Escape from Dark Places: Guideposts to Hope in an Age of Anxiety & Depression

by Ambra Watkins

Overview

Young people today are tech-savvy, confident, and positive. They are also stressed, anxious, and depressed. One in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 has a diagnosable mental illness, and the number is growing. So what is the problem and how can we help?

A motivating story of triumph over anxiety and depression, "Escape from Dark Places" shares a mother’s journey to find answers to her son’s anxiety and depression. Her discoveries offer a new framework for intergenerational dialogue that will enable all of us—parents, grandparents, church leaders, and mentors—to be part of the solution. 

Moms and others traditionally sidelined from the recovery process can learn how to play a critical role in empowering young people to:

Accomplish a more stable sense of self to enable feelings of contentment and fulfillment

Filter out the noise of technology and the Information Age to reduce stress and anxiety

Initiate a stronger conversation about prevention and recovery that can better drive attitudinal change

Think about the big life questions that enrich lives with meaning and purpose

Attain real world life skills that enrich interpersonal relationships and promote success in the workplace

"Escape from Dark Places" offers guideposts toward mental and spiritual health that will inspire societal and spiritual reconnections, fight indifference, stop the stigma, and spread hope.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630477264
Publisher:	Morgan James Publishing
Publication date:	06/14/2016
Series:	Morgan James Faith Series
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Ambra Watkins is an expert in organizational change management and training who lived and worked in Northern Africa and has traveled extensively in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. She has her master’s degree in rhetoric and writing and her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Ambra is the author of a historical book, "The Birth, Being and Burning of Worumbo Mill," and more than twenty-five magazine and newspaper articles. Ambra lives with her family in Denver, Colorado.

Read an Excerpt

The family flew in from around the country anticipating the quintessential college graduation gala—school colors brightly displayed on caps and gowns, banners and flags; young adults beaming with pride, relief, and measured anticipation; a tossing of tassels followed by an effluence of food, fun, and revelry. While the banners and flags flew high, for our family the spirit of the occasion was laden with sadness and fear.

My son Bryce tried to hide his anguish, but the truth was soon exposed. He choked down the moist, white cake layered with raspberry filling and piled high with whipped cream frosting; he failed to engage in the most trivial conversations; and he responded to gifts and well-wishes with cordial yet forced smiles and thank you'd. Playful badgering from his pint-sized nephew elicited a swift blow that knocked his nephew firmly to the ground. The simplest tasks, such as going to the bank to close accounts, were met with resistance. The heaviness by which Bryce carried himself made it evident that without help from my husband and me, we would not be flying home any time soon.

Bryce graduated with a 3.5 grade point average, but he was not proud of his accomplishments. His father, who had such high hopes for his promising young son and who had worked hard to give him everything he needed and to pay for his education, was brimming with anger and blinded with disappointment. With no context for understanding the source of Bryce’s despair, he lashed out without considering the impact of his harsh words, “Stupid. . .idiot. . .thankless kid. . .,” as Bryce sat despondent in the backseat of the car.

Bryce went out for drinks that night with his brother, so the weight of the situation was temporarily suspended, and we slept. As we drove our oldest son to the airport the following day, he revealed that a few months prior, Bryce had taken a handful of pills in hopes that he would not wake up. My heart sank immediately. I flashed back to those days Bryce and his older sister were in high school when we lived in Virginia. We had bought a big colonial home there so the kids could bring their friends over. Bryce had the entire walkout basement to himself. The desk in his room looked out over the backyard, and the adjoining game room and den with a pool table, an air hockey table, and a big-screen TV led directly outside to the pool. We added a gym, as well, with all the bells and whistles—an exercise machine, a weight bench, dumbbells, foam flooring, mirrors, and another TV.

Bryce stayed downstairs a lot, too much I feared. I knew that he spent much of his time lying on the bed or on the couch, music blaring. But he was doing well at school, and he was playing sports, so what could be wrong? I wondered. We talked about it occasionally. I remember one day in 2007. I was cleaning the garage and stopped to listen to an interview on the radio with Senator Gordon H. Smith. The senator was releasing a book about his twenty-two-year-old son, who had killed himself. I remember him saying that in retrospect, he and his wife could see that there were times when their son had gone to dark places where he could not be reached. Sobbing, I ran downstairs, sat next to Bryce, and asked if he went to those dark places. He told me, “No, Mom,” and laughed as if I were being silly. Somewhat relieved, I finished my outdoor chores. Should I take Bryce to a psychiatrist? I asked myself. If I do, will he be labeled? Will it negatively impact his future? He had assured me he was okay.

Table of Contents

Part 1: My Journey

Chapter 1: Graduation

Chapter 2: Healing

Chapter 3: Navigating

Chapter 4: Awareness

Chapter 5: Reframing My Search

Part 2: My Search

Chapter 6: Generational Research

Chapter 7: The Societal Disconnect

Chapter 8: The Spiritual Disconnect

Part 3: A Framework for Action

Chapter 9: Recovery and Prevention

Chapter 10: Guidelines for Effective Intergenerational Dialogue

Chapter 11: Inukshuks to Hope

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2016
Feeling a concern for the hopelessness of many millennials, project management professional Watkins uses her son's experience to help gear her words toward young people, their parents, grandparents, and church leaders. She dissects not only the reality of mental illness but also the disconnectedness of the postmodern world with the millennial striving for purpose. The author addresses substance abuse, the shift of generational perspectives, the cynicism brought by the 1970s, and detachment from the spiritual. An enlightening section features inushuks—infographics that capture the spirit of recovery and hope. VERDICT Watkins's outlook provides an inside view of the young generation's mental territory. A rewarding read for anyone looking to establish a positive relationship with the upcoming generation.

Library Journal