Peer Spotlight: Brooke Shields

Hello, Peers!

I love running into the recovery stories of successful Peers.  It makes me think, “If he had these problems, and still managed a career of fame and riches, then I have that same potential in me!”  Maybe I don’t have the same luck when it comes to my Big Break in Hollywood, but sometimes success means getting out of bed, washing up and holding down a regular job.  

One of my favorite famous role models started her modeling career at the age of eleven months, and her career has included advertisements, runway modeling, movies, big Hollywood films, and several television shows... but even she experienced the extreme emotional and mental complications of Postpartum Depression.  Since, then, she has been bringing awareness to the condition, and advocating for the health of mothers and their new babies: yes, from Ivory Snow ads to Suddenly Susan and beyond, I’m talking about Brooke Shields.

Shields’ difficulties began with the conception of her first child.  She and her husband resorted to in vitro fertilization, which puts mothers at a higher risk for Postpartum Depression.  The birthing process was also especially difficult to bear: it happened not long after the suicide of a dear friend and the death of her father.  In addition, the labor itself was complicated by the umbilical cord wrapping around the baby’s neck and an emergency Cesarean section.

Shields sank into Postpartum Depression within a few weeks of giving birth.  Her worst symptoms included suicidal thoughts, and fantasies of her infant daughter being physically injured.  She explained that her fantasies did not include causing her baby harm, but this is also a common symptom of Postpartum Depression.  Shields found herself crying more than her newborn daughter, and unable to bond with the infant in the ways that usually come naturally to mothers.  At first, her doctor and those closest to her thought she was simply going through the “baby blues.”

After a few months of suffering, Shields’ doctor finally diagnosed her with Postpartum Depression.  She learned as much as possible about the condition, began therapy and started a course of medication.  The support of her doctor, therapist, friends and family helped Shields through her difficult time, as well as the empowerment that comes with information. Since then, she has worked towards spreading the information as much as possible, so that families at risk of being impacted by Postpartum Depression know how to recognize it and how to get through it.

Shields’ path to recovery was slower than she may like, but we can definitely count her among our successful Peers.  After the birth of her second child, she required no medication and managed to bond with her baby without the crippling effects of Postpartum Depression.  One resource for more information on Postpartum Depression is WebMD.

Thanks for reading.  As always if you have ablog to share, or an idea for one, email cmrlcblog@gmail.com.

Author: Deanna “Berry” Cassidy
Central Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community

Peer Spotlight: Elton John

Hello, all.

This time, we’re turning the spotlight on a peer who has spent more than forty years in the public eye.  His decades of fame included at least sixteen years of struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as the eating disorder bulimia.  He finally overcame his pride to ask for help, and in 1991 took the first steps to living a drug-free life.  With his distinguished musical career, it’s highly likely he has created at least one song that you’ll like: Sir Elton John.

Born in Great Britain on March 25, 1947 with the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Elton John proved to be musically gifted at a young age.  He began playing the piano at age 4, and received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.  His professional career in music began shortly before he was going to graduate, and has since included five Grammy Awards between 1986-2000, the Grammy Legend Award in 2001, and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.  It’s clear to see that music has always been his greatest strength.

Life as a public figure, the stresses of performance and his access to great wealth led John to his problems with alcohol and drug abuse.  He also developed bulimia, an eating disorder in which the peer binges (eats in excess), and then purges (gets rid of the eaten food quickly by over-exercising, inducing vomiting, or ingesting laxatives).  At what Elton John describes as “the height of his unhappiness,” he was approaching the unhealthy weight of 300 pounds and appeared to have aged severely before his time.  He was prone to emotional extremes, sometimes throwing tantrums like a young child.

After sixteen years of living under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Elton John finally said the three most important words of his life: “I need help.”  It wasn’t until a close friend went into a rehabilitation clinic that John realized his condition was out of his control.  He went into a hospital in Chicago, and his path to recovery has helped him establish positive things in his life.

Since beginning his journey to recovery, Elton John has learned how to live a healthier life, and encourage others to do so.  He can now have a healthy, monogamous relationship.  He no longer engages in the risky behaviors that can lead to HIV and other diseases.  He has also created the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and has been pivotal in raising funds for other worthy causes, including breast cancer.

And, of course, he is still creating wold-renowned music!

Thanks for reading, and as always, if you have something to post on the Central MA Recovery Learning Community blog, send it along to cmrlcblog@gmail.com.

Author: Deanna “Berry” Cassidy
Central Mass RLC

Sources

“Biography for Elton John.” IMDB.com. Web. 11 May 2011

“Elton John - A Biography.” EltonJohn.com. Web. 11 May 2011

Elton John. Interview by Larry King. Larry King Live. CNN. 25 January 2002. Transcripts.CNN.com. Web. 11 May 2011

“Sir Elton John Biography.” Biography.com. Web. 11 May 2011

Recovery Story: Stephanie

I compare my life to water sometimes I feel like a little raindrop
small and overlooked by people and things , and sometimes I feel like
a stream soothed at peace and worry free, but there are days I feel like a
tsunami l I feel like everything is chaos , and destruction.

I feel like I am the nature I am the calm and the strong voice of the ocean
lulling tides , I the voice of an cherub of the choir at times, put I can also be
the voice of the misery , and pain and pessimism . As you can see my greatest
attribute is writing this is my passion and strength and what keeps me going
in life.

Truth be told when I was young my mind as a writer was untamed like a
mustang, I would create my own world of dreams and fantasies in my head
that sometimes that might not be that pleasant.

some thoughts were scary and somewhere sad, and sometimes I felt like I had
no control over the movies and scripts that were playing like twelve O clock
matinee madness.

I also had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder I was obsessed with
fairies ,unicorns, and dragons, I wished to be a princess in faraway kingdom
one that resin with sparkle and glittery silver and gold. I wished to wear
gowns of ivory white and be fair maiden on a pure magical blue eyed beast.

All those ideas changed when I watched horror movies.

I even thought I was once posed by Ouija board, I also believed that chucky
and Freddy Krueger were real and they wanted to catch me where ever I
went by myself .

I also had OCD thinking things that made me happy were, just silly or stupid
or not worth it. There were also days when I felt like I was living in a dream
and sleeping on foot and I couldn't control my speech or anything and I just

rattle off on tangents.

When I was at the pits my lowest state of mind I felt tiny microscopic bugs
all over me and begun to scratch at nothing, I also was sensitive to hot and
cold, and everything when I was manic seemed more keen and dramatic. I
would literally cry over split milk over anything , I was angry and depressed
and couldn't get out of it.

So I'd shut down I was like king Midas instead of gold I had a rueful touch.
I felt like everyone I touched would turn into bellowing heaps of garbage
because I was making a such a stink.

What took me away from reality was my writing , but it also guided me to
truth and ways to look back on myself , also others accepted for who I was
and came to support me when I was OCD or Manic.

I also take medication now it is not for everyone and there certain formulas
that work for certain people ,but it worked for me.

I also focus on my goals big and small like taking care of myself , and trying
to get published . RLC helps me a lot with my fears and stress they are

non judgmental and great group to socialize with.

I to had overcome a lot letting people know my specific needs because I'm
a little different I also have a right brain impairment and sometimes it was
hard for me to learn and I keep making the same mistakes over and over
with friends and especially boys. Now I overcome it by talking, writing,
singing, cooking and using coping methods even spending time with nature
and animals.

Today I got here with practice and patients practice makes perfect like
always say . It's great to have plenty of patients because you will make plenty
of mistakes in life if you learn from that is great, but if you hold it against

yourself and never grow from it you hide in your shell and never get tough.

I focus on goals and taking little baby steps to accomplishing them you
can't just become something overnight therefore it takes time and effort and
precision. Your life is like a musical instrument you must the right chords the
work for you.

Recovery to me is looking in mirror everyday and being proud of feats and
goals that you know you've accomplished it is also a wiliness to learn about
yourself through the hard and easy and coming out knowing your ok.

Staying on the right path is hard at times ,you must always follow your heart
and gut when something does feel right don't do it or ask someone if it's ok or
get help, always believe in yourself.

know that pain is real but those who struggle in pain come out to be better
and nicer people and there is light at the end of tunnel like my dad used to say
there is silver lining to every cloud. We are clouds and there is special sparkle
in all of us that makes up the dynamics that we are good luck and shine , like
the sparkle stay true to yourself and your talents that broaden the sky.

By Stephanie