How has/did bk affect your physical/mental health?

[bal_ny]

I don't know you but to take off 80 lbs is something I'm proud of you doing. Putting 10 lbs is NO EXCUSE. You are made of better stuff. Get going, help yourself and get back to getting your health back as you are no good to anyone if you get sick yourself. NOW start today, look here and HELP someone else. GOT IT??? (Love in God to you) 'Hub

Hub,

You're right... I'm better than that and I have to start acting like it. It's time to stop the "woe is me" attitude and get back at it.

Thank you for your kind words and kick in the arse ;)

[Jason]

I didn't suffer physically but mentally. After our Florida property investments turned out to be a bad decision we tried to make it but it was to late and I felt like I could have done more to prevent the situation. I lost a lot of my confidence and avoided people when possible. After the bk was filed I started to feel better. I'm not where I used to be but I'm working on it every day.

[Keebler]

Footprints,

I guess I am the oddball in this thread--because once I decided that filing for bankruptcy was the best option, I have felt a tremendous sense of relief and freedom. This may have to do with the fact that I am single (divorced) and do not have an ill spouse or any children to care for.

To the point, I have felt like a 10,000-pound-weight has fallen off my back. I am dreaming (realistically dreaming!) about the future for the first time in years. I am dreaming of swimming lessons, triathlons, dance classes, and a new lifestyle of scrimping and saving! ... I am dreaming (and planning) to increase my 401K contributions and developing an emergency fund. I am dreaming of how I can bring in more money through extra work.

But there has been a deeper positive to all of this for me. Deciding on bankruptcy has forced me to come to terms with limits in a way that I simply refused to do (or was incapable of doing) through most of my life. I have come to accept with a sense of peace that there are many things I simply cannot afford and many activities I cannot do on my present salary. (I don't make a lot of money, but I am a teacher and I am not poor.)

I am learning how to be grateful for everything I do have. My aging parents are in a nice assisted living facility. My siblings are all alive and in reasonably good health. I have my health. I have a job I enjoy. I have good doctors and great health insurance and access to wonderful medicines and medical advice. I have friends that I can appreciate.

Yes, I fell into the "I've failed" mode for a time. But this forum really helped me roll away from the quicksand. BK is a business decision. That's what I learned here, and thank God! ... Major corporations, airlines, retailers--they file for bankruptcy all the time. I don't look upon these enterprises as failures. So why heap all this shame on myself?

All in all, the most stressful time for me was the year leading up to my decision to file. The time since then has (for the most part) been a time of quiet celebration and tremendous relief.

My experience is very similar to yours. The darkest days were the ones leadig up to the decision that Bankruptcy was the only realistic solution for me. I haven't filed yet, and there continues to be no shortage of stress, but now there's a sense of purpose.

[epiphany]

You're not alone. Since all of this began, I've suffered panic attacks and have been dx'd with depression and anxiety (I'm now on meds for both).

Additionally - and this is the worst part, I think - I've given up the healthier way of life I adopted last August. In August '07, I started exercising and watching what I ate and over 8 months I lost 80 lbs. Well, once the stress started getting to me, I went back to my old habits I've gained 10 lbs. back. I keep saying I'm going to get back at it, but so far I can't motivate myself to start.

I am the opposite and have literally lost about 30 lbs. I forget to eat. Don't get me wrong, I can stand to lose some more, but I don't recommend the BK diet to anyone. It's not healthy.


ep

[morallyBR2]

I laughed, I cried, it changed my life. And I'm almost positive that I am legally insane now.

[epiphany]

Badandy: See above. You are not the first. You WILL get through this. There is no debtor's prison in USA. God be with you. 'Hub and Ms. Cat

I like your sig line but I think you should change it to No Help Needed, I've Fallen down and I can get up. or something like that.

ep

[epiphany]

I think, like all of us, that I have something in me that is stronger than I realize, that 'takes over' for me when I feel the most down and out.

Just being here proves that you do.

ep

[wanttobehappy57]

I had to go on Xanax because of all the stress I put myself in. Now I have a judgment against me and dont know if my BK will be filed in time or not before the appeal is up! It's going to be really close.

I have become this horrible person who used to be happy and carefree. I have even thought about suicide. However I know God will never put me in a situation where He will not be there.

I love this forum because it helps to talk.

I am married to someone who isn't not a talker and that really hurts me.

[AngelinaCat]

I like your sig line but I think you should change it to No Help Needed, I've Fallen down and I can get up. or something like that.

ep

Hi Ep: I will make sure 'Hub takes care of that. Thanks!!!

[sisterfunkhaus]

I was in denial for so long. Once I came to terms with it and had a debt collector tell me I should kill myself and I didn't deserve to be breathing the earth's air (he was from Am-Ex of course) and that I was stealing, I began fanticizing about killing myself. I checked myself into a low level psychiatric facility (it had rehab and depressed people, no seriously ill folks) for a week, got my medication worked out and went into an outpatient program to learn to deal with my stress. By this time, we had a lawyer and I referred everyone to her. After that was done, I was fine. My bk is filed now and we only have 2 weeks or so until our objection period is up. Everything has gone smoothly. We are moving into an apartment next week and I am back in college getting a graduate degree. Life is good. I am ready to put it behind me.