How I overcame depression and anxiety

Shared experiences of life, and the path that has led you to where you are.

Moderators: windsong, BlueGobi, Moderators, vince13, Maelstrom, Astrid

sarahleesy
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 04, 2017 9:22 pm

How I overcame depression and anxiety

Postby sarahleesy » Thu May 04, 2017 9:32 pm

https://www.facebook.com/sarahleesy/posts/1442276402461404

I posted this in hopes it might help others, and posting this on here in hopes it might help more because of how many people have reached out to me personally through messages and comments. Here it goes:

I don't really write FB posts like this but I now know being honest and open can help so many others as well as myself. My fear is to be labeled as that emo girl who was depressed. I want to say, I went through a period of major depression and chronic anxiety from the beginning of senior year. There were days where I would tremor uncontrollably all day, not be able to speak without stuttering, not being able to sleep for days and weeks. The number of things I did to self medicate is shocking and hurtful to some. This included self-harm, suicidal thoughts, an addiction to benzodiazepine, alcoholism to the point of drinking a bottle of wine a day, smoking a pack of cigarettes everyday and not eating much at all. I went down a slippery slope with the belief that just one more time of doing x is going to relieve me of all emotions and feelings, at least temporarily. You do need relief from something that exists, it is not just something you can simply wish away. Depression and anxiety are very real problems that can destroy your life. It is important to understand that suppressing feelings can lead to an explosion of pain. Depression and anxiety are real illnesses, not just names to label people who aren't satisfied with their life. It doesn't mean that your fortune and privilege disallows you to feel a certain way. The strongest, smartest, most successful people do feel this way sometimes. Your gratitude for material things is not related with how happy you 'should' be. It has taken me 4 months to finally feel interested in my goals and pursuits again, to enjoy the things I used to enjoy and feel hopeful and passionate to do things of meaning to me. I felt like I lost a sense of purpose and hope in all areas, and didn't believe I would ever get better. I went through cycles of trying to pinpoint the reasons why I felt the way I did with my therapist, blaming it on the stress from senior year, graduating, the anxiety of having to apply for jobs, politics, even childhood events that caused me to have certain destructive behaviors. All of it didn't really matter because at the end of the day, everyone goes through difficulties. What matters is that you find an outlet of expression, and a better way to overcome those challenges. Get real professional help and build a support network. My perspective slowly changed the moment I started writing again, reading new books and learning new skills. It was incredibly difficult to be honest with family and friends, the last thing I wanted was for others to worry and even accept that I needed help. I am eternally grateful to have had people to reach out to, and for everybody involved in my recovery who never judged me and not only tolerated me at my worst times but made me feel loved. It's not just a small thing to get over or an overreaction to seek attention. It's a real illness that can be treated and you can overcome. Yes I am taking medication for it, yes it was the hardest thing I've ever done to go through withdrawals and initial temporary side effects of SSRIs. It took weeks and months before there was an improvement and even then I still had breakdowns and horrible moments that lead to feeling dying was the only option. I still have tremors, and anxiety although less often but I'm just glad to say I got through the depression, and I am in a much better place now with the help of so many. I owe these people my life. I want people to know that it does get better, and to not lose hope. And for anyone else who is concerned about someone, there is never harm in reaching out to them personally and making an attempt to help.
<3 x Spreading love always, with electronic good vibes~
The response from everyone is really overwhelmingly touching. Truly, thank you for your love and care. It extends to hundreds of other people. I just want to say I was skeptical about writing this long piece on social media. Employers and the general public can see what I wrote and come to conclusions. But I have realized that what good is getting a job if I'm dead? If I kept everything to myself, I would've never gotten better. And I now know so many other people feel the same. Whether privately or publicly, voicing your struggles is hard to do but makes you a stronger and more open person with emotional credibility. Empathy is a human quality that should not be overlooked in all job scopes and interpersonal relationships. Having depression or anxiety should NOT be a stigma and happens to the best of us. I hope this helps even more people. If this helps or saves even one person, I am willing to take the risk.
X <3 Sending electronic good vibes always~~

Return to “Your Story”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 300 guests