6 ms·
Reading this is like reading about my own experience. I went through a similar period several years ago as an executive. I was leading engineering for three sep
by madrox 6y ago
Reading this is like reading about my own experience. I went through a similar period several years ago as an executive. I was leading engineering for three separate products and dealing with some very difficult stakeholders. I was also in a new relationship that I was trying very hard to maintain. The stress of all these things happening to me at once was colossal. I experienced a constellation of bad health symptoms. What I can't believe, in hindsight, was when I asked my doctor if this could be stress related. He asked, "do you feel stressed?" I thought for a second and said, "no."
I've never written anything about that time, despite wanting to, but this is the thread I wish I could write. Details aside the emotions are all the same. It felt cathartic to read this.
- noir_lord 6y agoI had a business fail, an 8 year relationship break down (got cheated on) and in the middle of all of that they found a syrinx in my spine and a few months later I got diagnosed with Chrohns. On my desk is a rock, just a hand sized piece of chalk off the foreshore near me but it has special meaning, I picked it up at 2am on the night I decided I wasn’t going to kill myself after flipping it from hand to hand for several hours while sat watching the moon on the water. Now it sits under one of my monitors and when work starts to stress me out or life generally I pick it up and think back to 6 years ago. These days my health is under control, the chrohns is stable, the medication works for quality of life, I have a good well paid job and I met the love of my life so between now and that beach is 6 years and a universe apart but man, you don’t see the signs until afterwards eh. No one knows what the rock means to me, to everyone else it’s just a paperweight.
- nickff 6y agoThanks (to both you and the parent poster) for sharing your experiences. I know exactly how helpful seeing this kind of post can be for people who are struggling.
- grp000 6y agoAgreed! As someone who is in a tough spot right now, this post really hit home.
- jaimefjorge 6y agoThank you for sharing this. I admire your strength.
- jpxw 6y agoWhat symptoms, out of interest?
- madrox 6y agoVarious digestion issues and stomach pain. I'd find myself getting dizzy and lightheaded out of the blue while doing nothing more than sitting. I'd have trouble concentrating when talking to someone and have trouble remembering what I was talking about. I'd wake up in the middle of the night nauseated. I'd have episodes where I felt like I had to focus on my breathing or my body would forget to breathe. None of these persisted. They'd all come and go. When I went to the doctor, all tests showed I was fine, which stressed me out more.
- tidenly 6y agoI have persistent anxiety and every few months my body will either revert to one of the symptoms you described there or invent something entirely new and fun for me out of the blue. It took a while for me to realise what was happening and actually start taking care of myself - it's criminally easy to get stressed behind your own back. You don't realise you're in the thick of it until it's too late.