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When Elizabeth Manley opened the door and saw her mother for the first time in weeks, her mother collapsed on her knees and began to cry. Since moving to the United States to pursue her dreams of figure skating and Olympic gold, Manley had become a pale ghost of the robust athlete she had once been — she’d lost all her hair, gained 40 pounds and had almost completely stopped talking. “I wanted to wear the pretty dresses and the pretty makeup, but unfortunately sports don’t always come with the pretty stuff,” she told a packed crowd at the University of Ottawa on Monday, 30Read More →

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I am telling my story, because if it means that it brings hope to just one person who lives with Social Anxiety Disorder, that recovery is possible, then it is worth it. I will start by sharing with you some of my experiences of living with Social Anxiety Disorder. I will then go on to explain to you how I believe I developed this illness, its symptoms, the effect it had on all facets of my life, the coping mechanisms I used, as well as explaining how the disorder was never recognised or treated for twenty years, and resulted in the development of more complexRead More →

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Hi ! I am Roz and thought I would share some of my own experiences of living with agoraphobia with you. I am in my 40’s and have suffered from anxiety since I was age 13, when I started suffering a school phobia and the cause was emitaphobia. With struggling for a couple of years I managed to get back to schooling and although continued to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks got through school and college ok. I started work and it wasn’t until I started work that they became a problem. I got through till I was about 30 with managing to doRead More →

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“What If” thinking is how I would refer to anticipatory anxiety. An anxiety which is experienced with an initial thought of doing something. Example: Assume that you have an important meeting arranged for next week, and you also know that you have no option, but to attend this meeting. During the lead up to this important meeting, you will no doubt experience anxiety. You will often find yourself asking yourself the “What If” questions. What if I have a panic attack? What if I have to leave the room? What if I pass out?Read More →

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A Guide To Understanding Paranoid Disorder How to Cope with Paranoia Living with someone who has been diagnosed with paranoia requires patience, compassion, and strong personal boundaries. The following tips can help you provide the necessary support and assistance to help him in his struggle to overcome paranoia. Encourage compliance with treatment – His mistrust may interfere with his willingness to take prescribed medications or attend therapy sessions. This occurs commonly in people being treated for paranoia and slows their recovery significantly. Encourage him to follow his treatment program.Read More →

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Sometimes I’d wake up in the morning, wondering how the bed could hold the weight of it all. I felt stuck and stupid for not knowing how not to be afraid. There were days that I’d struggle with simple things, even just going to the store, because they seemed like asking for trouble. I’d fret and fidget, and do just about anything to avoid thinking about next time. That’s anticipatory anxiety, and it’s common to most every single person with an anxiety disorder. The funny thing? Anticipatory anxiety can mean you’re trying too hard. Yes, you heard that right. It’s counter-intuitive, but sometimes the bestRead More →

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Some people grow uncomfortable when talking about mental illness, especially if it involves a loved one. The idea of someone not being able to fully control his or her behaviors can be difficult to decipher. When a loved one is hit with mental illness, some people are very supportive, while others become distant and confused. This is normal because not everyone can grab a hold of the fact that those with mental illness have trouble controlling some of their everyday lives.Read More →

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Aug 28 2014 http://www.thestar.com/ Blair has been asked to report to police board chair Alok Mukherjee about recent officer suicides, but the information gleaned may never be made public. The chair of the Toronto Police Services Board is demanding answers from Police Chief Bill Blair, after the suicides of two Toronto cops in less than four months. Early last week, board chair Alok Mukherjee wrote to the chief asking for a full report into the hanging deaths of Const. Clinton Cibulis, 34, and Sgt. Richard “Buck” Rogers, 45, by Friday.Read More →

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SAULT STE. MARIE – Melissa Cutler looks forward to rising these days — that’s perhaps because her future shines a bit more brightly. She does take medication for the mental disorder that’s dogged her since her early teens, and she still receives — albeit, less lately — medical assistance. But things appear to be coming together for the Sault Ste. Marie woman, 21, for whom mental illness has been a constant companion for far too long. “I haven’t been in the hospital for about four months,” Cutler told The Sault Star this week. “I’ve been doing very well.Read More →