Justin
Justin
It’s part of being human
After a career change a few years ago, anxiety became an increasing part of Justin’s life.
He believed that the periods of depression and constant feelings of anxiousness he was experiencing must be normal and persisted in his daily life as a husband, father, and employee.
No one at work or home ever knew what I was going through. I was really good at hiding it.
At work, Justin struggled to find confidence within himself and felt undeserving of his role. These feelings led him to a familiar connection of emotional neglect, one he had experienced during his childhood.
I did not grow up with a high opinion of myself.
I didn’t think I deserved or was worthy of good things, and I internalized everything. It was never-ending anxiety.
These anxious thoughts followed him after work hours and into the night as he began to struggle with insomnia.
He began taking days off work, hoping to recover from his inadequate sleep cycle. He also tried medication. Over time, his perceptions and sleep worsened.
I knew it had become a problem when my insomnia increased in frequency from once in a while to most nights of the week.
It was getting increasingly worse, to the point where I was sleeping only two hours a night, and still going to work.
It reached a point when I was only sleeping six hours in one week.
He eventually realized something wasn’t right, and took action.
With the generous support of his wife and inner circle, Justin decided to go to the emergency room, where he was referred to an inpatient unit at McLean SouthEast.
There, he was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and depression.
For the first time, Justin was able to talk openly about the issues he was facing. He found success and comfort with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and in participating in group therapy sessions.
It felt great to not feel afraid to say what I was feeling.
He has continued treatment with an outpatient therapist weekly. He feels that this ongoing therapy “is when the real work started!”
Now, Justin is able to recognize that he deserves to feel good and loved and aspires to share this with those who may currently be in his position.
No matter how undeserving you feel, you are worthy. We all have feelings of shame, self-doubt, and anxiety. It’s part of being human.
It’s important to know that you don’t deserve to feel this way, and you don’t have to.
Today, though he is still recovering, he has found positive additions in pursuit of work-life balance.
“No matter how undeserving you feel, you are worthy. We all have feelings of shame, self-doubt, and anxiety. It’s part of being human.”
Justin continues to excel in his career in technical sales and prioritizes caring for his family.
With the guidance of his CBT outpatient work, he has found gratification in hobbies such as gardening and exercise. He finds that these activities have improved his mental health tremendously.
As he continues his mental health journey, Justin also hopes to reconnect with group therapy in the future.
Justin is active on social media outlets that advocate for mental health. Recently, he found himself scrolling through the McLean website and was compelled to share his story, especially for other men.
This campaign reminds people that everyone struggles. Men especially need to address their mental health more.
If they see someone like me, they may understand that a lot of men are struggling too.
