<p>It was a general statement Hanna, and I agree with you on that approach.</p>
<p>OT–Raiders83, thanks for recommending the movie, Under Our Skin, which available for viewing as a free documentary here [Under</a> Our Skin | Watch Free Documentary Online](<a href=“http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/under-our-skin/]Under”>http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/under-our-skin/). </p>
<p>I know quite a few people with CFS and Chronic Lyme. The conditions are so poorly understood and treated. There is so much unnecessary pain and suffering. It’s awful. Stanford U has a 4 year waiting list for CFS, and it requires a referral from treating MD. </p>
<p>Hopefully, CFS/Lyme is not what OP’s relative is suffering from and appropriate treatment will be obtained.</p>
<p>From dealing with my own anxiety disorder for years on my own, I have to stress that your niece needs emotional support. She’s not getting it from her family, and it doesn’t mean babying her. It means someone that will make sure she goes to appointments, helps her find a new psychologist/psychiatrist (if her current mh provider cannot keep a schedule that is detrimental to her and she needs a new one asap), and helping her find something to do with her time. I suggest the family have a session or two with a family counselor to discuss the issue in a neutral space with a mediator. If she feels attacked or like a burden, it is not going to help the process. She could volunteer outside of the home as a way to work towards independence, which would be good if she does not want to be out alone. She could also get some sort of work doing data entry remotely so she can gain work experience and skills in the meantime. </p>
<p>Another option is to get her a mental health assistance dog. The dog doesn’t need any certifications, it just has to be able to follow basic commands and be calm. Her psychiatrist can write her a letter for the MHAA and that’s that. She will be able to take the dog anywhere she goes, including work. It may help because she will have to leave the house to walk the dog, and she will always be accompanied by it. This is what was most beneficial for me; I no longer take my dog to work or on the bus (thus she has transitioned from assistance animal to pet status), but while I was working to overcome my anxiety disorder she was essential to the process.</p>
<p>Also another medical condition that can exhibit anxiety symptoms are the acute porphyrias. They are not well known, but can be treated primarily through dietary and life style changes. My mother has AIP and was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic for years, and it is likely that I also have AIP so those treatments were part of my anxiety disorder treatment plan.
As a female in her age group, she has a higher likelihood of porphyria. The risks can be increased depending on heritage, diet, sleep patterns, etc.</p>
<p>I agree that a family session or two, at least, is needed, not sure if they ever had one. I hear that mom is more inclined to let Niece run her show than dad is. They’ve often had different philosophies around the kids (nothing remotely abusive or out of the ordinary). Parents are about to take a trip alone for a week, probably first in eons (sister will be home). If all goes well - not a sure thing - maybe they’ll come around to a mutual approach to Niece. They already have a very sweet dog who loves Niece - maybe she does walk him, not sure that counts (for her) as leaving the house. Taking him around with her is a very interesting idea but he might be too energetic to maintain his decorum, and I’m sure they can’t manage another dog. My H is very attuned to chronic Lyme in his work - not a likely cause for Niece’s issues though anything is possible.</p>
<p>My situation is different from your niece’s because on top of anxiety I have other issues which make me grow up more slowly about some things. But, I just wanted to say I am sympathetic to your niece. It is hard to feel like you can’t do the things you are supposed to be doing. I am not as bad as she is but there are some normal things a 25 year old should be able to do that are really hard for me-- driving to unfamiliar places by myself is the big one. I was once too afraid to do it. For a while now I have been able to but it is hard, I am working on making it easier. It will take a few years of practice until I am desensitized to the anxiety and it no longer feels like a big deal. The only way to get over it is to do it, in baby steps, more and more until it’s not hard anymore.</p>
<p>The longer this goes on, the more convinced she will be that she can’t do it and the harder it will be to reverse. The regressing and the baby talk makes me think she is really getting in deep, there reaches a point where you feel so helpless and worthless you just can’t do a thing for yourself even if you know you should be able to. She needs help, and she needs help getting help. I hope her parents help her with that. Mine were sometimes supportive, sometimes not. I sort of muddled along until I had a better support system in my friends and fiance. It’s hard to do without a support system to provide some scaffolding until you can get used to the difficult activity by yourself. </p>
<p>One piece of advice I have is that, at least for me, whenever my mom reminded me “You are 25 years old, you should be able to do this,” it made it worse. Reminding me what I should be able to do just reminds me of how incapable I am. Figuring out why she feels like she can’t so she can be helped along is much more productive than getting frustrated and saying, “but you’re 25 years old!”</p>
<p>Ema, it sounds like you’ve been able to somewhat heal yourself, which is great. I think your driving anxiety is not so uncommon. I’m also worried that Niece will sink deeper into helplessness and fear with time and am hoping the parents can pull themselves together to provide the “scaffolding” (good word). I feel there’s a lot of hope for her and if they could convey this to her along with the expectation that she (and they) will get serious about dealing with her issues, they could start breaking the stalemate. As I said, they’re demoralized themselves.</p>
<p>I hardly ever post on this site, I lurk all the time, but when I see something I have experience with I know I can offer some insight. </p>
<p>I am in a similar situation to your niece. I am in my mid-twenties, and suffer from a severe anxiety disorder.You would not know it to meet me, I seem out-going and personable, but it has taken me years to get here. I have been dealing with my anxiety since I was fourteen, and was forced to stay home from school due to a chronic illness. I was home through high school graduation. By the time I graduated, I had lost all of my friends, and had little contact with the world outside my house. I remember realizing I only knew the day of the week because of what was on T.V. that night. </p>
<p>I have found that therapy once a week with a psychologist who is consistent in theory and flexible with scheduling is necessary. When I need to cancel or reschedule I can. I have seen the same psychologist for seven years and considering my state when she first met me, (she called me catatonic), I have made remarkable progress. Medication is also a factor in my recovery. My psychopharmachologist prescribes antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication for my condition. </p>
<p>Tough love did not work for me. My father attempted it, I went further into my shell. I recently discovered that my parents made some poor decisions about my circumstances during my middle and high school years. Though, as I write that I realize they made the choices they thought right; they had no idea things would turn out the way they did. My point is that parents make certain decisions and though outsiders cannot understand the decisions, they have their reasons. </p>
<p>For some people, they have to be ready to get better, they cannot be forced. I was lost for years. My desire to get better stemmed from wanting to engage in the world, I was tired of being lonely and bored. I wanted to change my life. </p>
<p>I am now a student a my local community colleges Honors Program, am a volunteer at several local community organizations, and work part-time seasonally. I have made friends, though none especially close, and I still live with my parents until I transfer colleges. I am still making progress and sometimes regress, but I work at getting better everyday. </p>
<p>My hope is that my story may offer some guidance and help to you. No one who hasn’t experienced it can know what it is like to feel trapped in your own mind, fearful of the outside world.</p>
<p>nothingsacred, thank you very much for sharing your own difficult experience. I’m very glad to hear you are doing so much better.</p>
<p>I hope the OP can learn something from your experience that will help her niece.</p>
<p>2redhares and nothingsacred thank you so much for these insights. That someone can be dx’d schizo when it’s porphyria is mind blowing. Another medical condiition to have checked is thyroid disorder; hyperthyroid can lead to anxiety, panic attacks, jitters, digestive disorders, skin problems, etc. It can mix in with hypothyroidism which leads to depression, sluggish metabolism, sensitivity to cold, and many other things. Basically your thyroid either storms or stops intermittently. </p>
<p>Yoga (yes) can help balance hormones and is surprisingly helpful for anxiety and general wellbeing - moving the torso through twisting and bending stimulates all the endocrine organs. All that forward and backbending and twisting and side to side bending work the kidneys and adrenals (fight or flight) really well. </p>
<p>Also - the economy and the news don’t make it easy for our young adults to face the world. Turning off the TV can help too! Ugh there’s just too much scary spew on all the time. Turn it off.</p>
<p>Thank you, nothingsacred. How old were you when you started feeling motivated to get back in the world?</p>
<p>Orkney, I was around 24. I can actually recall the moment very well. I won’t go into details, suffice to say I had a bit of an epiphany about my life and what I wanted out of it.</p>
<p>VH-
P.A.N.D.A.S usually happens in childhood or early adolescence. Symptoms can include anxiety, OCD and/or tics. I’ve not heard of its onset being in young adults. The symptoms seem to have a rather sudden onset following a strep infection. Its not usually a slowly increasing pattern in increased anxiety-based symptoms.</p>
<p>Thanks, jym.</p>