Monday, October 15, 2012

Anxiety, and Danielle Jonas

After watching "Married to Jonas" on E! tonight, I was moved to write this post. If you haven't seen the most recent episode, while in Italy, Danielle Jonas shares that she has major anxiety, misses being home (though she is with her entire family), and has even resorted to going (back) on medication to deal with it. She responds and speaks honestly about how she feels.  See a teaser for this episode here.

Danielle, thank you for sharing your experience.

Those close to me know that I have major anxiety. I've had both anxiety and panic attacks. I've even gone so far, in years past, to have driven myself to the ER while in the midst of an attack. Anytime I hear anyone share their personal experience with anxiety, it helps me to feel better about my own experiences. Sometimes they aren't obviously anxiety attacks, and the physical symptoms can present as another issue. Racing heart, dizziness, sweating, nausea. And for Danielle Jonas to share what she is experiences, by way of a reality show, is truly commendable. She's definitely helping lots of people who feel what she does, but may be too ashamed to share their experience or wonder if it's even normal.

Danielle Jonas, on tonight's episode.

Anxiety can be frightening and isolating. I know the feeling of wanting to be home, even when everyone you love is with you. Every single time I travel, I get this feeling. Sometimes it's a momentary feeling, other times it comes and goes throughout the trip. When we used to drive to Rhode Island, I'd start to panic the minute we crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge. I cannot explain why. I wanted to go away. I was happy. But the anxiety takes over. Last summer, while in an unfamiliar hotel in Providence, I was feeling unsure and unsafe. My travel companion was parking the car, and my son vacationing in California. (My son being on another coast, that alone, had me completely unnerved.) The feeling started to overwhelm me. I felt uneasy and untethered. My heart was racing; the floor felt unsteady. At that moment, I saw a family (a girl who was checking out the place for her wedding, along with her sister and her parents) and I knew that talking to them might distract me enough to prevent a full blown panic attack. That is how desperate it becomes. You search for anyone that seems concrete, just so that you have a place to anchor, and a point of distraction.

While I am not able to help people with anxiety (I am not a therapist), I am here to say that it happens to the best of us, it's not as uncommon as you think, and you can get help. And to Danielle Jonas, once again, thank you for your bravery. We love you, exactly as you are.

8 comments:

  1. I know this struggle well. I too have battled with serious anxiety problems and resorted to medication. I feel so alone and scared when I'm NOT on it but I hate hate hate being on a medication. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! -A

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  2. I used to suffer from this too until I got cured through hypnotherapy. I highly recommend it to you guys!

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  3. I too suffer from this and when I watched the episode I could not believe I share the EXACT feelings-wanting to be home,feeling like Im "too far" -although your loved ones are with you.Such a bad,strange feeling and if you have never experienced it you cannot even understand it at all.This is so common and that is somewhat of a relief and brings a little comfort because it is very easy to feel as if you are 'crazy'.I thank Danielle and everyone for sharing.

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  4. anxiety and panic attacks do not need to be treated with medicine. they can be cured. im not a doctor im speaking from ecperience. i had the most extreme anxiety attacks and they have mellowed dramatically thanks to The Linden Method. i urge everyone to look it up. you wont regret it.

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    1. Why would you make a blanket statement like that...... I have a family member who tried absolutely everything because she did NOT want to go on medicine.... because people like you make statements like the one above. She ran 5 miles a day.... did yoga, meditation, therapy and on and on... and finally a sweet doctor told her... why don't you just try some medicine for a month... just to see if it helps..... so after suffering from horrible anxiety.... anxiety SO bad that she had to put college on hold, etc... she finally feels "good" and normal.... NO anxiety...... it has taken about 4 months of being on medicine..... but she has her life back..... so please feel free to talk about how something helped you... and how you don't need medicine..... but please do not lump everyone in your statements..... Thank you

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  5. I too suffer from anxiety/panic attacks. I completely felt for Dani when i saw this episode and knew every emotion and symptom she was feeling just by looking at her face. It is a completely debilitating thing to go through. And just as another person commented, you truly have NO IDEA what it is like if you have not experienced it yourself. I give Dani a lot of credit for being so open about it because dealing with something like this makes you feel so isolated and alone even when the people you love "your anchors" are around you.

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  6. thanks for sharing your anxiety issues Mrs.Jonas. I started suffering from panic attacks after I had my two kids; I was a very strong independent person and now I have to carry med with me everywhere I go just in case I feel awful. People who have never had panic attacks or anxiety don't realize how debilitating this disease is and how it keeps you from fully enjoying life. Thanks for bringing it out in the open. You and your family including your husband are the most sincere, beautiful people. Anyone else who says otherwise is just jealous. Be happy and together with the help of God soon we will all be able to be anxiety free by continuing to study news ways to deal with this awful brain inbalance.

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