Advice for people recovering from anxiety and depression

Charlie Brown · Post by **Charlie Brown** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:23 am

Take it one moment at a time. It could be one moment, hour, day, or whatever time frame is comfortable to you. Don't feel bad about reoccurences along the way. These reoccurences or "bad day returning" are actually part of the recovery process. Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself to something you like, because you are taking steps to improve your health. Laugh/enjoy a comedy movie. Don't be concerned about talking with a counselor/therapist and--if they advise--taking meds. Use distractions during down moments. Do things you enjoy while recovering. If you are religious, incorporate prayer. I am writing this for you as well as me.

Yesterday night I came to a realization that work/jobs, my efforts at being an entrepreneur and the resulting financial aspects are an extreme sore spot in my life and it needs to be dealt with. For all my life I have bounced/been bounced from one job to another. I never pursued my college major. I have had no job satisfaction pretty much ever. The only good thing that came from all the jobs was I met my beloved wife. Finances I won't even get into. I have felt about this whole career and money situation frustration, depression, anger, outrage and sadness. I have recently realized I no longer have the career love of my youth: writing (though here you would not know it

). My zest for entrepruerialism has also recently vanished. I feel lost, and also trapped.

I am almost positive I am going to go to a therapist that deals with career counseling.

I found a web site last night that deals exactly with what I am going through but soon afterwards I felt like a sensitive, sore spot. It was then I made the realization about this topic for myself and how to go about dealing with. I offer the same advice to you.

Here's to our recovery!

Maeggie · Post by **Maeggie** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:02 am

Hi Charlie:

Thanks for posting such an encouraging thread- sounds like you're on the right track

good luck with the job decision!

Charlie Brown · Post by **Charlie Brown** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:45 am

Thank you, Maeggie.

Charlie Brown · Post by **Charlie Brown** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:31 pm

One thing I forgot to mention is rest. Rest and sleep, at least for me, are key to overcoming a bad moment or feeling depleted. A night's sleep helps me.

Saturday night I went to the ER for chest pains. I had a nuclear stress test done two months ago and it was negative. In fact the cardiologist said my heart was the healthiest he's seen in 2 years. The sensation started out as heartburn went away and returned feeling like pressure against my breastbone in the solar plexus area. The feeling didn't spread and actually came and went over two hours. I had no other symptoms except this. After Xanax, Pepto Bismo, a muscle pain patch and Ben Gay did not work, I got really scared. My wife and I cabbed it to the nearby hospital. P.S: I was there 8 1/2 hours and all the tests (EKG, blood, and chest X-rays) were thank God normal. They couldn't pin a definitive reason for it, saying it was either anxiety or my reflux. (The reflux never acted this way before.)

The funny thing was the whole heartburn/pressure sensation never occured while in the ER.

When we returned home yesterday morning, I--we--slept almost 8 hours. I remember when I got up to go to the bathroom I was sooooo mentally and physically out of it but said to myself I have to mention how rest is important to recovery in this thread. Tack on 6 hours sleep last night and I slept 14 hours yesterday.

I will see this Saturday if I can see both my PCP and ENT--at least one has to be in.