Several years ago, when I was in my mid-20s, after suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety for most of my life,..."> Several years ago, when I was in my mid-20s, after suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety for most of my life,..." /> Several years ago, when I was in my mid-20s, after suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety for most of my life,..." />

I Avoided Facing My Mental Illness for Decades. The Pandemic Changed That

<strong>“I didn’t leave my apartment for days, weeks. Time became meaningless.”</strong><strong>“I was struggling with almost every aspect of my life.”</strong>ide class="right-rail__container right-rail__container--ad"> Several years ago, when I was in my mid-20s, after suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety for most of my life, I found myself at the emergency room during an episode of substance-induced psychosis. My father and stepmother found me, at the very beginning of the episode, having paranoid delusions. Someone had tried to poison me and now they were coming, I told them. “Do not answer the door.” Somehow, I listened when they said I needed to see a doctor. “We’ll be with you the whole time,” my father said. At the hospital, after checking my vitals and asking me to describe what was wrong, the triage nurse talked to my father. He explained my history with depression, my mother’s schizophrenia. I was given an emergency bed. A psychiatrist—a tall, middle-aged blind man—approached with his guide dog. He asked questions while my father and stepmother watched, worried, nervous. “When was the last time you slept? Do you ever feel disconnected from yourself, or from reality? Do you hear voices?” “I’m not crazy,” I insisted. I was afraid I was going to be hospitalized, or medicated against my will, which had happened to my moth...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 feature health Magazine Women in Crisis Source Type: news