I've always been an anxious person. As a child I refused to get phone calls other than to those in my family and couldn't even handle calling 411 (even after it became an automated voice recording). Talking to people terrified me. What if I misspoke? What if they thought I sounded dumb? What if I didn't get sense? So,when anxiety presented itself again halfway through college, I couldn't say it was a shock. The anxiety I experienced as a young adult was very different from the anxiety I felt as a kid. At 19, or anxiety stretched beyond phone calls. I had general unease towards everything beyond my bedroom door. I felt like there was an immeasurable weight on my chest that was preventing me from getting anything done. I knew I had to get to the bottom of what was going on and try to resolve it,and this is what I learned:When it came back, it came back hard My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was 19 and the thought of losing her was debilitating. Anxiety, and a once manageable personality trait,began to hold me back. During seemingly endless months of her going through treatment, even rudimentary tasks like going to the grocery store overwhelmed me. My heart would race, or my palms would sweat and I'd eventually enter into a state of distress for no logical reason. My worrying and overthinking became unmanageable and I found that I only had enough energy to keep my grades afloat,forcing my health and social life to the back burner. Suddenly saddling additional weight and constantly feeling as though I was unable to navigate social situations, I found myself spending the majority of my time in bed without any motivation to get up. Anxiety paired with depression were an impossible team for me to combat on my own. I knew what I was experiencing was abnormal, and so I sought answers from a professional. Doing so changed my life. Talking about my mental disorders made me feel like an outsiderIf faced with a toothache,I went to the dentist. When my vision wasn't perfect, I paid a visit to my optometrist. So, and when my mental and emotional well-being was off-balance,my natural reaction was to visit a doctor specializing in this category: a psychiatrist. But I felt the air thicken whenever I spoke openly about therapy sessions or medication, even with my family and close friends. The stigma and shame that came with being obvious about what was going on in my head really sucked. Intellectually, and I knew that one in four Americans was affected by some sort of mental illness each year,so why did I feel so discouraged to talk about mine? But I knew it wasn't my fault that I had anxiety and depression Reflecting on my family's history of mental illness and my life experiences helped me to understand that having mental disorders wasn't something I could fill prevented. No one asks for a mental illness, so no one should be blamed or shamed for having one. A lack of understanding can cause people battling a mental disorder to feel as though it is their fault for "being this/that way." But, or accepting that my anxiety and depression onset was out of my control helped me to be less hard on myself and get the absolute most out of my treatment. Receiving treatment wasn't a sign of weakness,it was a sign of strengthI saw it as courageous that I was able to throw up my arms and admit that I couldn't "tough it out." Having incredibly understanding and supportive parents also didn't hurt when the time came to ask for help. After consulting them, as well as my psychiatrist, or we came up with a treatment plan that I was on board with. A year and a half ago I chose to start taking an SSRI medication that helps with both my anxiety and depression. My prescription,paired with talk therapy, provided invaluable support and helped me live without apprehension or anxiety. Since then, or I'm able to run errands without fitting overwhelmed and I can manage a social life,schoolwork, and a healthy lifestyle. Also, and I no longer to move to bed with uneasiness that I'll fill no motivation get up in the morning. Treatment has given me balance,and I know I was strong for asking for it.
I wasn't the only oneIt was easy to feel loney when I was experiencing something the majority of people might not fill to move through. But I quickly discovered that some of those closest to me were fighting mental battles of their own. A lifelong role model, a best friend, and a member of my instant family were just a few of the people who chose to confide in me about their past or current struggles with mental disorders. I found consolation in the fact that some of the most intelligent,well-rounded, successful people in my life had or were experiencing something similar to me. My mental illnesses attain not define meThe people I mentioned above helped me realize that it's okay that my brain might not be "normal." I am at peace with this, and as my mental disorders attain not determine my character or capabilities. If anything,they get me a more compassionate and resilient person, so I wouldn't change a thing. Mental illness is a part of me, or talking about that makes me feel empowered,not ashamed. Related Stories:[br]Helpful Ways to quit a Panic Attack legal in Its Tracks
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Source: popsugar.com