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View Full Version : Positiveness and encouragement!!!!


eeyore86
15-03-2008, 12:28 AM
Dear Vets,

I just thought admist the struggling and darkness on here recently I would share some positive news and offer some encouragement to everyone who is sturggling.

In 2004 I was diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa and spent 3 and a half months as an IP in Kimmeridge Court, I was very ill, despite never being medically underweight and my heart was weak from purging so much.

To cut a long and complicated story short I spent 3 years in and out of ED units and psych hospitals, I OD'd many times, spent most of my time drinking and self harming and being very miserable.

I had several jobs but I left each one due to illness.

I lived in lots of different shared houses, hating every one of them.

I didn't stick at anything, I had no motivation and I blamed all my problems on my past, not taking repsponsibility for any of my actions. As ashamed as I am to say it I self harmed to get attention from health care professionals, desperately trying to get the love and care and support I craved.

Then in March 2007, a year ago, I was on one of several admissions to St Anns psych hospital, this time for an OD that very nearly killed me. My key nurse recognised that I was stuck in a destructive cycle and that my behaviour and thinking needed to change if I were to survive.

She refered me to a DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) programme locally and I started a years contract of one individual session and one group session every week.

Well...here I am a year later, after working bloody hard and having a strong sense of determination I am still standing and better than that I am doing very very well.

I now have gone 9 months with NO self harm of any kind, I have reduced my alcohol intake and I am eating reguarly and healthily.

I am living in a gorgeous 1 bed flat which i LOVE.

I am working as a volunteer advisor at the Citizens Advice Bureau.

I have just been offered a place on a social work degree at Bournemouth University starting in September.

I am genuinely happy and healthy and looking forward to the rest of my life!.

Ok, I have not written this post to boast about how well I am doing or to make other people feel inferior to me, I do not want people reading this and thinking "well thats all very well and good but Im miserable".

I am simply writing to say that happiness is achievable and that recovery is something that can happen.

Please take this in the way it is meant and be encouraged by the fact that it hasnt taken a life time, it has happened in 1 year.

I love you all, please stay safe

hugs

mary
xxxxxx

chocostashchick
15-03-2008, 01:16 AM
awww Mary thanks for that! and good on you for working so hard and coming so far!!!!
i've been struggling for the past few months to find some help (apparently around here nobody knows what to do with people who SI lol) and i just this week started seeing a DBT person myself and he seems great so hearing that your DBT went well is very inspiring and encouraging :)
just out of curiosity, did you like the groups? i'm not totally sold on the group sessions :/ but i will try....
xxxooo
callie

blondiebear
15-03-2008, 01:50 AM
Mary,
You're not bragging. You're sharing you're experience, strength and hope. How awesome that you got a social work degree program!
Thanks for showing us that things can turn around, not instantly but with persistance!

Pomegranate
16-03-2008, 12:49 AM
Thank you for that Mary, I am so happy for you! You must be such a strong person and you deserve all of this. Thank you for giving us hope and I pray things continue to get better and better for you x

pea soup
16-03-2008, 08:00 PM
thank you Mary.
i know that youve been through so much and have finally conquered it.
im so proud of you and you are definitely an inspiration to me.
thank you for sharing.
much love.
xxxxxxxxxx