I’d like to introduce you to Emma. She has always been a vibrant and outgoing person, known for her infectious laughter and positive outlook on life. She is married with 2 children at primary school, and works as a Customer Relationship Manager in a busy recruitment company in the private sector. Over time, Emma started experiencing some changes in her mental health that gradually began to impact her daily life. This is her story.
At first, Emma noticed persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. She found it increasingly challenging to get out of bed in the mornings and lacked the motivation to engage in activities she once enjoyed like walking the dog each day. Simple tasks felt overwhelming, and her usual-bright spirit seemed dampened.
As time went on, Emma’s friends and family started to notice that she would snap at the smallest of things, and her patience seemed to vanish. Her closest relationships with her husband and children became strained, with misunderstandings and arguments becoming more frequent.
Emma was usually a good sleeper but this also started to change. She would lie awake for hours, her mind racing with worries and anxious thoughts. Exhausted during the day, she found it difficult to concentrate at work and struggled to make decisions. Emma’s performance at work suffered, leading to mounting stress and a deepening sense of inadequacy.
Emma’s mental health began to affect her social life as well. She started withdrawing from social gatherings, opting to spend more time alone. Her social life shrunk as she became increasingly isolated and unable to share her struggles or find comfort in the company of loved ones and friends.
Frustrated and feeling trapped in her worsening mood, Emma began to use unhealthy coping strategies. She started relying on alcohol to numb her emotions so she could get some temporary relief. As her alcohol use increased to most nights, she became stuck in a vicious cycle of self-defeating behaviour.
Recognizing that she needed help, Emma finally reached out to a Psychologist. Through good counselling, she gained valuable insight into the issues affecting her mental health, and learnt better ways of copping to manage her emotions and other challenges in life at work and home. Emma also discovered the importance of self-care and incorporating healthy habits into her daily routine.
Over time, with consistent counselling, Emma began to see improvements in her mental health. She regained a sense of involvement in her life and found joy in activities she once loved. Slowly, she rebuilt her relationships, mending the rifts that had been created.
Emma’s story is an important reminder about the power of recognizing and addressing changes in your mental health sooner rather than later. Seeking help is not only courageous, but also an essential step towards creating opportunities for growth, change and resilience in the way you live your life.
If you need help please reach out to Ahead Psychology and make an appointment through your EAP available in your workplace.