Growing up with SAD

[Animalcnsrv]

Hey Everyone,

My names Brianna,19, and I have had SAD for over the majority of my short life (since I was 4 to clarify). Although I have had a relatively tough time through my childhood and adolescence I have made it through overcoming a lot of my fears of certain situations,(eating,public places,school,everything!). Now that I am older and supposed to be standing on my own I'm so clueless and I don't know where to start.

My life's passion is animals and I plan to be an Animal Conservationist,(Animalcnsrv), but right now I just need a job. Something to give me some kind of importance in the world other than school, which I am struggling to go because of relapsing anxieties. Plus the additional stress of family and friends and learning to support myself. Most of the people around me just consider it as laziness because they don't understand the complexity of my disorder(some don't know I have it at all).

My biggest and most embarrassing problem is that of my symptoms of SAD, I get upset stomachs and usually have to run to bathrooms or stick it out which can be nearly impossible to do. And well, is not something that can't be ignored while trying to live a healthy life.

I've done job applications and interviews before but it doesn't make it any easier in my book. As far as experience goes I have little to none. Honestly, I'm a slow learner(usually because I'm so distracted about my Anxieties), even though I have excellent work ethic (shown through my HS volleyball years), and more respect and heart than most people I observe, it seems like there is no place for someone like me to work my way up to where I want to be.

With all this confusion and doubt I know that I have to start somewhere but if I am even given that opportunity who's to say that my employer would understand about my disorder with the possibility of many sick days.  Should I be open about it? And if so will that automatically take me out of the running.

I know I can do this, I'm just looking for some tips or words of encouragement because I don't want to ever let SAD or anything hold me back from where I want to be in the future.


Thanks :)
                 Animalcnsrv
            
p.s. I'm glad to have found a group of people who I can relate to

[sixpack]

HI and welcome to the ZONE.  I'm glad you found us too.

I don't have SAD but I do know that any kind of anxiety can definitely negatively affect your life.  What seems to be universal with any type anxiety is if you give in to the fear of it all, it only reinforces it.  So what are you doing now (or in the past) to work through SAD?  Are you in therapy or on meds?  Have you tried self-help books?  IMO you need to make a plan of attack.  Without a plan, it is very hard to work through anxiety.

I've posted this before but perhaps some of these things may help:

1. Therapy---meds if you and your doctor feel it is appropriate---everybody is different on this issue.
2. self-help books--lots of good stuff out there these days ---Claire Weekes has good books out there that explain how it all works.  I read The Roadless Traveled by M. Scott Peck many years ago.  He speaks to people in a variety of ways.  He has a few other books too.  
3.  Exercise---even if you don't want to.  At first you are likely to feel miserable and panicky feelings are likely to bubble up OR rush at you.  It is BEASTY (your anxious overthinking) causing this.  But do it anyway.
4.  Eat a healthy diet.  This helps on all kinds areas of your life.
5.  Forums often have helpful advice.
6.  Hobbies--anything that completely immerses you in it and keeps you occupied.  This helps because eventually you'll get snippets of time when you feel good.  These are teaching moments cuz then you know it is obsessions/anxiety mucking with you.  After a while those snippets turn to hours then days etc.
7.  Don't pity yourself.  You can have a happy life.   As we experience life, we change.  Having any form of anxiety will impact your life just like all life experiences do.  But that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Even once you are on the road to recovery, you will have a 'new' normal but that doesn't mean you aren't happy and fulfilled.  

  

[Sassy Girl]

Hi Brianna
We share a common passion - caring for animals! Great! I work in a boarding kennel, I have been there for the last 12yrs. I'm 31yrs old.
I live in Australia, most of the people on here are american, I think, but, Not sure what the animal industry is like over there, try and see
what you field you can get into with minimal public contact, then after gaining cofidence working there for a few years, you may find, as I have, that
you can deal with the contact with the pet owner's a little better. I'm not saying it's easy, hey I struggle with facing people every day, terrified that I will
say or do the wrong thing.  But you can learn to control your fear most of the time. I agree you definately need some form of therapy. I'm on daily medication.
I would like to see a therapist but I guess I procrastinate. But you need to do what's right for you and please don't procrastinate, like me. I know there are some really
great teqniques that can be used to treat our kind of problems. If you need to talk PM me, ok.

Cheers

[jmeb17]

Hey! I can relate to alot of what you said. Its so hard finding a job and I get so anxious in interviews that I end up ruining them. The thought of working around people scares me so much, but I have to. Are you on any meds? or therapy?