“I was so often told to leave my relationship and my job, and indeed that was what I was longing to hear deep inside, but I was somehow attached to the toxic relationships. They had become my ‘safe zone’ – the unknown was more scary than staying with the pain.”
Struggled with:
Miscarriage
Panic attacks
Stress
Helped by:
Mindfulness
Self-improvement
Treatment
“In my first job in mining, I saved my company millions. I thought I was on the fast track to success and happiness, but it all came crashing down. I had a toxic boss and it led me to turn in on myself. Day by day, my manager ground me down. He made me question my choices at work, then my purpose, then whether my life itself had any meaning…”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal
“I was ready to do anything and everything to get sober. For the first time in a long time, I was honest. I got honest with myself and everyone close to me. I was going to do whatever it took to successfully detox from the drugs and live a sober life. I dropped my ego and asked for help.”
Struggled with:
Addiction
Anxiety
Depression
Helped by:
Rehab
Reinventing yourself
Treatment
“I couldn’t perform simple tasks like cleaning the bathroom or planning the weekly menu. Thinking of what to cook for the next meal was overwhelming. Little things like the water pump conking out, the dogs missing a feeding, or my household helper going on her weekend off seemed like the end of the world. I had to stop driving because I would have a panic attack at the most unexpected moments.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Panic attacks
Helped by:
Medication
Self-improvement
Treatment
“I met my future husband when I was 26 but I never felt truly connected to him. I felt just as invisible to him as I did to everyone else. When we decided we wanted to have children, by some miracle, I was able to abstain from drinking just before and during my pregnancy. I coped by being very controlling, a shopaholic, and a workaholic. The twins were born when I was 31 and postpartum depression led me back to the only solution I thought I had: drinking”
Struggled with:
Addiction
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
Panic attacks
Suicidal
“The pregnancy ended up being even more high risk than my prior ones and I was placed in the hospital for six weeks. Depression and anxiety returned as my young daughter bounced between family and friends during my absence. I missed her terribly and my body ached without her presence, but I pushed forward knowing that each day I stayed pregnant brought us one day closer to our baby.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Childhood
Depression
Grief
Panic attacks
Suicidal
“In my experience, I don’t think I could’ve recovered without residential treatment. Residential treatment is long-term (minimum 28 days) where you stay overnight at a facility and spend the day in individual and group therapy. In treatment, I was able to get out of my environment, focus solely on getting better, and not have to worry about school, friends, family, or work.”
Struggled with:
Eating disorder
Negative body image
“When I started recovering, I realized that I had lost myself during that time. Not in a bad way but I had lost my confidence, purpose, and hope. That was when I came across a purpose mentorship program by a Zimbabwean author, entrepreneur, and purpose mentor Ralph Kadurira who has still remained my mentor to this day. The program was everything I needed to get back on my feet.”
“This was a different breed of anxiety. It took me down. I had never experienced suicidal ideation before. I am a fighter and have always been so proud of my resilience, but this was a whole different ball game. Resilience is no match for suicidal ideation.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Postpartum depression
Suicidal
Helped by:
Treatment