalization and detachment from reality. A psychotic breakdown may be linked to an underlying mental illness, such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or it may stem from excessive stress alone.
Anxiety Disorder Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses. There are different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety and social anxiety, but all are characterized by feeling worried, nervous, anxious, and stressed to an unusual degree. Someone with this condition feels anxious, often to the extreme and for extended periods of time. These negative feelings interfere with normal daily activities. Untreated and combined with a lot of stress, this can trigger a nervous breakdown.
Major Depression Depression is another common mental illness and a mood disorderthat makes a person feel sad, hopeless, and fatigued persistently and often for weeks at a time. It is a depressed mood that cannot be easily overcome. Without getting diagnosed and treated, depression can easily be a triggering factor in a nervous breakdown and an inability to function normally.
WHAT IS IT?
Being evaluated, diagnosed, and then treated for any mental illness is crucial for overall good health, but in the case of a nervous breakdown it can be preventative. Many of the symptoms of these two mental illnesses mirror those of a nervous breakdown and often occur together. Anyone who experiences a nervous breakdown should be evaluated to determine if there is an underlying condition that needs to be addressed as part of ongoing treatment and recovery. Whatever type of nervous breakdown a person is experiencing, it is critical that their stress level is minimized, any underlying conditions are treated, and they develop healthy coping strategies for lasting mental and emotional health. It’s important to recognize that having mental breakdown symptoms is not a sign of weakness. The human spirit can take only so much stress, anxiety, and pressure before it falters. Everyone has his or her breaking point; often, we don’t even know what that point is unless we are tested. A nervous breakdown is ultimately caused by an inability to cope with large amounts of stress, but how that manifests exactly varies by individual. Work stress, mental illness, family responsibilities, and poor coping strategies are all things that can lead to a nervous breakdown and the inability to function normally. The good news is that nervous breakdowns are treatable and manageable. With initial residential treatment with good follow up care, lifestyle changes to reduce stress, and care for mental illnesses, full recovery is possible.
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S Y MP T O M S
SYMPTOMS
Signs of a so-called nervous breakdown vary from person to person and depend on the underlying cause. Exactly what constitutes a nervous breakdown also varies from one culture to another. For example, he or she may call in sick to work for days or longer, avoid social engagements and miss appointments, have trouble following healthy patterns of eating, sleeping and hygiene. Changes in any of the following may be a red flag that something may be amiss and a breakdown may be imminent or already taking hold: sleeping habits energy levels and fatigue reactions to daily events desire to socialize organization memory attention mood substance use hygiene and grooming habits sexual function weight gastrointestinal health breathing experience of headaches or muscle aches Especially if you can check off more than one of these items, there may be reason for concern. At the very least, stress or anxiety levels may be high. But even stress and anxiety can have serious consequences for someone’s mental and overall health. You may experience physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms when going through a breakdown. 8
dizziness depression hallucinations paranoia outbursts insomnia breathing difficulty post- traumatic stress disorder
mood swings
chest pain
racing heartbeat
anxiety indigestion
high blood pressure panic attacks
tense muscles trembling
CA US E S
Many people experience high levels of stress, but not everyone will have a nervous breakdown. What leads to a nervous breakdown during the experience of all that stress is an inability or poor ability to cope with and manage stress. Experiencing a lot of stress, in combination with being unable to cope with it in healthy ways, is what really causes nervous breakdowns. It is important to remember, though, that even people who are generally good at coping with stress can reach a breaking point. It simply may take more stress for these people to have a breakdown. The stress that causes nervous breakdown can be caused by external influences. Some of those factors that can lead to a nervous breakdown include: • persistent work stress • recent traumatic event, such as a death in the family • serious financial issues, such as going into foreclosure • a major life change, such as a divorce • poor sleep and relaxation • personal history of anxiety disorders • family history of anxiety disorders • recent injury or illness that makes daily life difficult to manage 11
CAUSES
The underlying cause of a nervous breakdown is stress. Many people are able to cope with stress without having this crisis, and why some people are more susceptible to a breakdown is not always understood. There are also a lot of differences in what causes a person stress, from external factors like work pressure or a traumatic experience, to internal forces like depression.
CAUSES
Stress caused by one’s jobs is a common cause or, at least a factor, in many nervous breakdowns. A nervous breakdown triggered by work stress may also be called burnout syndrome. It is characterized by exhaustion and fatigue, reduced performance at work, feeling depersonalized or detached from work, and other symptoms of nervous breakdown. Reports have found that burnout syndrome is most common in certain areas of healthcare, like emergency medicine, critical care, and family medicine. But anyone in any job may experience this work-related burnout. General factors that many occur in any kind of work and that contribute to burnout of a nervous breakdown include: • Being overworked and working long hours • Feeling unappreciated at work • Doing work that is not meaningful of that is repetitive and not challenging • Having a poor understanding of job expectations and duties • Having expectations that are overly demanding • Lacking control over work • Being a poor fit for a particular job or duties • Having different values from the company, employer or co-workers • Difficult relationships with coworkers • Harassment from a boss or other person in a position of power Work is a major contributor of stress for most people and therefore common cause of nervous breakdowns. Many people are increasingly vulnerable. Changing and minimizing work stress is an important way to prevent mental health crisis. 12
A S TI T S TI CS
STATISTICS
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STATISTICS
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HOW HOW DO DO II DEAL DEAL WITH WITH IT? IT?
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You can break out of the cycle of psychological or behavioral distress by using either talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, taking prescription medications, such as antidepressants or antianxiety medication, to treat chemical imbalances and practicing alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, massage therapy or yoga. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of a breakdown, consider these strategies for managing your symptoms: • Breathe deeply and count backwards from 10 when you’re feeling anxious or stressed • Cut caffeine and alcohol from your diet • Develop a sleep schedule and routine that will help you sleep well. This could mean taking a warm bath, switching off electronic devices, or reading a book before bed It’s not uncommon for someone to feel, at one time or another, unable to cope with life’s stresses. It is important to acknowledge and be aware that you are not okay, but it’s totally fine. Managing and coping with stress is something that everyone does, but not always in healthy ways. Some people may react to stress in negative ways, such as withdrawing from friends and family, turning into drugs or alcohol, yelling at other people, binge eating, or other unhealthy responses. These do not mitigate stress or manage it, and ultimately without good, positive strategies, a person under a lot of stress is likely to have a breakdown. You’re not dealing with stress in a healthy way if you’re having difficulty doing your daily tasks. A nervous breakdown could be a sign of a mental health disorder. It’s important for you to go to the doctor as soon as you notice signs of a breakdown. People often don’t get the mental health services they need because they do not know where to start. Your doctor not only can help you treat the physical symptoms, but they can refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. These mental health professionals can treat your emotional, mental, and behavioral symptoms. Caregivers should also contact a doctor as soon as possible if they’re worried about a loved one’s behavior or mental state.
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AM AM II DYSDYSFUNCFUNCTIONAL? TIONAL?
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Our therapeutic community attaches labels such as dysfunctional to people and families. People are not dysfunctional; social systems are. People suffer and experience pain. We are human beings, not machines that dysfunction. Such terminology expresses contempt for the human spirit. A society that produces such staggering rates of depression is dysfunctional. Our culture has created this epidemic. Part of the problem is that we become corralled into a consensus of belief that does not serve our higher purpose. The desire to fit in and conform induces us to lose our inner voice. We are products of a cultural belief system that ignores or devalues matters of the heart and then turns and points its accusatory finger at those who suffer. When we do so, we victimize the victim. If we began to look at the depression as symptomatic of living depressing lives, we’d begin to understand that the cure lies in addressing what our souls are longing for. When we suppress the voice of our soul, depression arises. Depression surfaces for a reason. The symptoms of depression are crying out for our attention. The epidemic of depression is simply indicative of lives lived errantly, without joy or purpose. People who feel passion for their work and friends and love their families and partners don’t become depressed as often as the population at large. People who are in touch with their spirit and enjoy a sense of community don’t incline toward depression. People who maintain a sense of wonder and awe don’t become depressed. Depression isn’t the enemy. It’s simply a warning sign that we’re not on the right path. Our disconnection and folly pursuits of happiness may have much to do with this. Before the advent of modern psychotherapy, and well before the pathologizing of the word “depression,” we would refer to such symptoms as melancholia. Life would bring certain periods and events in which one might feel some melancholy. Sadness is appropriate at times. When people experienced such sadness, friends and family may have supported them through the difficult times. But they weren’t told that there was something wrong with them. Loving support is the most powerful agent in the treatment of depression. When we lose our compassion and relegate depressed people to their diagnosis, we tend to dehumanize them.
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BEING BEING NOT NOT OKAY OKAY IN IN OUR OUR SOCIETY SOCIETY
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We are often asked, “Since life is so much easier today, why are mental health problems, such as nervous breakdown, anxiety disorder and depression, on the rise?”. It’s true that our life is much easier today than it was fifty years ago. Yet, mental health problems are on the rise, and drastically. Our society is in the throes of a virtual epidemic of depression. The numbers are quite staggering. More than twenty percent of the American population will experience at least one episode of what we refer to as clinical depression caused by stress. We need to look deeper into this phenomenon to understand it and overcome it. Our cultural values induce us to live in ways that are, indeed depressing. Much of what we refer to as emotional disorders such as nervous breakdown clinical depression is inaccurate. Most nervous breakdown with underlying mental illnesses is situational. The symptoms of stress that causes nervous breakdown are often due to stressful circumstances, not disease. In other words, under certain circumstances, it makes sense to be stressed and overwhelmed. Many of us in today’s society live dulled lives, somewhat robotic in nature and devoid of deeper meaning and purpose. Our lives, often become visionless and passionless – we fall in slumps in our lives. We live in an intensively competitive culture that rewards achievement and success. Our identity and esteem become reflections of these external markers of achievement. Our pursuit of happiness and well-being become terribly misdirected. The demands of our intensely and neurotically driven culture strain our emotional and psychological balance well beyond its comfortable balance. The cultural paradigm in which we live leaves us disconnected, disenchanted and isolated.
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IT IT IS IS OKAY OKAY NOT NOT TO TO BE BE OKAY OKAY
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When life crumbles all around you and you’re left to pick up the broken pieces, life can seem so hard. Like a war, you’re constantly battling armies that invade your territory from every angle. And as this crescendo of noise and fear and anxiety peaks, all you want to do is run away from everything. But here’s the thing that most people don’t realize. Life is hard and we constantly encounter obstacles to overcome in life, which can be tough. No one ever said it would be easy, and it’s totally okay not to be okay during these processes. Yet, we live in an age of image projection. Instagram gets over 95 million posts per day. You can find hundreds of thousands of pictures of engagement rings, new puppies, exotic dinners or washboard abs at any given moment. Even LinkedIn is probably sending you dozens of notifications each month reminding you to congratulate your high school acquaintances on their job-iversaries. Sometimes it feels like society says you should be always happy, and that showing your sadness is a sign of weakness. This is far from true; if you were to hold in all your sadness or anger, you would explode. It’s easy to get caught up in the general tendency of creating an illusion that we have our lives perfectly together. After all, we are all human and we all have our ups and downs. No one can be perfectly happy all of the time, that is not human. It’s a matter of fluctuation; not being okay is just a temporary state in where everything seems a little overwhelming and less enjoyable as it usually was. What happens when you are not okay? When depression sets in, when negative self-talk gets too loud or when you get let go, get dumped or lose a loved one. What do we do when we don’t have a solution? During hard times, most people want to skip past the moment of acknowledging that they aren’t okay and go straight to working toward a resolution. Resolutions - even tough ones - make us feel in control. Admitting that you’re struggling doesn’t feel as manageable or fit in with the sense of perfection everyone around you seems to be having. But the ability to sit with a feeling of failure can be one of the most important skills you learn, both in life and in work.
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THE THE POWER POWER OF OF ADMITADMITTING TING
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For those who are struggling with mental illness or grief, dealing with this pressure to always seem happy can be even more challenging, as a lot of days are low. Sometimes when we are feeling down, we put on a mask to hide the darkness that lies behind the smile. Getting out of bed can be a major task by itself. With depression at times there is no apparent reason for why you are feeling this way. When it feels as though a cloud is hanging over our heads, those are the days we push people away the most. We do this because it is easier to try and forget about what is going on and not bother others with our problems. But getting through your problems and ignoring your problems are two completely different things. Embracing tough moments, instead of swiftly moving past them, can be incredibly powerful when practiced correctly. Framing the situation correctly is validating; you acknowledge that your feelings are justified, and that even though your situation is not ideal, you accept there is nothing wrong with the fact that you’re struggling. This is not about accepting and ignoring, this is accepting and moving through. A study from Montana State University found that people who are authentic and honest with themselves can overcome feelings of shame - which would otherwise cause them to devalue themselves. Dwelling on a feeling of failure is paralyzing. It will keep you from asking for help when you need it or making good choices. If you are unable to manage keep all your struggles by yourself, talk to the people around you. Always remember you are not alone and you are not bothering others; everyone in life has problems. That doesn’t mean you are adding to another person’s own problems if you share how you are feeling. You are not a burden. A weight will be lifted off your shoulders and a sense of relief will come over just by letting out all your thoughts and feelings. Understand that sometimes your emotions take precedence over finding a solution. We often discount the value of feelings - especially in the workplace - but you need to remember that in the end, emotions are simply information. They are facts of life like any other. Emotions exist, and when you’re making decisions, you’ll have to factor them in.
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Everyone has points in their career where they make a major mistake or feel overwhelmed by their workload. Women in particular are usually taught not to talk about it. But according to the sociologist Arlie Hochschild, suppressing negative feelings can cause an “emotional load” that causes you to burn out faster, give up more easily and ultimately be less successful. You need to give yourself permission to be not okay sometimes. Accept that there isn’t a solution right now and tell yourself that that’s okay. That attitude is what will give you the stamina to accomplish everything that you have, even when times felt dark. Take the time you need to rest, recharge and breathe. Take care of yourself the best way you know how. You know yourself better than anyone.
Try to be social: This can be very hard, especially if you don’t want others to know what is going on but it can help. This could be as simple as starting a small conversation with your friends, teachers, family, or anyone else.
Use coping skills: The list of coping skills could go on for pages and they are unique to each individual. Some healthy coping strategies include journaling, coloring, playing a sport, going on a run, yoga, deep breathing, and so many more. Once you find a few or maybe even just one it can help tremendously.
Let yourself feel: When a low day hits that doesn’t mean you have to shut out what you are truly feeling inside. While this may be uncomfortable at times, acknowledging your feelings can help you move through them.
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HAPPINESS →
TIME →
HAPPINESS →
If you’re okay all the time — all of your days the same, not too bad nor not too good. Your life is terribly flat and boring
TIME → A combination of both good and bad days are what makes your life more enjoyable. Your bad times are often what can create good ones 27
N AC E D S OT E
by Caroline Lopez-Martinez
I was locked down in my dreary studio apartment one Saturday morning in Midtown, Sacramento. The curtains had all been drawn, and sunshine inevitably trespassed through the thick patterned glass of my steel door. What were once empty bottles and cans, had visually manifested themselves into hideous statues and mounted towers. Medicinal marijuana was recently delivered to my door, and containers of strains lay lifeless by a pack of half-empty cigarettes. On this day, social anxiety had physically crippled me, transforming itself into full-blown agoraphobia. Countless neighbors passed by my apartment for what seemed like hours, making their way to the laundry room or trash bins in the alley. Every word I would make out sounded like a sadistic joke, a school-yard taunt, or an insult only made to personally destroy me. At one point, I wondered if these words came from my own fuzzy mind, although their origins made no difference. Paranoia had been a frequent visitor of mine, and its presence only served to further intoxicate. Did my neighbors know that I was steadily killing myself with alcohol, sleeping only through its black outs? Sometime after this experience, I found myself uplifted by my own mind. The realization that I could not give up on my life had given me a sense of purpose. “Not today,” I thought to myself, “I will not let social anxiety, depression and alcoholism execute me, taking everything that I have.” With purpose in my mind and spirit, I decided to make a plan to keep on living. I wanted to continue my search for the right treatment option, and to com29
ANECDOTES
I am a Scientist, but Most Importantly, I am a Human Being
ANECDOTES
municate my progress with doctors and therapists. I also planned to create a network of people who understood my mental conditions, a network that would eventually include support group attendees, friends and family. Additionally, I planned to continue learning as much as I could about what I was going through, both at home and at school. I decided to apply to an undergraduate biology program in my hometown of Chicago. I felt passionate about the field of neurobiology and wanted to work towards a career in mental health as a research scientist. A couple of years later, I find myself on the brink of obtaining my undergraduate degree and having completed my own laboratory study on social anxiety disorder. There were times when I wanted to give up on my treatment and recovery, my school work, and surrender to the suicidal thoughts that overwhelmed me. As others have said before, recovery is an upwards spiral, with copious ups and downs. Even despite my mental health accomplishments- finding an effective treatment combination, presenting my social anxiety research (despite having social anxiety myself), and maintaining my sobriety, I still have hopeless days. When I have one of these, I try my best to remember that I am not defined solely by my mental illness. Online communities has provided me with numerous resources, including education, support groups listings, and access to a diverse community of people in recovery. Reading other’s personal stories gave me the courage I needed to share my own, so that I too can reduce stigma by raising awareness. Before anything, I am always a human being. Therefore, my primary purpose is to continue living, and to stay on the road of recovery.
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Art as Theraphy by Abigail Hillls
My name is Abigail Hills and I am an illustration major at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. I was in a car accident, a few years ago, and suffered a hit to the head. Since then I have been dealing with varying degrees of anxiety and depression. At first I didn’t understand what was going on. All I knew was that I was constantly worrying about things that had never bothered me before, and sometimes I did not want to be around people, or do anything. I experienced ups and downs - sometimes depression would grab a hold of me, other times I was simply anxious about anything and everything. It wasn’t until later, after I saw a neurologist and therapist, that I understood what was happening.
My artwork has three characters. The human figure in the middle shows that these diseases affect our root function with no regard for gender, wealth, race or religion. The other two characters represent the disorders, but their position and posture also represent part of the cure, and my 31
ANECDOTES
In class this year we were asked to create a design to spread awareness for a “cause,” and I knew exactly what issues I wanted to focus on. Anxiety and depression affect millions of people, each case individual and specific to the person it impacts. As an artist, character design is one of my favorite forms of illustration. It’s this form that I chose to work. To be clear, I am not trying to demean these disorders by utilizing characters, I am, instead, trying to give a face/image to the severe emotions these disorders evoke. I hope that art can be a tool to spread awareness and understanding of two significant illnesses that are often overlooked or seen as “not real,” and/or “made up.”
ANECDOTES
needs when I am suffering with them. The smaller more organic, softer character represents depression. This figure is rounded and dark in color to represent the feelings of loneliness and detachment I experience when I am depressed. It sits on the human’s shoulder placing a hand on the cheek offering comfort and support which is something I need when dealing with my depression. The anxiety character is sharper and brighter, representing the racing thoughts and erratic emotions I experience when anxious. This character is tucked on the shoulder looking up at the human, the position and gaze meant to display encouragement, again something I need when working through my anxiety. The background helps to further illustrates the feelings I equate with each disorder. I sent my work and story to American Depression and Anxiety Association because it is an organization that provides comfort and guidance to people seeking help. ADAA is an educational tool for people like myself, who are suffering with anxiety and depression and may not know where to go or what to do. This organization reminds me of an African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child.” So why wouldn’t it take a village to cope with an illness? ADAA has created that village by providing a central location for people who are suffering, or love someone who is suffering, to find information and a path to healing. I hope my story and / or artwork inspires someone to get help or reach out to someone in need of it, or maybe even encourage others to use art as a tool for therapeutic expression. Art doesn’t have to be on the cover of a magazine to be valuable if the process of creating it, or sharing it, makes someone feel better.
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Being Okay with Not Being Okay by China McCarney
I have lived with anxiety since 2009. I was 22 years old. My first panic attack occurred that year. About 45 minutes into a car drive I felt as if I was going to die. I could not breathe and had to pull the car off the road and walk for hours to try and catch my breath. That was my introduction to anxiety and I had no idea that I was about to embark on a back and forth journey for years to come. I thought I was alone in my struggles and that no one else could possibly be dealing with what I was dealing with. Reaching out for help turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.
The real point of me sharing this story is not to bring focus to me or my story exclusively. It is to show how one simple step of reaching out for help changed my life tremendously and changed my life quickly. None of us are alone in this battle. My anxiety issues are still extremely relevant and I deal with the battle on a daily basis. But the battle now is one that I embrace. I am proud of the battle. We all have different characteristics and one of mine just happens to be an anxiety disorder....or two or three. 33
ANECDOTES
I began to see a counselor who explained to me that I was suffering from a combination of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. This is where ADAA came into my life. Simple information about the disorders I was dealing with gave me clarity and immediately helped with some of the extreme symptoms. ADAA and my Counselor also showed me tools like focusing on breathing, meditation, positive self-talk and other actionable steps that began to help immediately as well.
ANECDOTES
I graduated college. I earned a graduate certification in Sport and Fitness Psychology. I am the Vice President of a very successful company in Southern California. I have and deal with anxiety. Anxiety is not a negative that we need to resist and be ashamed of. Anxiety is just an attribute that some of us have and some of us don’t. If you do, embrace all of it, reach out for help and educate yourself on tools and concepts to improve your quality of life and coping skills. This is my story. It is a simple one but I hope it helps anyone out there who is being timid about their anxiety. So many people are dealing with some form of anxiety issues and they are hiding it. Embrace it. Own it. Change your life.
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My Journey to Peace by Melanie Higgins
I had all the typical life stressors of a married working mom. One spring I had a birth control device implanted that apparently threw my hormones and mental well-being out of whack. I switched to part-time work that summer because it allowed for a bit more rest and less stress. But when I returned to work full-time in the fall, I began having odd flashes of fear. And when people around me felt sick, I did, too. These incidents were brief, but I knew they weren’t normal. I started to worry more about my family becoming sick. I recognized that my fear was irrational and this concerned me. One October day my husband reported that he had an upset stomach. I was completely overcome with fear, worry, and anxiety. I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t eat.
Every day was hard, but I went through the motions of my normal life. After a month of not working, I returned part-time for two months, then eventually back to full-time. I explored various relaxation techniques, including craniosacral ther35
ANECDOTES
I sought help immediately and I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, or GAD. I began taking medications, started counseling right away, and went to my mom for support. I was afraid to be alone, I wanted to stay in bed, and I remember wanting to go to the hospital because I felt so completely helpless and overwhelmed. I always had someone with me. I was unable to work. I had the birth control device removed, and within two weeks I made great improvement, but was nowhere near back to normal. I had no appetite and lost weight.
ANECDOTES
apy, massage, relaxing music, breathing exercises, and meditation to slow down my mind and stop my thoughts from racing to worry, dread, and fear. I continued counseling and switched to a more relaxing, gentle style of yoga. I began exploring the lifestyle of ayurveda [a traditional, natural system of medicine in India] and started making lifestyle changes to overcome my anxiety. Nearly a year after my big breakdown, I felt fairly normal again. But I still feared the anxiety. I was afraid that if someone became sick, I would have another bad anxiety attack. Finally, a wonderful breakthrough: When my son got sick, I did not have an anxiety attack. I felt so relieved, as if a weight that I didn’t even know existed had been lifted. I was no longer afraid of the anxiety, and it felt great! Today I feel stronger because I no longer worry about anxiety, and I know that I can rely on a number of successful coping strategies. My new lifestyle of yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, walking, relaxing music, a diet roughly based on ayurveda (I’m still learning), and the avoidance of stressful or overstimulating situations has brought peace to my mind. I have let go of negative feelings and I don’t get upset as easily as I used to. I will stay on my current medications a bit longer and continue counseling, but less frequently. I know there is a chance of experiencing anxiety in the future, but I will be able to face my challenges with strength rather than fear.
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Q
U O T ES
QUOTES
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QUOTES
en you’re in a Slump, you’re for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” – Dr.Seuss
QUOTES
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QUOTES
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