A Restful Mind

A few months after I started to see my therapist he recommended that I get a daily meditation book. He had one in his office called Voices of Recovery by Overeaters Anonymous. It gave such great advice that was both inspirational and realistic. It hit home. I went out to go and buy it but then I realized that it was specialized for overeaters. Now, I probably do have a problem eating a little too much. Most people do, but that's not the issue I have. So I went on a search for a better daily reader that was more suited to recovery from anxiety disorders. What I found was A Restful Mind by Mark Allen Zabawa. 

I've only been reading this book for about 2 months, so I can't give a full review on it. But so far I love it. Every day there is a a page that talks about a different aspect of anxiety or recovery and then gives a "Thought for the day", usually a summary of that day's theme. 

Almost all of them have really resonated with me and Zabawa seems to intimately know my struggles. I wanted to share an excerpt from his book that has helped me tremendously. 

Many of us know well what is is like to hide our thoughts and feelings from our family members, partner, or spouse- particularly when it comes to our illness and it's symptoms. Some of us feel embarrassed, while others fear a reaction.

Yet when we hide these thoughts and feelings from the person we are closest to, we create a make-believe relationship. 

To be true to ourselves and the people we care about, we must become honest and communicate as best we can. We must take a risk. We must begin to reveal step by step and day by day, what is within us.

Today do I hide the real me or do I share what is within? 

I consistently hide my anxiety from friends, classmates, and even my family. Why? Because I don't see the point. They won't know how to help or what to say, and they might not even understand. When you open yourself up and someone just doesn't get what you're going through can really hurt and make you feel more alone than ever. What's important to take away from this is that the people who care for you will always try to understand, and help you with what you need. You just need to be honest and straightforward. I have to constantly remind myself of this fact. My support system is there to support me and love me and aid me in my recovery journey, but people are not mind readers. They won't know how to help you until you tell them what you need.

Tip of the day: 
Be honest with yourself and your support system. Tell them what's going on and what you need from them.
If you are part of a support system for someone with an anxiety disorder or any mental illness, be patient. Coming to terms with their demons is not easy and they'll need a lot of tender loving care.