There was only one thing preventing Matt from going to the shops
... stepping outside
Matt had a happy childhood, successfully made it through college, entered the world of work and then found his own place to rent.
When his panic attacks began, he became increasingly nervous in group situations at work and socially, constantly worrying about what people thought of him.
His low self-esteem led to him turning down invitations to see friends and refusing to attend Shabbat dinner with family.
Matt had a happy childhood, successfully made it through college, entered the world of work and then found his own place to rent.
When his panic attacks began, he became increasingly nervous in group situations at work and socially, constantly worrying about what people thought of him.
His anxiety led him to stop answering the phone and eventually the phone stopped ringing. His manager at work agreed he should take a ‘time out’ for a few months.
With no reason to go out, Matt stopped eating healthily and looking after himself. Staying at home behind his front door seemed like the safest place to be, but he was constantly terrified of his own thoughts.
Thankfully Matt’s sister persuaded him to get in touch with Jami.
Jami worked with Matt to assess his overall wellbeing and priorities, engage with his GP and create a practical plan to work towards recovery. He worked with a Jami Occupational Therapist to re-learn self-care – how to wash his clothes and eat regularly – and in time attended his first group at a Jami Hub.
A key milestone for Matt came when he joined a discussion at Jami’s Head Room Café, interacting with others in a social setting. Jami’s expert employment team also helped Matt to speak to his manager about what support he would need to return to work.
Things are really improving for Matt. He now feels comfortable to go shopping on his own again and is looking forward to joining his family for Seder.
You can help support people like Matt in the following ways:
