Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

I had a nervous breakdown about two years ago. It was caused by and mostly affected my work life. The aftermath spilled into other aspects of my life in different ways and it took me a good year or so to recover. But I was a sobbing, emotional, scared mess for a long time.


I feel like I've come really far since then.


ETA: Mine doesn't hold a candle to a lot of your stories. You are all brave, strong women.

Message edited 6/23/2011 12:52:06 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

All these stories make me embarrassed to post the things that have made me stronger because everyone here is SO strong and brave and should be very proud of themselves for the adversity and losses they have overcome. I have not had to deal with any type of tragedy first hand thank goodness so far in my life.
Anyway, a few minor things..first teaching 1st grade in the bronx for 2 years with pretty much no training or support. At the time, I ended up burnt out and upset with myself for quitting but now I can say that it changed me for the better.
A relationship in college that wore me down emotionally but that I learned a ton from and happy to have had the experience even if it was not the best while going through it.
And finally, having a baby, being a SAHM and being pregnant with baby #2 has made me stronger than I ever thought I could be.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Posted by DRMom

Posted by xten

1st- i am so sorry to hear about all of these terrible things you all have gone through.

my biggest experience so far that has made me a stronger person today would have to be when i was diagnosed with alopecia areata as a pre-teen... i lost 98% of my hair, to the point where i had to wear a wig to school and got teased on a constant basis and had other kids trying to pull my hair to see if it was indeed a wig. i wouldnt sleep or shower without it on and i was so self conscious and depressed that i missed tons of things including school days and social functions because i just couldnt get myself out of the house. it was HORRENDOUS. kids can be SO cruel. it took years, but i am finally at the point where i am stronger because of it. if i could go back in time i would have handled things so differently. i also make it a point to tell my daughter daily that she is beautiful and anyone who tells her otherwise is probably just not happy with themselves. if i had known that back then i dont think it would have been so traumatizing.

My nephew has this...how are you now? he has never lost all of his hair, he loses it in patches along with eyebrows and eyelashes. He is 7

Message edited 10/5/2011 8:07:00 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Having to bury my newborn son at nine days old. I didn't think I was going to survive it but I did.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Message edited 6/23/2011 1:33:17 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

My brother (best friend) being killed just shy of his 21st birthday. I was only 19 at the time.

Yesterday, June 22 was the anniversary of his death so every year at this time i am reminded to keep everything in perspective.

His passing also made me strive harder in my life and achieve my goal of becoming a lawyer.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Being diagnosed with epilepsy out of the blue! And then learning not to walk around scared that I might have a seizure - I was 18

Losing my mom to breast cancer, and coping with the fact that she let me study abroad two months before she died even though she knew things had taken a turn for the worse...she never told me - I was 20

Cutting ties with one of my best childhood friends because of a painkiller addiction. I tried to help her but it was no use. - I was 28

Getting through the stress of being stuck with an apt and a house when my buyer, who requested an early close, decided to breach contract, followed by my dog dying two weeks later and my landlord being an a-hole about getting my security back and my buyer fighting me for the DP. Then dealing with some marital problems! - April 2011 and ongoing

Message edited 6/24/2011 4:00:18 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

The death of my father at the age of 18.
Leaving my son's "sperm donor", we lived in FL for a short while and I just couldnt take him cheating and drinking anymore and I up and left him when , my son was 2 1/2 and gave him a better life. I have done it all myself( some help from my mom), he doesnt pay child support and hasnt seen him since he was 3 1/2.
All around become a mom at the age of 20 really made me strong and grow up fast.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Having to make the decision to end my first pregnancy. I didn't think I would ever recover. Now I know that without making that decision, I wouldn't have my two beautiful children.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

when my mom had astroke 5 years ago..leaving my job to help care for her..watching her learn to talk again and remember who i was..she is still paralyzed on her right side and i wish she would walk but she never will but her will to still have a smile on her face is inspiring..thats why i will continue to do what i do even though it is a non paying no day off job..but i dont question my decision one bit

infertility..16 months my dh and i have been trying for a baby..between the mc,the expensive ins bills the tons of medicines and shots and the constant disappointment month after month if this didnt make me stronger i think i would be dead..although most days i feel ike i am lol

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Message edited 6/24/2011 2:16:36 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Wow. My experience seems like small potatoes compared to you guys, and I'm fully aware (and constantly thankful) that I've had it pretty good.

Anyway, getting kicked out of highschool in my senior year hit me hard and made a big impact on the person I am today. I got kicked out on a technicality- nothing to do with grades or behavior or money or any LEGIT reason, IMO. We were required to do mandatory volunteer service (oxymoron, no?) for our Junior year. We had to do 40 hours. I had taken the position of teacher's assistant for a 2nd grade sunday school class. When I failed to meet the require 40 hours (I had 36) because the 2nd graders happen to end early since they receive Communion in May, I was told I needed to complete 80 hours over my summer vacation or not to return to school. My parents and I agreed that it was ridiculous and I would not be doing 80 hours of service. I had an actual PAYING job. So, the first day of school, I'm asked to leave and not return. My parents raised hell, to no avail. I finished out my highschool education at a different school.

Now, it's not really a big deal. I actually loved the 2nd school I went to, took a ton of classes that weren't available to me in my pervious school, but I missed out on a lot, too. I didn't get to graduate with my friends, didn't go to prom with them, wasn't in their yearbook nor were they in mine. But, getting kicked out gave me a healthy respect for rules and regulations.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

My Dad passing away suddenly in our home, when I was 24 I never thought I would recover from losing him. Almost 5 years later, and I'm finally starting to look back and think about him with a smile, but it is still hard.

The hardest day, besides the day we buried him, was the day I got married. I never thought I would make it through the day without him. But on that day, I was actually smiling when I thought of him...a teary smile but I will still smiling. He wouldn't have wanted me to be so upset on my wedding day.

The next hurdle will be once I become pregnant and start a family, having to tell my kids about Grandpa and what kind of a man he was. My kids will never have the honor of knowing what a loving and beautiful person their grandfather was...

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Posted by want2bmommy

The next hurdle will be once I become pregnant and start a family, having to tell my kids about Grandpa and what kind of a man he was. My kids will never have the honor of knowing what a loving and beautiful person their grandfather was...

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

being 1 of 5 children

being a twin

loosing my dad at 19 ... he was 56

witnessing what my mom has been through after the loss of my father

seeing the look on my 83 year old (at the time) grandmother's face when she learned of her son's death (my dad) ... she lost her son who was 56 at the time, to almost the same thing that she lost her husband to when they were in their thirties. it still makes me shutter. she was a ghost in that moment. we all were.

Message edited 6/24/2011 2:42:32 PM.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

my husbands car accident and two weeks later his death has definalty made me stronger...not only for myself but for our daughter.
my dad was also diagnosed with prostate cancer shortly before my DH accident.
the day i let my husband go my dad had surgery for prostate cancer...worse day of my life.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

2 experiences stand out for me

first dealing with a drug addict ex fh, i knew he did pot but had no real idea of the extent of his drug use, he robbed my parents, sold many of our belongings and wouldnt leave the house, i only got away from him when i finally told him he had to go to rehab and drove him there with him thinking i would be waiting for him when he got out

the other was going through infertitlity issues, i never thought i could be strong enought to deal with all that is entailed, i hate needles - 4 iuis, and 2 ivfs later, all the shots, 2 surgeries for endometriosis, voluntarily doing acupuncture, i cherish every day with my girls and i know there are many girls out there who have it far worse than me

i feel whatever it is that has made you stronger, even if you feel others have gone through more/worse, its still your experiences don't diminish them because you feel others have it worse, they have made you who you are, be proud that you have gotten through them and hopefully come out a better/stronger person

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Posted by J9-13

Posted by JP826


Truth is- everyone has a story.
You have three choices in life. Give up. Give in. Or Give it your all. So remember that falling down is part of life and picking yourself up is part of living.

Count your blessings.

Wow! I love that! Great advice

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

infertility

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

Two things that seem insignificant compared to all of the struggles on this board.

Losing my job out of the blue due to downsizing. I never saw it coming. Had been there for five years and felt so close to my coworkers. Like a family. Then one day it was gone.


Battling a bad labor experience, difficulty nursing and a mild case of PPD. Wow, I thought I was just going to curl up in a ball and die at that time in my life. I cried every day for 6-7 weeks.

Re: What are some things you have been through that have made you stronger?

wow where to begin

Growing up with an alcoholic mother
Losing my dad to a heart attack at 19, today marks 13yrs
Losing my mom to breast cancer at 28
Having 2 cancer scares myself one when I was 25 one when I was 29 a year after my mom died
Getting out of an Abusive relationship with an alcoholic
Battling severe depression once when I was 19 and then when I was 28
Being estranged from my family because my mom had issues with them