Diary Entry: August 31, 2017

I've been inactive for a while now because I don't really have something worthwhile to talk about (or so I feel) but I guess I needed to let this one out even if it will just be here. It's been one complete week since I went out to seek assistance somewhere in Rosario, Pasig.

I was scheduled for a quick, which turned to a long, meeting last August 31 since it was the only opening the person I was meeting had. I called to schedule a meeting probably 3 weeks before that date so that's how in demand she was. Typically, I would have chickened out the last minute, but because of the support I received and how the logical side of my brain coaxed me in continuing, I entered and waited inside her little, homey office.

I found out about her with the help of a very close friend who asked another friend of ours. I was hesitant on calling the number given to me, thinking that I might end up wasting both her and my time by dropping by. Hours passed before I finally gave in and dialed her number using the phone inside our tiny, yellow office. Her secretary answered on the third ring and asked me a few questions and informed me of the next open schedule. I confirmed for an afternoon meeting on August 31; conveniently, it was our pay day and the start of another long weekend.

A day before my schedule, I asked my manager if I can take the day off due to medical reasons. He didn't ask anymore than that and agreed. I slept at Jem's house the night before since I needed to take care of another thing early in the morning. We probably only had 3-4 hours of sleep because we were talking 'till late at night.

Morning came and we both got ready. Him for his duty in UST Hospital and me for my big day ahead. After finishing my agenda in UST, I quickly headed to her office. I felt the drum of my heart with every step I take to get to my destination and the cold sweat that ran down the line of my back. I was scared. Then all of a sudden, I was already in front of her office. Sitting on a black plump sofa. Already waiting for my turn.

I texted Jem that I wanted out but he insisted that I should go since I was already there. He sent me supportive messages and I left it at that since I know he too was busy with his duty. When I felt that my knees were turning weak and my hands were sweating profusely, I stepped out and decided to eat at a nearby food stall to calm my nerves.

I returned right after and waited patiently for my name to be called. Since I was scheduled after her lunch break, I was able to take a short nap on her very comfy sand-colored sofa. There were a number of people waiting like me when I opened my eyes. Not long after, she came out of her office with a stack of folders in hand and called for my name.

"de Leon? Justine de Leon?" she announced.
I got up, "Yes po," I said. She smiled and ushered me inside her office.

Her office was filled with natural light. Really, the artificial ones didn't really help at all. There was a big book shelf on one side with a space that serves as her table and two big sofas situated on the middle back of the room. Between them was a brown coffee table. I couldn't help but look around her spacious office and observe every single detail because I needed to calm my steel nerves.

She gestured for me to sit down and she followed suit.
"So," she started, "how can I help you, Justine?"
An incomprehensible sound came out of my mouth followed by a short, embarrassed laugh.
"I honestly don't know where to start..." I replied.

But even after saying that, I was able to open up to her. My woes and all the negative thoughts I had clamped up inside. We probably talked more than what time let me feel. I walked out of her office after an hour with 2 prescription papers on my hand. One with 3 copies since she told me that pharmacists are heavily strict on that particular medicine.

I was diagnosed with depression.

And I have to take 2 prescription medicines to help me. Along with the feeling of depression, anxiety and panic attacks are very common so these two are also being addressed by the medicines given to me.

I've been taking my medicines for the past 6 days. The first time I took it, I felt like my head had weights attached to it. Not long after I took it, I was dead asleep on my bed. I was woken up the following morning by our dog, Aina, jumping on me. That was the longest sleep I had for the past few months. Before, I usually wake up in the early morning hours, usually around 3AM and get back to sleep by 5AM.

I searched for the side effects of the medicines I'm taking and mostly it says that I'll be feeling sleepy. Indeed I feel sleepy for the entire day. Thankfully I don't feel tired at all but just really, really sleepy.

Since it's only going to be a week since I started taking my medicines, I haven't really felt any changes with my psyche lol but hopefully, soon I'll be seeing any.

I'm scheduled for a follow-up this coming September 30 so I guess that's something I kind of look forward to.

'Till then!

Not Ready

Guess I'm back again with another travel-unrelated post. Or anything-exciting post.

I honestly started blogging because I was looking for a medium to express my thoughts and emotions. I am not a very social person; like, seriously, NOT a very social person. I don't even consider myself on the level 1 of being a social person; so imagine what I feel when all my frustrations builds up inside. Anyway, I'm writing this post now because I might have come face to face with something I am totally not ready for. It started on this day, Sunday of March 2017.

As always, Jem and I planned our day ahead. We were supposed to meet up at EDSA - P. Tuazon so we could travel back to their condo and engage in our weekly gym routine. Prior to that, I was supposed to do our weekly laundry. But after waking up at 9 in the morning, my body kept on telling me to sleep the day off and to not go outside... I instantly thought of my previous breakdown but immediately brushed it off thinking that it was probably just my laziness acting up again.

But then my head started aching. Both of my temples began pounding as if syncing with a tune I couldn't hear. Then it got worse. The ache encircled the back of my head and all I could think of was the pain I was feeling.

I immediately told my mom I couldn't do our laundry and she told me that she'll just do it herself, albeit it would only be their clothes. A bit disappointed since I will still have to do my own laundry, I got back to my room and laid down, thinking that a bit of rest would make this headache go away. At around quarter to 12, Jem pinged me on FB telling me he wouldn't be able to fetch me at our meet-up place since his mom asked him to register her on one of Nike's weekly run. I wasn't able to reply since my mom called me down to eat our lunch.

Still thinking that this headache of mine would disappear after I fill up my empty stomach, I hungrily munched on my home-cooked special mongo that my step-father prepared. Since I started feeling that the pounding on my head began fading, I decided to head out and go to Jem's condo. I booked a Grab Car since it was already a bit late and I didn't want to commute under the scorching heat.

The moment I stepped on their condo, I felt that my headache returned, and much, much worse. I told Jem that my head was pounding and he apparently offered me to take some meds but I didn't hear him. We went straight to the gym after fixing some of our stuff and began our cardio. With every exercise, the pounding in my head started getting stronger and stronger. After our warm-up, I felt like all of my blood traveled up to my brain as if helping to increase the pounding that was already too painful to handle. Jem settled me on one of the gym equipment and ushered me to rest instead.

I tried my best to take even just a short nap so I can free myself from the pain even for just a short while but I wasn't able to. I got up after 30-40 minutes or so (it was only after that that I was able to move) and told Jem that I'll just be lying outside near the swimming pool, thinking that the fresh air would help me. Jem finished his routine for another 10-15 minutes before going to me and helping me up. I actually needed his support. as well as the walls', so I could walk to the elevator.

When we got back to their condo, he gave me a paracetamol and asked me to wash up so that I could feel refreshed. Release my body from the heat, per se. After washing up, I hastily tried to dry my hair and lied down to catch some sleep, as he instructed me to.

I felt him lie next to me after a few minutes and I snuggled to him as I tried to get back to sleeping while he was reading some reviewer on his phone. It was a restless sleep and I didn't feel refreshed after it. When we woke up (he fell asleep too after reviewing for 10 minutes), we cuddled and talked about random things and I still felt like my head was about to burst in half. I don't exactly know what triggered it but then I suddenly began feeling extremely sad. I tried searching for a reason as to why but came up with nothing. I felt my throat lock up and felt a scream wanting to come out... then I cried. Then I had another panic attack.

Jem shushed me and comforted me all throughout. Then I realized what was wrong. Why I suddenly felt sad even when I was lying next to the person I consider most important to me. I felt scared... thinking back, I was already feeling this way days, weeks even, ahead. I've had this constant dream of Jem leaving me for another woman he met on one of his duties on the hospital. Then it got worse when I wasn't only dreaming about it (something I couldn't control) but I was thinking, imaging even, it (something that I should be able to control). I honestly felt scared of our future. Our relationship. Him leaving me. Me, being too dependent on him. Every little thing that would involved the two of us. I started imagining how would our stuff be divided when we broke up, because most of it are things that we bought 50/50. I started imagining seeing him years ahead, after our supposed break up, with another woman and me single acting as if everything was okay. The lowest I got was when I started thinking that he was cheating on me even though he had never given me a reason to feel that way... I felt worse when I realized that even I myself can't control my thoughts. I know he's a great man but my mind kept perverting his image. Telling me that he has an ugly side. Someone I haven't even seen or met. My own mind was contorting the image of the person I love into some monster that I would hate. As if telling me to save myself from a future full of heartache and pain even though he hadn't even given me a reason to feel that way. All this time he treated me like his equal. Something he would always protect. Treating me the way he treats himself; with respect and love...

So I told him. He was silent for the most part but right after it he encouraged me with words that I have always heard from him. He had told me daily that he loves me and that it would never change. But somehow it always feel like it was the first time I hear that from him. I felt glad that he understood and he didn't scoffed at me. That he didn't think I was only being dramatic. I felt glad that he was honestly worried about me. He assured me, like always, that his feelings wouldn't change. But still, we have to work together for our relationship to flourish and last.

I started calming down. But my headache was still there. Then he told me. That what I fear most was probably already happening. My headache was not caused by some biological thing (skipping meals, not getting enough sleep, etc) but by something psychological.

I was already assuming I have it but kept on telling myself that I was probably just on the dramatic side of the human spectrum. But with the pattern of constant worry of something that is not immediate. Something that is not there. Then the constant feeling of restlessness. Not being able to focus when feeling worried about something I imagined. Episodic headaches on the same location of the head which sometimes reaches the eyes and makes it blurry. The panic attacks. The episodic feeling of difficulty in breathing...

He suggested that I should go talk to the psychiatrist I know. Just so I could get a clear answer if I really am suffering with anxiety. I might go this week. Or maybe the next. Or maybe when I feel ready. I don't know. I'm already feeling anxious thinking about it...

November 13, 2016

So yesterday I had a mental breakdown.

It was not the first time, but this was the first time after so long.
I thought I could still keep it together but it just all suddenly came crashing down.
All of my problems. All of my insecurities. All of my faked confidence.

The day actually started fine. I woke up quite early for a Sunday morning.
I did our laundry (my mom's, stepdad's, and mine).
I cleaned my backpack. I cleaned my Sk8 Hi. I cleaned my favorite stuffed toy, Duckie.
I ate my breakfast. I had lunch with my family.
Then I lie down to rest.

Jem pinged me on Facebook late afternoon; we had plans for that day.
I told him I'll be quite late since I'm still resting. He agreed.
He said he was sorry he couldn't pick me up but I said it was OK. And I was sure that it was OK.
Like everything is.

Then my anxiety kicked in.

I didn't want to leave our house.
I didn't want to see him.
I didn't want to see anybody.
I wanted to be at home. I wanted to stay still. I wanted to be alone.
But I had to leave 'cause we don't get to see each other very often these days.

Then my anxiety worsened.

I thought of all the days we weren't together. I thought of the days ahead that we won't be seeing each other. I thought of the days that I would need to keep my everything together. I thought of how my resolve to keep our relationship keeps on dwindling by each passing day. I thought of all of my insecurities about myself, about our relationship. I thought of how awful I am as a girlfriend and as a person for thinking cruel things towards him. I thought of how my future will be. What with all of my shattered dreams and unplanned course of action. I thought of how everyone I know, everyone I love, are slowly but surely stepping away from me. Leaving me to fend for myself and my worthlessness. Leaving me to solve all of problems, all of my insecurities. Leaving me with my awful thoughts.

And without noticing it, I was already with Jem all along. He was holding me while I poured out all of my pent up anger and frustrations. I cried and cried for more than an hour. But still trying to keep it together, because I couldn't add to his already enormous amount of problems.

So I remained stubborn.
He kept on asking me what was wrong but I told him to leave it be.
That I should be the one to worry about it. To think about it. To solve it.
I tried to laugh it off. Joking about how my breakdown started (that I didn't want to go to gym).
I told him to forget about it and that we should move on.
And I told myself to forget about it too, for the time being.

Then I got angry at myself.
Because even though I should and could tell him right then, and there, I got scared.
That all of my negative thoughts would come true.
That every thought my pessimistic mind conjured up will have a place on my reality.

So we kissed. And made up, even though we didn't really had a fight.
We went to the gym and I acted that everything is fine. Everything is all right.

But it wasn't. Up until now, I feel guilty for leaving him in the dark.
Up until now, I feel awful for how I let my cowardice get the better of me.
Up until now, I feel regret as to why I didn't tell him, tell anyone for that matter.

And you know what's the worst part is?
I know how I can help myself. To ease myself from feeling this pain, even if it's just a slight relief.