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Healthy Horizons

Laurie Lupold

Well I'm back and hopefully life will begin to function at a normal pace. I really missed WVU and my readers especially. It's good to be back. I've really missed you Margaret and your encouragement. You don't know how much you appreciate it until it is gone. Well I hope my first column back isn't a disappointment. I was real emotional at the time I wrote it.

Life, a bit complicated, more so to those who go through it with the concept of a fog filtering its illusions continuously. It's not that these people are any less of the capacity of any human being, it is merely that these people have extreme circumstances to overcome to which they find some sense of normality in life.

Many dwell in this kingdom of the fog. It knows nothing of discrimination. Everyone is welcome. But those who haven't crossed over into this path often can't comprehend those who survive it. They don't categorize a mental disorder as one would a heart condition or such. In their eyes it is two separate things but the truth be known a mental condition is very much a medical condition.

In many cases it affects how you feel physically. Maybe you are tired, withdrawn. As in my case, I find myself this way often. Have you ever experienced panic? Your heart races, your breathing quickens, your body tenses. Some experience this at night during sleep as a feeling of suffocation. I know this to be true because I have experienced such. I have found myself at times amused by everything and nothing then turn around and be sad and angry all in the same short hour. Can I explain this?

Only from what I'm told. These problems exist because of an imbalance in the brain. Technical terms don't enlighten me and they sure don't make me feel any better. I don't know of a cure either but then I haven't been very good about treatment either. I've been good about taking my medicine but not so good at therapy. Perhaps this should be a commitment I make to myself and to my therapist who has been very patient with me. I wouldn't expect her to trust me as I have let her down before but I will try and maybe my readers can help me. A little encouragement goes a long way. Perhaps I'm appearing at the mercy of my illness but it has me beaten at this point and I could use all the support I can get.