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SUFFOCATION, DREAD & PAIN.
3 Words if I had to Describe Anxiety.
However, there are so many variations of Mental Health Issues that Depression, Stress and Anxiety is only the starting line.
Too many people are ignorant and unaware of Mental Health that their actions unintentionally but painfully cause more damage than good.
This Happened to Me.
For those that do know me, everything from the existence of this page to what I’m about to share is insane and most likely will shock everyone. But this is my story and I absolutely need to share, because many others have it much worse. I needed to take action and I hope I inspire you to do the same.
In short, I am living with no job and no concrete plan. However, this is the BEST decision of my life. Keep reading!
It began with Stress. I live with stress every day and for me, it’s how I keep high levels of energy and because I am ambitious, it keeps me active. However, due to work, it got to the point of panic attacks and headaches that would last 2 weeks non-stop. I almost fainted once during work and knew at this point I had to reach out.
In an ideal world, you would have colleagues that you could share your common woes and stories to make your weekdays bearable. It was something I hoped for but never worked out for me. If anything, I felt the loss of connections as the colleagues I could talk to, even a little, moved back overseas. I became the only female administrative worker in an all-male research/tech background environment. Working with extreme prolonged stress and no one to talk to, I did what should have been the next best move, reaching out.
Big Mistake.
I was not taken seriously and my suffocation began. By suffocation I mean more anxiety attacks, trembling with nervousness, elevated heartbeats and tightness. I lived with the thought that how I was going to “go” was just passing out at my desk because I would spend all 8 HOURS like this.
The following day I would cry all day due to the pent up stress and pain. By crying I mean, 3 to 8 hours a day. I IMMEDIATELY told my workplace about this and other symptoms. At this point I am seeing a GP (General Practitioner) and a Psychologist. You sort of think that if you’re seeing a PSYCHOLOGIST, or a THERAPIST, you’d be taken more seriously. Nope.
So whenever I explained myself, only confusion happened and it makes you feel invalidated. Like the message I’m getting is: you’re complaining about nothing, and you should go back to work. I escalated to HR (Human Resources) which would later become my biggest regret.
Workplaces really need to change the title of the HR department because not once, have I seen them work for the humans. They should be renamed to Management Resources or Business Resources because clearly, that’s who they work for. Please don’t mislead us employees to think you’re here to help us. I would have prevented my further downfall if I had known.
Originally I suggested to work at a location where I felt comfortable but HR came up with a different “solution” to move me to an adjacent building with random people. Because that’s exactly what an isolated person needs! More isolation, but a different kind of isolation (seriously, c’mon). Being a good sport, I tried anyway and I only lasted 3 minutes because it was awkward as f*ck. The place was a hot desk that changes on a daily basis and you realise then that nobody talks to the hot-desk person because they’re only temporary.
I explained this to my workplace and HR but they were confused again. It became to the point I can’t even last in my workplace for more than 3 hours without breaking down. At this point I’ve cried about 20 times, and lived with many symptoms of anxiety.
The worst part is that it began to affect me outside of work, the one thing I really hope would NEVER happen. I couldn’t sleep properly, and it gradually took longer for me to recover from crying/breaking down. I’ve been sent home 4 times as I wasn’t able to function properly and had a medical certificate to be absent for a week. This was in the time-span of 2 months.
The Scariest Experience so Far…
Was having sleep paralysis AND a panic attack at the same time. Essentially imagine that you’re on your deathbed, unable to move, but your heart is racing and breathing becomes extremely difficult. So it was a destructive process where I struggle to fall asleep and when I do, I get this petrifying experience in my dreams. I couldn’t believe work was haunting me in my sleep!
So the next obvious move was to resign. I did resign strategically where I budgeted and planned my next couple of moves. So here I am, only a few days left until I’m officially free! At this point I’ve been to the Doctor’s and Psychologist’s 10 times, in the time-span of 2 months.
Even now I’m still not being taken seriously BUT I also realised that there are many others going through similar levels of anguish. I’m fortunate that my anxiety was only through work, but if someone had a mental health issue that was EVERYDAY or just something they couldn’t ESCAPE from… I knew I had to make this my mission. No one should be treated how I was and this is because of the lack of awareness with Mental Health. It became my mission to raise awareness and help those struggling with similar issues. This is the story behind why I chose Entrepreneurship to make a difference.
Please, If You Read My Story, Make a Donation to Support!
Chances are, either yourself or someone you care for is suffering in one way or another as 1 in 5 Australians are suffering a Mental Illness.
P.S. My Birthday is 25th November so it would mean so much if you could consider donating (no need for a present if you were intending on giving me one).
Thank you for checking out this campaign!!!
WITH MY BEST REGARDS,
LISA NGUYEN
#TeamANDREW
If you want to connect, feel free to contact me!
Why am I fundraising and how can you help me?
Mental illness is a silent killer. The symptoms and signs are not always visible or easy to recognise and in fact, individuals struggling with mental health conditions may be the people you would least expect. More than 75 per cent of mental health issues develop before a person turns 25 and suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44. Approximately 1 in 5 Australians are suffering from mental illness in any given year. This has to change! You can help bring these struggles out of the dark and join me in tearing down the stigma and discrimination surrounding one of our leading health issues. By donating to my fundraising campaign you’re helping me to highlight the importance of empowering one another to feel safe and supported in asking for help.
Net proceeds raised throughout this project will be granted to headspace https://headspace.org.au/
Background
Charity TV Global has been producing inspiring TV content since 2005. In that time many awards have been won, both in Australia and abroad. Current TV broadcast deals are in place for Australia (Seven Network’s 7Two) and New Zealand (TVNZ 2). As a registered ACNC entity, Charity TV Global Foundation has created an award-winning filming and fundraising platform (Adventure All Stars), with net proceeds from every project distributed to their philanthropic partners. As a socially conscious organisation their mission is to use entertainment as a vehicle to steer global audiences into ‘giving back’.
Testimonials, past fundraising successes, TV shows, extensive press coverage and more can be found at www.charitytvglobal.com
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact:
- SANE Australia (people living with a mental illness) — call 1800 187 263
- Beyondblue (anyone feeling depressed or anxious) — call 1300 22 4636 or chat online
- Black Dog Institute (people affected by mood disorders) — online help
- Lifeline (anyone having a personal crisis) — call 13 11 14 or chat online
- Suicide Call Back Service (anyone thinking about suicide) — call 1300 659 467
Sources
Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/mental-health
Health Direct: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-illness
Life line: https://www.lifeline.org.au/about-lifeline/lifeline-information/statistics-on-suicide-in-australia
Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/young-people/understanding-and-dealing-with-suicide/?stage=Live
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