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SarahH
07-06-14, 22:23
So this is a short story of hope for new people to NMP/anxiety to show how things can change and improve if you listen and take notice of experienced members on NMP...as I have.

You will see that I am an "advanced member" and I have been on the board since April 2013.
At that point I had just come home from an 18 day stay in a psychiatric unit having voluntarily admitted myself with acute anxiety. I will keep my story short. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2001 and have had major and minor ups and downs ever since. I was pensioned out of the police force 4 years ago. Having believed I was in full recovery I came off Citalopram 2 years ago then went slowly down hill until my eventual admission to hospital. I was re-assessed and diagnosed PTSD/GAD/post viral fatigue.:wacko: Put on Pregabalin/lorazepam and came home.
I came to this board and wrote my story then read advice from senior members, was encouraged and inspired by others. I have never come to this board with "symptoms" that is what my Dr is for.
I have progressed then had little dips .I have withdrawn from pregabalin and started Citalopram again, with all the symptoms that go with it.
I have steadily re built my life in the last 13 months.

And now to my point:
In the last 3 weeks I have had 3 internal intimate examinations, internal scans, cancer blood checks, urine samples. It does not matter what these checks were for, the point is I COPED with them in a calm rational manner. I did not have sleepless nights or any kind of meltdown which this time last year would have been a certainty .:yesyes:
I have not been out of my hometown for 2 years (except a couple of day trips to see my 102 yr old granny). Last weekend after spending the day with my oldest friend I was driving down the motorway in the outside lane (with my 24 yr old daughter). I was doing about 80 mph and "BAM"!!!! My front driverside tire blew up.:scared15:...I mean it went bang and black smoke was billowing out of it. One of my biggest fears had happened... a blow out in the outside lane of a motorway!!!!!!! But guess what... it was ok...I took my foot off the accelerator, hazard lights on, into the middle lane, inside lane, hard shoulder, out of the car, climbed the embankment through chest high brambles in a summer dress and stood waiting for recovery. one and a half hours later we were on our way. Was it scary? Holy shit yeah:ohmy:...but I did it and came through it.

Guess what on Monday I am flying to Spain for a week!:yahoo:I can't believe it myself... what an achievement in 12 months!!!!!:noangel:

So if you have read this far then well done I obviously have not bored you too much..... my point is ALL of us can get through our problems if you just listen to advice and try all the methods suggested to you; medication, therapy, mindfulness, yoga, exercise, EMDR...these were the tools that I reached for throughout my recovery and will continue to use when necessary.

Thank you to all the great people on here who have given sound, constructive and heartfelt advice. A year ago I was a gibbering wreck...... now look at me (well I know you can't actually do that)... buy I am smiling:D...and getting on a plane:yahoo::yahoo::yahoo:

sarah

aprilmoon
07-06-14, 23:41
Well done Sarah!
This is a message of hope to anyone,not just newbies,
I look forward to getting there one day,as you have.
Thankyou.

Carnation
08-06-14, 00:22
That's a great story and very encouraging; not at all boring.

Just one thing.
I am jealous you are going to Spain.

Booboojenny
08-06-14, 00:40
Wow!!....well Done, it's such a inspiring story thank you so much, I am so happy for you.
Enjoy your holiday Sarah you certainly deserve it :D

Tanner40
08-06-14, 00:52
Well done Sarah. Thanks formthe message of hope that is so inspiring. Look at you now. enjoy your holiday in Spain.

bimmer18
08-06-14, 03:11
YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!! That was a great story, thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations on your recovery, your continued progress, battling your fears, being vulnerable and then also being strong enough to admit you needed help. Wonderful and inspirational!!
XO♡♥XO☆★

SarahH
08-06-14, 08:41
Thank you guys.

I hope people will read this but I suspect most wont... it's hard to hear about people in recovery if you are right in the middle of a bad time. But you know if I can recover from being a wreck and hospitalised then so can anyone!

I will never be the same.... in some respects I like who I am now more:D

sarah

Kim51
08-06-14, 09:25
Well done lovely to read :)

SarahH
08-06-14, 17:30
Thank you Kim. I hope all the junior members read this and get some inspiration:)

Sarah

bernie1977
12-06-14, 10:02
Thank you so much for posting this as I'm struggling with my exposure therapy at the moment and reading your story has given me hope.

Enjoy your holiday you deserve it x

SarahH
16-06-14, 21:13
Well I am back!!!:D tanned and gorgeous:roflmao:
We had a great time and it was VERY hot. I survived and and enjoyed myself and barely needed any Valium........ you see what can be achieved.

Sarah

aprilmoon
16-06-14, 21:32
Welcome back Sarah,
Glad you had a good time and it went well.x:)

mr benn
21-06-14, 22:25
Your right about some of us on here finding such a great story hard to take, and thinking 'that will never be me' . But what Im finding important on here is that I want to read success stories, as find I cant cope with the bad time stories. I think its part of the therapy we all need to read good time stories.

And yes, Im jealous of you - in the best possible way :yesyes:

Sunflower2
12-07-14, 11:43
Love this post! One thing I try to do on this site is read the success stories and it gives me hope that I can beat this!

PJW57
09-08-14, 07:40
I am clinging with hope to any success stories I can find right now to give me hope that after 7 weeks on Citalopram 20mg ......4 of them really good weeks...horrid side effects have returned and I'm very low :weep:
Stories like yours make me see it can get better!
Thank you Sarah :hugs:
Pamela x

aprilmoon
09-08-14, 08:11
Hi Pamela
The meds I was on had'pooped out' on me,but when they were upped a bit I've felt so much better,and have stabilized now,so maybe that could be a solution for you?
This might just be a blip though for you
Beat wishes

MrAndy
09-08-14, 09:32
Well done Sarah

luc
17-08-14, 17:48
Hi Sarah,

Great post and great news. I am in a similar situation to you and after years of chronic HA that I was absolutely sure I would never shift I am Better!!!! About 9 months ago I printed out all relevant posts that gave people's tips on recovery as I was always seeking out these posts. I read them, filtered them and came up with a plan of things that I had previously dismissed but that came up time and time again. You see I had been looking for that magic fix. That CBT appointment, the magic medication, that eureka moment. Getting better takes commitment and perseverance and The realisation that nobody else can do it for you. Support from this site is, in my opinion invaluable as is sharing success stories. bighug1: Lucia