Nationstates' Mental illness thread.

[Transyl]

I can hardly even talk to my own mother without having problems speaking. It's just tough to deal with sometimes, and it frustrates me.

I find that mood control really helps. I went to several speech therapy sessions at the behest of my high school and was taught how to control how I felt to prevent the rising panic. The chokes are airway-constrictive and tend to happen when I rapid-fire my speech and don't pause to breathe and slow my heart rate. The blocks, however, are neurological and no matter how calm I am or how much I modulate my air flow I still get really bad blocks when I talk to people, even close friends.

The same thing happens to me whenever I try to talk to anyone, no matter how close they are to me. I choke on my own words, my heart pounds and races, and I just feel like I'm going to pass out. As for talking in front of multiple people, don't even get me started on that because I can't do that at all.

[Jute]

It can be hard to describe, as it's often very varied. It used to be called "the doubter's disease", as OCD is, as I understand it, usually be when you obsessively worry about a single small thing, like not having washed your hands enough or having touched something perceived as dirty, and then trying to offset that terrible anxiety by doing something over and over again until you feel relief, but it's only temporary, as soon enough you feel compelled to do the same actions again, "just to be sure"

The difference between OCD and something less serious like perfectionism is that with perfectionism there's multiple facets to what you're worried about where with OCD it's a single facet and repeated like a ritual.

A perfectionist might need to straighten a crooked painting, for instance, but could go through with his or her day confident in the knowledge that said straightened painting is probably still straight. The perfectionist might worry about other things like how their papers are arranged or perhaps how their hair looks but they can move from one thing to another without needing to have any single object or action repeated constantly to feel as though they'd accomplished it (or to feed some compulsion).

An individual with OCD may need to straighten the painting multiple times and then check it afterward to be sure - and even then, will remain unsure - of its straightness. It's the requirement for something to go a certain way meeting the neurotic need to be in control of it and have it go your way all the time. That's why it takes over people's routines and lives, because they have the compulsive urge to do it - an urge so compulsive it overrides other normal schedules and behaviors.

That sounds like a good explanation of the difference, thanks.

[The Orson Empire]

I have ADHD. It used to effect me a lot worse than it does now, but I still struggle to manage it.

[Benuty]

OCD. Have people noticed that it seems to get confused with perfectionism sometimes? If things aren't perfectly straight and aligned, people will say "Oh, my OCD's acting up), but really it's just inherent perfectionism.

PTSD is truly tragic. I would not wish it or any other mental illness on anyone. Being forced to relive the tragic things you have seen in your own mind is truly awful.

OCD can be like really specific perfectionism gone too far, sometimes combined with unhelpful magical thinking, right?

It can go farther than that.

There are cases of people who wash their hands to the point blood comes out because the flesh is starting to peel off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7jnVXXG5o

[Jute]

OCD can be like really specific perfectionism gone too far, sometimes combined with unhelpful magical thinking, right?

It can go farther than that.

There are cases of people who wash their hands to the point blood comes out because the flesh is starting to peel off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7jnVXXG5o

That is what I meant with "gone too far". It's awful what something like that can do to you. And it's not like that it news to me. My own skin seems to have had cuts from apparent overuse of soap, too. Fortunately, I found some good lotion to help with that and and managed to limit my use of soap as well.

[Amuaplye]

I think I have a mental illnesses even though I know I have depression. The symptoms of the mystery disease:
- Auditory Hallucinations.
I will add more symptoms as time goes on.

[Bezkoshtovnya]

I think I have a mental illnesses even though I know I have depression. The symptoms of the mystery disease:
- Auditory Hallucinations.
I will add more symptoms as time goes on.

If it is simple ringing it could be tinnitis, but if they are more complex it could be realted to narcolepsy, mania, or some other sleep disorders.

[Amuaplye]

I think I have a mental illnesses even though I know I have depression. The symptoms of the mystery disease:
- Auditory Hallucinations.
I will add more symptoms as time goes on.

If it is simple ringing it could be tinnitis, but if they are more complex it could be realted to narcolepsy, mania, or some other sleep disorders.

No. I hear the sound of a baby crying. I also like to stay up until it's really late at night. On at least a couple of occasions I have stayed up all night.

[Glorious KASSRD]

When you say mental illness, what are you counting?

[Bezkoshtovnya]

If it is simple ringing it could be tinnitis, but if they are more complex it could be realted to narcolepsy, mania, or some other sleep disorders.

No. I hear the sound of a baby crying. I also like to stay up until it's really late at night. On at least a couple of occasions I have stayed up all night.

I would imagine it would be related to that. Exhaustion can do some strange things. But, I am not a doctor so do not take my complete word for it.

[The Orson Empire]

No. I hear the sound of a baby crying. I also like to stay up until it's really late at night. On at least a couple of occasions I have stayed up all night.

Are you an alcoholic? I' ve seen the movie Trans Trainspotting and someone in the movie has deliriums tremens and they see a baby on the ceiling crawling.
I too some times like to burn the mo midnight oil. I hang out at the local McDonalds however when I do that. Watching the tv monitor and drinking endlessly, or, to a point.

Dude...what are you talking about?

[Amuaplye]

No. I hear the sound of a baby crying. I also like to stay up until it's really late at night. On at least a couple of occasions I have stayed up all night.

Are you an alcoholic? I' ve seen the movie Trans Trainspotting and someone in the movie has deliriums tremens and they see a baby on the ceiling crawling.
I too some times like to burn the mo midnight oil. I hang out at the local McDonalds however when I do that. Watching the tv monitor and drinking endlessly, or, to a point.

I don't think alcohol or alcopops.

[Westeastern Dicantia]

I feel sort of obligated to post here. Thank you for posting this thread, we need some meaningful discussion on mental illness. For some reason, people in their everyday conversation avoid this subject like the plague. I think we need to at least try to ease the stigma surrounding it as a topic. Are there good papers about the recent rise in teenage mental illness? Is it even a real trend?

[Justin States]

I do have moderate depression. I have PTSD, from when the 9/11 attacks happened when I was 11 years old while I was visiting NYC with my family. I was on the other street but was able to see it happened. Then also during 2011 Thanksgiving dinner our house was broken into during dinner, my uncle and aunt were shot by the thief, (I was sitting close to them) and was almost shot in the head myself. So yeah.

The same uncle I was talking about earlier also raped me multiple times from age 6 to 10.

I was always being bullied in school for being Bi. They beat me up all the of the time. One day I was sick of them and brought a gun to school and tried to kill them. But I shot one of the bullies in the arm. I was put in juvenile.

I constantly feel like a failure, sometimes suicidal.
Im also an alcoholic.

It was very very nice for you to make this thread.

[Iidoomaan]

does anyone browse 8chan's /mental/ board?

[Threlizdun]

I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety, OCD, and panic disorder. I also have rather extensive body dysphoria and a history of depression.

[Knockturn Alley]

Social anxiety I can relate to but I can usually control it quite well and act normal so don't think I really have that as an illness.
I've always been fascinated by OCD because it can manifest itself in so many different ways!
It can be utterly innocuous as in always brushing for exactly 5 minutes or be completely out of control like Sheldon Cooper and Artemis Fowl; and every affected person's OCD has a bit of their own personality in that.
Psychology is fascinating

[Threlizdun]

Social anxiety I can relate to but I can usually control it quite well and act normal so don't think I really have that as an illness.
I've always been fascinated by OCD because it can manifest itself in so many different ways!
It can be utterly innocuous as in always brushing for exactly 5 minutes or be completely out of control like Sheldon Cooper and Artemis Fowl; and every affected person's OCD has a bit of their own personality in that.
Psychology is fascinating

I don't know much about Artemis Fowl, but Sheldon Cooper is definitely not an example of "out of control" OCD. I may not have seen that many episodes, but I feel like I would have heard something from friends who watch it all the time had he lost his job because he lost track of hours of time she to getting caught in an excessive loop, or him suddenly freezing up because he had an intrusive thought about everyone in the room dying horribly. OCD is far more extreme than most people realize.

[The Germanian states]

I have a Mild OCD usually it flares IP before I leave the house. I just cannot leave a single door, cupboard or window open.

It bugs me more when the tables are dusty and I end up cleaning the whole house only to realize I am late.

[Herrebrugh]

I've had a phobia for high objects for quite a while... It's pretty bad. I can even get afraid of the sky itself, the moon and stars. Once the anxiety starts kicking in, I get the feeling of floating upwards... I get sweaty palms and my feet start to cramp a bit. Because of it, I'm virtually incapable of crossing the two bridges that go across the main river here (high poles, or whatever the fuck the things holding the bridge up are called). I also can't go on top of high buildings. When I'm inside (with a ceiling), there aren't any problems, though.

[Kemintiri of Kemet]

Thank you so much for making this thread, Transyl. It is beacon of hope to all those who suffer from such debilitating condition.

I suffer from mild HFA (lifelong --- ongoing therapy), ADHD (medicated), PTSD (possibly lifelong --- due to bullying and abuse), social anxiety (medicated), moderate-severe depression (possibly lifelong --- from bullying and abuse) and psychosis (which surfaced in 2013 and violently, but which has since receded --- from bullying and abuse).

[Hirota]

Social anxiety I can relate to but I can usually control it quite well and act normal so don't think I really have that as an illness.
I've always been fascinated by OCD because it can manifest itself in so many different ways!
It can be utterly innocuous as in always brushing for exactly 5 minutes or be completely out of control like Sheldon Cooper and Artemis Fowl; and every affected person's OCD has a bit of their own personality in that.
Psychology is fascinating

I don't know much about Artemis Fowl, but Sheldon Cooper is definitely not an example of "out of control" OCD. I may not have seen that many episodes, but I feel like I would have heard something from friends who watch it all the time had he lost his job because he lost track of hours of time she to getting caught in an excessive loop, or him suddenly freezing up because he had an intrusive thought about everyone in the room dying horribly. OCD is far more extreme than most people realize.

I believe a better example of someone living with OCD than Sheldon Cooper is Micheal J Fox's portrayal Kevin Casey in Scrubs. It was really positive to have a character like that.

Anyhoo, I was diagnosed with depression when I was in my early twenties. I was quite fortunate that it was only for three or four months and I was able to get through it with counselling.

[Dominated Earth]

It can. If it hinders your every day life then yes. There doesn't even have to be any outside cause for depression even, it just happens.

So you're saying that being physically restricted or just restricted from acting and being a "normal" human being? If it hinders you someway, that could also be the pathway to most of these mental illnesses?

Another thing which I hate about society is the stigma that is attached to mental illnesses, how sometimes I hear dimwits throw around the terms on the bus as If they were just common insults. I wanted to throw them off the roof of that double-decker bus so badly...

Indeed. Especially with the nastier mental disorders like schizophrenia or seizures (assuming seizures are a mental and not a physical disorder). I can't even imagine having to deal with those diseases.

Oh I've seen those quite a few times. There's a man that lives nearby who has torrettes and he often gets flak from people because of his disorder. A lot of people make jokes about it to. It's sad really.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Very nice thread OP, i like it.

I dont, and never really had any severe mental health issues in my life, ive had some moments were i have been quite depressed at times, usually due to a combination of stress relating to work alongside some personal issues but that is about it. Worst i had was a few years ago during my A Levels in Secondary School, i was struggling really hard with one of them and was on the brink of failing it, and it just got to me. I broke down in the house one and just lost it, thinking that it would fuck up my entire future if i failed it (I only needed two A levels to get into the course i had, and a few weeks later i was pretty much guaranteed it with the other two. But i still didnt like the idea of failing one, no one really does. But for me it kind of just got to me that time and i just felt like giving up)

I did manage to recover (big thanks to my teacher on that A level who got the deadline extended for me and some others struggling, which was absolutely fantastic), got my head down and was able to complete that A level, so i got all three of them which was nice, and my life has been so much better since then, ive never felt that kind of stress ever again, even with my University work, and i feel like my life is finally going the way i want it to. Its no where near as bad as what a lot of people go through i know but it still affected me badly back then, glad its behind me.

[Xanama]

sometimes I think I have PTSD.... And a split personalty, which I do, my so called brain is a mess, if I even have a brain, I'm an idiot, that's another problem, I'm pessimistic, that isn't a mental illness, but it doesn't help with my depression, and my depression is majour