When Anxiety and Mental Fog Start Costing You
Melissa knew she was worrying for nothing. She knew it. But deep down… deeper than those rational, logical thoughts that tried to take hold but couldn’t…she had an unsettling tightness in her throat, that something would go terribly wrong with her presentation. She knew the material backward and forward, she knew how to present the compelling conclusion. But a nagging anxiety rattled her. There was too much at stake to blow this, and she couldn’t shake her fear. As the time for the meeting grew closer, her mouth was dry and her hands were slick with sweat. How could she portray confidence in her presentation when she had lost confidence in herself? How could she get out of her head, where unrelenting, worrisome thoughts defeated her before she began? Plus, the fog in her brain would make it really tough to think on her feet.
Worry ramped up as the meeting got closer. She couldn’t find a way to calm down. Unfortunately, this had been happening more and more often over the last year, and sometimes it was crippling.
An hour later, she had somehow gotten through the presentation, but she knew it was far from stellar. Then an email: her boss wanted to see her. So she walked into her office.
“Please close the door, Mel.” So she did.
“What’s going on? I remember when you would have had a presentation like that nailed. You’d have everyone at the table eating from the palm of your hand. Today you came across like the kid giving a book report for a book he hadn’t read…. I thought you were ready… “
Melissa sighed, and sat down.
“I was. I’d done the research and I knew it. My presentation was ready. But I started worrying I’d fail to be able to communicate it yesterday. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. My mind was spinning, my hands were shaking. I couldn’t think. I don’t know what’s happening to me. But it’s been getting worse and worse for 6 months, and today I crashed and burned.”
“Melissa, you’re one of the sharpest people in this department…at least you have been. Are there things going on in your personal life that are distracting you? I can’t stress enough that you need to get a handle on what’s dulling your edge, and figure out how to improve your performance.”
Cracks Start to Show
Melissa looked at her white-knuckled hands clasped tightly in her lap. She sighed again.
“Actually, there have been some things. My mom has not been well, and we’ve been working with doctors trying to get to the bottom of it. I’m not sleeping well. And…I guess it’s from hit-and-miss eating at drive-thru places…I’ve been gaining a lot more weight than I wish. I guess I need to figure out how to get a grip and gain some control in my life.
“When I take a step back and look at it, it’s almost like I’ve been circling the drain…at least that’s how it feels. All I know is that I’ve been worrying terribly about everything the last six months or a year. It hasn’t always been like this…”
Her boss looked deep into her eyes. She was quiet a few moments.
“Mel, on the one hand, I know that something has just got to give. I believe you know that, too. But I can also see you’re stretched pretty thin. It’s bound to take a toll. I have a friend who went through a terribly hard period, and she even said she was afraid she was losing her mind.
“But, she found some sort of program, and within months, she was soaring… happy, healthy, and performing at her peak. I wonder if she can offer insights. Maybe it would help for you to have someone to talk to. Here’s her phone and email. I’m going to send her an introduction to you now. Then, you might get in touch with her and see if anything resonates. For now, take the afternoon off, we’ll see what might unfold.”
“Thanks, Gina. I’ll follow up with her. I need something…”
Melissa walked back to her desk, grabbed her purse, and headed home.
A Text That Changed Everything
Later that evening, she received a text message from Gina’s friend Amanda. Amanda told her the story of the most stressful time of her life, and how it had worn her down, pushed her into depression, and riddled her with anxiety. How her performance at work suffered terribly, and her confidence tanked.
Then Amanda’s brother-in-law had told her about Touchpoints180® – a physician-led program that had helped him get his health and energy back. But most important to him, it had gotten his brain working again.
Amanda told Melissa that it had done the same for her. After a few months following this plan, her anxiety and depression had been replaced by joy, energy, and confidence. Plus, her brain began to sing. Her creativity surged, and she thrilled at diving into work that was no longer a drudgery…but a rewarding challenge.
Amanda encouraged Mel to go to the Touchpoints180 website and learn all she could. She assured her she had not seen anything like this before. That it was based on science: biology… and neurology. That it did transformative work in the very cells of her body and brain.
What Touchpoints180 Actually Does
So, Mel explored to learn what Touchpoints180 was about, and what it can do. She was impressed that it was personalized, and would direct her according to her own personal needs and struggles, to address them and help her heal. In addition, it absorbed her attention to see that the benefits were all encompassing. It would help her entire body function at its peak in a much healthier way, normalize her weight, restore her energy, clear away the brain fog, and rejuvenate her cognition and creativity.
She found a link that said, “Schedule a Discovery Call” – so she clicked it. And a world of possibilities opened up to her.
After reading about all the aspects of her life and body this program would address, and that it was led by a prominent metabolic psychiatrist, she realized she’d never seen a program like this before, and clicked on the link to schedule that discovery call.
The Call That Opened a New Door
The call was calm, informative, and even gently nurturing. Nothing like she expected. There was no sales spiel. Rather, they showed interest in her, personally. In what she was going through. And they explained (biologically) what could be causing her struggles – as well as what could be done to reverse them. They talked about lab work, lifestyle adjustments, and nutrients. And how a one-size-fits-all protocol would not be effective for her needs, but they knew what would. It all resonated deeply, and she found her trust building as they talked.
Mel began working with Touchpoints180 the following week, following all the guidance they provided, step by step. Her anxiety was strong as she started, and she felt some overwhelm, but they broke it down for her into steps she could manage, and the little victories built her confidence a little more each day. Dr. Calabrese, the metabolic psychiatrist who led her, evaluated her metabolism and her progress, and seemed to understand her needs and how to help.
3 Months that Changed Her Life
Within only a month, she was feeling better. A quiet confidence was slowly building in the background. But she really noticed she had entered a new level at 3 months. Those intrusive thoughts had about subsided, and she found herself glowing with confidence.
She thought back on what Amanda had told her, and now understood what this had been like for her.
Meanwhile, Gina stopped by her office and complimented her on her latest presentation, and said, “You know, Mel, I think you’re back… ! It’s great to see. Keep up the good work.”
As far as Mel was concerned, she didn’t feel like it was black and white, or before and after. It was “during…” She could see this program works, if you work with it. And she knew in her gut the secret was to keep it up, not try it, and then quit when life got better. She wanted no part of putting herself through some sort of relapse.
Melissa was fully aware that Touchpoints180 and Dr. Calabrese had led her into a transformative lifestyle that was in itself treatment. She knew she would continue to follow this approach permanently. And she felt excitement to see just how far it would take her. If only 3 months had brought this much change and improvement, what could a year do? Two years? Five years?
Could This Be Your Story, Too?
Melissa’s story isn’t unique. What was unique was finding a program led by a physician who understood the real reason she was struggling – and knew exactly what to do about it.
If you struggle with anxiety, mental fog, and lost focus, it’s likely these symptoms can be reversed. We’re here to help. You don’t have to keep living like this. A thriving, rewarding life is closer than you think – and we’d love to help you find your way to it.
Learn about Touchpoints180 and Lori Calabrese, M.D.
To your best life,
