ADAA Personal Story: From the Mailbox to the Ultramarathon

[ADAATeamRachel]

"Do not be discouraged when confronted with the impossible. I’m living proof that anything can be done. As a child, I was subjected to relentless verbal abuse by my mother who also locked me in a closet for extended periods. This trauma created a constant pattern of negative thoughts that played over and over in my head for decades, as well as triggers in the form of PTSD," Todd says.

"I began running again. Reliving my past often triggered me, so I would have symptoms or struggle with nightmares. In March of 2023, I went for a run and started hallucinating. Normally, I would have immediately headed home, but I kept running. I went three times longer than usual and before I finished, the hallucination had vanished. I fought back. It taught me that I can face any challenge – and WIN. It completely changed my outlook on life. I didn’t just think I was strong; I had proven that I was."

Read Todd's story to learn more about his personal mental health journey: adaa.org/living-with-anxiet...

[Agora1]

Thanks Rachel for a great inspirational post.

Life is not just wishing and thinking in what we can do.

It is about challenging ourselves and proving to the only

one who counts, (Us) that nothing is impossible if we want it

bad enough. I've been there and it is an amazing feeling that will

last a lifetime.

Thanks to you Todd for sharing your personal journey. xx