PDA

View Full Version : A bit of My Story.



polly
24-02-06, 17:55
Hello,
(not sure if this is the correct link?)
Found this site through reading a wonderful interesting article in the Daily Mail.
Ive suffered from panic attacks for as long as I can remember, plus depression and OCD. I had a very bad childhood and as a result of my childhood I decided not to have children incase history repeated itself. My mother was a paranoid, schizophrenic, nasty alcoholic, my father was very selfish & spiteful, he didnt have an ounce of feeling in him & only cared about himself and often said he shouldnt have had children. I was constantly told by my father that I was ugly and useless, which I believed for a long time. I always tried extra hard at everything I did and if I did do something well, he told it was just a fluke. If I did well in an exam he would say the examiner was probably drunk or felt sorry for me.
My childhood has affected my whole life. I grew up thinking I was too ugly and of no use to anyone in this world. I used to think if I died I would come back as another child to different parents.
I first went to the doctors when I was about 17 and felt suicidal, they spent ages talking to me and gave me pills which did help at the time. Ive been on and off pills for most of my adult life, although Im not taking any at the moment.
As I reached my late teens, I had it in my head that I was very ugly. I wasnt ugly, I was just ordinary. I decided to have surgery as I didnt want to look like 'me' anymore and certainly didnt want to resemble any of my parents. I thought if I changed the way I look, I would feel different. Over the past 20 years Ive had at least 15 proceedures, I suppose you could say Ive had an 'extreme make over' over a 20 year period. I kept having more operations until there was no more of the old 'me' left. Im finally happy with the way I look, Ive got the face & figure I want.
Even after getting rid of the old 'me' the depression and panic attacks were still there, so I decided to change my life completely. I sold up and moved abroad 3 years ago. My friends back in the UK tell me Im living the dream! If I was normal, yes, I would be living the dream, plus I look brilliant and I dont have any real stress, so why do I still get depressed? still have panic attacts? and my OCD is getting out of control. Sometimes I dont want to get out of bed, I spend hours in bed crying, I have to close all my curtains and hide away in the dark, only feeling safe when night time comes.
I know if I won 10 million on the lottory I would still feel like this.
It must be in my genes.
I have good days and bad days, about one in four is a bad day.
I know I will never be cured and its something I just have to live with.
I hide it well, just one close friend knows the real me.
This is just a small percentage of my life, I could write a book on the life Ive had.
Typing all this out has made me feel a bit better.
Thank you.
Polly x

trac67
24-02-06, 18:29
Hi Polly,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

Take care

Trac xx

P.S I removed the duplicated post for you xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

dream
24-02-06, 18:36
hi polly
welcome to this site
take care denisexxx

denise

clickaway
24-02-06, 18:51
Welcome aboard Polly,

Glad you found us here - you'll get a lot of comfort from this site, just like so many others.

Take Care



Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

nomorepanic
24-02-06, 18:57
Hi Polly

Welcome aboard and thanks for the comprehensive intro.

It is possible to overcome these things and you life will only be as bad as you let it if that makes sense.

You can be cured and you don't have to spend the rest of your life in turmoil.

I overcame panic attacks as the article said and it took a long time and was hard work but it can be done.

Hope we can be of some help to you anyway.

Nicola

Karen
24-02-06, 19:13
Hi Polly

Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like things have been difficult for you for a long time and, as you have realised, changing physical things and moving does not help when the underlying issues remain unresolved. I too have a lot of issues as a result of my childhood and until recently had been avoiding dealing with what is at the heart of my problems. I developed one problem after another, the latest of which is an eating disorder with associated body dysmorphia, because facing the real problems has been too painful.

I've now realised though that I need to do this in order to move on and to recover. It is not easy but can be done.

Have you had any therapy at all? Some solution-focused type therapy like CBT can be very helpful.

I hope we can help and support you on your road to recovery.

Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

jackie
24-02-06, 20:14
HI POLLY.AND WELCOME. YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK. I HOPE YOU NO HOW STRONG YOU ARE TO JUST BE HERE AND NOT GIVING UP ON LIFE.

YOU WILL DO OK. WE WILL ALL HELP YOU
JACKIE

Alexandra
24-02-06, 22:15
Hi Polly

Welcome to the forum.

I know ive already said welcome once already but after the hiccups with your comp. The duplicate intro's were taken off, with my welcome message on. Never mind eh. lol

Take Care

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

sal
24-02-06, 22:18
Hi and welcome to the site.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

polly a
22-03-06, 22:59
hi polly ,welcome to the site yeah i have never had any desire to win the lottery either as it wouldnot change my feelings in any way,but we have to make the most of what weve got as were only here once so they say ,my father was a selfish alcoholic,and my mum died when i was really young,i do believe it damages you,but for this site i dont know what i would have done good to realise that your not the only one who goes thro this sort of thing,and it does you good to let your feelings out that have festered for years ,this site will be of enormous benifit to you im sure keep talking and keep well,polly a

p appleyard

freakedout
22-03-06, 23:40
Polly

Welcome to this site. I really feel for you, I was really touched reading your story. Being emotionally abused as a child is bound to leave deep wounds and scars. Those were your must vulnerable years.

I wish I could be as positive as some of the others are on this site but I am not. I have little to say that can make anyone feel better.All I can offer that is not pessimistic and negative (as everything is in my life at the mo), is a huge hug. Thinking of you over there in the Canary Islands.

Take care and thanks for sharing your story


"When you try your best but you don't succeed, when you get what you want but not what you need, when you feel so tired but you can't sleep, stuck in reverse" ......"if you never try you'll never know just what your worth" (Coldplay)

Meg
23-03-06, 18:36
Polly

You're been bandaiding some pretty deep wounds and trauma there.

Some psychotherapy is your way forward. You need to feel to let go and heal some of that deep crap, rebuild your trained and subsequently learned belief sytems.

**It must be in my genes.
I have good days and bad days, about one in four is a bad day.
I know I will never be cured and its something I just have to live with.**

It is not in your genes at all but in your learnt memory and belief systems
You can recover but you need some help.

Look for a PTSD therapist out there and give it a go.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

proactiveness, positivity, persistence, perseverance and practice = progress