Topic : Coping with Stress

Please forgive grammar. I am having communication problems when stress increases, then when it is not so bad, I see I still have lost communication, but becomes little better. I had traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) when I was 12 years old from a motor vehicle accident (MVA).  The horse I was riding went through the windshield of a pick-up truck. I hit pavement behind the truck headfirst, after breaking both femurs on tailgate.  I was in coma for a time.

 

I graduated high school, got married, raised 3 children, went through nursing school and got my RN, and went through a divorced 3 years ago because husband play around with other woman, who was a friend of mine, no longer friend now,  and he was drug addict.  

 

I always had problems with memory and had to take classes over 2-3 times to get information. Now after being assaulted by sons girlfriend in Dec I am loosing more of cognitive abilities, cannot work, cannot get on disability because  they say I can work, My doctor wants a Neropsych testing done. This is about $5000.00 he tells me. I have no income, no insurance to pay for.

 

I had to move out of my place I was buying and rent it to pay mortgage payments. I stay with friend short time, mother short time, and maybe in my car. All this increases stress and I loose more communication abilities every day. I try getting help, but because I have property I rent out, they say this is income, rent only pay mortgage payments on place. If I had stayed I could have gotten help, but then I would have foreclosure on place. I will eventually loose car because will not be able to make payments on it then when have no other place to stay will not have car to stay in either.

 

I wait to see what stress comes next and what I cognitively loose, I am only 47.

I recently found this book on www.healingpsyche.com, could be interesting

"Healing Psyche is a treasure trove of rigorous research on the mind-body connection for cancer – all presented in practical ways that both doctors and their patients can access and implement easily. Quite frankly, this book could save your life.”

Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom (Bantam, 2005), The Wisdom of Menopause (Bantam, revised 2006), and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom (Bantam, revised 2006) 

Ok - no disrespect to Dr. Phil - but my hair is falling out and it's a nervous wreck!!!

 

I'm a 37 year old female and about 2 months ago I noticed I was losing more and more hair in the shower and when I brushed my hair.  I have quite long hair and at first I thought it was just the heat (I usually 'molt' a bit in the summer) but my hair dresser did think my hair was thinner when I saw him 6 weeks ago.  It gradually got worse - now it's at the point to where I've actually developed a few bald spots and my hair line has receded up my neck noticeably.

 

I've gone to my doctor and she checked me out and it should be just a stress related issue, nothing permanent (she did blood tests so no thyroid or diabetes, & the bald spots don't match alopecia), so that's a relief.  She said it would have been tied to a particularly stressful event around 3 months before the hair started falling out - so I can TOTALLY remember the phone call to my mother that set it off! ;-)

 

Anyway - has anyone gone through this that can relate?  When can I expect my hair to stop falling out?  More importantly - when will it come back?  I can still hide it ok now but I'm going to be getting married next year (that was what I was calling to tell mom - thought the call would have been a happier one) and I really would like to stop stressing that I'll be wearing a tiara on a bald head.

 

Thanks to anyone who could help!

The way things are going with the economy ...higher prices on gas, oil, groceries, etc. And Wall Street it is so hard to get away from these problems. The only thing that works for me is to let my feelings out on Dr.Phil's Messageboard and getting feedback. It makes me feel that I am not the only one worrying about these daily problems. We have a Presidental election and we have to be concerned as to who is going to have our FUTURE in their hands. COMMUNICATION is wonderful with other people who have the same concerns. Dr.Phil's show is a PROBLEM SOLVER and so is his MESSAGEBOARD!

I did at one time lose my hair! I was so upset but I actually got results by taking a vitamin that targeted STRESS and I was told to take Vitamin E which is an Antioxidant that is good for you. Taking a daily Vitamin and a seperate dose of Vitamin E will help your hair grow back. GOOD LUCK!

I have gone throught the message boards and never realized how many people are STRESSED! Each day does bring us PROBLEMS but remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I was an only child trying to prove to my Mother I was a good person. She was dominating, possessive and abusive beyond your imagination so we clashed but yet I had to do everything she wanted me to no matter how I felt. She never approved of me. My Father loved me for the person that I was and always offered his help by just LISTENING to me. He never raised his voice unlike my Mother. I learned so much from him. I AM THE PERSON THAT I AM BECAUSE OF HIM. To avoid extra STRESS at work I did not talk about my personal life. I learned that not all people are your friends and they will use anything you tell them as GOSSIP. Asking for ADVICE is best when you can use this MESSAGEBOARD so it won't get passed to people that are too close to you that will only form an OPINION of you...that you don't need if you are already STRESSED! Walk out the door every day with a SMILE on your face no matter how hard that might be if you are unhappy and going through a bad time. When you SMILE you will get SMILES back and you will be so well liked. I know this for a fact because I did it even when I lost my home and lived in a car and had to SURVIVE on my own with no family at that time to help me. I look back at that time to remember each day that I AM BLESSED to get where I am today! I hope I can be of HELP to anyone who has no FAITH as to a better FUTURE! If I did it by myself I am sure that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE for someone who says STRESS is running their lives and ruining it. I wish the BEST for all of Dr. Phil's viewers. LISTEN to him...he is the best at SOLVING PROBLEMS but when you are STRESSED this MESSAGEBOARD can help you too!

If you happen to come back to the boards and read this, then I hope you read my entire letter before you decide how to react.

I have read all your letters pleading for answers and I have read the replies of concerned readers.  Normally I do not even reply to letters like yours because it would be as if I was banging my head against a wall.  I say this because, no matter what people have said to you or what book you have read, you still have not grasped the concept that they were trying to relay to you.  It is as if you want step by step instructions on how to live everyday the rest of your life!

You want it, you asked for it, you got IT!:
1)  You decide every morning if you are in charge, or if events and people are in charge of your day.  Read step 2 if YOU decide to be in charge.
2)  You decide when you eat, rest, visit with family, open your mail or answer your phone.  ANYTHING you do today......YOU DECIDE WHEN.  If you believe this, then go to step 3
3)  You are in TOTAL control of any and all of your emotions connected to circumstances that happen in your life.  Everyone on this planet has something that they do not like to happen to them on one day or another and sometimes everyday.  More often or not, negative events in our lives are lessons in our lives and those who are wise look at them as that, instead of "The world is out to get me" attitude.  If you believe this then go to step 4.
4)  Live your life everyday as if you were going to die tomorrow.  If you choose to be sad, then do a good job being sad.  If you choose to be happy, then do a good job being happy.  Each day, be better than yourself.

 If you believe this, then have a very happy life with good and bad days of learning how to be a wonderful giving human who is responsible, self sufficient and loving.

From another human who is doing all four steps.