The Mental Illness Thread

[KUSA]

And almost all of them are on AF.

[Longhorn]

While the statistic is correct, serious mental illnesses occur in only 6% of the American population.

[Saxmoof]

I'm sceptical about therapy for the very depressed, like detailed above. CBT basically boils down to positive thinking, if you're as hopeless as I was that just feels pointless, and therapy can't work if you don't buy into it - it took me 6 years to feel like therapy was something that could help. And with severe social anxiety, you don't even want to leave the house let alone sit and talk to a stranger for an hour

(veteran of many years of CBT and DBT here)

While I wouldn't characterize CBT as just "positive thinking", you do raise some very good and interesting points.  When one is embroiled in a serious episode of MI, oftentimes, one is simply unable to participate in therapy in any effective way - and certainly, if one doesn't buy into it, it isn't going to be effective.

I'm over 6 years into my current round of therapy, and I definitely was too sick to make any progress at all the first couple of years.

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone, though - in my case, it's ended up being worth it.

Therapy has been helpful for me aswell so far, it's just that the analysis of my "bad" thoughts hasn't helped like it's supposed to. What's really been good for me is having someone to encourage/coach me through doing things that make me anxious and having someone I can be comfortable with and confide in, someone I know is understanding and supportive

Having my anxious thoughts affirmed as being irrational doesn't help for me - I know they're irrational, that still doesn't get rid of them or make them easier to ignore. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone through exposure therapy does though

[Minimalist]

So I guess I am the only sane one here?


[ducks]   [runs]

[KUSA]

So I guess I am the only sane one here?


[ducks]   [runs]

Man you are nuttier than squirrel turd.

[Aroura]

I would tell my mental illness story but it would take a short novel.
Condensed version, I've always been very tired and easily depressed. I was diagnosed with depression in my late teens,and anxiety disorder in my early 20's, and put on a rollercoaster of drugs for the next 10+ years. After having a baby, my doc realized my symptoms were almost gone during my pregnancy, so he gave me progesterone. Bam, most symptoms gone or at least reduced to tolerable levels. He never changed my official diagnosis though.

I got a new doc, she took me off the progesterone because it's not an approved treatment for either anxiety or depression (and this was after promising me she wouldn't fuck with my meds until my hubby finished school because I need to be able to cope with HIS stress), so I'm still mad at her.

Back on the emotional rollercoaster I went, and still am. I just went in and had a nervous breakdown in her office. She wants to see if she can change my official diagnosis to PMDD, and get me back on progesterone (thought the kind she wants to proscribe my insurance doesn't cover, of course, and I can't afford, so I'm still trying to work that out). I'm like YES (If I can get the med covered)! My crazyness is totally cyclical with my menses. It's not normal PMS to want to kill people, hurt myself (which I have and still do), or cry uncontrollably in the bathroom, bedroom, and even the grocery store for 10+ solid days a month. I've been telling docs that for 15 years and no one listened.

Also, I just went in for a sleep study, and I have Narcolepsy, officially now. I should start an ask a narcoleptic thread. It's not a mental illness like the rest, but it sure doesn't help an existing mental illness, being so tired all the time and people not understanding that just because I don't fall asleep in the middle of a word, it doesn't mean I'm not narcopleptic.

What was that, like a quadrupal negative? Sorry. I also have trouble organizing my thoughts, a lot of the time.

Mental illness still is highly stigmatized and highly misunderstood though. To those still struggling, just keep at it. Every day can be a challenge, but it really can get better.

[robvalue]

You've been through an awful lot, I'm very sorry. Thanks for sharing your story with us I definitely think sharing these things is helpful, and we can all support each other.

[Longhorn]

I think you're great, the lot of you

Sorry, I'm being awkward atm

[c172]

My last name is Awkward.

[LastPoet]

So I guess I am the only sane one here?


[ducks]   [runs]

I have the deepest respect for those that acknowledge their mental status. Better than those that masquerade it with  "goddidit".

I know of this too well, I had a long barreled 12 aimed at my chin by myself. I didn't do it because I was trying to figure out how to pull the trigger, a toe? A system of puleys? Somekind of a lever?

I started laughing for some reason.