Richard Trudel

Speaker 0 00:00 <inaudible>. Speaker 2 00:08 You are listening to our anxiety stories, the anxiety Canada podcast with Jon Bateman, checkout anxiety, canada.com for more totally free anxiety resources, including our app Mindshift CBT Speaker 1 00:22 <inaudible> Speaker 0 00:25 in, um, in Colona British Columbia. So, uh, let's start things off with Richard. Hi, Richard. Are you there? Hey, what's your have gone Speaker 3 00:36 <inaudible> but I'll live Speaker 0 00:39 you're tired. Yeah. Okay. Um, what I'd like you to do is maybe tell me a bit about your, uh, starting out with your anxiety story. Um, what's, you've been your experience with anxiety? Speaker 3 00:53 Well, at all, it's just kinda been most people's experience, just no one of that, a good time trigger in that situation, stuff like that. Yeah. A little bit of a, the explaining parts, kind of a simple one because of, it's just the fairly basic experience of not a fun, definitely erect, definitely not a fun thing to have to deal with. Yeah. Speaker 0 01:21 Yeah. So, so you started experiencing anxiety as a, you know, as a youngster. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not really sure of your age. Do you mind telling me how old you were? Okay. And, uh, well, I'm the same as you. I kind of experienced it as well from a very young age. So I certainly understand what that's like. And, um, so I guess you kinda got a linked up with anxiety Canada three of program you did in your school? Speaker 3 01:49 Yes. Uh, through through chance I got linked up to her program today yet. Speaker 0 01:54 Right. And so how did that appeal to that, to that do it for you? Speaker 3 02:03 Here's the thing, it did a lot. So I'm gonna try to explain this as best as I can. Yeah. Basically what it did for me was it opened up a lot of options and a lot of ideas which were very helpful to use. Right. And, uh, the M the apps also really helped too because, um, basically when I showed all this off, they showed off everything and like the older app and everything like that. And I was like, Oh, this is actually really cool. I, I enjoy this. And then we were looking into it more and then doing work with them. And then, um, just in general learning more about it and it just became easier and easier for, uh, easier and easier ideas, which made it easy and easier to deal with. Uh, the anxiety and it's just, and it just became a lot easier to manage. Speaker 4 02:45 Yeah. So would you say you're at a point now where it's, I mean, you know, in my experience, anxiety comes in, anxiety goes it, you know, it always has it. Is that sort of your experience now too, are you there? Yep. Yep. Is that your, your experience with anxiety too, is that you, that this app is good for the mind shift app is good for kind of maintaining how you are, it's like it's enabling you to have a more level kind of a lifestyle. Speaker 3 03:15 Yeah, it definitely helps make everything. Yeah. It definitely helps be, uh, not only gives you ideas to stay on track, but it gives you ideas to even get on track in the first place. So that's the biggest deal there is not only does it give you the ideas to help. Yeah. It just gives you the ideas to start. Well, it's great for that all around. Also, you got fairly client but I can still hear you so we're good. Speaker 4 03:38 Okay. Okay. I'll, I'll, I'll work on tweaking those settings. I'm tying, I'm trying to re, I'm trying to interview and make sure my settings are all tweaked at the same time, so, Speaker 3 03:47 Oh, it's all good. I understand you got a lot on your plate. Speaker 4 03:50 Yeah. Yeah. Um, so tell me, so what, what was your, your experience like when do you first remember experiencing anxiety at a younger age? Speaker 3 04:00 Um, sometime around, I think I only experienced in bits and bobs in first grade, but it really started like hitting me in like second or third mostly. Yeah. Like that's when I really started noticing and I was like, Oh, this is very fun to feeling. Yeah. I don't know what this is, but this sucks. Speaker 4 04:18 Yeah. Yeah. So it's so that, so that, yeah, that I remember having a similar experience to that. And so you didn't have a name for what, what took what w what happened for you to get to put a name on it as anxiety. How long did that process take for you? Speaker 3 04:33 I mean <inaudible> I heard a bunch of people, I heard some people call it that in fourth grade and that was pretty much when I learned what it actually was. Yeah. So about a year or two depending on about a year or two until I actually realized, Oh, that's what this is. Okay, I hate this. Why does this exist? Yeah. Speaker 4 04:53 So what were your first forays into, into getting help with anxiety? Did you see anybody before that before you, like you said the mind shift up and working with anxiety candidate had really helped you, had you found any relief before that? Speaker 3 05:08 Um, well, well before that were kind of like, um, it was basically like the normal things to help you cope with that, like family, friends, stuff like that beforehand. That's kinda what I had. And then it helped in there. Certain times it didn't. And then that's when basically if he was after that, the mind shift ass and everything and then I'm just like, Oh, this is great. This is great. Yeah, it helps a lot. Yeah. Speaker 4 05:31 Yeah. But you weren't, you weren't necessarily Speaker 3 05:35 even as a kid, like it's kind of hard to explain anxiety and especially for parents kinda hard to help you deal with it. Yeah, it can be, it can affect you in many different ways. So it's like they try their best and sometimes it works and sometimes it just doesn't Speaker 4 05:48 for sure. Um, but me like my, my anxiety when I was younger, it manifested as temper, like a temper. Um, temper tantrum might get nervous and I wouldn't want to do something so I would kind of lash out at people and, and, and throw a, you know, a perfectly good temper tantrum. Um, that's how my anxiety came through. Was yours like that or do sharings it, how did it affect you? Do you remember as a kid how it affected you in that way? Speaker 3 06:16 So mine mainly was like yours, kind of like a temper, but there were some times where I would just kind of shut down too. I just wouldn't, wouldn't communicate with anyone. Like it depends on how bad I got. Like if it got really bad, I would just go full shutdown. And just like not do anything. But if it, if it wasn't like absurd or anything like that, it would mostly just be like temporary. Speaker 4 06:35 Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. I can completely understand that. What parts of the, uh, of the app do you find you use most with the, uh, with the mind shift app? Speaker 3 06:45 I've noticed I have a lot of the exercise stuff. Like a lot of the, like men, like the exercises and all that mostly is the stuff I deal with. So like all of the like techniques and all that basically. And the stuff that'll, they sit in the like, let's do this today. And that's the things I've done mostly. Speaker 4 07:01 Yeah. Right. And have you gotten to the point where you kind of employ those even without opening the app or do you still use the <inaudible> Speaker 3 07:08 you can, I can do that without opening the app now. Yeah, for sure. It's definitely useful thing. It's just they gave me the tools to start my own track and keep me on track. And now I use those tools outside of the app or with the FFI if I ever do need it. Yeah. And then it keeps me on the track. So Speaker 4 07:25 yeah, that's a great effect. I guess that's just deciding. I mean, in my experience, I've always found that that uh, searching for those tools, like finding those tools that work for you for each individual is hard because I've always joked, joked that anxiety is like a snowflake. You know, it's different for each person. Um, and there's no, if there was one, one, one method fixes all, I mean that would be grand. Uh, but, but unfortunately that's not it. Uh, there's a lot, there's a lot of experimentation that goes on, I guess. Right? Speaker 3 07:53 Yeah. And that's the thing that I like about the mind ship desk app in particular because, um, it has so many different ways of, there's bound to be something for you on there if you actually look and try. That's the other part too is a lot of people when they try these things, they don't really try. They just kind be like, this probably won't work but I'll do it anyway. And then they, and then they just assume it's not gonna work so then it doesn't help them and they're like, well just in the hope of it, it's like did you try, it's like don't really, Speaker 4 08:20 yeah. Yeah. It's like anything else you have to eat like trying, it doesn't mean opening it once and then and then that's it. You try it and then if you don't feel well after that then you don't open it again. I that that doesn't work. Like there's something about it with you though that kind of hooked you, hooked you in right away that made you open the app more than once or you know, started opening it every day or every few hours or however long or however often you used it. Speaker 3 08:47 Yeah. Basically there was, there was a thing, it was because I knew there were techniques cause kind of before that I knew there techniques that would work and then when we all got them to munch at that but running and everything. Yeah. And we actually used it. Yeah. It not only did that, but it opened up to so many other things. And I think that's why I opened in the first place was mostly just the curiosity of what was on there to help you cope. And then I would like look through it and I'd be like, there's so much on you. Speaker 4 09:14 Yeah. Yeah. It's nice to know that there's that much support and that's ultimately why we're, why we're here talking to is to let people know it's, we don't have a ton of young people lined up, uh, through the, through the day. Um, and it's really heartening cause cause you know, I went through my, through my first anxiety and real anxiety stuff was kind of closer to, you know, graduating high school like that age. And back in those days I didn't, uh, there wasn't really much much support in any way. And it took a long time to figure out what it was, but it's, have you, uh, do you know if there's any peers or anybody else you know, in your, in your group and your school that were, that founded as engaging as you did? Speaker 3 09:54 Uh, I definitely know a few people who found it as bad as I did. Um, I think my best part though is, you mentioned the high school was year issue. I think high school was the time when I finally had a grip on it and was able to deal with it quite well, which made the last bit of my schooling easy. It was just everything before that was basically hell yeah. And once I finally gotten to like high school, I had the tools and everything available that helped me out. Yeah. So that was the thing that really made my high school life a bit easier. Obviously sometimes I still have had those issues cause everyone does. Yeah. But I didn't have them nearly as much cause I had the ways of dealing with them, which made it way better. Speaker 4 10:33 Yeah, for sure. And tell me just didn't we kind of just glazed over, but I'm wondering what was, well I guess what I'd like to know maybe in your school since I've got you here. Um, do you find there's this, there's a structure set up in your school to help people with mental health issues? Speaker 3 10:49 We're getting one now. We, well, I mean I'm not in school anymore technically, but yeah, I know what you mean. It helps because I actually nearing especially at chance, which was the middle school I went to for a while, the alternate school, uh, they basically, I think after my second, like after my first year there, they basically started going into it, which means for like about two ish years I was there. Everyone was learning about mindfulness. Sure. It was through our counselor Kathy. But it was still, she was very active with everyone about it. Anyone want to talk about it? They would go to her. So anyone would know any, they would basically, she would just basically show the school and be like, this is how mindfulness works, right? This is how to help you out with all these things. And some students were like, Oh, this didn't work. Speaker 3 11:30 Cause they didn't try. And then there were others who were like, yeah, this actually does work. Thank you. Yeah. Because they're the ones who actually tried. Yeah. But, uh, so that's, that's another thing too is because I had access to those in middle school. Yeah. It also helped me learn the things before even the app came out kinda thing. She was using the app, but she did what she would tell us about it, but she wouldn't show us the too often. And then when she started showing it to us, a of people actually were like, I'm going to try to sell myself for like me included. Yeah. But, um, so before that though, we're all like, cool, we kind of have these things now. They don't work all the time, but then again, nothing works all the time. That's right. So they worked most of the time we had other ways and if we needed more we could go call, talk to her. Speaker 3 12:09 And then when she showed off, he, uh, showed us off the app originally we were all like this, this could work. Yeah. So a few of us tried it out and looking through it. Even if it wasn't like some of my friends at the time didn't even like do it, they just look to see what was on there, just out of curiosity. Right, right. And then after that they started using it when they realized all the options that were there. And I was like, good for you on this too. I have these things. I like you have those. I appreciate that. Speaker 4 12:33 Yeah. Yeah. Do you think, do you think with your generation being, um, being way more, I mean you guys are, you know, you're, you're plugged, uh, in terms of social media, in terms of, you know, these handheld devices, um, I come from a very different world than that. Uh, you know, I'm, I'm always playing, keep up with, uh, with, with technology. Um, but do you think that because of, because it is well represented within, you know, an app within a phone that something that you guys use all the time. Do you feel like that, that I guess obviously helped with engagement with you guys? Speaker 3 13:06 Yes, that definitely makes it a lot easier, especially for some of the people who are like that. Some people not HR like that where it's like if there's no app for it and there's no way for me to look it up online, I don't care. Like those kinds of people because if there isn't those options and they just straight up won't even, it's for them, it's like not even worth their time. I'm nowhere near that. Like if I really need something I'll go talk to someone about it. Like, yeah, or I'll look it up. Yeah, there are a lot of people hurt. It's like if I can't easily access it, I don't care. And that's the thing that makes the app so nice is because someone says, Oh, but that's not easily accessible. It's like, yes it is. There's an app right there. Go look it up and check it out. And then instantly be like, Oh, okay. And we'll either make a mental note or they'll actually look at the app and be like, okay, it's work. This could work. Yeah, yeah, Speaker 4 13:52 yeah. Totally. Um, so the, so you, so basically you knew of the app before, um, before the anxiety Canada people came in? Speaker 3 14:02 Uh, yes, because, uh, my, yes, my counselor chances showed us that had done some stuff through the actual app with me in a few other, the students at the time. So yes, I did know about it. Speaker 4 14:12 Yeah. And they came in and uh, they came in and kind of gave you a talk about, about the whole spectrum of what they do. And that's when they kind of went, went back and focused on the app too. Yeah. Yeah. And so there was just, what was it, just one person from anxiety Canada came in or was there a few people that came in Speaker 3 14:29 the will? There was one presenter. The a, there was one thing with our school. They had the presentations, there was one presenter that came in and then I had, um, and then for another thing entirely separate with me working with them in the school, I had a Judas come in, we had a little one-on-one chat kind of with Kathy. And that was really cool too. So beforehand I had met one of the present that one of the presentators who was really nice and I had met actually like Judith and it was like, Oh, that's really cool. And by the way, both of them are great people for saying that now. Both of them are great people. I love them. They're nice. Speaker 4 14:59 Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Speaker 3 15:00 So, yeah, that was a really cool experience. So essentially talking with both of them and at the time with, um, you working with them, they like do like a little story at the time for Judah. It was like, Oh, that's really cool. I like this. Speaker 4 15:10 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well that's fabulous. You know, Richard, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me and kicking this whole day off. Um, you, you kind of broke the ice with me and I appreciate that too. And I'm really glad that it's, that it's working with you and, uh, and you know, hope your hope you're letting other young people know about, about the success you've had with that. Speaker 3 15:30 Oh yeah, I am. I held some of my friend's, I fricking yell at them. Speaker 4 15:34 Yeah. Excellent. Alright. Well thanks for talking with us, Richard. Oh, no problem. You too. Take care. Yup. Bye. Bye. Speaker 1 15:44 <inaudible>. Speaker 2 15:47 Thanks for listening to our anxiety stories, the anxiety Canada podcast with Jon Bateman, checkout anxiety, candidate.com for more anxiety resources, including our app Mindshift CBT. And if you like what you hear, please consider making a donation. This podcast is made possible by listeners like you. Until next time, Speaker 1 16:07 <inaudible>.