Stress Center Peer Support

ok...i think i'm posting this in the right place...i'm new to message boards in general and this one specifically. my name is chelsea and i just started the program today. i'm 33 years old and i live with my 15 year old daughter, boyfriend of nearly 5 years, 4 yr old boxer/shepherd mix penelope, 11 year old cat elroy and 10 year old cat chloe. i've been high strung and nervous and a worrier with a vivid imagination that at times seems like a curse since i can remember. i'm looking forward to learning how to deal with myself and be a bit calmer and learn how to relax. i have problems with obsessive thoughts as well. it's nice to meet you all.

I really like this idea of all of us getting to know each other, a lot!

Let's see. Some of you know me. I'm Karilynn (go by Kari) 22 years old from Minnesota. I live with my roommate, Ashley, who is also my age, in an apartment in a lovely neighborhood.

I am unattached (lol) single and enjoying it, seeing as I just got out of a tragic and verbally abusive relationship.

I have no children, just 2 cats and a guinea pig. They are my children!

I work at Best Buy... RETAIL! It's a pretty fun job most times, stressful other times, but what job isn't?

I am close to my family! My only sister (who is 26) is having her first baby in about 40 days, a little girl, who is going to be my first niece. I can't wait!

I love music, art, and FOOD! I am an artist who loves to draw, paint, and create. I have a HUGE iTunes library and music is something I feel as though I could not live without.

My anxiety started literally the day I graduated from high school with the hallmark first panic attack. I've been dealing with different severities of it ever since. Last fall it got so bad I was unable to leave my bed. It was very situational seeing as I was living with my boyfriend at the time and we were in a very unhealthy relationship. He saw nothing wrong with it and made me feel very guilty about the way I felt. Finally I found a coach to work the program with who really helped me find courage within myself and slowly over the course of 3 months I forced my boyfriend to move out and find his own place and eventually ended the relationship. It was VERY difficult and there are no words to express how horrible those memories are for me. I felt very stuck and trapped in that relationship and there were many nights I felt like there was never going to be an end to it. I do not mean to play the card of victim, we both have our issues and together we were not the best fit for each other. Ever since he moved out and exited my life, each day is a little better and I slowly feel as though I am returning to the old Kari who went out and did whatever she wanted to do!

This is a great idea and it's finally nice to put some information with familiar faces.

Well... My name is Jennifer and I live in Yuma, Arizona. I am 25 years old and have had severe anxiety/agorophobia/emetophobia since I was 19 years old. I am finishing up my degree in elementary education and will be student teaching this coming semester YAY! After that I am officially a teacher, if I pass my tests =P

My boyfriend currently lives in Phoenix, we have been dating about a year, which is about 3 hours away from here. He is an aerospace engineer for Honeywell and we have so much in common! He is also very interested in this program and doing whatever he can to help me. Since I cannot travel to see him he comes down here every other weekend to spend time with my parents and me.

I have 5 dogs and 2 cats. My dogs consist of a poodle and 4 muts. Their names are Puffer, Frodo, Cookie, GG, and Baby.

I am working part time at a church right now spending the rest of my free time working on this program and on myself. I am looking forward to continuing my education once I become a teacher. I am either wanting to become a speech pathologist, or a psychologist. Ever since I was 19 I decided I would love to one day help others like myself, and I think going through this program and seeing results so far it is an even stronger feeling now.

I live with my parents still until I graduate and have one sister, she is a nurse and lives across the street. My entire family lives here except for a cousin in Texas and an uncle in Puerto Rico. So everything I have known and loved my whole life is right where I am, and it's great.

I am hoping once I get my degree to settle down, move to Phoenix and have a family in the next few years. But in the mean time I enjoy playing video games, on the computer and consoles, I'm a dork =P I love to read, I love politics, and movies and music are my life. I play the piano and sing. I am also very fond of classical music and art. It was great reading all of your posts, I look forward to more.

Jennifer

Hey this is a great idea, wonderful way getting to know each other.


Well n e way, My name i Shelly, Im 22 years old, I live in California, been struggling with anxiety,panic attacks, and agoraphobia for the past year already.But getting thru it. I have 2 kids, a 5 year old named CJ and 2 year old named Abigail. Im a stay at home mom the past 5 years. I'm engaged to this wonderful man i met 6 years ago. We are curently living in one of my parents house right now just because money issues and im dependent on my mom {hey im still young and still attached to mommy }.

I like reading inspiration books, writting poetry, using the internet, and shopping.


I'm just like most of you, wanting to overcome this anxiety/depression and panic attacks.


It's great getting to know u all

Hi, my name is Robin, I am 39 yrs old. I married the man of my dreams 8 yrs ago. I have Six boys, ranging in ages from 22-2yrs. My first four are from my first marriage. My twin 2 yr.olds are the first for my husband. They completed our union and I am blessed beyond measure!! I am a Christian, Stay at home Momma.
I've had anxiety since the age of 15. Most of which was due to evironmental stress. I believe that I had PPD after the twins which sparked a new cycle of anxiety, depression and OCD, however, with God and the help of this program, I've just about got it beat! I've learned/still learning about the REAL me and I'm excited to say that I am truley happy and on the road to a complete healing.

I love to sing, write, dance, and spend time with my family. I'm currently praying for the wisdom of writing my first book so, wish me luck!

Hey, thank Melissa for suggesting this, it was fun reading all the other posts!!! helps to know that were not alone and anxiety has no respect of persons....I'm not the only nut..LOL Just kidding for those that may take that a bit personal.

Originally posted by Mom of 6:
Hi, my name is Robin, I am 39 yrs old. I married the man of my dreams 8 yrs ago. I have Six boys, ranging in ages from 22-2yrs. My first four are from my first marriage. My twin 2 yr.olds are the first for my husband. They completed our union and I am blessed beyond measure!! I am a Christian, Stay at home Momma.
I've had anxiety since the age of 15. Most of which was due to evironmental stress. I believe that I had PPD after the twins which sparked a new cycle of anxiety, depression and OCD, however, with God and the help of this program, I've just about got it beat! I've learned/still learning about the REAL me and I'm excited to say that I am truley happy and on the road to a complete healing.

I love to sing, write, dance, and spend time with my family. I'm currently praying for the wisdom of writing my first book so, wish me luck!

Hey, thank Melissa for suggesting this, it was fun reading all the other posts!!! helps to know that were not alone and anxiety has no respect of persons....I'm not the only nut..LOL Just kidding for those that may take that a bit personal.

I so love that a few people are posting, I love to know about people .... lol, I am cracked nut...lol, proud of it! :p

Hello to all of you! I have so enjoyed reading about everyone. What a great idea for a forum!
My name is Judy ~ and I am older than dirt.
(okay, I'm 69) I married the love of my life when I was 18, two weeks out of high school, and we just celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary this month.

We have three wonderful children, a son, 50; and two daughters, 48 and 43; and eight beautiful grandchildren ranging from 24 to 10.
Some of you may remember that we lost our 18 year old grandson in a tragic auto accident in November ~ and that is when my panic attacks started...again.

I began having panic attacks and GAD back in the years when the doctors wouldn't even talk to you about it and said it was all in your head, yeh, I think it was.

So, for forty some years I have been on some kind of medication - but you know what? I'm okay! My blessings outweigh my sorrows and God has been so good.

I worked mostly in the medical field as an office manager, but actually retired in 2005 from a major insurance company. I am a certified Lay Speaker for the Methodist Church, love to read, write, sing, garden and play golf and go to every possible sports event that our
G'children have played. We have bleacher buns!!
My husband and I enjoy dining out and I dearly love anything chocolate! My favorite color is cobalt blue and my favorite song is "Jesus Loves Me."

I had my own byline in a newspaper, am working right now on a devotional book, have been in several musicals, but my family comes first and foremost in my life.

I want to say that there is life after/with panic attacks, GAD, OCD, etc. It takes a lot of commitment on your part, a lot of prayer to our precious Savior and support from your family/friends. It's not easy, but I can honestly say that I have had a wonderful life despite the valleys that have come into it.

All of you are so young and have so much to look forward to ~ take one day at a time ~ enjoy your babies ~ and your partners. Life is short. Blessing to all. Hugs, Judy

Very good idea Mel!!!
Ok, I am 35 yrs old (young), i just got married Dec. 28th at my moms gorgeous house with only our parents and siblings, and am a mother of a smart, funny, absolutely adorable 7yr old and a 3 month old baby boy.
This is my first and only marriage! LOL I saw him walk into a bar (how romantic lol) and looked over at my girlfriend and said "OMG! I love that guy...I am sooo going to marry him!" She was like, "do u know him?" i said No and she introduced us..the next week we went out and the rest is history@! We have been inseperable ever since! His family took my daughter in as there first grandchild and love us sooo much! Could not ask for a better family!!
My anxiety problems have been with me since i was about 8 or 9 yrs old. It got alot worse when my parents got divorced and i was going through an eating disorder. Then i began to just party alot and drink too much and this gave me alot of anxiety and began to get really depressed. When i was 26 i had a surgery for endometriosis and was told that i may not be able to have children and my boyfriend at the time and i decided we wanted a baby so we tried for 2 yrs and low and behold i got pregnant!:) Him and i didn't last because he was very mentally abusive and cheated on me multiple times, but my daughter is amazing!!!
I then went back to the party life here and there and began to have very scarey thoughts when Haley was about 3 months old. Just around the time of the Andrea yates tragety. I was very traumatized from watching what she had done and started the what if thinking..To this day i am still battling this and am now on a new med. am going to a therapist on wed. I need to get better!!!!
Life is too short...we have to live every day to the absolute fullest!!!

Originally posted by teasha:
Very good idea Mel!!!
Ok, I am 35 yrs old (young), i just got married Dec. 28th at my moms gorgeous house with only our parents and siblings, and am a mother of a smart, funny, absolutely adorable 7yr old and a 3 month old baby boy.
This is my first and only marriage! LOL I saw him walk into a bar (how romantic lol) and looked over at my girlfriend and said "OMG! I love that guy...I am sooo going to marry him!" She was like, "do u know him?" i said No and she introduced us..the next week we went out and the rest is history@! We have been inseperable ever since! His family took my daughter in as there first grandchild and love us sooo much! Could not ask for a better family!!
My anxiety problems have been with me since i was about 8 or 9 yrs old. It got alot worse when my parents got divorced and i was going through an eating disorder. Then i began to just party alot and drink too much and this gave me alot of anxiety and began to get really depressed. When i was 26 i had a surgery for endometriosis and was told that i may not be able to have children and my boyfriend at the time and i decided we wanted a baby so we tried for 2 yrs and low and behold i got pregnant!:) Him and i didn't last because he was very mentally abusive and cheated on me multiple times, but my daughter is amazing!!!
I then went back to the party life here and there and began to have very scarey thoughts when Haley was about 3 months old. Just around the time of the Andrea yates tragety. I was very traumatized from watching what she had done and started the what if thinking..To this day i am still battling this and am now on a new med. am going to a therapist on wed. I need to get better!!!!
Life is too short...we have to live every day to the absolute fullest!!!

Teasha,

I have stage 4 endometriosis. What stage do you have?