Leap year. How were you four years ago, now and how you hope to be in 4 years time

[GingerFish]

Today is leap day

So I thought I'd try out a little game

How were you like four years ago today?

How are you now?

What will it be like for you four years from now?

For some of us, four years ago we would have been fine in terms of our anxiety or other MH conditions and for others, the battle had already begun. One thing is for sure though, this time in four years, we all want to have won the battle and if we all stick together, I think we can do it


Four years ago - I would have been 19 and been with my bf for about 3 years at that point and living together for a year. I would have just started my biomedical sciences course at college and I had just started dyeing my hair ginger I already had OCD at this point as I had been diagnosed as a child years before and I had panics through my OCD but I didn't start getting them randomly and out the utter blue and them making me housebound until 3 years ago but 4 years ago was quite a stressful time so around this time, my panic disorder was slowly developing.


Now - I still get panics every day though 99% of the time I can ignore them or end them in seconds which for most people would mean I am cured of panic disorder as a lot of the time cure doesn't mean lack of symptoms, it means being able to deal with them, accepting them and not letting them hold you back any longer. OCD wise - that has gotten worse as has my depression along with it. I finally got an urgent refferal for therapy for that and I am in the early days of therapy so its too early to tell how its working but its nice being able to talk to someone face to face who understands my condition perfectly. Outside of MH problems, life is good. I'm engaged (have been for 3 years), still living with my partner and kitties. Mum's wedding is in April and her hen night is next month so I have that to look forward to. Papa is still waiting on his transplant though. He was high up the list but he had peritonitis a month ago and that has made him slip down again. I did quit uni. Right now I am not regretting the choice as it felt like the right thing to do but who knows, I may regret it in the future but I'll just have to live with it.

Four years from now - I'll be married to my bf by then, hopefully have a nicer flat or house, have more cats, be cured of OCD and panic disorder 100% instead of just treating it, have a job working with animals, hoping papa will have had his transplant and he will he happy and healthy, finally passed my driving lessons. Generally I just want to be happy and healthy in the future.

[Skkyee]

4 years ago I was about to get married in just over 2 weeks!! I was a new mum (7 months) I was in cloud nine and my already existing anxiety was in remission for sure!!

Now I am plagued once more by anxiety, but I have almost completed a degree (taken 4 years) it's been stressful! and haven't worked through the duration of my study, I've been at home with my little one who is now at school. I have a feeling, getting the degree stress out of the way and a fresh start in work is going to help me kick this again.

4 years from now, I want to be settled in work and have my friends and family around me, live an active life and be enjoying life. I want the anxiety gone!!

[MissyMischief]

Four years ago I was 26. I'd just gotten this awful Pixie cut for my Birthday, and hated it! Also, my now-boyfriend had just started working at my job. We were getting a bit flirty, but I had no idea we'd end up together. I had only been working at my job for a couple years, and was still really enjoying it. I was also looking for an apartment to move into.

Now, I'm suffering from a relapse in anxiety (I've had a couple previous bouts over my lifetime). I've left my job because of my anxiety (although I was honestly getting tired of it by then) and am on meds and just trying to get my life back. My hair is LONG now. I've not cut it once in four years...will never cut it that short again! I have two wonderful doggies, now and am still with my boyfriend I met back in the day.

Four years from now, I'd like to be managing my anxiety a lot better. I intend to be living in Oregon, doing work that I love, and taking good care of myself...physically, mentally, and emotionally. To be honest, I'm not sure I ever want to get married. I'm thinking that the marriage/house/kids route just isn't for me. I like my independence and my freedom.

[mezzaninedoor]

Lordy, lawks, 4 years ago I was 47
I was well, episode free for about 2 years

Now, Im 51 and Im recovering from 2 years of tiring, withering anxiety, depression with a BiPolar diagnosis. I think I have learned an awful lot in these last 2 years though

In 4 years time, i dear not think and I cant wish the time away too quickly as the grave beckons !!!!!!!!!

[NoPoet]

Hmm, this is a good thread

4 years ago I was 32. I was in a relationship with Zoe, who in hindsight was a complete biatch, one of only two girlfriends that I've ever said anything bad about. Congratulations, Zoe.

I did not have a diagnosis of asperger syndrome (I didn't even know what it was, or what autism was), nor of ADHD. I was changing from citalopram to mirtazapine. My anxiety was dominating my life, with severe intrusive thoughts of suicide - I wasn't suicidal, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I was working full time in a call centre earning about £1400 a month after tax. I was always falling out with people. Concentrating on anything was hard.

Now, I am far more experienced and far more hard-bitten. My writing, problem solving and social skills have drastically improved. I fought for the correct diagnosis and treatment, received them, and am now fighting the NHS and DWP in court to improve things for adults with autism and ADHD. I am volunteering at three different places and also work part time. I am desperately in debt, and am currently off work sick as I am avoiding the attentions of a blonde psycho.

I've had horrific experiences using dating sites, I've been stalked, had my car vandalised, I've cut a lot of people out of my life as I realised they were using me. As bad as it's been, I've had a ton of good experiences, met some extraordinary people, I haven't been murdered and I haven't got VD.

[MissyMischief]

I haven't been murdered and I haven't got VD.

Two very positive things, NoPoet .

[Fishmanpa]

I've had horrific experiences using dating sites, I've been stalked, had my car vandalised, I've cut a lot of people out of my life as I realised they were using me. As bad as it's been, I've had a ton of good experiences, met some extraordinary people, I haven't been murdered and I haven't got VD.

I had to smile at that NP... I met my wife on a dating site and we've been together for 5 years, married for going on two. Prior to meeting her, I definitely had same war stories as well! As I experienced my share of crazy internet dating I learned that you can tell more about a person by what's in their medicine cabinet as opposed to photos and likes and dislikes etc. I was creative with my personal ad and it was an application for "Female Relationship Engineer" and was a questionnaire. One of the questions pertained directly to meds (yes or no and if yes, list them!)

Positive thoughts

[NoPoet]

Two very positive things, NoPoet .

It was touch and go for a while, I made my first-ever visit to the GU clinic in January and announced my arrival with the words "I'd like to thank my ex-girlfriend for making this new experience possible"

Fishmanpa, that sounds like a fantastic idea! Congratulations on having a success story like that. Online dating did used to be good, but everyone's cottoned onto it and Plenty of Fish is now like the cast of Mad Max Fury Road.

My latest relationship from POF ended in such disaster I went to court, got stalked by a girl from work and had a mini-breakdown.

Still, you've got to laugh.