Ginger Zee has made no secret of her struggles with her mental health, and her new book, A Little Closer to Home, delves deeper into her struggles.
But it’s not just depression that the GMA meteorologist has treated, as several other diagnoses have surfaced throughout her life.
The mother of two has been open about everything she has gone through to help herself and others, and this is what she had to say about her condition.
Ginger Zee suffering from narcolepsy
Ginger’s sleep problems started when she was in high school when she fell asleep every few minutes. But something incredibly serious had to happen for him to be diagnosed with narcolepsy.
Speaking to Narcolepsy 360, she revealed: “I still didn’t know [I was asleep] until I was involved in three separate car accidents. I started smoking in the closet. I did everything in my power to stay awake while driving because I was so afraid of hurting myself and other people in the car.
“I couldn’t figure out why I fell asleep, and it wasn’t until the third accident, when I crossed the middle and almost went to the other side of the road, that I got help.
A sleep study at age 21 revealed she was narcoleptic, and she says the diagnosis was the beginning of her journey.
How does Ginger Zee deal with her depression?
Just days before starting her long-term job at ABC, Ginger checked into a mental health facility to seek help.
For years she battled depression. She had attempted suicide; she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault and she felt that she always had to hide what was happening.
She is now trying to break down the stigma associated with depression and mental health by speaking openly about her own experiences.
Ginger says behind her smile that she was in pain
She still goes to therapy and has “gray days” but says they are no longer “black” and hopeless.
An excerpt from his new book says: “But the moment I mention my hospitalization, ears perk up and eyes widen: the actions I took still carry a stigma. And that has to change. Like drug and alcohol rehab, rehab has to be viewed through the same lens. Disease. Treatment. Believe.”
Ginger hopes to help others by opening up in her book, A Little Closer to Home
In an interview with People, she added, “I battled an illness called depression, which many people battle every day.
“The hundreds of thousands or millions of people involved in something I did; I want them to be able to fight without shame.”
Ginger Zee’s battle with anorexia
In high school, Ginger also battled an eating disorder that lasted for years. In a heartbreaking letter to her younger self, she documented the lengths she would go to avoid eating and how her mother committed her to a psychiatric hospital after she fell to a “scary size”.
As she gradually recovered, she admitted: “When you grow up, you work a lot in therapy on the eating problems and what caused them, but you still spend about 80% of the day eating think
Through therapy and support, Ginger fought her demons
“You will probably never be completely cured. For you, anorexia is something that can be managed but never completely repaired.
“But you have a choice every day to be honest about how you feel and take care of yourself.”
She added: “You are lucky you came out. Share your story and help others.
Ginger has a borderline personality disorder
After Ginger’s last suicide attempt in her 20s, she was diagnosed with major depression and borderline personality disorder. The condition affects how the person thinks, feels and interacts with other people.
In a recent Instagram Q&A with fans, Ginger addressed this when she said that finding the right therapist is essential to treatment.
Ginger Zee Husband and Children
She is so thankful for her husband Ben Aaron and her children
“I thought he was mean, and he was cold because he wasn’t one of the therapists I had before,” she admitted but realized he was the right man for the job.
“Just like a personal trainer that doesn’t work for you,” she said, you can also have the wrong therapist. “This personal trainer of my brain has helped me so much.”
She concluded by saying, “Get the right therapist by getting the right diagnosis.”
Source: www.emmacitizen.com
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