Mental Illness

[Darth Denkay]

Hi Friskyfemme,

I may be reading too much into this, but I wondered if you read my post as implying that I don't think it's okay to talk about this stuff, which is definitely not the case. I will say when I read the original post the tone didn't really sound serious to me, in my mind it came across more like a fluffy topic. When Andrew shared in the third post his/her own personal experiences that made a very big difference for me, changed the tone of the thread.

Believe me, I very much value talking, sharing regarding mental illness. I think I deal with it in about every possible way that I could. I live with clinical depression, diagnosed 21 years, and likely a life-time anti-depressant taker. I manage it well, medication always, therapy when needed. My mother also lives with depression, also well managed. My partner struggles with depression. And I work as a therapist (soon-to-be-psychologist. You are absolutely right - society does tend to ignore folks with any sort of disability - I think it's generally seen as a personal weakness. In particular I don't think some people take mental illness seriously - we could get over it if we really tried. We need safe places to share with other folks who get us and support us, and threads like this can certainly provide that.

-Wicket

Originally Posted by friskyfemme

I work with persons with physical, emotional,and mental disabilities. We, as a society, tend to turn away, ignore, or belittle those who represent our own fears. Those fears include: not be able to provide and protect for ouselves and our love ones, dying, and feeling that no one else knows or cares to know that we are suffering in some way. However, the truth is that most of us do care and would offer support and comfort to those who are suffering. We just need to get beyond our fears. The best way to reduce and/or eliminate fear is knowledge. Knowledge is gained by educating ourselves and others by sharing information, experiences, and expressing our feelings.
I have family members with ADHD, AAHD, Schizophernia, and Bipolar. I understand the reservations people have talking about these subjects but it is very helpful for everyone.

[Inuus]

I have worked in the mental health field for roughly 23 years. I have seen first hand how people with mental illness and/or mental challenges are treated. People with MI especially have stigmas and stereotypes others attach to their illnesses, making it often painful and difficult to talk about.
Education is the key so I am all for discussions on the subject, however I do understand why some do not feel comfortable with the topic.

[Andrew, Jr.]

Just for the record, I never belittle those who have mental illnesses. Never have and never will.

Andrew

[NotAnAverageGuy]

I am bi polar and OCD, have been suffering from it since I was 10 years old. Mine is genetic, most MI's are genetic or suddenly comes on when a trigger is hit.

Good topic Andrew

[Darth Denkay]

Andrew,

I definitely did not mean to imply that you have or do. This topic is really serious for me, as it seems to be for you as well. In your original post I was unable to discern your intention in starting the thread, your personal experiences, your vested interest in MI. I asked you to clarify and you did. I think what happened is what frequently happens in online discussions - from your words I was not able to interpret the tone of the thread. Therefore I asked for clarification, and you provided it. In my mind it was not an issue, you answered my question, all was good. This is a valuable thread; thank you for starting it.

-Wicket

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Just for the record, I never belittle those who have mental illnesses. Never have and never will.

Andrew

[Andrew, Jr.]

Thank you for explaining. I am not very good with concepts, and comprehension is not my strong suit.

Peace,
Andrew

[NotAnAverageGuy]

I have learned the best coping skill is writing, writing in journals, writing poetry and prose, etc helps.

[Andrew, Jr.]

Same for me. Writing is my best suit at times. Even then, what I am saying is misconstrued by "some" people.

I also have ocd very badly. I used to be a hoarder. My father has ocd, but his was with routines. Mine is with routines, counting, washing my hands, checking and rechecking things, opening and closing doors and locks, and so on and on. It gets to be very tiring. I worked with a therapist on this for years. And out of the blue one day I just stopped. I have no idea of why. It just happened. I had no reason to wash my hands, or put on lotion. Now, I still count, and check and recheck things. But it is no where near to what it used to be. Rosie has it very badly too. She is working on her's now. It is a struggle, but I know it too well.

[Inuus]

Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences

Last night I watched for the first time that show Hoarders on A&E. Very enlightening to me. I personally have had some interaction with a hoarder as a child. The family next door had a beautiful 1600's house that was in shambles because the father was a hoader. He just couldnt help himself. He would go to the local dump and take things home, things he never used or needed. Was hard for a child to understand. As an adult I have witnessed animal hoarding. Such a terrible disorder and painful to witness.

If anyone cares to share...if you are a hoarder how to do cope? If you get help and stop the hoarding how does one stay away from the compulsion again? Im genuinely asking for enlightenment not judgement

[Darth Denkay]

I've tried writing but it's not really helpful for me. What works best in my world is talking to one of my 6 therapists - my one "real" therapist, my 4 cats and 1 dog. Sometimes all it takes for me is to sit and pet one of them, say what needs to be said - they can definitely be the best medicine!

Originally Posted by NotAnAverageGuy

I have learned the best coping skill is writing, writing in journals, writing poetry and prose, etc helps.

[NotAnAverageGuy]

Writing doesn't do it for everyone, some do art therapy, some do exercise, etc. Yes talking to a real therapist or an animal one is therapy too!

[SelfMadeMan]

Add me to the OCD club It's gotten better over time for me, but it's definitely there. I have a shower ritual, I eat a certain way, I check things, have to fold my laundry a certain way and HAVE to have certain things in the house a specific way. I also have a thing with numbers. When fueling the car - I can't stop on anything but whole dollar amounts. When I adjust the volume on the TV I have to stop it on 15, 20, 25 etc... not 16, 19, 21, etc. LOL. But most people would never know if they didn't live with me. So anyway... hello everyone!

[Darth Denkay]

Hey, you're totally welcome. Communication online can be difficult for all of us. It's all good.

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Thank you for explaining. I am not very good with concepts, and comprehension is not my strong suit.

Peace,
Andrew

[friskyfemme]

Originally Posted by WicketWWarrick

Hi Friskyfemme,

I may be reading too much into this, but I wondered if you read my post as implying that I don't think it's okay to talk about this stuff, which is definitely not the case. I will say when I read the original post the tone didn't really sound serious to me, in my mind it came across more like a fluffy topic. When Andrew shared in the third post his/her own personal experiences that made a very big difference for me, changed the tone of the thread.

Believe me, I very much value talking, sharing regarding mental illness. I think I deal with it in about every possible way that I could. I live with clinical depression, diagnosed 21 years, and likely a life-time anti-depressant taker. I manage it well, medication always, therapy when needed. My mother also lives with depression, also well managed. My partner struggles with depression. And I work as a therapist (soon-to-be-psychologist. You are absolutely right - society does tend to ignore folks with any sort of disability - I think it's generally seen as a personal weakness. In particular I don't think some people take mental illness seriously - we could get over it if we really tried. We need safe places to share with other folks who get us and support us, and threads like this can certainly provide that.

-Wicket

Wicket,
Please know I wasn't making any judgement on your post. I am just expressing my views/observations of the some people's reaction to anything they don't understand.
I do agree with you that most people (who don't live with a disability -mental, physical, emotional) don't generally have a clue the struggles the individual, that does, has each day with the simplest of tasks. It never goes away, the person with a disability just learns to adapt the best he/she can with the tools he/she has.