Sandy’s story is remarkable. She overcame clinical depression and a panic disorder with sheer will-power and now lives episode-free without medication.
It was 2002 and while I was happily planning away for our wedding celebration, life suddenly turned upside down and what was supposed to be the best time of our lives ended up triggering my long battle with anxiety, depression and panic disorder.
Just two weeks before this big day, my fiancé was rushed to emerg with a sudden illness. This not only caused him great pain but since he was self-employed, his income crashed to zero. The wedding could go on, but I had to deal with all the last minute preparations and to top it all off, our honeymoon was at risk. Stress was through the roof.
When we moved into our home, I started to not feel well. I was very weak, short of breath and light headed. I would go to work and start breathing heavily, get light headed and shake. I was in and out of the hospital more frequently than I could count. I kept thinking I was having a heart attack and wondered if I was going to die.
One time I had gone to the hospital and could not get out of the car. I had blown off so much carbon dioxide I had literally paralyzed myself. The nurse made me breathe into a paper bag to calm myself down.
I went from doctor to doctor and got into therapy. I was prescribed Paxil, which I took for a few months then realized I did not want to depend on medication to relax me for the rest of my life.
I started looking into yoga for healing stress and anxiety. I was enjoying the classes and found it helped. I then started reading about the condition and different ways to help yourself. I used energy healing as well. Gradually I got calmer and started to understand my feelings and my triggers. It was literally mind over matter.
I would not be where I am today without putting strength and energy into myself and knowing that I have to heal myself and my mind to stay balanced and lead a successful life. I truly believe that if I could do it, you could do it to.
Sandy P.
