Life on the Border: Coping With Mental and Emotional Illness

By Coventina Waterhawk

Do you know what it's like living on the edge of insanity? Sometimes it can be a living hell not knowing if what your brain is telling you is real or if it's playing tricks on you. In this book you'll find stories of those who cope with having an emotional or mental illness. Most of them have more than one diagnosis. Mental health challenges are an ongoing process. They do not get zapped away by medications or therapy. People with depression just can't 'snapped out of it' like many friends and loved ones have told us to do.
One woman shares her experiences with postpartum depression and anxiety and how she almost didn't survive the first year of her firstborn child. Another shares her experiences with bulimia, bipolar disorder and alcoholism. And another shares the challenges she faces being a licensed therapist who suffers at times with borderline personality with suicidal ideation. One shares their experiences with tinnitus and how it has caused PTSD. PTSD is not just for someone who has served in the military. It can be someone with a one-time trauma like a car accident or assault. It could also be from being trapped inside and abusive relationship for years and escaping is only the beginning of the healing process.
Coping with mental and emotional illness can sometimes put a strain on relationships. We hope this book with help loved ones better understand what it's like to have mental health challenges. Most people judge others by their reactions to life and not realize that it's not in their control, nor is it immature. For instance, someone with borderline personality disorder can have many symptoms, and one of them is not being able to regulate their emotions and seem to 'act out' when their feelings are hurt. Someone with bipolar disorder can have days where they are experiencing mania, a euphoric feeling that can cause trouble with spending habits and highly sexual promiscuity. Then other days they can become depressed, suicidal and not able to get out of bed or take care of their personal hygiene. And someone with anxiety cannot be out in public with others and can be isolated from the world.
If you, or someone you know and love have experienced these issues, please find help. References are in the back of this book. We hope the reader finds hope that they can cope with whatever mental health challenges they have, or if they're a family member or friend, they can find their loved one the help they need.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1726346242
• ISBN13: 9781726346245
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"