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Did you know that anxiety and other mental health conditions, like schizophrenia and depression, can drastically impact the trajectory of a person’s life? 

In this episode of #OurAnxietystories, Lise Laforge reflects on her childhood and how it’s connected to her anxiety journey. At age 8, Lise was told she was adopted, which eventually led her to search for her birth mother. At 21, Lise received a call from Children’s Aid to say that they’d found her mother, but the news of her identity sparked an anxiety attack: Lise learned that her biological mother was a homeless woman she’d encountered before. She also learned that her mother had schizophrenia that went untreated for decades and had been a victim of domestic violence. Through learning about her mother, Lise gained a new understanding of homeless communities and some of the root causes of homelessness. Additionally, through therapy and speaking openly about the past, she’s learned to accept her situation and that she is “meant to be on this earth.” 

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Did you know men are nearly twice as unlikely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder compared to women? 

In this episode of #OurAnxietyStories, Dale Horth highlights the barriers preventing men from seeking diagnosis and treatment. Looking back on his experience working in the logging industry, Dale shares how the hyper-masculine culture of certain blue-collar jobs can make it difficult for men to seek help. “Only the weak need help,” or so he was taught. Throughout his journey, Dale experienced substance use challenges, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and panic attacks. During the peak of his challenges, Dale visited the hospital 58 times in a single year. After overcoming his mental health and substance use challenges, as well as unthinkable physical injuries, Dale is now pursuing a career change and being retrained in Occupational Health Safety Administration to better support men’s mental health in the workplace.  

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In this episode of #OurAnxietyStories Mary reflects on her mental health journey, sharing that for 25 years she abused alcohol to “escape”. Mary shares that despite her successful career, she often felt like she was on the outside. It was only after seeing a counsellor that Mary learned about healthier coping strategies. Looking back, Mary recognizes that stigma as well as a lack of resources and information posed significant barriers to support. Today, Mary shares that she is 29 years sober, and although she still experiences anxiety, she continues to learn new coping skills in her life-long recovery.   

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In this episode of #OurAnxietyStories Eugenie discusses her experiences as a World War II veteran, noting that her excitement to enlist surpassed feelings of worry and anxiety. Eugenie shares vivid stories from her time at war, mentioning that although she experienced several bombings, she would not enter bomb shelters due to claustrophobia. Living a life filled with adventure, adversity, and loss, Eugenie notes that during the toughest moments, religion and a higher power are what keep her going. To learn more about Eugenie’s story, check out Elinor Florence’s novel “My Favourite Veterans” and Eric Brunt’s upcoming documentary “Last Ones Standing”.  

The post Anxiety and The Greatest Generation: Tales of World War II with Eugenie Turner appeared first on Anxiety Canada.

In this episode of #OurAnxietyStories Dr. Burns discusses his work as a psychiatrist. Dr. Burns shares that many severe mental illnesses, such as mood disorders and schizophrenia, tend to be intertwined with symptoms of anxiety. He notes that in these cases, anxiety is often overshadowed by more dramatic symptoms such as hallucinations. Dr. Burns also touches on the benefits of using medication as a tool for treatment, emphasizing that “the combination of medication and behavioural techniques can be really useful”. 

The post Anxiety and Mental Illness Explored with Dr. Kyle Burns appeared first on Anxiety Canada.

In this episode, Anastasia touches on her lived experience with anxiety, emphasizing the lack of awareness and support she encountered growing up. Anastasia recalls being labeled as “problematic” and “attention seeking,” and states that only recently was she able to label the feelings she experienced as anxiety.  Anastasia also touches on her volunteer role as a mental health educator, which includes teaching a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) course.

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In this episode, she shares her journey with generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and how cognitive behavioural therapy has helped her. She says, “I think everybody should go through therapy. It’s too bad it’s not very accessible here.”

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In this episode, Mark talks about how anxiety fuelled his academic and professional success until it started being debilitating.

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