If you've come to this blog you probably are wondering a few things:
1. What is this blog about?
2. Who is the author?
and 3. Who or what in the world is Crisco the Worry Worm?
Well, in short, I can answer all those questions right now:
1. This blog is an advice/information blog about Anxiety/ Mental Illness/Mental Health
2. I, Emilie, am the author
3. Crisco is a metaphorical gimmick to make the blog look cute (at least I'm honest right?)
Now that I have answered your initial questions, let's go into more detail:
Who Am I?
My name is Emilie (last name is unimportant) and I am a young (age isn't important either) woman just trying to make it in this great big world. I have a boyfriend whom I adore, am an auntie to 5 precious babies, the youngest of four kids, a theatre major, an avid reader, animation nerd, a die hard Tolkien and Lewis fanatic, closet soprano, aspiring fiction writer, film buff, amateur make-up artist, blogger, Disney-fan, lover of all things ancient and archaic, herbal doctor, Czech/Cherokee/Irish/English/Scottish blooded, cat loving individual.
I am also in a constant battle with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
My Story:
I first started experiencing problems with Anxiety when I was fifteen. At first I had no idea what was wrong with me. Before, I was an outgoing, blindly confident, energetic, and carefree teenager. But then I started worrying about things, things I never had before. I became obsessed with the idea of dying in my sleep. It was like someone had flipped a switch in my brain and I was jittery and nervous all of the time. I also became very depressed. I had difficulty sleeping due to the fear that I might never wake up. I would wake up though, in the middle of the night in cold sweats, crying, and unable to breathe with my heart going 100 miles a minute (later I would learn that these were my first panic attacks). I became afraid to go to sleep. Rapidly things progressed to where I couldn't hear people talk about death without getting short of breath or my heart racing. Crowds terrified me. I couldn't be around large groups of people without becoming frantic; even sitting in church or school would trigger me. I was afraid to leave the house for the fear of getting into a car wreck or some freak accident. I would have mini panic episodes whenever I had to cross my threshold to go out. Even after the fixation with death and dying left me, I still was always anxious, experienced panic attacks nearly every day, and was overcome depression. Needless to say, my sophomore year of high school was HELL!!!! Most people told me I was just being silly, or just experiencing a teenage angst phase and I would grow out of it. However, I did not feel that way. I kept trying to tell people that something was wrong. Finally I went to my father and told him what I was really experiencing and what I wanted to do about it. It was then I finally got onto the road to healing. I was sixteen when my parents took me to see a counselor and she was the first one to suggest that I had severe Anxiety. A year later I was referred to a psychiatrist who officially diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It's been years later, I am nearly out of college, and I am still battling GAD.
What This Blog Is Truly About:
My experiences with mental illnesses and of those who I have encountered who are battling similar ailments, have inspired me to write this blog. I believe that by looking at your problems from an outside view, a scientific and analytical standpoint, it can help you better cope and deal with your issues. I also believe that by helping others you can also help yourself. So while I am busy helping those who come here to read what I have to present, I am also helping myself cope with things.
This blog is to help inform people what Anxiety is and how best to deal with it, both as the person afflicted, and as the care giver who is supporting their loved one cope. I am going to be researching the science behind Anxiety as best I can, however, much of what I have to say is based on personal experience I have had dealing with this illness for nearly half of my life, and what others have shared with me from their own lives. With some special appearances from Crisco ;)
Some Things To Bear In Mind/Expect While Reading this Blog:
1. Even though I enjoy researching the science of the mind and of the brain, I am by no means a professional psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or neuroscientist. That being said, all of my advice and posts are based on research I have done and personal experiences. I am just simply a friendly voice who has been there and done that and wishing to share my experiences in the hopes it might help someone else. (Basically, don't su my student debt laden butt in the event my advice doesn't work out for you) I am willing to accept questions and give advice on a "friend to friend" basis :) But bear in mind my disclaimer that what you do with this advice is your choice and you are the only one liable.
2. So far I do not have a posting schedule. I am hoping for this to be a regular thing, but I do have a rather busy life, so you'll just have to tune in as you can.
3. I am a Christian and my faith is tied to how I approach things and it will be mentioned on occasion. I understand that not everyone who comes here to read and glean advice practices the same faith that I do, or might not practice a faith at all. I just want to let you know dear reader, that you are welcome here whatever your faith, race, sexual orientation, or nationality. The only thing I ask anyone who reads or makes comments is to please be respectful to other readers and commentators and to myself. Please do not engage in fighting or slander or threats. You will be removed and blocked if you engage in such behavior. This is a blog dedicated to helping all those who seek help, from all walks of life, and I would like to keep this place a quiet and safe haven for those who suffer or who have loved ones who are suffering a mental illness.
An Final Note:
That's it for this post. I hope to have the first official installment up later in the week. Until then, keep it real, keep it sweet, adios!
-Emz
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