Maladaptive Daydreaming

Everyone Daydreams, Normal, right?

Maladaptive Daydream is a new syndrome that has not been fully explored or researched yet. Most likely, you haven't heard of it, and you probably are not aware of anyone who has it. It is a very taboo subject and has only been discovered in recent years. Due to the fact that it has been just recently recognized as a disorder, not many people have come out with it nor are there statistics on it, so this disorder is practically unheard of.

So...now that you know that, what is it?

Well, to put it simply, Maladaptive Daydreaming is a disorder where a person has vivid daydreams. These daydreams are not normal as they play out in their mind like a movie, and can continue on indefinitely with a plot that could be worthy of a novel or even a book series. The person can manipulate their the dreams and control how their dreams evolve. They can even decide when they will daydream, however they cannot control what they dream while sleeping. (Hence, why it's called daydreaming.) 

Now while people with this disorder can distinguish fantasy from reality, it can turn into an addiction over time, so much so that they become consumed by it until it interferes with their everyday life. Some people have gone so far as to dream their entire day away! Fictional worlds are much more appealing than reality, so it’s understandable why people would go to such lengths just to daydream. The problem comes when they begin essentially wasting their life, and missing out on events, opportunities and other obligations. If they start to interact more in their dream world than real life, they become isolated and possibly lose all their friends and family by focusing only on their daydreams. 

Even more unsettling is that while daydreaming, maladaptive daydreamers tend to be unable to control their movements, which is why they try their best to do it in private. When they daydream their legs tend to shake, they’ll tap their fingers, make facial expressions without meaning to, mutter or whisper to themselves, walk or run around a room or area, jump on what they're sitting on,  wig out, or some other embarrassing movements that they really do not want anyone else to see.

Now how do I know this much about it?

Well...I'm a maladaptive daydreamer. I have been since I can remember, from about the age of four. Now, I actually didn't know that I had this syndrome until I was fifteen or sixteen after I happened to come across it on the internet. No, I was not technically diagnosed, however, I KNOW I have it because it perfectly describes my behavior all these years. I never understood what it was that I was doing. To me, I was simply daydreaming, but I knew it was weird because my mother would catch me sometimes and scold me for doing it, telling me how strange I looked. She didn't understand that I was daydreaming and she still doesn't understand. 

Why do I do it?

Well...that I am still figuring out. I've seen many websites that claim that it's due to emotional or psychological trauma, but I certainly never experienced anything close to that.  Then for some, they don't have any emotional or psychological trauma but do it anyway, which is unexplained. 

If it's not psychological trauma, I personally think that it is a product of two things: 

1. It's an escape from reality into an ideal world created by the dreamer. 

2. It might possibly be genetic. 

The first one is more plausible, as that's how any maladaptive daydreamers describe their need to dream. As for the second, simply more my own theory, as of now there is no evidence to confirm. There is anecdotal evidence, though, because I am certain that my father has the same thing, as my family would catch him running around the house every now and then, so I doubt it's a coincidence that the same thing happens to me. 

Anyway, when it comes to treatments, there isn't much just yet, mostly because it hasn't been recognized by the medical community. However, here are a few suggestions to try for those who think that their daydreaming is out of control. 

Try to avoid triggers. Triggers are things that may "launch" a daydreamer into their daydream, such as a movie, book, or video game, as maladaptive daydreamers often dream up stories related to what they’ve just seen. Also, avoid the place you usually daydream, research topics related to your daydream, or make plans for you daydreams. 

Another strategy is to stop procrastinating and engage with the real world. The main thing is to remember that you have a life, and have real-world responsibilities to your primary obligations. Make sure take care of them first, and then later you can daydream. If you really want to try to quit, then perhaps make your schedule so busy that you do not have time to daydream. 

Remember to take care of yourself too. People with maladaptive daydreaming seem to lack in hygiene or grooming. They also might even ignore the signs of a physical disease that they may have. Make sure to check to ensure that you are healthy, that you eat three meals a day, keep yourself clean, and exercise. 

Also remind yourself that your daydream isn't real...as sad as that might be. Of course we are aware that it's not real, but when we dream it almost seems real and it makes us want to stay in never-ever Land.

You can also get professional help. You might want to explain to a therapist about your condition, so they can research it and try to do what they can do help you. Talking it out can help restrict your daydreaming and you can also speak about personal matters that may be causing you to retreat into your dream world. 

Then finally, there are drugs, but officially there are NO actual drugs designated to treat maladaptive daydreaming. However, in one study, it was found that OCD medication could help in reducing the symptoms. Please talk to a professional before you take any sort of medication. 

Those are the main suggestions to stop or restrict daydreaming anyway. Do what works for you! And no, for this addiction, and this one only, I do not believe that you need to stop, as people can live a functional life with it...though they might be seen to be a little odd. It's your choice whether or not you want to quit. Just make sure that your daydreams do not consume your real life. Try your best to maintain a balance between your real life and your fictional life if you plan to continue on daydreaming. 

As for all you people who do not have this condition, if you ever happen to find someone doing weird movements, such as pacing or running or jumping, and then they look spaced out, please don't berate or be creeped out by them. They are simply daydreaming and they cannot control their movements. If you are nice and calm, I'm sure that they might confide in you about it, and then maybe you can work out their issues together.

Maladaptive daydreaming is not a really a harmful addiction or disorder, however it can be detrimental to a person's quality of life. That's why it's important to keep control of it if you do have it, and if you don't, to be understanding and try to keep your friend or loved one in reality. 

You're Hurting Me

I wanted to share this video I found on youtube. It's about people sharing bloody or gory pictures of self injury online and its effects it has on others with the same addiction. If you are one of those people who are their cuts online and do not put a trigger warning, please be aware of the consequences that it has on others. Many of those pictures can trigger many other suffers of self injury, causing them to hurt themselves and fuel their addiction. I feel like this video addresses that to its fullest, so please watch and spread the word on why nobody should be posting those type of images!

Disclaimer: I do not own this video. All rights go to Idranktheseawater or Melissa C Water on youtube, who created and edited this video.

There is always a Light at the end of the Tunnel (A True Story)

A fellow self harmer emailed me anonymously her story of self harm, bullying and rejection. She wanted me to share her story on my blog so that others going through the same things wouldn't feel so alone, and to give a message to other self harmers out there who are still struggling.

This is her story:

I had a pretty decent childhood, despite being over weight and bullied at school, but then at the age of 9 my mom left and moved to Ireland. I had 2 younger brothers, but I couldn't just do nothing and sit n' cry like the rest of them, so I had to look after my brother whilst my dad spent days locked away in his study and evenings crying on the kitchen floor. If I wanted to cry it would be at night so I could cry myself to sleep, which made getting to sleep take a lot longer. I still had school as usual, but it was getting hard being there with lots of friendship issues and bullying going on. Especially when I moved up to secondary school, where it got worse, and I started hating myself and putting myself down because of it. I went as far as bunking off school because I was scared of them.

Eventually my dad found someone and it wasn't long until we moved in with her in 2011. All of the sudden I'm faced with a new school, in a new area where I didn't know anyone and I had 3 new members to my 'family'. When I moved in, I hated it. I hated not being at home and I hated feeling unwanted. I still cried myself to sleep but it took longer than normal. I started the new school and it seemed okay, the people seemed nice and they showed me were to go but it didn't take long before someone started bullying me again. I was the new girl so i was vulnerable when it came to bullying. They took the piss out of my size and the scars on my face from where dermatillomania had gotten to me (Obsessive compulsion to pick and scratch at skin). It brought me down so much so I wouldn't talk to anyone and I wouldn't make eye contact with anyone either. Thoughts of self hatred and loathing constantly ran through my mind throughout the day.

 Life at home wasn't exactly simple either; bringing two broken families together has its problems but we were all constantly arguing with each other over everything and it was so stressful. I think my dad noticed I was crying myself to sleep and that I wasn't sleeping very well because he kept asking me what was wrong so I told him it was about my mom (which it was) then it got to a stage where he booked for me to go see the psychiatrist. She helped a little bit but it didn't change anything, my parents were still divorced, I was still being bullied, I still hated myself, but then I wanted to inflict pain on myself.

Towards April 2012 sort time I'd made friends with a girl and she wanted me to go out for dinner with her and her mate for her birthday. After we went back to hers and I met her cousin. Soon enough her cousin and I got talking and I really liked him. We started dating. I'd told him what happened with my mom and how I felt about myself but didn't mention the fact I wanted to hurt myself. He was really sweet and understanding and we loved each other, or at least that's what I thought because  obviously there was something he didn't like, so I got an out of the blue text saying it was over. I didn't know what to do it felt like my mom had walked out all over again. I blame it on myself and didn't know what to think. Then I started cutting into my wrist. It hurt. I bled. but I'd stopped crying. The pain made me feel better, but the next day I saw the cuts and thought I'd done something so bad and thought I couldn't tell anyone so I didn't.

Through the years things got better then worse then got good again, but when they were worse I felt I couldn't contain myself and used cutting as a release mechanism as if to release stress because it felt good.

November 2013 I was cutting every other week, it had become and obsession, or addiction. My arm was constantly bound up and I always wore hoodies. By this time I'd met a guy who I fell for as soon as I met him and he was the best thing that ever happened to me. We skyped late every night and he knew I cut. He said I shouldn't do it because I was beautiful. I didn't believe him but it made me do it less. December 1st I told him how much I loved him even though I understood our relationship would be hard because of the distance. He said he loved me too then asked me out. I'd never been so happy in my life!

December 19th (4 days before my b-day) I get a text saying he's sorry but he'd been cheating on me and that it was over. I started cutting again but more and every day. I also started taking cocodamol (as if to kill the pain). As it got closer to Christmas,  I was drinking heavily, cutting A LOT and everyday, and taking almost 7 times the amount of cocodamol you're supposed to have in 24 hours. 27th December I was rushed to hospital because of the cocodamol. I don't remember much of what happened but it hurt and I was really really sick. My mom said that if I hadn't have been taken to the hospital i wouldn't of survived. I was upset that it didn't work but believed it meant it wasn't my time just yet. 

The cutting continued every morning and evening,  sometimes during the day if i needed throughout January. Then my dad found out that I'd been doing it and thought I should go see my psychiatrist again. I didn't want to and I told him that I'd stopped but he didn't believe me. After seeing her I still did it. Then another guy came into my life. He made me so happy. We got together February 2014 and he made me feel so much better about everything. I'd told him about the cutting before we got together and he'd said that I didn't need to do it because he was there for me and that he'd look after me. So I'd gone back to doing it every so often. I was clean for 20 days until my nana passed away. She was my mom's mom, so I didn't see her much and I really regretted not seeing her enough before she passed. It broke my heart that she'd gone, and I'd cut. Then I saw him and I told him and he just held me. Didn't say anything just held me close. 

After that I'd been clean all the way up until May where my supposedly best mate met up and forced herself onto my boyfriend. I was so angry at myself for not being better. It didn't split us up, but it definitely stopped me n' her being friends. I was hurt and upset because she betrayed me and it made me want to hurt her more than anything but I knew I'd never have the guts to do anything like that so I hurt myself and it felt good. Again he didn't get mad. He got upset with himself for not being there when I thought about doing it but he told me everything would be okay in the end and if it's not okay, it's not the end.

Since may I've struggled with the ever tempting thought of harming myself and the pressure of not having a 'release mechanism' driving me crazy but i talk to people about it. Even though my family is still argumentative and dysfunctional, I'm still being bullied for being fat and my mother still lived in another country, I have him and he's helping me recover.

There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Book Trailer

Here's the latest trailer, courtesy of the extraordinary multimedia skills of WattPad's own, MadelineSane!

Thanks for the exceptional trailer!

Check out this trailer for my book, Mind of a Masochist now available on Lulu!

There is a Silent Epidemic of Raging in America. Girls are cutting to cope with the building frustrations of modern life. Mind of a Masochist was written for victims by a victim to provide hard-won insights for both members of the self-harm community and those who love them. The book offers a plan to set up a Circle of Souls Intervention Ceremony to reverse the major drivers of self-harm--Isolation & Disconnection.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/misti-d/mind-of-a-masochist/paperback/product-21818352.html

Eating Disorders

Everyone knows what an Eating Disorder is, right?

Emotional turbulence can cause your mind to develop an unhealthy relationship to food. People assume that eating disorders are all about losing weight in order to be thin. That’s both the stereotype and the stigma associated with them.

Most of the time eating disorders are about taking control of a personal world that’s way too far out of control. Victims use food intake to regain that sense of control they crave.

Anorexia and Bulimia are the most well known types of eating disorders and involve depriving the body of nutrients, but there are other serious conditions in this spectrum disorder.

Let’s start with the one everybody knows the most about, Anorexia Nervosa.

The victim slowly starves themselves while day after day they are consuming little to nothing at all. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and is extremely difficult to treat. Aside from death, victims will suffer from sterility, osteoporosis, hypothermia among other conditions damaging to the body. Even the mind can be affected as the body begins to shut down from lack of nutrition.

Bulimia Nervosa has the same goal, but uses a different strategy to take control over the body.

The victim will binge on food, then, force themselves to purge it back up. The cycle can continue until they either get help or succumb to the disorder. It can all start innocently enough when people want to lose weight and still be able to eat something. What they don’t realize is that purging can be addictive.

Like cutting, the intense act of vomiting releases endorphins along with the inevitable rush once it’s all over. Now, the victim doesn’t want to stop. Side effects of purging time after time can leave the victim dehydrated, destroy the enamel on teeth, cause hair loss, and even liver failure.

Unlike a cutter who may be wearing arm warmers in the hot summer sun or wear a full sweat suit on a stifling August beach, bulimics can’t be spotted that easily, especially if they wear baggy clothes to hide their weight loss. Bulimia Nervosa is, however, dangerous and needs professional treatment immediately.

ENDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) is a new category, but still dangerous.

These victims aren’t sick enough for a diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia but still exhibit unusual and unhealthy eating patters. Victims will often have a combination of anorexia and bulimia tendencies and depending on the extent of the practice can result in the same deadly consequences.

Binge Eating Disorder, or BED is a fairly new category.

The opposite of the previous three disorders, the victim takes control of an emotional disorder by binging on food instead of starving themselves. Again, like cutting, a large amount of food ingested over a short time period can provide a temporary sense of comfort through triggering euphoria in the brain.

The consequences of extended binging can be serous and include heart disease, stroke, and the related effects of obesity. People who binge need to find help and discover a healthier way to cope rather than turning to food.

Anorexia Athletica is another relatively recent category of eating disorder.

The victim will exercise to the point where it becomes unhealthy for their body as they create a calorie deficit on a regular basis. Instead of starving themselves like an anorexic, over-exercising they’ll burn more calories than they take in. They will be at risk for malnutrition, decreased bone density, and delayed menarche.

Finally, there is Orthorexia.

The victim will become obsessed with eating only certain foods and avoid all others. Unlike an anorexic, they don’t restrict their food intake, but their obsession over planning their meals begins to take over their life. Although seldom life-threatening, their obsession can lead to isolation, physical deterioration, and may impact their ability to enjoy life.

Many who are victims of eating disorders may practice Self-Harm.

Eating disorders and the emotional disturbances that lead to them inevitably result in low levels of self-esteem and self-worth. When frustrations boil over they may punish themselves with cutting or other forms of self-harm.

Anyone with an eating disorder should work with a therapist and visit a nutritionist. If their condition has become serious, checking into an eating disorder program or unit at a clinic or hospital would be the prudent thing to do as these disorders can be life-threatening.

To help someone with an eating disorder, always reach out in a kind, non-threatening way. Maintaining Control is their first priority, so don’t try to take that away from them. If you push them to eat, or not to eat, depending on the disorder, you’ll likely push them away. Be reasonable and suggest they get professional help. Make sure they feel it’s their decision so they feel in control of the situation.

Eating disorders may not seem that serious, but they can be among the most dangerous and difficult mental illness to treat. With awareness, knowledge, and compassion we can help eating disorder victims find health and wellness!  

Outline

EATING DISORDERS

Not always about Losing Weight

Emotional Disturbances are the Root Cause

Personal World is Out of Control

Victim Substitutes Control of their Body

TYPES OF DISORDERS  

Anorexia – Slow Starvation

Bulimia – Binge then Purge

ENDNOS – A Mix of Symptoms

BED – Binging without Purging

Orthorexia – Only Eat Certain Foods

SELF-HARM PRACTICED

Low Self-Esteem can Lead to Cutting

Victim wants to Punish Themselves

To Help – Don’t Push

Victim Needs to Remain in Control

Reasons Why You Shouldn't Self-Harm

Already Cutting, STOP! Thinking about it, DON’T START!

Cutting is not glamorous. It is not something that should be used to cope with anything you’re going through, and certainly should never be used as an attention-getting tactic. Cutting comes with a whole list of serious consequences that will affect the rest of your life, along with another group of relatively minor, but still burdensome annoyances.

Forget shorts, short sleeves, tank tops, bathing suits, or anything else you might want to wear in hot weather. You’ve got to hide those scars, burns, or bruises that will be there for months or years. So, plan on being really uncomfortable and sweaty in the summer. Anyway, if you’re wearing sweatpants and a hoodie at the beach on a 90-degree day, who do you think you’re fooling?

Cutters have to stock up on bandages. There you’ll be anxiously standing in line at the pharmacy checkout counter holding enough medical supplies to start a clinic for the homeless. People are going to notice.

Cut too deep, burn too much and you’ll end up in the emergency room—either that or risk dying. Once there, you know they’re going to ask questions. Lie all you want, they know self-mutilation when they see it. You’re going to be so embarrassed, like the cat that swallowed the canary, when complete strangers figure out what you’re doing. Your embarrassment will turn to humiliation when the medical staff start stitching you up.

Figuring you did this to yourself, some doctors won’t give you an anesthetic. If surgery is required, you’ll be days or weeks recovering from it. If they think you meant to hurt yourself badly, you can end up in the psych ward and you won’t be released until they consider you stable enough to be alone once again.

Of course, the worst that could happen is that you’ll unintentionally end your life. You might be high or drunk, cut too deep, pass out, and since cutters are usually alone slowly bleed to death. Almost as bad as you dying, your family and friends will be left to mourn your passing and feel guilty that they didn’t know what you were doing and find a way to help you. Your immediate family will be hit the hardest—you’ll leave them in grieving agony because of your costly mistake.

Does that sound bad, here are more of the Mental & Emotional consequences of cutting.

From the day you start, you’re peace of mind will be gone. Every second, every minute, every hour of every day, your thoughts will be consumed with either when you can cut next, or how you’re going to hide your secret. Nothing else in your life will matter. And don’t plan on ever being rid of your compulsive urges to cut because even after you’ve stopped and gone through therapy, they’ll still be there haunting you like Ghostface, from the slasher flick, Scream, and that’s exactly how you’re going to feel—like you want to SCREAM.

I pretty much stopped cutting a year ago and to this day thoughts of harming myself surface daily. So, once you start, there’s no going back. If you’re already cutting, get used to obsessing about it, like that bad summer pop song you heard a million times on the radio, and now it’s on a permanent replay loop in your head.

Need other reasons not to cut, the bullies and haters, they’ll take advantage of your weakness and vulnerability and mock you for it. You’ll have to deal with assholes who will push you down, slander and judge you for something you can’t control. Mix that in with a general state of masochism, varying degrees of depression, and feeling like you’re drowning in self-loathing, and that’s what you have to look forward to as a cutter.

Still not convinced?

As soon as they hear what you’re doing, you’ll lose even your best friends, forget holding on to a boyfriend or girlfriend, and even family are likely to turn on you. If you’re close to any of these people, it will cut worse than your sharpest razor blade.

The moment they find out can be hell.

The person who finds out is likely to yell at you, scream bloody murder, or break down balling. Family can freak out to the point of literally and legally disowning you. It’s not likely you’re going actually tell anyone, but know this, someone will find out your secret.

Bottom line, when it’s all said and done, when your arms and thighs are riddled with permanent scars, when you’ve alienated everyone who matters in your life, it will all have been for nothing. Sure, you may have temporarily relieved some tensions, kept your emotions from disappearing, even felt really alive for the first time in a long time, but it won’t last.

Once the endorphin rush fades, like the bad addiction that it is, the cutting will only leave you feeling worse than ever—more depressed, more hopeless, hating yourself more. This downward cycle will suck you into an endless rabbit hole of self-destruction.

The true irony is that sooner or later you’ll either stop or die. Since few cutters actually kill themselves, if you start you’ll be caught in a rip tide of addiction that will be next to impossible to break away from. At that point the road to recovery will be littered with deep potholes. Even if you successfully quit, the constant urges are likely to cause a relapse and you’ll have to go through the whole process all over again. Like the legendary Sisyphus who was condemned to push a bolder up a hill over and over again for all eternity, if you start cutting you’ll be risking a lifetime of struggle, pain, and disappointment.

Have I convinced you?

If you’re not cutting, don’t start. Don’t become another victim of the vicious cycle of self-harm. Don’t fall for the alluring illusion that cutting will be the answer to all of your problems. If you’ve already begun, stop now. Like all addicts, if you are cutting you may have to reach rock bottom before you get help, and believe me that is NOT a FUN place to be.

Outline

THINKING OF CUTTING, DON’T

Serious Lifelong Consequences

Along with Burdensome Annoyances

You’ll Need Medical Supplies

Emergency Room Docs Will Know

You might Kill Yourself by Accident

EMOTIONAL EFFECTS   

Peace of Mind Gone for Good

Never be Free from the Urge to Cut

Your Relationships will End

The Haters will Pounce

STILL NOT CONVINCED 

The Moment they Find Out will be Hell

You Will Stop or Die – So Why Start

To Stop You’ll have to hit Rock Bottom

Not a Fun place to Be

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common form of mental illness out there.

Just think about that for a second...almost everyone suffers from anxiety to one degree or another. Because it’s so widespread, it’s not always well understood or taken seriously. When people imagine anxiety they think of being nervous before a test or giving a presentation—something minor like that. Little do they know that Anxiety as a clinical mental illness can cause panic attacks so crippling that the victim can’t even go outside. They can get so wound up for so long that it drives them nearly insane. At its worst, the person begins to hyperventilate and feels like they’re having a heart attack that’s going to kill them. Many end up in the emergency room and are told they only are having a panic attack.

If this debilitating kind of Anxiety happened to you, wouldn’t you suspect you had a certifiable mental illness?  

To help you understand better, here’s what’s going on inside a person’s head with Anxiety.

They begin to fee extremely panicky and nervous for no apparent or obvious reason. They’re pacing continuously, their hands are shaking uncontrollably, while at the same time they’re unable to think straight or concentrate. Their heart is racing and they might even see spots or even blackout from all it all.

Most of these symptoms are the body’s natural defense response called Fight or Flight triggered when someone is under immense pressure. For normal people the body only reacts this way when facing some kind of threat, but for those suffering from Anxiety, any stressor, even relatively minor ones, can set them off, triggering a full-blown panic attack.

Paranoia can often accompany Anxiety. They’ll suddenly snap worried that they themselves or a friend or family member is about experience some catastrophe, like dying in a car accident.

As mentioned earlier, Panic Attack victims can feel as if they are literally about to die or completely lose control. An attack can come on suddenly and without any warning. One typically peaks at around ten minutes and usually lasts no longer than a half hour. During this intense period, the person is gripped with dread and fear—as if something is about to end their life. The symptoms, similar to a heart attack, involve chest pain, heart palpitations, surges of surreal panic, feelings of doom, and a sense of simply going crazy. Hyperventilation is common, along with hot and cold flashes, worries about passing out, trouble breathing and even choking.

Some, so afflicted, may use cutting as a way to subdue their panic attack demons.

When the pressure builds, those with Anxiety know they need to let their caged-in fears and worries escape or face the consequences which can explode into a full-blown panic attack. Cutting can calm the savage beast before they end up in the emergency room. Note, I’m not recommending anyone handle Anxiety this way, so do find better alternatives.

The diagnosis of Anxiety isn’t just one disorder.

While reading about each type, think of somebody you know who might suffer from it. I guarantee someone’s name will pop into your head.

The First is Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

This type can interfere with a person's day-to-day life by overwhelming them with fears and worries. People with this disorder have a persistent feeling that something bad is going to happen. Often these people feel anxious all the time and they have no idea why. There may be physical symptoms as well such as insomnia, restlessness, fatigue and stomach upset. 

Another type is Panic Disorder.

The victim will experience repetitive panic attacks, along with the debilitating fear that these attacks will occur at any time without warning. People with this disorder may also have agoraphobia, in which the person may avoid places where they feel trapped or unable to escape, like small rooms or elevators. They may also feel to need to avoid busy places with lots of people and confusion in order to not feel that sensation. 

The third type is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Characterized by repetitive, unwanted behaviors or thoughts, impossible to control, OCD has been exploited for years by the entertainment industry. If you’re not familiar with OCD characteristics, think of Monk, the USA Network series featuring a fastidious detective who lined up the cans in the pantry and noticed when anything was out of place. The audience laughed, but the reality of OCD can be terrifying.

Someone with this disorder might innocently enter a bathroom to wash their hands and not come out for an hour after washing them over and over again. Another victim might leave the house to go to work, but before reaching their car feel a compulsive need to go back inside to check on whether they locked the door or turned a light off. Even after checking something many times, they still feel an unreasonable anxiety that something is still wrong.

Phobias are another type of Anxiety disorder.

Some people start shaking when faced with walking onto a plane, others when having to speak in front of people or climbing up a ladder. Such exaggerated fears when there is no real danger are phobias. In extreme cases, phobias can incapacitate someone, as the agoraphobic who becomes anxious by merely stepping out their front door.

Social Anxiety Disorder affects people in social settings.

They avoid being around people because of past experiences where they’ve been humiliated, teased, or bullied. In the extreme, they’ll avoid social interactions at all costs.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can follow some terrible event.

Combat soldiers are probably the most common example. They’ve been shot at, nearly been killed, had an IED go off near them, and the nervous system plants an intense echo of that fearful experience in their memory. Innocent triggers, such as a car backfiring, or a cork popping out of a bottle, can take them back to the traumatic event to relive the event as if it were happening all over again. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, hyper vigilance, being easily startled and withdrawing from people and situations that might remind them of the event.

Here are some ways to counter Anxiety in order to live a more happy and healthy life.

Write down in detail the things that worry you to the point of bringing on anxiety. Create an Anxiety Worry Period in which you establish a time each day to stress, while staying relaxed the rest of the day. As a general principle, it is critically important that one learn to accept uncertainty—understanding that day in and day out not everything is going to go your way.

Relaxation techniques, such a yoga and meditation, can help, along with adopting healthy eating and exercising habits, reducing the use of alcohol and nicotine, and make sure to get enough sleep. If you take these suggestions seriously, you can reduce your anxiety levels drastically!   

If you feel that the anxiety is a detriment to your life, however, you should probably seek Professional Help. 

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy helps you challenge the negative thoughts and irrational beliefs that fuel your anxiety. Exposure Therapy encourages you to confront your fears in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposures to the fear, you will gain a greater sense of control over them and your anxiety will gradually diminish. There are also medications that can help. 

If you want to help someone dealing with anxiety, make sure not to add stress to their life or put undue pressure on them to change.

Instead, just hang out and try to make them feel comfortable. Support them whenever they voice their anxieties aloud. Physical activity can greatly reduce anxiety levels, so get them out of the house to work up a good sweat. Basically, just have fun with them and be their friend. 

Outline

ANXIETY

More than Getting Nervous before a Test

Can be Incapacitating

Cutting Can Relieve Anxiety

Cutting Not a Good Solution

For Bad Anxiety, Get Professional Help

ANXIETY SYMPTOMS     

Feel Panicky, Hands Shake

Heart Racing, See Spots, Blackout

Can’t Think Clearly

Panic Attack Feels like a Heart Attack

ANXIETY DISORDERS    

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Panic Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Phobia

Social Anxiety Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

COUNTER ANXIETY 

Establish an Anxiety Worry Period

Yoga, Meditation, Exercise

Healthy Eating, Get Enough Sleep

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Exposure Therapy

Medication