Awareness Wednesday

(Awareness Wednesday is hosted by Holly at Diamond Potential)

I suffer from panic or anxiety attacks.  That's just one of my issues and the one that I fight the hardest to overcome.   Though by definition  a sufferer can sometimes go to any length to avoid places where attacks happen, it's not always that predictable.  I have never been diagnosed to be an agoraphobic, but all the tendencies are there.  During my lifetime, to suffer from such irregularities was just something that wasn't discussed.  It didn't have a name, wasn't talked about, and certainly not made public or open to anyone outside the immediate family.  Along with the panic or anxiety disorders come depression.  And the depression is usually followed by a fear or lack of interest in even leaving the house.  It's not uncommon for me, during a really bad time, to not even leave my yard for several days.  I have avoided visiting with friends.  I have made up excuses for not going to something that I've committed to, only to not have the strength or courage to even open the door and step out.  Most recently, I was to go to the second meeting of my Bible study group on Tuesday mornings.  I was up, dressed, had my lessons done, keys and pocketbook in hand, and could not......could NOT...get out the door to get in my car.  If I'd made it to the car, I would have been okay.  But those few feet from the yard gate to my car seemed like a deep, dark pit that I just couldn't get over.

Agoraphobia and/or panic/anciety attacks occur twice as often in women than it does in men.  Why?  Well, it could be just that women are going to be more likely to seek help and manage the situations with medications or coping mechanisms.  Men, however, are more likely to mask the problem with alcohol to avoid having anyone find out about the disorder.

Men are more less likely to understand what is taking place in a spouse or female friend, often attributing the antisocial behavior associated with this to either hormones or.....yeah, that monthly thing.

(More next week)

I'd like to pass this Award of Awareness on to

my daughter, Jessica, who has so beautifully documented her problems of

agoraphobia and depression on her blog at Adjusting to the World.

And also to Kim at Stuff Could Always Be Worse

Kim suffers from MS and shows incredible strength and courage in dealing with

her illness.

And then there's Terry at My Journey with Candida

She is healing from digestive tract candida.

And you, Java, for raising attention to Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

Jessica at Punk Rock Momma

Asperger Syndrome and ADHD

Sueberry at Sueberry Lane

Asperger Syndrome

To these ladies, please link up with Holly, who originated this award, and see her reasons for starting this Award of Awareness.

I know I have others who have causes and I will make every effort to acknowledge them in future posts.