about

I'm a qualified colour therapist and I'm doing a course in psychotherapy and councelling. i have the letters SNHS after my name which means i have a diploma from The School of Natual Health Sciences.
I have life experience in mental health, agoraphobia,bullying,parents divorce.


advice

I'm a girl in my early 20s.

I've suffered from depression and anxiety my whole life, but it really came to a head between 2006 and early 2008. I progressed from getting nervous in class, to being scared to go out, to being terrified of going to the grocery store across the road, to being unable to leave my house or even my room.

I failed out of school twice in this time. I lost contact with all but a small handful of my friends, and nearly lost even my family and my fiance. Fortunately, I was able to get through this alive after being hospitalized for several weeks. I took a year to get used to life and living again, and I'm feeling better than I ever have.

Here's my dilemma: I really want to start communicating with people from my past again. Thing is, most of them have no idea as to what was going on. I've tried talking to a couple of people, but they end up getting freaked out, or acting awkward.

If anybody here has similar experience in trying to rehabilitate socially after a serious battle with mental illness, I'd really appreciate your advice.

I'd just like to say well done for getting your life back on track again, i know from personal experience how much of a struggle it is.
Like you, i was was 17 when i became agoraphobic and suffered from serious depression, last year i got back in touch with my old best friend.
I was so worried about how she would react as she didn't understand what a hard time i was going through back then and i think she got freaked out too.

i found her email address after googling her name.

I'm justing looking at the origional email now, that first one was the most nerve wracking.
I started off by saying...

"I know it will probably be quite a shock to hear from me after all this time but writing to you is just something I felt I had to do"

Then went on to explain why we lost touch...

"We were best friends and I loved and cared about you so much, and I wasn’t avoiding you, or anyone one else for that matter, not intentionally anyway. I was scared, and I know it doesn’t make much sense, it didn’t to me either which Is why I couldn’t explain it at the time."

I didn;t expect a reply but i got one, and she was so relieved and happy to know i was alright again and we've kept in touch.

You can take some of my words or use my emails as a guide line...or copy it if you like :-)

Chakra xxx

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(Rating: 5) Thank you :)
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