Jessie had dealt with anxiety and depression her whole life. But then, out of nowhere, things got much worse. And her life came to a sudden stop. Between the fatigue, food reactions, and anxiety, she could barely get out of bed — let alone be there for her kids. She tried everything, but nothing worked… until she finally got the right diagnosis and discovered brain retraining. That’s when things began to change. Now, Jessie is living life to the fullest once again. Hear her story of hope here. 💜
Full Transcript
Life Before Illness 0:05
My name is Jessie and before I became My name is Jessie and before I became unwell, I was a barista at a local unwell, I was a barista at a local unwell, I was a barista at a local coffee shop. Well, there were parts of coffee shop. Well, there were parts of coffee shop. Well, there were parts of my life that are wonderful, but I was my life that are wonderful, but I was my life that are wonderful, but I was not a very happy person. I have three not a very happy person. I have three not a very happy person. I have three children and a wonderful husband and a children and a wonderful husband and a children and a wonderful husband and a cute little Pomeranian and a husky, but cute little Pomeranian and a husky, but cute little Pomeranian and a husky, but I just was had really a lot of trouble
Depression, Anxiety, and Alcohol Use 0:25
I just was had really a lot of trouble I just was had really a lot of trouble with happiness. I was depressed and with happiness. I was depressed and with happiness. I was depressed and had an anxiety disorder that I didn't had an anxiety disorder that I didn't had an anxiety disorder that I didn't know I had and I was a really heavy know I had and I was a really heavy know I had and I was a really heavy drinker. drinker. drinker. Um just to kind of cope with life and Um just to kind of cope with life and Um just to kind of cope with life and cope with the anxiety. When my condition
Symptoms Worsen at Work 0:38
cope with the anxiety. When my condition cope with the anxiety. When my condition started, I was very confused about the started, I was very confused about the started, I was very confused about the what was going on. Um my depression got what was going on. Um my depression got what was going on. Um my depression got worse, my anxiety got worse. I just was worse, my anxiety got worse. I just was worse, my anxiety got worse. I just was having trouble eating foods and not having trouble eating foods and not having trouble eating foods and not reacting. I was having trouble with my reacting. I was having trouble with my reacting. I was having trouble with my energy.
energy. energy. I was having panic attacks at work. I I was having panic attacks at work. I I was having panic attacks at work. I had took a few ambulance rides to the ER had took a few ambulance rides to the ER had took a few ambulance rides to the ER because I just couldn't get out of the because I just couldn't get out of the because I just couldn't get out of the [clears throat] panic and just this [clears throat] panic and just this [clears throat] panic and just this depression that was really intense that depression that was really intense that depression that was really intense that just would not lift.
just would not lift. just would not lift. And at its worst, I had to quit my job
Unable to Function at Home 1:08
And at its worst, I had to quit my job And at its worst, I had to quit my job and could not get out of bed. I have and could not get out of bed. I have and could not get out of bed. I have three kids like I said and I just wasn't three kids like I said and I just wasn't three kids like I said and I just wasn't able to be there for them all all. able to be there for them all all. able to be there for them all all. I just would put on a mask when they I just would put on a mask when they I just would put on a mask when they were around and just do my best to were around and just do my best to were around and just do my best to pretend that, you know, mom's just sick, pretend that, you know, mom's just sick, pretend that, you know, mom's just sick, I'll get better, but I'll get better, but I'll get better, but um I wasn't getting um I wasn't getting um I wasn't getting better and I wasn't able to make my own better and I wasn't able to make my own better and I wasn't able to make my own meals or take a shower meals or take a shower meals or take a shower or walk around the block. Yeah, my life or walk around the block. Yeah, my life or walk around the block. Yeah, my life came to a screeching halt. I remember came to a screeching halt. I remember came to a screeching halt. I remember crying in the tub and my husband, my crying in the tub and my husband, my crying in the tub and my husband, my wonderful husband just washing my hair.
wonderful husband just washing my hair. wonderful husband just washing my hair. >> [sighs and gasps] >> [sighs and gasps] >> [sighs and gasps] >> Um I remember
Searching for a Diagnosis 1:48
>> Um I remember >> Um I remember just praying, God, I just want to get just praying, God, I just want to get just praying, God, I just want to get out of bed and I want to play with my out of bed and I want to play with my out of bed and I want to play with my 7-year-old in the yard like I used to. 7-year-old in the yard like I used to. 7-year-old in the yard like I used to. I want to run around with the dog. I I want to run around with the dog. I I want to run around with the dog. I want to just What do I have to do? Like want to just What do I have to do? Like want to just What do I have to do? Like what is wrong with me? The doctors were what is wrong with me? The doctors were what is wrong with me? The doctors were pretty confused pretty confused pretty confused and a lot of like, are you sure it's not and a lot of like, are you sure it's not and a lot of like, are you sure it's not just anxiety or are you sure you're not just anxiety or are you sure you're not just anxiety or are you sure you're not just bipolar or are you sure this is not just bipolar or are you sure this is not just bipolar or are you sure this is not just a mood disorder? So actually I went just a mood disorder? So actually I went just a mood disorder? So actually I went to the Amen Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia to the Amen Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia to the Amen Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia and got a brain scan.
and got a brain scan. and got a brain scan. Five grands later, Five grands later, Five grands later, um they were like, you have PTSD. And
Brain Scan and New Answers 2:26
um they were like, you have PTSD. And um they were like, you have PTSD. And I'm like, what? I PTSD? That was not on I'm like, what? I PTSD? That was not on I'm like, what? I PTSD? That was not on my radar. So I had a wonderful my radar. So I had a wonderful my radar. So I had a wonderful psychiatrist and she said, you know, I psychiatrist and she said, you know, I psychiatrist and she said, you know, I think maybe not just the PTSD and not think maybe not just the PTSD and not think maybe not just the PTSD and not just ADHD. I think you may have some just ADHD. I think you may have some just ADHD. I think you may have some sensitivities due to maybe mold um that sensitivities due to maybe mold um that sensitivities due to maybe mold um that you've been exposed to. And she was you've been exposed to. And she was you've been exposed to. And she was right. And then the next doctor was right. And then the next doctor was right. And then the next doctor was found out that I had Lyme disease cuz found out that I had Lyme disease cuz found out that I had Lyme disease cuz now we're like, okay, we're on a roll now we're like, okay, we're on a roll now we're like, okay, we're on a roll now. And so
Treatment and Early Recovery 2:51
now. And so now. And so uh I started the gifted program uh I started the gifted program uh I started the gifted program and and and my life totally started to change. my life totally started to change. my life totally started to change. Just within the first week, I remember Just within the first week, I remember Just within the first week, I remember sitting outside sitting outside sitting outside and doing a meditation with Moon Title and doing a meditation with Moon Title and doing a meditation with Moon Title and it was the meditation called and it was the meditation called and it was the meditation called Breathing with the Trees.
Breathing with the Trees. Breathing with the Trees. And I just was sitting in the yard, it And I just was sitting in the yard, it And I just was sitting in the yard, it was the morning and the sun was coming was the morning and the sun was coming was the morning and the sun was coming up and it was uh fall and I could feel up and it was uh fall and I could feel up and it was uh fall and I could feel the breeze and I could hear the trees the breeze and I could hear the trees the breeze and I could hear the trees and I never slowed down long enough to and I never slowed down long enough to and I never slowed down long enough to actually notice that stuff. I never I actually notice that stuff. I never I actually notice that stuff. I never I just I just started crying. I was like, just I just started crying. I was like, just I just started crying. I was like, I'm so focused on my body. I'm so I'm so focused on my body. I'm so I'm so focused on my body. I'm so focused and I'm so up here in my head focused and I'm so up here in my head focused and I'm so up here in my head that I'm not even seeing any of the that I'm not even seeing any of the that I'm not even seeing any of the beauty beauty beauty around me and like I think this is the around me and like I think this is the around me and like I think this is the key. I started to discover that I could key. I started to discover that I could key. I started to discover that I could start to do things on my own again or start to do things on my own again or start to do things on my own again or supplements that my doctor wanted me to supplements that my doctor wanted me to supplements that my doctor wanted me to take that I was not able to onboard at take that I was not able to onboard at take that I was not able to onboard at all. I started to see I can take these all. I started to see I can take these all. I started to see I can take these now. Um or I can eat. I remember when I
Regaining Daily Life 3:48
now. Um or I can eat. I remember when I now. Um or I can eat. I remember when I could eat raspberries again could eat raspberries again could eat raspberries again and just being [clears throat] like and just being [clears throat] like and just being [clears throat] like these taste so amazing. these taste so amazing. these taste so amazing. And then I had a piece of gluten-free And then I had a piece of gluten-free And then I had a piece of gluten-free bread a couple months ago and I was bread a couple months ago and I was bread a couple months ago and I was like, oh my god, this is incredible.
like, oh my god, this is incredible. like, oh my god, this is incredible. Food, I can eat food again cuz I'd gone Food, I can eat food again cuz I'd gone Food, I can eat food again cuz I'd gone down to such down to such down to such I mean like 20 foods. I mean like 20 foods. I mean like 20 foods. I remember I could stand up in the I remember I could stand up in the I remember I could stand up in the shower again and wash my hair shower again and wash my hair shower again and wash my hair wash my own hair, wash my own body.
wash my own hair, wash my own body. wash my own hair, wash my own body. And as these things started to come And as these things started to come And as these things started to come back, you just appreciate them more. back, you just appreciate them more. back, you just appreciate them more. Like I remember when I could walk around Like I remember when I could walk around Like I remember when I could walk around the block again with the dogs. It was the block again with the dogs. It was the block again with the dogs. It was just like victory. We
Milestones and Hope 4:28
just like victory. We just like victory. We uh stayed in a cabin in the Smokies last uh stayed in a cabin in the Smokies last uh stayed in a cabin in the Smokies last week and I was able to do a trail week and I was able to do a trail week and I was able to do a trail which is a really big deal with some which is a really big deal with some which is a really big deal with some friends that I invited which I friends that I invited which I friends that I invited which I again it's just a huge again it's just a huge again it's just a huge victory for me cuz I just did not think victory for me cuz I just did not think victory for me cuz I just did not think that it was possible at the beginning of that it was possible at the beginning of that it was possible at the beginning of this journey.
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