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Such an interesting article and a few things I can identify with. Particularly the "in the moment facing anxiety head on" sort of thing. That is something I find so hard to do. But like everyone, I've had triggers over the last 51 years of life. For many I think this starts with something early in life - but then can manifest itself when an adult.
My Mum suffered with schizophrenia - from about the 80's onwards. Of course growing up was quite a challenge and I feel that this has shaped me as a person. Sadly whenever the "S" word is uttered many do tend to jump to all the wrong conclusions. Given the media's treatment of the subject, people don't tend to understand and look at the full picture. In the main they don't want to go there and in some cases I get the feeling people assume I have the same condition (I haven't).
The fall-out from this, in my case, is anxiety (strangely panic attacks on motorways) and bouts of depression. I like to think these days, with age I just fight it, but I can't pretend it doesn't affect my life. The fighting because I have two kids and also the fact I now live in France, which throws up a whole lot of challenges. I can mis-judge things sometimes (the paranoia can kick in - and it is hard to be conscious of accepting that) - in particular concerning my French in-laws. Some of it can be justified, but in the main it can't. My partner has accepted who I am. She has her own problems (like most of us have). So happily we just accept each others limitations. We have been together 25 years now, 24 of those in France.
I count myself lucky, as we have a fairly stable life compared to what I had in the past. But I am always conscious of how my behaviour can affect my kids and of course how they deal with life in the future. For the moment they are both happy and perfectly normal.
I really haven't sorted out the anxiety on motorways issue, which is frustrating in a country as big as France. But I think that we have to accept that even through some of us have depressive episodes, that if others can't accept who we are warts and all then in short it is their problem and not yours. Particularly those who think that they need to be robotic, put on a front and hide their feelings. Isn't that the real problem? We need to communicate without that ever present fear of being judged by others.
Bon courage à vous!
John Nelson:
Dec 14, 2021 at 11:16 AM
Such an interesting article and a few things I can identify with. Particularly the "in the moment facing anxiety head on" sort of thing. That is something I find so hard to do. But like everyone, I've had triggers over the last 51 years of life. For many I think this starts with something early in life - but then can manifest itself when an adult.
My Mum suffered with schizophrenia - from about the 80's onwards. Of course growing up was quite a challenge and I feel that this has shaped me as a person. Sadly whenever the "S" word is uttered many do tend to jump to all the wrong conclusions. Given the media's treatment of the subject, people don't tend to understand and look at the full picture. In the main they don't want to go there and in some cases I get the feeling people assume I have the same condition (I haven't).
The fall-out from this, in my case, is anxiety (strangely panic attacks on motorways) and bouts of depression. I like to think these days, with age I just fight it, but I can't pretend it doesn't affect my life. The fighting because I have two kids and also the fact I now live in France, which throws up a whole lot of challenges. I can mis-judge things sometimes (the paranoia can kick in - and it is hard to be conscious of accepting that) - in particular concerning my French in-laws. Some of it can be justified, but in the main it can't. My partner has accepted who I am. She has her own problems (like most of us have). So happily we just accept each others limitations. We have been together 25 years now, 24 of those in France.
I count myself lucky, as we have a fairly stable life compared to what I had in the past. But I am always conscious of how my behaviour can affect my kids and of course how they deal with life in the future. For the moment they are both happy and perfectly normal.
I really haven't sorted out the anxiety on motorways issue, which is frustrating in a country as big as France. But I think that we have to accept that even through some of us have depressive episodes, that if others can't accept who we are warts and all then in short it is their problem and not yours. Particularly those who think that they need to be robotic, put on a front and hide their feelings. Isn't that the real problem? We need to communicate without that ever present fear of being judged by others.
Bon courage à vous!