Making Progress Is No Small Thing

Making progress is a wonderful thing. Period. Though I have struggled with anxiety for a while now, I have come a long way and I am very proud of myself. I have made accomplishments, some small and some large, but all important. However, while I consider all of these accomplishments important and worthy of appreciation, not everyone sees it that way.

If you are like me and struggle with some sort of issue, you may find that there are people in your life who try to belittle any progress you make. They may even find some negative aspect of your progress and try to use it to make you feel bad about yourself.

I attended college and graduated with two degrees – a BA and an Associates. While there were times when I struggled to go to class or stay without leaving, I did manage to eventually make it through. Graduating college is an amazing accomplishment for anyone and it was an amazing one for me.

Even with the fact that I graduated college, I am a bit embarrassed. Why? Because I had to have my dad attend some of my classes with me. I sometimes became so anxious that if I needed to leave, I needed him with me. Still, I tried my hardest to go to class and as I stated earlier, I did graduate. It wasn’t always easy, but I got through it.

I didn’t deserve it, but the fact that my dad came to some of my classes was used against me. While it kills me that I haven’t, I’ve never had an official job before. Again, this is due to my anxiety. Unlike what some might think, I really do want to be able to work. I’ve even thought of some places where I might be comfortable working. When I asked my mom what she thought of me working at this specific store, her response was, “Your dad wouldn’t be able to stay there with you”. She treated me as if I was unintelligent; as if I didn’t realize this. I’m all for honesty, but that doesn’t mean that what she said and how she said it, didn’t hurt. In that moment, instead of focusing on how great it was that I graduated college, all I felt was pathetic because I needed my dad to be with me when most students were becoming more independent.

No matter what, progress in the right direction is a good thing. Not that it would have made me a failure if I did, but I never gave up on going to college. I never gave up on achieving that goal. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. It does not make you weak. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise. Also, no bit of progress is too small or worthless.

Happy Thanksgiving!

First of all, I’d like to wish everyone who celebrates, a happy Thanksgiving! For those of you who don’t celebrate, I hope you have a great day!

I would like to take some time to thank all of you who have supported, and continue to support, me in my journey to get through anxiety. As many of you know, dealing with anxiety is extremely difficult and it definitely helps to know that there are people out there who genuinely care about, and maybe even understand, what you are going through. Thank you for all of your support, advice, and kindness over the years. It means the world to me.

Please know that I am here for each and every one of you if you ever need to talk about your own mental health issues. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Stay strong and remember how truly amazing you are!

Mental Health Update

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all doing well!

I don’t know how many of you still check out my blog on a regular basis, but you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t posted a lot about anxiety lately. This is in no way because I don’t struggle anymore (unfortunately, I still struggle a lot) or that I don’t care about mental health issues, but rather because when it comes to writing, I’ve been focusing on writing more positive things.

I feel it’s only right to update you on my mental health. As I mentioned, I still struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. The panic attacks aren’t nearly as bad and frequent, but the general anxiety is very difficult for me. I’m still trying on a daily basis to get through it. On a positive note, I have made a lot of progress in some areas!

In addition, unfortunately, I haven’t been exercising and facing my fears like I should. It’s a horrible trap to fall into – I think pure laziness and being occupied with other things has gotten in the way. On one hand, distracting my mind with working on my writing is a good thing, but on the other, I should definitely still be spending a lot of energy on working hard to get better. By just sitting around, my anxiety isn’t going to lessen or be easier to manage.

I want you to all know that I am still here for you – seriously. I’m not going to stop blogging about anxiety and mental health. If you need to talk, I’m here.

Please remember that the best way to get through anxiety is to do what works best for you. Taking small, manageable steps in facing fears is what I find personally helpful. It allows the anxiety sufferer to take their own, beneficial steps in order to overcome their obstacles.

Once again I hope you are all doing well.

-B.G.

To Those Who Wrongfully Label – A Letter

Dear Label Maker,

 
Please resist the urge to label that which you don’t understand. I know that sometimes the world can be a confusing place and that it brings out the temptation to create definitions, but doing so can be harmful to others. If you want to understand what someone is going through, please have the decency to ask instead of jumping to conclusions.

 
Creating false labels is not only caustic to those who you label, but also causes misconceptions and stigmas. Stigmas are extremely dangerous because they put people into categories and set limits that no matter what, people cannot escape due to the fact that so many people put their faith in these false notions instead of faith in individuals to overcome their obstacles.

 
Mislabeling is also extremely selfish. While labeling someone may cause you relief because it leaves you feeling like you understand a situation, it causes the individual you are labeling unease and discomfort. It is hard enough struggling without having to deal with others making up their own conclusions based on what they hear, read, or simply make up in their mind.

 
Last but not least, mislabeling breeds ignorance. Being ignorant on a certain subject is never a positive thing; this goes for both the individual who labels and the person being labeled. Having false intelligence about something is not the same as being truly educated and having the wrong idea about something or someone, can lead to mistreatment – and incorrect treatment – of others.

 
I hope that if you are reading this, you realize the ramifications of labeling someone or something that you don’t truly understand. Mislabeling only leads to aggravation and hurt feelings. If you want to make sure you truly understand something and are not just creating your own definitions, please ask the person who is struggling in a kind way to explain what they are going through. I guarantee they will appreciate you coming to them first instead of going to others for information.

 

Thank You,

B.G.

Rest in Piece: Description From A Reader

B.W. Ginsburg

After checking out the results from the poll that I posted a few days ago, I’ve decided to give a better and longer description of what my book, Rest in Piece, is all about! For those of you who said a lower price would increase book sales, I’m taking your thoughts into consideration. However, with how the pricing works, I can’t promise a lower price. After all, I do want to make a profit from the sales. I don’t want you to think though that your opinion has gone unnoticed. So without further ado, here’s a more detailed description of Rest in Piece from one of the book’s readers, Ariel from Writing Radiation! Special thanks goes to Ariel for writing this description!

“The Erikson family love their new house.  Louise especially loves her new room.  She has privacy, space to call her own, & the hauntingly beautiful puzzle…

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I Downloaded This Book!

I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet, but Ashley over at Generally Anxious wrote the book, At the Corner of Main and Crazy! I just downloaded it earlier today and for a limited time only, it’s free to do so! If you’d like to check out Ashley’s book and more about it, please click the link below. Ashley, if you’re reading this, thanks for writing a book about a mental health issue that so many people struggle with.

http://generallyanxious.com/get-it-keep-it-read-it-when-you-can/

 

Social media – help please!

Claire is getting her book published! Help her get the word out!

National Stress Awareness Day

Jade talks about National Stress Awareness Day and how to cope with anxiety!

Jade Moore

Until I checked Twitter this morning, I didn’t know that National Stress Awareness Day existed. It’s a complete coincidence that I woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed by everything I have to do, and the feeling that my mind and body aren’t going to be able to deal with it.

I saw that the charity Mind had tweeted a few tips on dealing with and managing stress, so I retweeted it straight away for future reference, and to share them with others.

Today is #NationalStressAwarenessDay. Please share #NSAD > https://t.co/iBK1uowIFipic.twitter.com/W0ZhxB7k5C

— Mind (@MindCharity) November 2, 2016

For me, the most valuable tip here is Tip 2: Change how you plan your time. I’ve already done this today by writing this blog post during a time where I’d usually eat and read before my first lesson.

My problem is that I let my head get too full of everything…

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Stigma and Me

Jenny Marie writes a fantastic post about anxiety, stigma, and how you’re not alone! Please visit her amazing blog!

Peace from Panic

Mental illness is a real medical illness. It must not be ignored. It needs to be treated–the sooner, the better.

I wish I would’ve known. It took me twenty years before I reached out for help for panic attacks.

I’m not the only one who has waited so long. The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, states that people who have a mental health condition typically get help eight to ten years after the first warning signs appear. That’s a huge delay. The main reason?

Stigma.

I was embarrassed. Even if I thought about telling someone, I didn’t know how to describe my strange and frightening symptoms. I knew I was different and my problem wasn’t normal. I didn’t want anyone to know. I hid it very well.

My anxiety wasn’t always there. Most of the time, I was fine. I tried to kid myself into thinking it wasn’t…

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Taking Care of my Anxiety

My good friend, Mary, shares this amazing post! Please check out her fabulous blog! Thanks!