Nationstates' Mental illness thread.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

[Highfort]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

1. You didn't have to actually say that. It was the smug satisfaction of saying it that made you say it. So don't pretend like this is some public service or great truth that you've just unveiled.
2. Some people actually enjoy a sense of community and understanding that they're not alone in their struggles with mental illness and social ostracizing. I'm not sure why you feel the need to piss all over that.
3. Whether or not expressing sympathy makes the sympathizer feel better is irrelevant. If the person who feels bad is uplifted by the sympathy then how bad could it possibly be?
4. Many of us are currently receiving treatment, have done so in the past, or are looking to receive it in the future. Getting psychological, psychiatric, and medical help is not mutually exclusive with sharing one's experiences and having a sense of community.

[Herrebrugh]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

If you dislike the concept of this thread, why the hell are you here?

[Napkiraly]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

This thread is designed to discuss different mental health issues, and help one another cope with it. Not to slander those who are mentally ill, any slander towards those who suffer from illnesses will not be tolerated.

From the OP which I gather you didn't read. Which might be a good idea if you don't want to come across as an ignorant person attempting to look smug but failing so hard they make the Titanic's maiden voyage look like a success.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

1. You didn't have to actually say that. It was the smug satisfaction of saying it that made you say it. So don't pretend like this is some public service or great truth that you've just unveiled.
2. Some people actually enjoy a sense of community and understanding that they're not alone in their struggles with mental illness and social ostracizing. I'm not sure why you feel the need to piss all over that.
3. Whether or not expressing sympathy makes the sympathizer feel better is irrelevant. If the person who feels bad is uplifted by the sympathy then how bad could it possibly be?
4. Many of us are currently receiving treatment, have done so in the past, or are looking to receive it in the future. Getting psychological, psychiatric, and medical help is not mutually exclusive with sharing one's experiences and having a sense of community.

Well, it just seems to me that a certain fraction of people here take some sort of sickly pleasure in flaunting their illnesses. If it's just community support people are looking for, aren't there special forums and private channels for that? Doing it on a public forum for everyone to see does seem a bit like attention-seeking, so I think I haven't gone to excess by calling the motives of many on this thread into question.

[Herrebrugh]

1. You didn't have to actually say that. It was the smug satisfaction of saying it that made you say it. So don't pretend like this is some public service or great truth that you've just unveiled.
2. Some people actually enjoy a sense of community and understanding that they're not alone in their struggles with mental illness and social ostracizing. I'm not sure why you feel the need to piss all over that.
3. Whether or not expressing sympathy makes the sympathizer feel better is irrelevant. If the person who feels bad is uplifted by the sympathy then how bad could it possibly be?
4. Many of us are currently receiving treatment, have done so in the past, or are looking to receive it in the future. Getting psychological, psychiatric, and medical help is not mutually exclusive with sharing one's experiences and having a sense of community.

Well, it just seems to me that a certain fraction of people here take some sort of sickly pleasure in flaunting their illnesses. If it's just community support people are looking for, aren't there special forums and private channels for that? Doing it on a public forum for everyone to see does seem a bit like attention-seeking, so I think I haven't gone to excess by calling the motives of many on this thread into question.

I don't know. I think posting in a thread you don't like so everyone knows you don't like it sounds more like attention seeking than this thread itself.

[Luziyca]

I have generalized anxiety, and I get it from my mom's side. Personally, it is difficult to describe it, but when I feel I have done something wrong, I could often beat myself up for days (metaphorically). If I am really stressed, I could feel like a burden onto society, and I also have low energy if I am really stressed.

Thus, I take fluoxetine to keep myself from collapsing mentally. It works much of the time, and I've been back on that since September. Prior to that, I was off my meds since I was fine, but I got back on them following the death of my grandmother on my dad's side.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Well, it just seems to me that a certain fraction of people here take some sort of sickly pleasure in flaunting their illnesses. If it's just community support people are looking for, aren't there special forums and private channels for that? Doing it on a public forum for everyone to see does seem a bit like attention-seeking, so I think I haven't gone to excess by calling the motives of many on this thread into question.

I don't know. I think posting in a thread you don't like so everyone knows you don't like it sounds more like attention seeking than this thread itself.

Well, personally I wouldn't want the whole world to know of my mental issues if I had any, even under an assumed Internet alias, so I'm having difficulty understanding why anybody else would want to discuss such things publicly. Which is what leads me to question the honesty of this thread.

[Claanyad]

I don't know. I think posting in a thread you don't like so everyone knows you don't like it sounds more like attention seeking than this thread itself.

Well, personally I wouldn't want the whole world to know of my mental issues if I had any, even under an assumed Internet alias, so I'm having difficulty understanding why anybody else would want to discuss such things publicly. Which is what leads me to question the honesty of this thread.

Because not everyone is you. Some people like the idea of knowing that there are people who have gone through the same as them.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Well, personally I wouldn't want the whole world to know of my mental issues if I had any, even under an assumed Internet alias, so I'm having difficulty understanding why anybody else would want to discuss such things publicly. Which is what leads me to question the honesty of this thread.

Because not everyone is you. Some people like the idea of knowing that there are people who have gone through the same as them.

I see. I just find it difficult to grasp how anyone could even want to discuss such a deeply-personal experience.

My experiences with mental issues come mainly from interacting with soldiers who have served in the hot spots. They've never told and I've never asked, because those who have been there need no explanation, and those who haven't wouldn't understand even with one. For them, it was just too personal an experience to share, if only because sharing it with someone who hasn't been there would be pointless, and with someone who has - unnecessary.

Perhaps I've erroneously supposed other forms of mental disorders are the same that way.

[Claanyad]

Because not everyone is you. Some people like the idea of knowing that there are people who have gone through the same as them.

I see. I just find it difficult to grasp how anyone could even want to discuss such a deeply-personal experience.

My experiences with mental issues come mainly from interacting with soldiers who have served in the hot spots. They've never told and I've never asked, because those who have been there need no explanation, and those who haven't wouldn't understand even with one. For them, it was just too personal an experience to share, if only because sharing it with someone who hasn't been there would be pointless, and with someone who has - unnecessary.

Perhaps I've erroneously supposed other forms of mental disorders are the same that way.

I get you. My grandfather would always sit very quietly in a room, with a concerned but empty look in his eye. It's hard knowing people who have lived through things that you can't comprehend, as all pretences of empathy drain away.

[Replevion]

Because not everyone is you. Some people like the idea of knowing that there are people who have gone through the same as them.

I see. I just find it difficult to grasp how anyone could even want to discuss such a deeply-personal experience.

My experiences with mental issues come mainly from interacting with soldiers who have served in the hot spots. They've never told and I've never asked, because those who have been there need no explanation, and those who haven't wouldn't understand even with one. For them, it was just too personal an experience to share, if only because sharing it with someone who hasn't been there would be pointless, and with someone who has - unnecessary.

Perhaps I've erroneously supposed other forms of mental disorders are the same that way.

There are these things, which are immensely common and understood to reinforce and further individual therapy, called "support groups" wherein people with similar problems talk about their experiences and share coping skills.

You're welcome.

Signed, somebody who's had half a dozen therapists and attends multiple support groups in both a personal capacity and as a volunteer representative for advocacy groups.

[United facist States of America]

I have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and have had it since childhood. I have very poor balance and often shift hands when holding something for a long time. I have problems establishing the correct pencil grip. My handwriting is extremely bad and when I have had the option I have always chosen to write on a computer. I also write much faster with a computer. What takes me 1 hour to write with a pencil takes me about 10 minutes on a computer. It took me until I was 6 to be able to distinguish left from right, and first with 10 did I know the alphabet completely. I always have been extremely bad at sports and I draw very badly.

[Justin States]

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.

That must be frustrating from what you said.

[Western Vale Confederacy]

My mother clearly has post-traumatic stress disorder due her deathly phobia of fireworks, which she told me sounded too much like the explosives that rained down on her house in the Angolan Civil War. She also most likely went through depression.

[Herskerstad]

Had a great deal of neurotic issues going as far as myloclonic jerks, significant depression 'which did not stem from any significant events' and once 6 months of complete mental lockdown. The kind where one is too disturbed to eat, drink or breathe properly, too disturbed to sleep and too tired to stay awake. Was pretty harsh.

Such where I as there is no longer a depressed bone in my body nor any mental symptoms. Generally happy 'If not somewhat strict in tone and demeanor', even a good deal of self irony. Stayed away from the pills and fought a hard fight, and gained much character and mental endurance as a result. Now aiding others with charity and generally being able to let others too share in a great hope which is a treasure beyond worth in my eyes. Thanks to God he pulled me through as a new person, the old being gone and dead.

[The Neo-Hellenic Republic]

Gender Identity Disorder. A lot of people have it here.

[Justin States]

sometimes I think I have PTSD....

Hopefully you don't have PTSD, since I have PTSD, I know its terrifying and awful. I can't be around fireworks exploding or guns firing without having a terrifying flashback of a terrible event.

[Transyl]

Alright. I updated the OP to include a few more illnesses. As in Autism, Asperger's syndrome, Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's/dementia.

[Benuty]

Hate to break it for everyone here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? Bragging who is more mentally-ill and hence deserving of sympathy? Sharing what it's like to be mentally ill so that everybody can agree how bad and terrible that is and pat each other on the back for being ill? A place for the healthy to pat the self-professed ill on the back and express real or feigned sympathy because it is expected of them, or because it would make them feel better about themselves?

Don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if the lot of you folks posting here really have some form of psychiatric issues, then it's doctors not social media you should be looking towards for assistance.

There, just had to say that... (ducks, covers and awaits the impending shitstorm and/or ban for trolling).

Empathy is worth far more than giving sympathy out of custom, besides this is not the thread for "bragging about who is more mentally ill".

[Diopolis]

I have depression, as well as other things. The suffering is a long-term thing, but you can find ways to cope with it to make it a little less awful. You can try to be optimistic about it, and try to find some happiness.

Telling someone who is clinically-depressed to just "try to be optimistic" or "find happiness" can actually sabotage them and be counter-productive, no matter how well-meaning. Clinical depression isn't just like being blue or down in the dumps, it's been documented as an actual hormonal and chemical imbalance in the brain. Many of these individuals are incapable of being happy, no matter what they try to do or how they try to view the world. Their mind is telling them that happiness is an impossibility and attempting to beat your own mind is pretty difficult.

It's more productive to get them psychological care, psychiatric treatment, and attempt to understand where their depression is rooted in rather than trying to change their minds. Mind does not trump matter in this case.

When I was in the worst of it, I would get mad when people said "be optimistic" or "look on the bright side" or "be happy". Yeah, that was as meaningless as saying "synergize your paradigms".

[Xanama]

sometimes I think I have PTSD....

Hopefully you don't have PTSD, since I have PTSD, I know its terrifying and awful. I can't be around fireworks exploding or guns firing without having a terrifying flashback of a terrible event.

I think I do though, I don't like loud noises or yelling, reminds me of my past, (see page 3 or 4 I think, I I explained it to Transyl )

[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.

That must be frustrating from what you said.

Eh. It's mostly annoying (not being able to go to the other side of town by bridge without taking the tram; though luckily I hate the other side of town ). But it's manageable, and exposure seems to help.

Nevertheless, I'm a bit embarrassed by it. I don't particularly look forward to having to explain my phobia; and the fact that it isn't exactly a common one makes me worried a bit people will think I'm pretending.

[Xanama]

Rechecking the op, yay, I'm scisophenic...

[Benuty]

Rechecking the op, yay, I'm scisophenic...

I doubt that, since while schizophrenia does mean split mind that isn't actually the case. Of-course contrary to American mythology there is more than one type of Schizophrenia (most are familiar with a stereotyped view of Paranoid), and most aren't actually violent. The bigotry is excellent when they claim "schizos are violent criminals" when schizophrenics are more likely to be murdered because of this false perception, and the fact many are homeless.