Tag: Triggers

I Completed My WRAP Plan

I Completed My WRAP Plan

I finally completed my Wellness Recovery Action Plan today; even though I started it over a month ago. I did complete most of it on my own, but I brought it to Connecticut with me so I could get some input from my mom. She was my caregiver for many years, and often still is, which gives her a different perspective than I have. She had some really great insights and ideas that I added to my plan.

My WRAP consists of a wellness toolbox, daily maintenance lists, what I’m like when I’m well, identifying my triggers, what to do if my triggers arise, a list of my early warning signs, symptoms that mean I’m getting worse, what to do when I’m declining, questions to ask myself, my crisis plan, who I give permission to make decisions for me, meds I refuse to take, what hospital to take me to, what to do if someone feels I’m in danger, and many more things. There is also a whole other section to be completed during or after a crisis, called post crisis planning.

The wellness toolbox is just a list of tools that I’ve found to be helpful for me. Some examples I listed are to listen to the song Jennifer’s Rabbit (my mom used to sing it to me when I was a child), cook, play the piano, or look through old photos. I also had to come up with a description of what I’m like when I’m feeling well. Some examples are that I sleep well, I don’t ignore my duties, and I’m willing to try things with the help of others. I also had to make a list of things I need to do for myself every day, weekly, monthly, and periodically. Examples range from taking medication daily, cleaning the house weekly, seeing my doctors monthly, and visiting family every 3 months.

I identified triggers that made my symptoms worse such as being in crowds, feeling judged, and a lack of sleep. I have a list of what to do when these triggers occur, like stand with my back to the wall in a crowd, tell my doctors when my sleep is off, and walk away when feeling judged. A list of helpful activities includes blogging, playing Sudoku, and taking the dog for a walk.

It also has a list for early warning signs which include increased negativity, increased foul language, and uncontrollable emotions. Things I need to do when I see these early warning signs are call my doctors, use my wellness tools, and take my medications. Other lists are about symptoms I have when I’m breaking down or getting worse. Some of my examples are extreme paranoia, hallucinations increase, and not making sense when I talk. A few of the things than might help at this point are to keep track of all symptoms, contact my doctor, and make sure the problems are not due to side effects. I also need to ask myself questions such as, ‘Am I rational and reasonable? Do my meds need adjusting? Do I need to consider hospitalization?’

There is also a crisis plan that goes over many of the same aspects; however, it also has a section for who should take over. I was able to make it clear that if I cannot take care of myself properly, then my husband, mother, and psychiatrist are allowed to make decisions for me. My one stipulation is that my husband and mother must agree on the treatments. I can also list who I don’t want involved in my treatment. Personally, I wrote that only my husband, mother, and psychiatrist have permission; no other family member or friend can make any decisions for me. WRAP also has a section on medications. I wrote in my current meds, dosages, and reason for taking them. I also wrote in what meds I refuse to take, and what meds I’m open to taking. I also said that I’m only open to other treatments that my husband and mother choose after doing thorough research. I wrote in which psych hospital I want to go to, and which one to never send me to.

The WRAP crisis plan is very thorough. I hope that I never have to use it, but it’s nice to have it, signed by my husband and mother, so I know that I will receive the treatment I want and need. Not only does it provide comfort to me because I know that my wishes are clearly stated and understood, but it also makes it easier for my husband and mother if and when they need to take over making decisions for me. I know that being a caregiver is an extremely difficult job; by completing my WRAP, I am attempting to make their lives easier.

I highly recommend that everyone who is diagnosed with a mental health illness take the time and complete a Wellness Recovery Action Plan. Hopefully you would never need to use it, but it’s nice to know it’s there just in case.

I Pushed Myself and I’m Grateful

I Pushed Myself and I’m Grateful

I pushed myself today, much further than I normally do. I took a Valium before I left with my mom, but the event was more than I expected. A friend of the family was putting on a fundraising party and we wanted to go and support it. We got there, and the parking lot was full. My heart started to beat out of my chest. We sat in the car for a little bit while I got the courage to go in. It only took about 5 minutes, and we went inside. I looked around and people were everywhere, both upstairs and downstairs. I stayed close to my mom, she makes me feel safe. I saw a couple of family friends that I wanted to see. We stayed about 30 minutes. I’m surprised I made it that long. People kept bumping into me and others were looking at me. I was terrified inside, and then my mom put her arm around me. I felt safe again. I was ready to go; I hate crowds and did not want to be there anymore. My mom knew by my body language that I was ready to leave, so she helped me make it out the door.

I was also worried that I was going to run into someone I grew up with, someone who I used to get high with. It really doesn’t matter, but I’m always afraid to run into some of these people. It’s really just a trigger, seeing people from my past. I have enough triggers already; I don’t need to add in people from my past. Luckily, I went to the event, stayed for 30 minutes, and left without running into a single person that I used to get high with. There were lots of people I know, but they were family friends, so that was okay.

We got to the car and my mom told me how well I did and how proud she was that I pushed myself to do that. I was still a little freaked out, but after a little while I was able to get myself to calm down. At that point, I was happy and grateful that I went to this event. I did it to show the person running in how much I care about her. Friends and family are important, and it is vital that we show them how much we care. I did the best that I could tonight. Everything was terrifying and felt awkward, but I did it. It was such a huge accomplishment for me. It’s okay to say no to some things, but it’s also okay to say yes. Today, I said yes, and I’m happy I did.

Waiting At The Gate

My ride to the airport was on time and went well. There were no problems there. I got through security at the airport in less than 5 minutes. Now, I’m waiting by my gate, my first plane boards in less than 30 minutes. I took some medication and bought some drinks and snacks for the flights. My first flight is 4 hours long, then a 2 hour layover, and my second flight is much shorter.

I can do this. I can do this. I keep saying that over and over in my mind. I’ve done this so many times before, it’s not new, just stressful. But it is 100% worth it to be able to be with my mom and the rest of my family.

The crowd of people are starting to gather at the gate. Everyone wants to rush to be the first ones on the plane. All I want is people to respect my space, but I doubt that will happen. I keep my backpack on so that keeps some space between me and the person behind me. Medication also helps. I hate crowds, they are a trigger for me. But I can do this; positive thinking helps.

Living With Anxiety

Living With Anxiety

Living with any type of anxiety disorder is one of the hardest things a person with mental illnesses can deal with; at least that’s how it is for me. There are many forms of anxiety disorders including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety/Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Personally, I live and struggle with PTSD due to an abusive relationship that occurred 13 years ago. No matter how much I try to get past everything, I still have flashbacks, fears of anyone I don’t know (especially men),  I have a hard time relaxing, I frighten very easily, I avoid anything new, I struggle to sleep, when I do sleep I have nightmares, and I have portions of the abusive time that are mostly a blackout. These are only some of the symptoms I deal with; it’s a huge battle that I fight every day. Sometimes I feel absurd because of how much my anxiety runs my life. I do the best that I can to continue to live my life, but it doesn’t feel like it’s enough.

One of my biggest difficulties is that I do not like having anyone behind me. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder to see if I’m ‘safe’, just so I have a moment to breathe. This makes running errands, such as grocery shopping, very strenuous. It doesn’t really matter where I am, as long as I’m outside of my house, this is a major issue. I wish I had eyes in the back of my head. Also, my therapist tells me that I behave certain ways in all types of relationships, such as giving without thinking of myself, because of the past abusive relationship. I even had over a year long period where I could not handle touching others. Now, I can shake hands with someone if necessary without having an anxiety attack, but it still terrifies me. If I know a person well enough, such as family or close friends, I am even able to hug them. This is a huge amount of progress.

Living with anxiety is about knowing your own boundaries; what helps you, and what makes things worse. Since I don’t like people behind me, my husband generally walks behind me in public, this helps me feel safe because I know he wouldn’t let anyone hurt me. Sometimes when we’re in public, he will hold onto my belt loop or vise versa, also helping me feel safe and comfortable. Benzodiazepines, such as Valium, are very useful, but I try to only take them when absolutely necessary. Everything I do, even just getting mail from the mailbox, has potential for an anxiety attack. I can’t just walk outside without thinking of all the possibilities. I look out the window first to see if anyone is coming, when the coast is clear I go as quickly as possible to the mailbox hoping that I can go unseen.

I am always trying to find new ways to help deal with my anxiety. Knowing my triggers and boundaries is a huge part of managing my anxiety. I do the best that I can every day and try not to let my anxiety run my life. That’s easier said than done, however; it’s easier for me because I have so much support from my loved ones. I control what I can and try to prepare myself for the rest. I have thought about getting a therapy dog. One that could sense when I’m having an anxiety or panic attack and help calm me down, or sense my nerves and stand watch to make me feel safer. Therapy dogs can do so much good; it’s something I want to look into for the future as another tool to manage my PTSD.