Mental Illness Awareness Week

So as you are well aware,

I am the 1 in 4.

When I was 19, I was put on Prozac.
I basically drank my early 20's away.
Now, needless to say, 
things didn't always mix well.
Alcohol and my Prozac were the best of friends,
more like frenemies, for sure.

When I was 25, I got pregnant.
Therefore, I quit drinking and smoking cold turkey.
Being pregnant also meant no Prozac.
I waited tables at Bob Evans during my pregnancy.
I survived but I am sure I left a lasting 
impression on some of my customers.
Hah!  Good old 1996.

Since then I have been on almost 
every medication on the market:
Prozac (of course), Valium, Trazadone, Remeron, 
Celexa, Wellbutrin, Lexpro, Effexor,
Paxil, Abilify, Cymbalta, Klonopin, Ritalin, Adderall.
(I know I am missing quite a few.)

The medicinal cocktail I currently am on is
Cymbalta (daily), Klonopin (as needed), Adderall (daily),
along with Metoprolol (for high blood pressure), throw in the Depo-Provera birth control shot, and top it off with 
an inhaler or two and here I am.

I have Major Depressive Disorder, 
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 
High Blood Pressure, Chronic Fatigue,
Seasonal Allergies, and Asthma, 
just to name a few.

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week.

I will leave you now with a little information!

Zany, Who Me?!?

Photo Credit: Posh Coworking 

Enough of the depressing stuff for now

(no pun intended or something like that), 

on to the lighter side of being me.

Zany? Hmmm.

I am a little weird.
I like to think I am funny.
Yes, I am a little goofy 
and ditsy;
downright silly at times.
But you know what?
I don't care what anyone thinks of me
I won't change who I am.
There is nothing wrong with me.
Okay, well, maybe I don't actually 
have my shit together, yet, that is, 
but stick around.
The best is yet to come!


Photo Credit:  The Mind Unleashed

 

I didn't choose depression...

Photo Credit: High AnXieties

And that my friends is all I really have to say about that!

Please share!!!

Depression

Photo Credit:  The Lonely Lotus

To make a long story short,
I remember, around age 12, feeling so totally alone.
This overwhelming sadness had come over me.
As I look back, I now know that this was more than
just being an emotional adolescent.
This was the first time I met Depression.

I was not diagnosed until I was 19.
On a cloudy, very cold, snowy Winter day,
I ended up walking to Hamilton Center,
 a mental health center in my town.
I felt I had to do something.
I was going crazy with sadness.
It was consuming my life.

Now, at age 44
having been diagnosed with Major 
Depressive Disorder and Anxiety 
(among a few other things),
I refuse to hide my mental illness.

I am not alone.
You are not alone.

I am no longer ashamed.

Stay Tuned!
I will fill in the missing years
as time goes by.

 

I'm Back

Photo Credit:  Change Your Thoughts

It seems like forever since I wrote a blog post.
I kind of got stuck in a depressive rut.
Imagine that!

I tend to sleep a lot when I am depressed.
It is my way of not dealing with life.
And I even lie to myself and others by saying that 
sleeping a lot is my way of healing.

Hah!

I can hear Dr.Phil now, "How's that working for ya?"
Well, honestly, I got through it didn't I?
(But I think I get what he is thinking)

So what better way to get backing to what 
I love than jumping right into a blog challenge.

Yes, it will truly be a challenge in more ways than one.

Let me list the reasons why:

I have no Internet/WiFi at home.

My laptop has been broken all year.

I just have a little netbook and my cell.
(a little too small for my fat fingers)

And this little issue called Chronic Fatigue. 

On the bright side:

I have Internet at work.
(I can sneak a few words in a post every now and then)

Sometimes I can pick up the next door
neighbors WiFI.
(my parents live next door...Yay!) 

If I need to, I can write blog posts from my cell.
(the posts will be small, so I must make them mighty)

I must now say,
"Let the freaking challenge begin."

Oh, I forgot to mention the challenge
is just for the month of October.
(I will do my best to finish this one)