Author : Suzette Hinton
According to mom, I was born nervous. She said that she took me to the pediatrician when I was very young. He told her that he didn't want to prescribe any medications as I would require them when I got older. Back then it was called a "nerve" problem or nervous condition. I would become hypersensitive, often so hard-wired that I could not function. Mom would comfort me by giving me diluted Nervine and encouraging me to lay down until I felt better.Not only did I feel jittery, but there were other symptoms. When I was having a really bad episode, the left side of my hair simply would not straighten. No matter how much pressing oil I used or how hot I got the hot comb, one side would remain kinky. The hair behind my ear looked as if someone had picked at it though I didn't put my hands anywhere near it. When I'd complain to my mom, she'd say "it's your nerves, baby."Having glimpsed snippets of the day-time thriller, Dark Shadows, starring Barnabas Collins as the vampire, I was tormented with visions of being choked or suffocated by something I could not control. I remember times of balling up, pulling covers around my head and whispering "Jesus, the blood of Jesus" until I could go to sleep. Sometimes I would be suddenly awakened after a bad dream. My heart would race and I'd break out in a profuse sweat, fearful of what I couldn't see.Nail-biting persisted into adulthood. As a child, I gnawed my fingernails constantly. I often tried to hide them, shying away from playing the piano as people would notice. They were hideous, like splintered pieces of wood. It was so bad until my mom tried buying over-the-counter remedies but they didn't work. Despite my mouth burning or some other deterring sensation, I couldn't stop biting them. When I got older, my gnarled nails were so noticeable that one of my dear friends would comment, "Sue, I can tell whether you are okay or not by your fingernails, girl."Understandably, a certain amount of distress in children is normal. Newborns are easily agitated by even the subtlest of discomfort. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) reveals that children from 8 months to preschool age can feel a great deal of discomfort when they are separated from their parent or someone they feel close to. However, when anxiety becomes overly intense or circumvents his ability to enjoy normal activities, there is cause for concern.National Institute of Mental Health research states, "anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness in the U.S., with approximately 40 million people over the age of 18 affected each year." There are many forms, but they all have one thing in common - fear or worry. Constant, unrelenting, and all-consuming anxiety is a sign of anxiety disorder. A sufferer may opt to withdraw from others or choose to isolate. Interference with normal or routine activities like going outside is another characteristic of the illness.For a long time, I found it difficult to communicate. Most folks would find this unbelievable as I was a passionate communicator. What they didn't know was, in private, I would play back the conversation and second-guess what I said. Oftentimes, I would abandon my views and adjust my behavior to suit others.Whenever you suppress who you really are and adopt a fictitious persona, you are constantly in a state of chaos. And in my case, anger and resentment were always the byproduct. I felt entitled and would become indignant if I felt people weren't appreciative of my sacrifice.People of faith can find it shaming to struggle with anxiety. Scriptures like "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" in Matthew 6:24 would remind me how off the mark I was. Another troublesome passage was Philippians 4:6. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." I was always "careful." I never felt secure or safe.Under normal circumstances, those exhortations from the Bible inspire hope and comfort. But to a person who is depressed or suffering from anxiety, they can serve as reminders of how little faith one has.In her magazine, Oprah writes, "what I know for sure." These are lessons that life has taught her. What I have since learned is my humanity is never intimidating to God. For even when I couldn't articulate a prayer, I was given the outlet of writing. I would pray through my fingers. And without fail, God would use my fingers to communicate answers.Research indicates that most of our communication is nonverbal. "Between 55 and 70 percent of your communication is non-verbal," says Joan Damsey, founder of Damsey & Associates, Ltd., a practice management firm in Norfolk, VA. So, doesn't it stand to reason that our Creator would hear the voice of our tears, our sighs and even the slightest movement.Suzette R. Hinton, SAC-I, Certified Life and Mentor Coach, Counselor and Mother. Graduate of CANA, Inc. (http://www.CoachingInstituteofNorthAmerica.com) and Founder of Purposeful Connections (http://www.purposefulconnections.com). Suzette believes that purpose is not only a destination but it is the energy that pushes us toward its fulfillment.
Keyword : nerve,jitter,torment,nail,biting,stress,anxiety,disorder,anger,worry,fear,faith,bible,pediatric,med
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