Fountain House to me is a family

Vad är ångest för dig?

Anxiety for me is when my chest feels as though it is filled with adrenalin and is going to explode. It comes from nowhere. My body tenses up and I start shivering, I can’t get warm. I get very sensitive to sound. If someone starts tapping their finger on a table in a room full of crowded people, that is all I can hear and I have to leave. It makes me very nervous as I feel I am losing control. I tend to shut down and can no longer take in anything that is going on around me. I get sensory overload. I have to be alone. It is very tiring.

”At Fountain House I have learnt what my strength are and not to spend time focusing on my weaknesses.”

Hur hanterar du din ångest?

I try not to take sedatives during the day but to be able to manage my anxiety. I try to keep my days so I have a proportion of the day alone. So often I split the day in two. I try to go to the gym or swim early morning. This clear my head. I often wake up with anxiety and this is a good way to get rid of it. If I am out and get anxiety I try and stay busy until I know I can be alone. When I get home I try taking hot showers then lie in bed under my ball- or chainquilt. As I have a hard time getting warm. If I do resort to taking medication I wait until I am home. I am not very good at telling people I have anxiety and tend to try and tackle it myself.

”Anxiety for me is when my chest feels as though it is filled with adrenalin and is going to explode.”

Vad betyder Fountain House Stockholm för dig?

Fountain House to me is a family. It is where I am me and I don’t have to pretend. It is a place where I feel safe. At Fountain House I have learnt what my strength are and not to spend time focusing on my weaknesses. I have made many friends. I feel I have a voice. People listen to me. I have learnt how to interact with people in a healthy way. I have grown very much as a person. I have confidence.