Today, I was messaged by a beautiful young lady that had seen my blog and was seeking for answers and help from anywhere in the world it would possibly come from. We became friends on Facebook, and shortly after that we were on the phone together, discussing our stories of how anxiety, depressions, panic disorders and agoraphobia had taken over our lives.
I was and am SO excited for the opportunity to help her through her rough times as she's suffering the same things I went through, and of course still today have some issues, but I can actually live my life again now, and I want her to enjoy what I do now, due to taking a huge step and actually getting help. That is the biggest fear of anxiety is actually getting help, especially if you are at the point that this young lady and I share in common, we are and were in a very bad place, and didn't know how to get out of it. Taking that step to actually get to the Doctor is so frightening, I personally put off that frightful ordeal so long, I just fell deeper and deeper into the prison in my mind. The longer you dwell on your fears of going, the longer you make up excuses why you can't go, or won't go, the harder it is to walk out that door into the huge world that seems like it's putting the pressure of the world on you.
I know how family and friends, especially one I started having problems, didn't understand, "it's all in your mind" and "get over it", was the usual response, well yeah it is in my mind, duh. And yeah I'll get over it,,,,, eventually. I thought I'd just snap out of it one day, well 10 years later it had gotten so horribly bad because I put off going to the doctor, I couldn't even function at ALL.
Well, you can't wait, if anyone can take any advice from me, is get help, get help now, anxiety and panic, will NOT kill you, it WILL feel like it, trust me, but you have to think about what it's like when you didn't have the problems, when you were "normal", at least according to what others may think, but you know what? Don't care what others think, it's my life, I have a problem, and there is a good chance those you think are pointing fingers at you, problem have their own problems too, so what. Get help it's out there, and it does work.
I hope it's ok with this beautiful lady and her daughter that I put this on here, I'm so happy I got to meet her, and so proud she's reaching out for help. I hope with all the talking we did today and into the future we can both benefit and get her back on her feet very soon. She has the tools to get the help she needs, now time to get it moving into action.
Don't be embarrassed because of anxiety, true friends will still be there for you, mine are, and were if I reached out in the darkest of times, and once you are on the road to getting better, you will appreciate everything in life in such a different and better light. Food tastes better, sleep is enjoyable again, being able to go out in public, to restaurants, hiking, camping, whatever you choose you can do again.
You just have to take one small step to get it started. Make that phone call, and get to a doctor, they will help.
And then you can start enjoying life again. Have faith.
Thank god I finally had the courage to stand up to my own demons and get the help I needed, sure I still have moments when I have panic issues, but they don't stick around like they did before I got help, now I have them, get over it, move on. One HUGE thing is, and do NOT forget this whoever is watching,,, do not run from your panic, if you have an attack when you are doing something, like walking to the store, gather yourself, go home if you need to. BUT!, DO NOT stop trying to go to the store, do whatever you can to get through it, that's how anxiety and specifically agoraphobia traps you, once you get stopped by panic when you are doing something, the worst thing you can do is stop doing that particular thing. Pretty soon, you get hit with more panic attacks doing other things, and you stop doing this, shortly after you are afraid to go outdoors.
Well, eventually every action indoors becomes at risk of a panic attack, it did for me, and now you are trapped just waking up in the morning. Getting past anxiety/panic is work, don't get me wrong, it's work everyday, you have to relearn everything you did before, making new pathways in your brain that aren't corrupted by panic, but if you stick to what the doctor says, and really try to exercise it works. The less energy panic can feed off the less it sticks around, let it go, we've dealt with the problem long enough.
Get out there and enjoy life, it's too short. I'm enjoying it again, and so can you.!!
Life is waiting for you..........
Lance
