Jasmine Anxiety Update - A Year Later

Once upon a time there was a remarkable princess named Jasmine. She lived in a lovely neighbourhood, in a lovely home, with fairly normal, yet somewhat quirky parents and her brother, Devin. Jasmine was like an Energizer Bunny... always go, go, going. She was smart, engaged in the world around her, surrounded by friends, and constantly involved in activities that kept her busy. She was passionate about becoming a filmmaker. After high school, she moved to Toronto to pursue her dream.

Last year, about three weeks after she graduated summa cum laude from York University's Film Production program, Jasmine became riddled with sudden and intense anxiety.

After surviving the isolation of COVID on her own in a brand-new city with no friends... after two years of long distance from her boyfriend... after four years of long hours shooting on sets, doing schoolwork, and working odd jobs to finish paying for school... in the end, it was the fear and reality of adult life that tackled her to the ground.

What real life didn't know, though, was that Princess Jasmine was a fighter. This no-longer-kid, 22 years old at the time, reached out for help. I know, right? That is the definition of the word brave right there. She called her mom from Toronto and said, "I need you to come."

Wow. This took guts.

This gave her relief, but also made her feel like she had somehow failed. Jasmine wasn't about to lose, so she did what she knew she had to do and asked for help.

Within the next few months, Princess Jasmine tried different anti-anxiety medications, therapy, and did everything she could to make her new reality livable:

• She went back to therapy.

• She started medication, then a new dosage, then added a second medication. Then a Vitamin D regimen, then changed medications and dropped the second medication...

• She got a different job... and then eventually another different job.

• She took some classes at the library.

• She joined a rock climbing gym.

• She downloaded apps like Calm and Headspace.

• She made a vision board.

• They adopted a cat... Soda Pop, the little menace, to the rescue.

  
  

It wasn't easy. She had to try different medications. Even after she forced herself to get dressed, eat, and drive to the office through busy Toronto traffic, there were days when she literally could not step out of the car and go into work. And on the days she did make it through the door, she sometimes ended up crying in the bathroom for no reason. Jasmine would sleep 14 hours a day. She was laid off from her job, went into credit card debt just to pay her rent, and working in the film industry wasn't even an option at the time. She had to change her mindset, her dreams, and her reality.

Now, just over a year later, we can talk in the present tense again.

Princess Jasmine is becoming a Queen - not because life got easier, but because she learned how to keep moving forward when it wasn't. She has a job she's held for more than three months, a regular salary, paid-off debt, health benefits, a growing cat who is no longer a kitten, and a boyfriend who is now her fiancé. Yes, she is going to marry her Prince Charming next fall.

Princess Jasmine is working hard to keep a healthy balance. She goes to work, cleans her home, hangs out with her friends, rock climbs, plays soccer, watches movies, visits her family, plans her wedding, goes to concerts and plays, and is really living the twenty-something

dream in the biggest city in our country.

My now grown-up kid is surviving... day by day. And with a bit more time and patience, I know she will thrive again in all the ways she wants to. Jasmine still loves film and once she knows her mental health is stable, she certainly plans to keep writing and exploring options to get on set, but in the meantime she knows her mental health needs her focus.

You guys, mental health is no joke. We have seen firsthand in this house how it can spin your life upside down in a matter of weeks.

Rest when you need to.

Ask for help when you need to.

Get outside when you need to.

Eat a Peanut Buster Parfait when you need to.

Don't take your mental health for granted, and nip problems in the bud when you can... really.

She has been working so hard this past year to get back to normal, and I think she and her fiancé have realized that it is a new normal now. You learn from experiences like that. Even though they are no fun at all, there is wisdom to be gained if you look for it.

So bring on her new normal. She isn't afraid of it anymore. She is going to embrace it and keep kicking ass the way she always has.

Jasmine, we are so very proud of you. Don't ever doubt that. Even when you are sad, or mad, in debt, have a parking ticket, or scrape up your car... we've got you when you need help. Don't ever stop asking, no matter how old you get.