MIND

[maryhig]

Hi everyone.

I am doing the Great North Run in September for Mind, a mental health charity.

My story: I am 22 year old graduate, who has been struggling with GAD since I was 14 years old. I ended up having a break down when I was 18 and not being able to even walk to the toilet and needed 24 hour care. I felt so alone. After a long wait I got on to NHS Counselling. I walked in to the surgery that day, told my counselor everything that was bothering me, walked and out and said to myself 'that is enough,this ends here'. Since then I have not looked back.

As we know though, once you have unlocked a mental health issue, it is difficult to ever forget it. I was left with slight agoraphobia, which makes it difficult to stand at open bus stops, go for long walks, and has stopped me running.

I am going to defeat my anxiety by running on behalf of MIND, the 13 miles of the great North Run to defeat my agoraphobia. Allowing me to overcome and put behind me that last part of anxiety, and as a result the past that has haunted me for such a long time.

In order to run on behalf of mind I need to have raised £300. I am hoping to create awareness for those struggling with anxiety in my fundraising. If you have any stories you would like to share with me, or any thoughts on what I should be saying then feel free to get in touch! I will be making a powerpoint presentation and putting up case stories on my just giving page!

xx

[Pickle165]

hi, its so lovely to hear such positive stories. you sound so stronge and determind, i truly believe you will run it and defeat the rest of this awful illness that can not been seen only experienced. how do i look at your just giving page?

[Hidden]

Same here, good luck and god speed xxx well done to you in overcoming your demons xxx

[mumma]

thats fantastic way to go you!

[jadie]

wow you sound such a strong determind person well done I think you'll do very well good luck to you and for such a good cause related to you! sorry to ask what is GAD that you have suffered. I have suffered from OCD over 35 years and not knowing this or having the name for it I have felt like im depressed had agoraphobia just plain going mad, but I found out my self that it is OCD about 3, 4 years ago, with the ticks uncontrolable thoughts skin picking etc. This year I have been so bad crying all the time I went to a OCD meeting at MIND and not looked back I have taken all their advise started taking 5HTP which has worked wonders I am now doing belly dancing classes and soon to do yoga at MIND I will take a CBT course on the computer and get counceling in 5 to 6 months time I feel very positive for the first time in my life and to get over all my anxiety's and problems and may be in the future I could do the same as you and give some thing back to the charity MIND your an inspiration

xxx