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Planning for the future when you have anxiety can feel utterly impossible. The paralysis, chronic avoidance, and feelings of spinning craziness going on between your ears is something you have to experience for yourself to really understand. And while it's true the future is uncertain, part of being an adult means becoming reasonably proficient at anticipating and planning for the semi-predictable arcs of life: career, finances, health, family, and aging.
Those of us in mental health recovery are often faced with the hardships our symptoms can cause us. It can be easy to get discouraged, to look at our progress in recovery and tell ourselves, “I’m never going to overcome this mental illness.”
Finding a therapist to help you with anxiety is easily done by opening the phone book or doing a quick Internet search. The difficult part is finding the right therapist, especially if you aren’t sure what to look for. There are many different types of therapists. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common type of therapy offered. More important than the type, though, is your personal connection with the therapist.
Assertiveness is important for a healthy self-esteem and for your overall wellbeing. Being assertive means speaking up for yourself, being able to express your opinions and feelings and being able to say no. Find out how to become more assertive.
For me, fatigue is not just a symptom of an illness listed in a giant encyclopedia of diagnoses; for me, fatigue is practically a way of life. If I didn’t have a day where I was so tired I wanted to curl up in a ball with my cats, I’d be downright shocked.
My son Bob began talk therapy at age eight after he knocked over a heavy wrought-iron barstool that ripped the back of my upholstered couch as it fell. Next he went upstairs and slammed the door to his room, putting a hole in the wall. Bob's behavior got worse despite my best parenting efforts. He was a sweet kid, but his moods changed rapidly, resulting in damage and destruction. I didn't know what to do, so I asked one of my mom friends for a referral.
Other than a trip to the hospital, my Thanksgiving was great. I became ill almost immediately after the dinner and assumed I had indigestion. On the following Sunday, I called my doctor after Googling "indigestion lasting three days." The nurse sent me to the emergency room (ER), where I was admitted with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. That may not sound like the most educational of experiences, but I've learned three things about mental illness and how it is affected by physical health.
Last month, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the results of a study of American drinking habits. I was surprised to read the findings. The biggest two takeaways were: one-in-three adult Americans drink heavily and 90 percent of Americans who drink heavily are not alcohol dependent, aka addicted to alcohol. Let's break down what that actually means.
Many people who self-harm or struggle with a mental illness take medicine to help ease the symptoms and triggers that come with the battle. When it comes to taking medicine to help with mental illness, some people may not like the idea of depending on medication to maintain happiness. The idea of consuming something that will change your mental state is a frightening thing and some people do not like giving up the ability to feel the way they wish.
Do you live your kind of life, or one you think you should live. We are, each one us, on this earth for a very short period of time. What have, or will you, make of this life? Where will you live and what will you live for? No doubt, life can be a zany ride. Ultimately, it is not what happens to you, but how you choose to respond to what’s happening. You can choose to live your kind of life.
Where do we go from here? Most of the family thinks just to let her hit bottom and then if she reaches out to help any we can. Some want to just keep paying her bills and just let her sit in the house with no responsibilities. Never been on medication and impossible to get to her when she refuses to talk to ANYONE.
Help.
On the day we agreed to videochat to make things less awkward IRL she woke up with a migraine so we rescheduled to the day after, I made sure to assure her that it was okay and to take her time. Later that day, in the late evening we had a nice chat but suddenly she stopped replying, even though nothing had happened. The day after I texted her good morning and said I hope she was feeling a little better. she wouldn't open my texts.
A couple days after I sent her a longer text saying that even though I had only known her for a short time I care a lot for her and would like to know how she are doing, telling her I'm there for her, assuring her I'm not going anywhere even though things might not be very easy. She wouldn't open it.
A week later I sent a text saying not to feel bad about not answering and that I will be there when she is able to answer again. It's been two weeks since this and she still hasn't opened my texts. She hasn't been active at all.
I don't know what else I can do. I assumed she might have fallen into a depression. I have tried to just not think about it anymore, and I haven't that much but when I do it sort of kills me inside...