Re: Family Opposition Rather Than Support

First of all, don't go back to that shrink. It's well-documented that shrinks often have agendas, such as pleasing someone other than the patient, referring you to a friend in the field who prescribes pills so they can get a kick-back, as well as leaving you with cliffhanger diagnoses so you'll keep coming back and giving them money.

All that, and who knows what they're really thinking when you're telling them your issues...they could be thinking about the hot tub they want to install or fantasizing about a ham sandwich.

Seriously.

Secondly, are these family members that are detractors in your immediate sphere every day? Do you *have* to interact with them? If not, don't. You don't need people who are energy suc***s, as I'm sure you experienced a lot of those types before you had AF. You surely don't need them now.

Once you get fixed, you'll decide on your own, in your own new skin, how you want to handle those unsupportive family members. You may end up being resentful and want nothing to do with them, since they didn't at least try to make an effort to allay your fears when you were at your lowest. Fair is fair, and that's life, unfortunately.

Myself, I don't deal with toxic people or toxic family member. I didn't have that choice for many years, as I was a dependent, but I do now. It's liberating. You've found a community of like-minded folks here who are willing to support you.

Also, watch everyone's mind change if Oprah or something of that ilk does a show about Adrenal Fatigue. People are sheep, and just because there is a tide rising against you in terms of familial doubt, try to trudge on.

I am almost there. The melatonin helps me sleep like a log, and I'm back up to running six miles a day, like the wind.

The thing about AF is, as much as it sucks, it's a wake-up call. Most people are unaware of their personal traumas or issues when they get AF, and with a decompensated brain/brain fog/depression/anxiety/what have you, it's made much tough to parse through the hard truths of your past. But it has to be done, and once you're out the other side, the world will be a new place.

Not necessarily better or worse, just more real. You become "aware" to all the shit food and toxic people, crappy bosses, unhealthy lifestyles, etc. And you get better at tuning them out.

Listen, the bars (and probably the graveyards) are full of people right now with AF, they have this strong, unrelenting feeling of anxiety that has carved a hole in their beings, and they don't know anything else but to drink. That's the way it goes (to use a tired cliche), but that's what separates you from them. You are on a path to healing, and any time you do anything outside of the sphere of other peoples' lame realities, they're going to chide you for it. That's just the way people are.

It's good that your mom is supportive though. Has Walsh been *any* help at all? Has he written you back?