Mental Health

There are so many topics that come under the general heading of "mental health" (as with physical health too, actually), such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, personality disorders, etc.

I thought I'd make a thread for this so that people can come and share their thoughts and/or experiances.

Mental health problems are just as serious as physical health problems. Though it seems that even in this day and age not every one thinks so.

That is a real shame because it means that some people that need real help are still unable to get any because some people and indeed some doctors do not take them seriously enough.

Some people say I'm schizophrenic.

It may be true because my selective attention is really unstable. It's either really high or really low. Although all the other domains of attention (Like focused, divided or alternating attention) are amazingly developped x)
But I didn't think people around me could notice that. And I don't really want them to notice because they may treat me differently and I don't want that, either.

Lolz wrote:Mental health problems are just as serious as physical health problems. Though it seems that even in this day and age not every one thinks so.

I agree. Last year I was signed off work with depression and social stress/anxiety disorder but when I first went to the doctors about it they really did look down their nose at me, as if what I was going through didn't matter at all. I also think this was mainly down to my age, being 19 at the time - Although, this was the second time that I'd been diagnosed with depression (The first being when I was 17) and put on prozac (why prozac I have no idea as it is an outdated drug which takes too long to work in the first place ¬¬)
I also got sent to the psychiatrist for cognitive behaviour therapy which aims to change dysfunctional thinking, behaviour and emotional responses - I ended up quitting this after about 4 months as I found it completely useless and unhelpful.

They (The doctors and psychiatrists) refused to try any other methods with me as there was apparently not the funding or resources for that kind of thing in the area I was living =/

So yeah, I took myself out of the sessions and went through a really bad stage. I'm not so bad anymore and sometimes feel quite proud of how far i've come within the last 6 months especially i've tried to improve completely on my own.
The only problem with this I think is that when I do end up having a 'down' moment it can last for a long time as I never really know how to overcome it when I feel like that and suffer sometimes with complete hysteria but I don't really want to bore you with other things that I end up going through so yeah i'll leave it at that.

I just think it's a shame that it isn't taken seriously within society as if the people who are suffering make it up or something =/

You know, I fully understand what you go through, Kamiya. I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and deep depression back in December; for the second time, like yourself. It took me a long time to get CBT, and I'm still going through with that. Been doing it a while, but it doesn't seem to be doing too much to help. My therapist is actually baffled by me, because I don't really think negatively... or at all, in most cases. I'm largely getting myself through it on my own. I've had a few moments of what I can only describe as enlightenment, which is the stage I was at when we came into the year. For those that remember, I had a rather positive outlook; so much so it was almost zen like. I had some set backs that knocked me out of that stage. If that hadn't have happened, then I would still be in that state and out of the depression months ago.

in my opinion, the worst thing about having a mental problem is meeting someone who thinks because they've had it before, they know everything about it-"thats not being depressive thats just being emo. i should know because i've had depression" kinda thing.

kitti wrote:in my opinion, the worst thing about having a mental problem is meeting someone who thinks because they've had it before, they know everything about it-"thats not being depressive thats just being emo. i should know because i've had depression" kinda thing.

Mm, that does annoy me too. Some people just don't seem to realise (or want to accept) that illness (mental and physical) can effect different people in different ways.

And especially something like depression, which can be caused by sooooo many things, so of course the symtoms are gonna be different.

Kukikoi wrote:

kitti wrote:in my opinion, the worst thing about having a mental problem is meeting someone who thinks because they've had it before, they know everything about it-"thats not being depressive thats just being emo. i should know because i've had depression" kinda thing.

Mm, that does annoy me too. Some people just don't seem to realise (or want to accept) that illness (mental and physical) can effect different people in different ways.

And especially something like depression, which can be caused by sooooo many things, so of course the symtoms are gonna be different.

QFT

My depression this time has affected me differently than it did before. For those that don't remember, I was rather emo about everything. I was just so down about everything. This time, though, it even has me baffled. I don't know what has caused it, I'm not down about everything, just a few things.

An update on my last post, though; my therapist has given up on me. I missed an appointment and never recieved a letter telling me so. I went to the doctors to see how things were going with my depression and was told about a letter they'd recieved from my the therapist saying how I wasn't interested in it. She wasn't really helping me, anyway, so I don't think I'll bother with it. However, they're going to be stopping my ESA and forcing me to look for work; which is rather f**ked, if you ask me.

I keep meaning to post something deep in this thread, but I either end-up forgetting, or getting distracted, or, when I finally type out my mental health crap, I decide no one wants to hear it anyway, and just delete it. XD

To keep is short; I've had depression and anxiety for years. Most doctors agree it's been building up since I was kinda young, and it's been brought on by the way people have treated me and certain events throughout my life. As a result, obviously, the way my brain functions has been effected, so it's not just a matter of feeling down and getting over it.

Various medications have failed to help before (infact, they made me worse - physically and mentally), and I'm currently on Fluoxetine (more commonly known as Prozac). I've been on it just over a month now, and apparently I need to stick with it for at least 6.

I keep a journal regarding side effects and the like, but it's locked to close friends only on my Live Journal.

But yeah, that's it, in a nutshell. But obviously, it's alot deeper, and more complicated than all that.

My situation has changed, somewhat, so I thought it was time for an update.

I'm taking myself off my meds, on a trial run. I'm a lot happier now than I used to be. All the crap that has happened over this last year has been pushed aside by the happiness that my girl has brought me. Last night was the first night I didn't take them, which seems rather fitting considering me and my girl have been together for a week now.

I'm now off ESA and back on JSA, but with any luck I won't be on that for too long. I aim to have a job by early 2011. My girl has got me motivated to get out of this place and into one of my own. Housing forms are being sorted, just getting my circumstances right ready to be put on the form. Wouldn't want to give them any information that's wrong and would damage my chances of getting out of here sooner.

Welcome back depression... u_u

That sucks. Is this because of what was said earlier? The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak

Chojin wrote:That sucks. Is this because of what was said earlier? The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak

Yeah... you know how it is though; depression never really disappears, but it's nice to have some kind of a break from it. But it's so easy to set-off again.

I know what you mean. After yesterday, I thought I was going to slip back. I'll have to tell you about what happened when we chat later.

I'm rather proud of myself, though, because I stopped taking my meds, through choice almost two weeks ago and I think I'm doing well. Yesterday may have been a bad day, but I went to bed in a good mood.

Medication: Fluoxetine
Started: 28th September 2010

I haven't had any meds since last Wednesday night. I've been sleeping alot still, but when I'm awake, I actually feel more awake than when I'd been taking them. I'm also able to think, and focus more. Which is great. Because when I'm unable to think/focus, I feel like I'm losing my mind a little bit.

But... I got in such a stupid state lastnight... and I don't know if I'd have been as bad if I'd still been taking the meds. I'm now afraid, and upset, that I probably need them...

And now I can't find my perscription. Which means I'll have to wait 'til my appointment on Wednesday this week to get another one.

I just feel so defeated... I don't like that I might be dependant on these... I don't want to need them...

Fluoxetine made me very ill. Don't start thinking like that, some people just have a knack for making people feel like that. This has no bearing on you, trust me. If this had happened while you were taking them, you would've been worse.

Of course I forgot to take into account that medication affects people differently from others, so that is only one possibility. I saw the comment on this on your LJ and realised that that is also very possible >_<

I'm so tired... the meds are really kicking me again. I feel so exhausted. And when I'm laying in bed in the mornings, my body feels almost like dead-weight. Moving really does feel close to impossible sometimes. I'm not even sure how I managed to get up this morning, but it wasn't without a two hour lay-in, I can tell you.

I'm always hesitant to sleep now, because it's the waking up and getting up that's the really hard part. It's like, once my body's stopped, it just doesn't want to get started again.

I'm finding it very hard not to slip back into depression with everything that's going on.

As one or two of you may know, i have been diagnosed as Bi polar
However, seeing some new doctor the other day, he now seems to think it may be something else.
So im having to go through all the same phychiatric tests as i did before, and being sent for other tests i never had to do such as blood tests.
The NHS really are thick though.
I got sent some questionaire i have to fill out and send back.. and one of the questions makes me die.
A19: Do you ever aviod certain situations because of a fear of certain objects or activities? (Such as animals, needles, blood, being in confined spaces, diving or flying)
Well... lets see shall we? You guys sent me for a blood test last week that i still havent been for becaus eim petrified. I avoid all social gatherings in the countryside, and avoid seieng essentailly the only family i hve left in irelaand because of a ridiculous phobia of cows and they all live on a farm.
So on a scale of 1-10..i think i'd say a 10?

I hate these assessemnts. They always make me feel so damn weak.

I am not happy tonight. I finally found out the meaning to something some little cow had said to me, regarding Kaze being my "forced boyfriend". Neither of us knew what she was going on about, so we both asked her. But she didn't bother replying.

It was mentioned in conversation to someone else tonight (a personal friend of her's), and I found out exactly what she meant, and where she got such an evil idea from.

Basically, someone (that thorn I've mentioned before) apparently told her friend, and her boyfriend at the time, that I bully Kaze into staying with me. And that my suicidal threats are just that: threats with no purpose other than to keep him trapped.

Hence my most recent status on Facebook: "You know what? All you people who think my depression isn't genuine, like it's just a game or something: Go f*ck yourselves.".

Kaze knows me a hell of alot better than that. He knows I'd been diagnosed, and had suicidal tendencies way before I even met him. He knows it's not bullshit, or a tool, or a game. And he knows I don't want him to stay with me for any reason other than love.

I've questioned him over this several times. I'll also confront the person behind these vicious lies when I next see her online. And I'll remind her that it was him who chased me, and him who asked me to come back to him after I left and went back to my hometown after a breakdown.

He was the one who kept texting me, and I made no threats of harming myself in any way. He had his "clean break" and he could've left it like that. But he realised he didn't want to lose me. He did so off his own back, with no influence from anyone else; including me.