My story
my story
my story ok my name is steve im 19 years old and for some time now i have been suffering from axiety and depression when i was about 16 years of age i had a drug overdose the most scariest feeling of my life i thought i was going die at any moment muscle meltdown wasnt able to talk or have full control of my movement tingling through out my hole body and still do this day get tingling through my hands and feet it changed my life completely after that i never felt the same i had bad anxiety problems ever since and had some phycotic trouble couldnt sleep and such i seen many doctors and got put on anti depressions but told me they cant do much about it it was something i had to do on my own where i had many other problems that wernt helping my anxiety i tried finding out much about what happened on the internet and something called seretonin syndrome came up which is when something goes wrong in your brain that can harm the hole body 3 years later im still recovering i feel lucky to be alive its something that will haunt me for the rest of my life i havent touched another pill since im afraid to thing body and mind wouldnt be able to handle it i still suffer from anxiety all the time where before this moment i was very healthy and fit fitness was very important the last few years while i have been going through anxiety its helped alot to get my mind working properly again. after the inicdent i still got many attacks out of no where and felt like i couldnt breath an the same thing was happening to me i think each day my mind is getting stronger but its hard an no one will ever understand those feelings
steve
September 6, 2010
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Hi Steve,
Good on you for reaching out mate. I don’t know you, and I don’t know the severity of your overdose, so my thoughts are just mine based on my own experience and experience with others, but perhaps they will be helpful to you:
- It is rare that a drug overdose could cause so much damage to your body/brain that you will suffer for years. Sometimes, the experience of overdose is so horrifying, so terrible, that it actually leaves you with a form of post-traumatic stress, similar to someone seeing terrible things in a war, or experiencing a horrible car accident etc. Perhaps it is worth exploring with a counselor or psychologist, going back to the root of these feelings, and seeing if this is the case. Our physical bodies, when given the right conditions (healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep, adequate relaxation during our daily lives, right amount of oxygen etc.) can heal from almost anything. Our bodies/minds have a remarkable capacity for healing fully, perhaps you need to consider that it may be (like I said, I don’t KNOW, I’m just giving a suggestion here) recurring stress, as opposed to a permanent physical issue? Give yourself the benefit of the doubt, and see what happens with the help of a counselor. Beyond Blue has issued a wonderful book “Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family” by John Ashfield, that has a whole section on “Stress” (different from post-traumatic stress, but well-worth a read). Reach out to the staff here and have them send you a copy, it may really help.
- Often, stress is the cause of our depression and anxiety. I mean, who is NOT depressed when we are constantly anxious and stressed? All we have to look forward to is more of the same! So, we have to act on the root cause, not the effects. A counselor can help you explore this further. We can change our thinking and behaviour with the right effort.
- I had a near nervous breakdown in 2006. It literally changed the way I reacted to stress, physically and emotionally. I felt so much more on-edge than ever, the smallest things would trigger me. I am positive it actually caused physical changes in my brain, in the way it perceived things, transferred messages etc. I set myself on a path of pure health, transformation, and healing. In time, I have now reversed it, so stress is just another thing for me to look at and laugh. Effectively, I changed from one habit (healthy thoughts/behaviours) to another (unhealthy thoughts/behaviours) and back again. Thus, the brain/body capacity to heal when given the right conditions I can first-hand vouch for.
- The beauty about anxiety is, you can tame it like a wild horse. You can learn such techniques that you will actually welcome anxiety, just so you can practice your coping abilities. Simply “watching” the anxious feeling within you without judging it, without becoming it, practicing deep, relaxing breathing while feeling anxious, KNOWING deeply that the anxiety will pass, it is temporary, and KNOWING that the more you learn to handle it naturally and spontaneously, the weaker it will get…..all of this will get you through and will diminish the effects of anxiety on you. This is a FACT, I give you my word.
- And a personal experience: I consumed marijuana orally some years ago. The experience was horrific, halucinations, out of body experiences, passing out, vomiting, panic attacks, huge paranoia etc. It was an awful experience. I had anxiety for a few weeks after this, but gave myself the benefit of the doubt that it would pass, I would heal myself, and that the lasting mental effects were from the stress of the experience, and if I acknowledge this deeply, it would pass. It did.
So, consider these possibilities. Perhaps make it your goal to create the conditions for full healing, and see what happens. Give yourself time, seek the help of a professional counselor to support you/help you understand the mental/emotional side of this, and see what happens.
I wish you the best mate.
Steve