I am 43 years old, and I used to suffer from severe anxiety and depression. I slept 2 to 3 hours per night and had no energy or motivation to do anything. I’ve always had symptoms of depression from when I was a child, but they got much worse as I entered my 20s and 30s. Social situations were the worst. Just seeing somebody that I knew in public would make my palms sweat and my heart race. I knew my condition was abnormal, but what could I do? I felt embarrassed to talk about it with my friends and family, so I just lived with it.
Now I know the foolishness of what I lived with for over 12 years. Being depressed was a state that I had come to accept. I thought that nobody would understand my situation, my plight. But since then I’ve met so many wonderful people who have helped me understand that my situation was not all that uncommon at all. I was simply being naive and self-absorbed to think that I was so unique. Life is hard for everybody, and everyone goes through rough times mentally and emotionally.
The funny thing is, I actually found help while I was watching Oprah (lol). I’m not usually an Oprah fan, but I happened to come across an episode when she was discussing cases of severe depression. There was a doctor from a depression center located in Ohio who had developed a new program to treat severe cases of depression and anxiety with a combination of learning through audio, video, and using an online support network. The case studies were people who seemed just like me - men and women who had come to believe that there was no hope in their lives and were morbidly fearfull of social situations. The amazing thing was, they seemed hopeful - not just hopeful, but actually strong and confident and relaxed. It was an amazing transition from the video footage they showed of their early years, consumed by depression and anxiety. I am the last person to order anything online, but I decided to give this one a shot. I called the treatment center and ordered the package.
In 4 days, the package arrived in a large box. I opened it up and it contained an array of DVDs, audio tapes, books, and manuals. The 15 sessions went pretty quickly - its a soothing set of talks and conversations about many of the thoughts that were going on in my mind. Mostly, it helped me realize that other people could identify with the feelings I was feeling and that there was a way to rationalize them. Anyhow, the program is great because they have a 24 hour support line to answer your questions or to go into more in-depth details on any of the topics they discuss. It made me realize what a great asset having someone to talk to was. There is no quick cure for depression and anxiety - the program took me six weeks of pretty involved study - but the best part was that it enabled me to crawl out of my shell and have some ideas to discuss with people. I slowly reconnected with people and even started making new friends.
Now, my life has changed 180 degrees. I have a new job, feel better when I wake up in the morning, and have a regular social schedule. I’ve been traveling more, taking more vacation time, and taking more time to myself. I’m writing this article to share my experiences with anyone else who might be living through the same darkness I was in years ago. My most important piece of advice is to not resort to drugs! There are natural ways to overcome your depression - it just takes some hard work and dedication. If you’re interested in the program I joined the treatment center is called the Midwest Center. I just went back to the website and it looks like they give you 30 days free to try the product. I would recommend it highly to anyone feeling the grip of anxiety and depression.
