New Members Please Introduce Yourselves.......Part 4

Posted 10/10/2008 9:26 PM (GMT -6)
I posted this on the bipolar thread but I want to get to know people who have anxiety too, and I mostly suffer from anxiety than hypomania. So here ya go:

I'm 18, from Michigan, just got right out of high school and into my first year of college. As a child I had some separation anxiety, but it was never too bad that I couldn't function. Then in 5th grade I got OCD, though it was undiagnosed for three more years. At 13 I became severely depressed and that lasted for about two years. My freshman year of high school was alright, but in the middle of the year things started to fall apart again and then for the rest of high school it was a huge roller coaster. I was originally diagnosed with depression, but in my junior year they suspected that I might have a mild case of bipolar because I started to have some hypomania. I was hospitalized in late April of my junior year because of a serious mania episode. It took me the whole summer to get calm again, and all summer to finish my schoolwork. A year later in my senior year I got back in the hospital. I've been in therapy for four years and have been to three different counselors. The one I'm currently with is pretty good. She kind of chooses the topic though to talk about, but she makes me laugh.

High school was okay for me, but I hated the drama and gossip. Especially senior year, where girls were carrying it on over the stupidest stuff...I was like, we're graduating soon, why are we still fighting? College seems to be better with that, in high school I was extremely shy, I think I might have social anxiety disorder, and whenever I tried to talk to someone for a conversation they'd look at me or give me this vibe as if they were saying, Why are you even talking to me? But college is different, people are more open-minded and accepting. The only class that seems to be like high school is my Spanish class, which even though it's second year Spanish it's still full of freshmen who just can't seem to get over themselves. There are some people in the class though that are older and more mature, so I talk to them.

I've also had a terrible romantic encounter, I posted it in the anxiety thread, just to put it short an ex really messed me up psychologically that every night I have nightmares about him killing my family and they're very vivid.

Things have gotten better, I still have anxiety though and I switch from depression to hypomania, but for the most part I'm finally starting to get things under control. It's kind of scary though, this is exactly what happened freshman year of high school and things fell apart again, so I'm hoping this won't happen again...but we'll see. I think it's great that I found a forum with people who are going through what I'm going through and people I can relate to. I'm just hoping people won't judge me since I'm young and just out of high school, I consider myself mature for my age but that's just me. And the people here seem very nice and understanding from what I've seen. :)


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I’m lonely; gotta look for a party
And dance with somebody tonight
Cuz I’m lonely; I feel empty inside
Can’t you make me feel alive?

- I | N |S | O | M | N | I | A -

“Insomnia” - the Veronicas

POSTED BY MON AMOUR

Posted 10/11/2008 10:17 PM (GMT -6)
moreAmor

Welcome to HealingWell and no we do not judge you, you are safe here with us.

Every day members of HealingWell recover their Self-esteem, their self-worth, their dreams, their pride, their dignity and a meaningful life.

I hope that we can help you with your problems so keep on talking to us and we will do our best to help you.

Again a warm welcome to you. ((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))

Kitt

Posted by

fR33zErBuRn
New Member


Date Joined Sep 2008
Missing Key Value : en-US, 358 : 5
Posted Yesterday 6:05 AM (GMT -6)
Hey Everyone my name is Eddie and i am 20 years old and i live in Salem,Oregon. My favorite sport is soccer i find myself playing almost everyday rain or shine, unless i am at home trying to deal with the anxiety stress and the panic :(....i also enjoy paint balling and playing the keyboard which i have been playing for about 10 years. I am currently going to chemeketa this year, next year i plan on transferring to OSU to continue studying to become a doctor. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid about 4 months ago and about the same time i started having panic attacks, but then started to go away after i started my thyroid medication, but has recently come back in the last month and has gotten worse. Then i did some online research and i read an article that most people who suffer from panic/anxiety disorders could benefit from joining a support, well i searched and searched and searched and i could not find a good support group, most of the ones i checked out were either trying to get people to buy something, or people werent involved enough, until i found Healingwell. I was a little hesitant to join at first because most of the support/Forum groups i have looked at were mostly just for females....and it looked the same way when i first came to Healingwell. Then i investigated a lil further and i noticed that there were some males who were in the support group....then i took some time to read some of the posts people had put up and i was totally impressed by how many people would reply and offer advice to people. Well anyways thats what brought me here and i am really glad that i decided to stay :)

Posted Yesterday 5:04 PM (GMT -6)
Hey freezerburn,

Thanks for introducing yourself I'll admit we do have more women than men on this site, but the guys we do have are all fantastic.

So you plan to become a doctor? A doctor who has suffered through panic attacks, what a great asset you will be to the medical field. I wish you all the best of luck with that.

I love Soccer too (well I enjoy watching it..not the getting in the mud part) what team (s) do you support?

Meg



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Co-moderator Anxiety/Panic
Panic Attack Survivor

www.healingwell.com/donate

Posted Today 6:28 AM (GMT -6)
A Really Warm and heartfelt HELLO to all the new peeps
Glad to see you posting and letting us get to know you all
I truly do believe we have to open up and let some ppl in
to help us and support us

Check out Resources for self help techniques as well as read back pages......

STay with us
'n see ya round the boards.......
AND please do keep posting about selves if you will

LYN



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DX With Crohns,Pyoderma Gangrenosum,Anxiety/Panic,Fibro & Other DD
Donate at www.healingwell.com

Moderator @ Alzheimer's,Co Mod @ Anxiety/ Panic,Co Mod @ Crohns

FIGHT the FIGHT with all YOU HAVE
Look For The GOOD,Even At Your Lowest

Listen To Your Heart,Look Inside Yourself,Understand You

I agree Lyn is spot on..............it is good to know what others are going through and what they are using as coping tools and therapy.

Great thread.
Kitt

im maz. im 28. my panic attacks began at 10yrs of age. i went undiagnosed until 14, when i became agoraphobic and had a nervous breakdown. i had 3 months off school, in a constant state of panic. it was without a doubt the worst feeling in the world. i had a very negative experience with a pyschiatrist who overmedicated me and 14yrs later i have permanent damage to my central nervous system- twitches, tremors, urinary retention.

i have a multitude of physical health problems. this has compounded my Panic Disorder. I also have mild OCD and i suffer from trichotilimania (hair pulling) as well as PTSD. my first pyschiatrist told me from his stuffy leather chair that i was the youngest patient he had ever seen and was one of the most severe cases- he told me i would never live unmedicated. i found this totally disheartening, but 14 years later, ive been medicated every day since my first consultation with him.

i now have a female pyschiatrist who encourages self pity and wallowing, which i dont enjoy doing for an hour. i have had severe allergic reactions to meds- been hospitalised, hallucinations, major heart probs etc.'

i am a christian with a strong faith that God will see me through this. I was able to go to university and get a double degree. i am a full time high school teacher in a very difficult neighbourhood. im now on zoloft and xanax which generally manages the day to day panic and anxiety although i am quite agoraphobic still- i have a comfort zone that i dont enjoy leaving.

i have had abusive relationships that destroyed my self esteem. i used to be skinny and body confident. now i am overeight and bloated by medication. i feel ugly and depressed by what i see in the mirror.

i wont be a victim. for too many years i let this illness control and define me, but today i stand up and say "no more". I give this to God and i thankyou for your kind welcome, the sincerity and comaraderie that i feel here.

God bless all who suffer with all variations of this invisible illness. it takes a pretty strong person to cope with what we cope with- maybe there is a greater purpose?

thankyou for allowing me to be myself.

Maz XX

Mazfire,

Welcome to HealingWell and we are so happy to have you join us.  Your history breaks my heart as you were struck with anxiety at such a young age.

May I suggest you fire your female pyschiatrist that encourages self pity  and find one that wants to help you heal.  If you are just sitting there for 50 minutes thinking about how bad you want to leave, it is time for a change. Of course that is your decision to make.

What a wonderful person you truly are............and oncology nurse.  Bless you.  My sister has ovarian cancer and we flew her into the U of MN Hospital on 8/13, She has been in the hospital most of that time.  When I observe the empathy of the oncology nurses I am  so thankful to have them caring for my sister.

Thank you for sharing  with us and please know we care.

Gentle Hugs
Kitt

Hello and Welcome Ben,

We are very happy you found us and you will find the members of HealingWell very caring and helpful.

I had to edit your post per fourm rules.  If you look to the right you will see forum links and Forum rules is the first link so if you would please read through the rules.  Thank you.

It sounds like you were doing well as you posted "The therapy really helped and my symptoms did get better."

Have you thought of going back to therapy, some people stay in therapy for many years even if they only go in occasionally but it helps reinforce what they learned.

Please feel free to post a thread of you own and you will meet many of the members.

Great intro and thank you for sharing with us.

Kitt

No need to apologize re the rules, many do the same.  We do have members as young as 13 on the board is why we stray away from specifics.

We are still very glad your with us.

Kitt

Hi Ben,

As Kitt said no need for apologies okay? Welcome to HW and thanks for sharing your story. Family can be a great support network and a great help in your recovery, but have you considered any other options? CBT therapy is a great tool for combating anxiety and it certainly helps me in my day to day life.

I'm sorry that school was such a miserable place to go. That can really effect your self esteem, it upsets me when I hear of people being put in a "seperate box" due to things like dyslexia. Grrr!

I look forward to hearing more about you, please feel free to start your own thread and join in with some of our fun threads. We like to have a laugh (and we could use some good scottish humour!)..

Meg

Ashley,

Welcome to the Anxiety and Panic forum.  I am so glad you found your way over here.  We love new members and thank you so much for sharing your story with us.

We are here to help you by supporting you and helping you identify ways to overcome anxiety. You are now family here with us.

Kitt