mental health issues

[Lainie]

just wanted to see if we can start an open and honest thread re mental health issues. i know a lot of people prob hide away and dont tell anyone or ask for help. unf there is a stigma attached to it and many people (ie managers at work) have a very low tolerance level of it.

yet another person has ended his life and im sure there are people you know directly or indirectly who has done the same thing.

my cousin did 14 yrs ago and theres hardly a day passes without me thinking of him and wondering why we never saw the signs or why he never asked for help.

mental health issues can affect anyone at anytime so please be understanding and not judge.

[nara]

my cousin did 14 yrs ago and theres hardly a day passes without me thinking of him and wondering why we never saw the signs or why he never asked for help.


Sadly, that's a pretty common scenario Lainie. It's usually the people who bottle things up and don't share their problems who go down that road.

[Evastar]

there's been two suicides that i know of in my local area in the last two weeks, one drove off a pier, one jumped in front of a train. i'm sure there's more i haven't heard of :(

tbh suicide is something most people probably contemplate at some stage in their lives. :(

[rds60h]

Mental health issues can manifest itself in many different ways, stress and depression is possibly the most common but can be one of the hardest to accept until it really gets a grip. It is amazing how quickly it can take hold even when you think you are the last person that could suffer from it and even accepting you are suffering from it can be a problem until it hits that hard that you just feel everything is falling apart. I just hope that if it happens to anyone reading this that you have good family and friends around you to help support you and get you through it without the problem spiralling out of control.

[mark36]

I've known two people who have taken their own lives and i can quite honestly say i never saw anything untoward with either,in fact on the contrary they appeared full of life without a care in the world which makes it all the more shocking when it happens.Unfortunatley i believe they go into a very dark place(where most of us hopefully will never enter) when alone but are able to mask their thoughts when around people.Must be a horrible place to be.

[cgscott]

Aye i had a friend hang himself. He appeared fine. Had a girlfriend and kid etc.

He tried to slit his wrists first but didnt work so hung himself. Girlfriend found him in house.

As is mentioned the people who mask the feelings are more likely the ones to commit. Not like self harmers who only cry for help. Very hard to tell who is depressed and who isnt.

[mr.mojorisin]

been suicidal meself due to depression.
it is good to talk although most sufferers find it extremely difficult to do so

[Lainie]

thanks to all that replied.

yes people who suffer can appear very happy on the outside but they are falling apart inside. ive suffered them all - stress, depression and anxiety and its the anxiety that takes over my life. eva and berley would confirm this as when a night out was arranged when eva was visiting me i didnt go. i was afraid others (esp males) from the forum (other forums) would judge me and i just couldnt face going. my other half did go and phoned me a couple of times to come but i just couldnt face it esp when i could hear the pub was so busy.

although we did go out other places when eva was here ie with dreamer on the friday night and we had a great time.

most people will say "oh its ok you will be with me etc etc" but tbh that doesnt really matter. normally im ok with my friends but im terrible with people that dont know me.

[Evastar]

yes we did have a great night lainie, and it was a pity you didn't feel up to going, but i'm sure people understood :)

depression and anxiety seems to be a lot more openly spoken about now that it has been in the past.

30 or 40 years ago it was go to the doctor and get a prescription for valium, some people are still on it 40 years later, it's a very addictive drug. the newer anti depressants appear to be less addictive.

[bobwill]

biggest problem for people with a mental problem is the same one that affected people a few years ago with a bad backs, now there is more tests to see if people have a bad back, they are now claiming stess, depression etc. So a lot of people think oyes when some one say they are depressed.Are local police nearly all leave in there last year of service with stess related complaits so they get on different pension benifits etc.

[paul hick]

i suffer with depression myself,have done now for the best part of 5 years.it is really strange when it comes on and can last for a day,or a week,or months even.it led to me walking out on my wife,job and my house.
it led to me having a complete breakdown and after 3 days of just driving up and down the country i found myself standing on a cliff overlooking the sea with every intention of going over.and then it hit me like a moment of pure clarity that i needed help.

[fireblade1]

i suffer with depression myself,have done now for the best part of 5 years.it is really strange when it comes on and can last for a day,or a week,or months even.it led to me walking out on my wife,job and my house.
it led to me having a complete breakdown and after 3 days of just driving up and down the country i found myself standing on a cliff overlooking the sea with every intention of going over.and then it hit me like a moment of pure clarity that i needed help.


i bet you life flashed in front of your eyes mate. hope you get the help you need my friend.

fireblade.

[Snowy79]

I've lost four mates to depression in the military. Two of them were the ultimate soldiers. They trained hard, worked hard and were always there for the younger lads. They were the life and soul of every party with their lives ahead of them then took their own lives completely out of the blue. I was also out hill walking with a group a few months ago and a new guy turned up. We got talking about what he did for a living and his family etc. 'Life was good' he said. A lovely wife and two young daughters. He got home that night to find she'd slit her wrists and was dead. Mental health issues are devastating and has been said before the worst part is those that suffer mainly suffer in silence until it's too late. My heart goes out to anyone suffering from it.

[patkins]

Around 1994 and due to a combination of a family crisis, neighbours from hell and the ba*tard of all managers all at the same time, I went into a fit of depression which lasted for about a year.
The worst part, which only lasted about 1 second was that I had a flash in my head of myself hanging in some nearby trees which scared the hell out of me.
With the help of medication, which a few years later I found out could cause death, Information on Zyprexa Side Effects! (http://www.zyprexasideeffectslawyer.com/html/info.html) time off work and a house shift I recovered somewhat but the family crisis still lingers.
I was out of it on zyprexa , almost to the point of being invincible and don't want to ever go back to that state again.

[Canker_Canison]

I've done the trip with depression, as a few of you may already know.

I had no idea what was going on at the time, I just lost my grip & control of my emotions. It was a supervisor at work that suggested I got help. This came as a shock to me as that supervisor hated me from day one of starting there.

The girlfriend at the time didn't help...she just made things worse. But at least I knew where things were going wrong & set about putting it right. After 6 months of drugs & time on the sick I came off the drugs & started looking for work again. Although my doctor advised against it, I went back to work a new man.

The problem being that once that door has been opened, it will never close & lock again. I still feel the depression in the back of my mind... it never really leaves, it's just easier to see sneaking up on you.

[ChelseaBun]

if someone you know has or has had depression then ask them how they're feeling, talk to them daily if you can, ask them what they're up to, what things are going on in their life etc. This time of year more than anything is when people are feeling the lonliest/ being reminded of whose not in their life to see in the new year with/ having money problems and are struggling to make ends meet/ spending christmas by themself.

A text/phonecall/message on fb might not seem like much but to someone who thinks they have no one to talk to, it means the world. I know, i've been there, it's not a nice place to be.

[bobwill]

Another thing to watch out for is the people who cover the mental problem with drink or drugs then you think they are alright. One sign is if they have to have a drink before they go anywhere or make an stessfull phone call then they become addicted to alcohol or drugs which, from personal experience not me but someone in family is a hard to treat because when high no problems when low all problems have come back

[racin-snake]

i have noticed two posts here which describe people with bi polar disorders

some bi polar (manic ) depressives are long or short cyclic

some can be high for weeks and down for days some on the extreme can be as fast as a few hours

some bi polar disorder sufferers slip through the net and never really show out and out symptoms to others as they are easy to mask
some cannot hold down jobs and as said mask or attempt to even out the symptoms with alcohol or drugs

its a fine line between a mental problem and what's naturally occurring also nutrition and health have a huge bearing on the sufferer

that is only one type of mental problem there are many hundreds more as in eating disorders and compulsive disorders which most will have in one form or other

medicine is in my opinion not an answer for the problem education and also cognitive therapies and understanding by others would go far further

just my take on the issue . :goodnight:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Bipolar-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx
some interesting stories on this page

[tshirtman]

I'm sorry but you cannot diagnose bipolar from reading a couple of paragraphs, nobody has said they have actively planned a suicide, nobody has said they are dangerously hyper when well,
I have worked in mental health for the past 12 years in all disciplines, and I couldn't diagnose bipolar that easy, there is a massive difference between mild depression and bipolar, you shouldn't go putting labels on people, bipolar is a dangerous illness, if anyone is feeling depressed, go and see your GP, don't be embarrassed, GP's deal with mental health problems more than any other illness, the NHS spend more money on mental illness than any other illness, don't self medicate, if you have good friends and family talk to them, and if you are a carer for someone with mental illness, signs there illness is deteriorating are, they will isolate themselves, they will seem dissociated with every one, they will say strange, out of caracture things, they won't eat or sleep much, there hygiene will slip, low esteem, not willing to participate in any activity, and if they ever talk about killing themselves, take it seriously, and contact there GP or community mental health team.
most people don't realise how scary it is, having mental health problems, and the stigma surrounding it can makes things worse.
one last thing, some mental illnesses can be caused by certain food and drink, (organic) something to consider.

[johnboy1974]

Lainie im glad you have started a thread about this as i believe that practically everyone will suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime, most commonly depression. I know i have suffered in the past from depression and never even knew about it until i seen a doctor. He wanted to put me on prozac and that was enough to snap me out of it and pull myself together. Unfortunately some folk cannot do that and the consequenses are often tragic.

[Canker_Canison]

if someone you know has or has had depression then ask them how they're feeling, talk to them daily if you can, ask them what they're up to, what things are going on in their life etc. This time of year more than anything is when people are feeling the lonliest/ being reminded of whose not in their life to see in the new year with/ having money problems and are struggling to make ends meet/ spending christmas by themself.

A text/phonecall/message on fb might not seem like much but to someone who thinks they have no one to talk to, it means the world. I know, i've been there, it's not a nice place to be.


Sometimes questioning someone like that may push them further under. It's probably better just to let them know you're there if needed.
I didn't exactly open up to anyone when I was really down. It was part not wanting to bother people with my problems & also not sure who I could trust. Even my closest friends had no idea what was going on.
But strangely, I could take to a couple of strangers who tried to help when I was really messed up one night.

The 'friend' known as 'Gary', because that's his name. Is suffering from depression. He won't even admit it to himself, but we've all seen the signs.

You can't really help someone unless they reach out for it. All we can do is offer support.

[ChelseaBun]

i'm just speaking from personal experience canker, i pushed everyone away and i ignored a lot of people and im surprised they are all still in my life with how selfish the depression made me, but knowing they were there asking stupid things like if i'd heard a new song that was out, its just the silly things that remind you of normality.

[Snowy79]

I think that's another one of the horrible things about mental health issues. A lot of people that don't suffer it or have seen it at close hand don't understand it. They eventualy get pissed off thinking people are always in a mood and eventually cut them off which pushes them further under. A lot of my civilian mates think I can be pretty cruel with my sense of humour as in my own little world very little is out of bounds. This came about through some of the things I've seen and done in the forces. For some it's a coping strategy but it can also be very helpfull if some of the lads are feeling depressed. There's nothing better for knocking you out of it when the lads are always there for you, even if the only attention is getting the piss ripped out of you.

[stanburyfam]

For the first time ever I am going to publicly anounce that I suffer from bipolar..I have been sectioned more times then i can remember and life can be hell. I have tried suicide seriously about five times(obviously was not as suicidal as I thought or am just really crap at it)

Today bipolar is the "in thing" among disorders, just about every celebrity trying to get out of crap for some kind of missdeed claims "BIPOLAR" made me do it. Dont get me wrong there are a lot of guinely ill celebs but then there are those who make a mockery of the lives of people like me.

I suffer from what is called rapid cycling bipolar so you can imagine the scariest rollercoaster ride you have ever ridden. You get on for the ride you get scared witless and the ride comes to an end BUT just as you are about to get off the bloody thing takes off again.

Bipolar ruins familys it, ruins friendships it ruins any posssibility of you living a normal life. I am lucky I have a loving wife and fantastic children and care workers who get me to hospital as soon as things get out of hand. Even with everything in my life carefully controlled one minute I can be fine and "NORMAL" minutes later a raving lunatic..I have been bounced from other sites when I have been shall we say hyper but mostly I am learning to stay away from the WWW when i am not in control of myself

sorry for the sermon


JAY :embarassed:

[maca]

Very honest of you m8 wish you all the luck in the world and can guarantee you wont get bounced of dk :)

[stanburyfam]

Looking through the thread I noticed a lot how drink and drug abuse is closely related to many mental health ilnessess ,my doctors called this self medicating in fact it was only when for some unknown reason I stopped drinking clompletely five years ago that we found out about the fact I had bipolar.

For years the financial problems the fights the frequent job changes the agressive behaviour etc were all just symptoms of an alchoholic where in fact the alchohol problems were symptoms of what turned out to be in my case bipolar.

I often wonder what my life would have been like had I been diagnosed many many years ago..

[racin-snake]

thanking you Jay much appreciated

i too have a bi polar disorder and its hardly any type of "in thing"

i as diagnosed 22 years ago and have not suffered (i really dont like that term personally)
i live with it !

i do not have any desire to commit suicide never have to be honest this as described earlier is not a required part of the diagnosis
but mood swings from extreme highs like amphetamine's rush for days loss of desire to eat and sleep i have encountered a lot but not always depends on mania intensity (some are really quite dangerous to themselves but as a rule its not as common as described above)

then following this
the exact opposite ie avoiding people lethargy and severe depression sleeping a lot withdrawal from the world

this is the bit of the cycle i dont like to be honest

and before its stated not everyone who is depressed attempts or contemplate suicide

dangerous hyperactivity lol yea not in my case though

its also a condition that is neither the same from person to person

as in where Jay explain he's a fast cyclic
i am far slower cyclic (thank ~~~~)

i have been prescribed tricyclics/ maoi's /sri's /ssri's and 4 years on lithium before trying other methods last straw was refusing E.C.T (eletro convulsive therapy)

so i think i might know the signs and habits of a manic depressive ?

i can be either high or low for days with no breaks sometimes i can be high for six days then down for ten days
i now can feel and know the signs of either a high or low as can family and some friends too
they can tell when im ready to go in either direction

i d like also to say i do feel for some people who have this just imposed on them as its quite as described frighting
and can take some time to get adjusted
some have just lived with it for years unbeknown to them they have a mental illness

some bi polar people go on spending spree's while manic or in the extreme cases do much worse i admit

but its sort of tailored to the person no two will be the same ever !

but all in all its the different types of issues with different types of illness ie schizophrenia and chronic depression

anyhoo that's my experience and it is still ongoing although un-medicated now for over 8 years since my daughter was born
many different types of metal disorders are much worse

and to who are afflicted i can honestly say "just don't let it win"

it can be controlled by trying all methods at your disposal don't ever give up its not just you you live for others too though it might not be apparent to you those who care and will be effected by your actions
if somic dont work try another
in any case your worse case scenario you'l be old before somic works lol

just keep trying :top:

[Canker_Canison]

i'm just speaking from personal experience canker, i pushed everyone away and i ignored a lot of people and im surprised they are all still in my life with how selfish the depression made me, but knowing they were there asking stupid things like if i'd heard a new song that was out, its just the silly things that remind you of normality.


I wouldn't know 'normality' if it bit me on the ass lol

As Racin-snake has stated, not everyone's the same. I locked myself in my own little world while I tried to wrap my head around what was happening & how to escape it.
I never pushed people away, I just never invited them in. Suicide was never in my mind either, it was more likely for me to go on a bloody rampage removing the scum from society... luckily it never got that bad.

Yet other people, including the girlfriend at the time, had tried to kill themselves.... one of them successfuly. He hung himself over the stairs in his flat.

When all is said and done... There are those that make it, and those that don't. I just hope those among us that are still battling the many forms of mental disorders come away winners.


Strange thought... My old dog used to know when I was down. She'd always be there to comfort me, I miss her.
My current dog isn't as affectionate, but I carry more feelings for him than any other pet I've had. Probably more than I care for any human being as well.
Guess it boils down to the unconditional love.

[jcgrumbles]

I grew up visiting my mother in various mental hospitals across the north east,she was prescribed nardil after her mother died and then went onto the valium and other pills as well,there followed the panic attacks,the depression,the electric shock treatment which was brutal,and to cut a long story short the family couldnt take it and just fell apart.To watch someone you love going through all kinds of `treatments`hurts,back then people would say `shes bad with her nerves`and just give out more tablets.I really think most people havent got much of an idea of depression unless they or a member of their family has gone through it,and thats understandable,ive never seen or spoken to my mother in about 15 years and the same goes for a younger brother.Might i just add my best regards and respect go out to all of you who have been honest and open on the subject,now its time for a single malt,im bringing myself down here....

[Canker_Canison]

I don't think those involved with people who have a mental condition really understand what it's like.

No disrespect JC. And I don't want to bring you further down.

It's like watching a video demonstration on hanging wallpaper. You can watch it & understand the principles...but until you try to decorate a room you have no idea on the reality of the task.


The person who helped me the most was my mam's neighbour (and not just because she had a fit daughter). She was the one who told me it never really leaves you, it's always there in the background.
She was right. But she knew this because she had been there before. Sure, a member of a mentsl health team could of said the same thing. But it's the feelings that go with the statement.


I'm leaving this now. Gonna snuggle up with the dog.

[jcgrumbles]

I don't think those involved with people who have a mental condition really understand what it's like.

No disrespect JC. And I don't want to bring you further down.

It's like watching a video demonstration on hanging wallpaper. You can watch it & understand the principles...but until you try to decorate a room you have no idea on the reality of the task.


The person who helped me the most was my mam's neighbour (and not just because she had a fit daughter). She was the one who told me it never really leaves you, it's always there in the background.
She was right. But she knew this because she had been there before. Sure, a member of a mentsl health team could of said the same thing. But it's the feelings that go with the statement.


I'm leaving this now. Gonna snuggle up with the dog.
No probs mate,im snuggling up to my second single now,my head will be full of cartoons in the morning...

[Nariana]

Lainie im glad you have started a thread about this as i believe that practically everyone will suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime, most commonly depression. I know i have suffered in the past from depression and never even knew about it until i seen a doctor. He wanted to put me on prozac and that was enough to snap me out of it and pull myself together. Unfortunately some folk cannot do that and the consequenses are often tragic. I totally agree and am surprised how many men answered this thread as men find it more difficult to talk about their feelings!.Have to say i had a bout of depression a few years back and did not know i had,just thought it was tiredness mainly as i had 4 small kids @the time,(Had the baby blues)also mistaken for depression!so i did my spell of 2 weeks in hospital and had 2 take the tabs i was given but did not suit me atall so i used pretend i was as every one else seem to be like walking zombies to me,but saying that i met the nicest people there,talking about it that time helped me more and having support from family and friends helps you get through it a lot quicker,thank god i never got addicted 2 prozac or the likes,it is a battle for anyone thats going through it and not a nice place to be but you can fight it with a little help from your friends,The upside of depression is,(there is an upside)and that is it makes you a stronger person and more aware of other peoples feelings :)Anyone that dont understand is because they are just ignorant and never will know untill they or someone close to them need their help and support and sometimes it is too late!

[Lainie]

tbh some of my friends have absolutely no idea how bad i am at times. one of them is my hairdresser and one night when i was getting my hair done i tried to tell her. i got round this by asking about someone else she knows and has had encounters with (you know) was doing. she started ranting saying oh he aught to pull himself together and get on with it. i tried stating it was an illness etc but she just kept ranting saying she has had plenty of times in her life to be depressed but she just gets on with it.

mind you in times gone buy she said she was a bit down - however still went out every friday and saturday and loved being the centre of attention. nothing wrong with that but someone who was depressed would never do that.

ive been on pills for over 20 yrs and dont think i will ever be without them. i see it as so what i need a few pills to help me cope (but many times i dont). me personally i have to work. theres nothing worse than being at home all day feeling useless. i know if i wasnt working id prob spend half my life in bed.

i attend a place called C.O.P.E. and they are lovely people.


CBT didnt work for me as all it does is try to make you think good thoughts in the future. it does NOT deal with why you think the way you do and again in my own personal opinion its very over rated. too many docs say oh go for this and you will get better.

i have found there is not much help in my area re mental health issues and i live next to a very deprived area. they dont seem to cater for those of us that do work as they dont open afte 5 or weekends. my work are completely intollerent of it and make me worse.

@ JAY pm me if you ever need to talk to anyone.

[Baldy Bob]

I'm on citalopram at the moment.

I didn't realise how bad I was until these (citalopram) got into my system, it's not a case of snap out of it, you can't, it's a chemical imbalance in the brain. I needed a mixture of medication and counselling.

Suffered from severe depression, anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks for years, why I didn't go to the docs then is beyond me, and how I never killed somebody or killed myself is a miracle, the bad thoughts I used to have would keep me awake for 72 hour spells and more, yeah, only advice I could give to people suffering from mental health issues is...... go to the docs, tell them EVERYTHING, don't hold back or feel embarrassed, tell them the lot.

[Nariana]

A Theory of Mental Health - YouTube

[Nariana]

Good for you bob,everyone is different and it is a chemical imbalance in the brain and some subcribed drugs do help when you find the right one that works,Snap out of it and pull youself 2gether does not help saying,its darker than that and should not be a stigma attached 2 it,,esp in this day and age..

[stanburyfam]

When it comes to mental illness I am afraid that it will always be a very difficult subject to broach for most people but especially the all knowing all powerfull "alpha male" and he is the one most in danger.

It took me many years to seek help and it was only when my wife decided to leave if i did not get help that i went to see a doc BUT i still played down the symptoms and I think the doc caught on because she asked my wife to be present in my next visit.

On the second visit I was not allowed to speak the doctor only asked if she could ask my wife personla questions about me. What I heard my wife say shocked me to the core and when she was finished I realized that I did truely have a major problem and then started the sectionings etc(I had already tried suicide a few times by this time)

Even after i was officialy diagnosed with bipolar i never said a wrod to anyone the only people outside of the nhs who knew i had BP was me and my wife


Today 5 years down the line I make no secrets about it to friends family and people I meet I tell them about my sections my interesting times spent in hospital some of the odd effect my meds have on me(manboobs anyone) the reason for this is simple there are people out there putting a rope around their neck or gun to their head because they would prefer to be dead then to be seen as "crazy"

I have never discussed this topic on the internet before because there are some real bastards out there and if i was caught at a bad time by a sicko then i think they could set me back in ways i dont want to go so i have to date kept quiet.

AT the moment I am hypo manic so the trolls can line up and I will show a good BP beatdown



sorry promise will shut up now



JAY


for those interested my meds include quetiapine 200mg,depakote 1.5 grams, fluoxetine 20mg, lorazipam 1mg when needed,zopiclone when needed

[ChelseaBun]

It's funny(possibly not right choice of word) but i find it easier to put a picture of myself on this forum than i do talking about when i had depression.

Maybe im not ready to do that yet. To me, to say it is to admit it, and to admit it is to accept it. Im not there yet.

Im one of those 'push it to the back of your mind and block it out' types of people. It seems to be working so far. My mind is being overly occupied with baby bun right now.

Well done to everyone who has shared there experience, im sure there will be lots reading this, and maybe a few will relate to what some of you say and realise there is help waiting for them once they are ready to ask for.

I don't have a good experience and i was let down by the doctors (mainly to do with doctors own personal opinion on teenagers with depression) so im not gonna say for possibly putting people off.

[gmb45]

just to add from personal experiences for quite a few years ( not going into details some on here know already ) any one suffering from mental health probs, in my experiences the biggest majority of doctors are not trained in dealing with mental health issues, you NEED to be seen by a psychiatrist.

[Evastar]

i was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder nearly twenty years ago, and suffered with bouts of depression and anxiety for years, mainly severe anxiety.

it's only since i started doing reiki and other holistic therapies that i feel that i have genuinely improved, to a stage where a lot of people tell me i'm now one of the calmest people they know! (most of the time anyway, i still have the occasional wobbly day)

[mattybhoy]

A bit late coming onto this thread, but I just want to thank Lainie for opening this thread and starting it off on a great note.

Like most posters on the thread I've suffered with mental illness and still are suffering. I have a Mrs who suffers more than me who often thinks about suicide, but thank God has not followed it through up to now.

Like most CBT didn't work for me or her, so up to now it's just the happy pills and counselling for us. I've noticed that different local authorities in the UK seem to take mental health more/less seriously. Has anyone got any good experiences of help that's been provided by their LA (Lainie's group sounds encouraging and helpful).

I'm sure those of you who are currently suffering find it helpful to talk on here about it, I certainly do.

Last word for the posters. Been some excellent ones guys, nice to know their are others out there with simular experiences.

[Lainie]

@ stanbury - you dont need to shut up. you and many others have had the honesty and courage to post in this thread - that takes guts and i thank everyone for being open and honest.

although i go to cope and i was there today i only saw her for 15 mins as she was running late from prev client and i dont go back for 2 weeks. im having a really really difficult time at work as well and really needed her today.

[mark36]

When it comes to mental illness I am afraid that it will always be a very difficult subject to broach for most people but especially the all knowing all powerfull "alpha male" and he is the one most in danger.

It took me many years to seek help and it was only when my wife decided to leave if i did not get help that i went to see a doc BUT i still played down the symptoms and I think the doc caught on because she asked my wife to be present in my next visit.

On the second visit I was not allowed to speak the doctor only asked if she could ask my wife personla questions about me. What I heard my wife say shocked me to the core and when she was finished I realized that I did truely have a major problem and then started the sectionings etc(I had already tried suicide a few times by this time)

Even after i was officialy diagnosed with bipolar i never said a wrod to anyone the only people outside of the nhs who knew i had BP was me and my wife


Today 5 years down the line I make no secrets about it to friends family and people I meet I tell them about my sections my interesting times spent in hospital some of the odd effect my meds have on me(manboobs anyone) the reason for this is simple there are people out there putting a rope around their neck or gun to their head because they would prefer to be dead then to be seen as "crazy"

I have never discussed this topic on the internet before because there are some real bastards out there and if i was caught at a bad time by a sicko then i think they could set me back in ways i dont want to go so i have to date kept quiet.

AT the moment I am hypo manic so the trolls can line up and I will show a good BP beatdown



sorry promise will shut up now



JAY


for those interested my meds include quetiapine 200mg,depakote 1.5 grams, fluoxetine 20mg, lorazipam 1mg when needed,zopiclone when needed


As Lainie says please don't shut up
Fortunatly I dont believe i suffer what some of you folks go through although as with everyone i have up and down days but i guess thats just normal
From reading this thread you seem a level headed sort of person who would know when to back off if you felt things getting out of hand and indeed i hope you and others are getting some comfort and positivity by being able to share feelings on this thread.

[witts end]

mental health problems are a *****

apparently i have plenty

but george bush is sane..

i will never be rid

but everything is so much better

why

cos i don't try and get better

or feel bad about being me

i dont accept the labels that are placed upon me

cos

i am me

i am kind and i smile

and that will do me me

cos

i am me


sending man hugs for everyone

[r3gill]

had a cousin commit suiside not too long ago, everyone I know with any form of depression were not unable to have proper sleep at night. So from what i understand depression is its when you are unable to sleep well 7-10 hours everynight. So I came up with this theory "f*ck everyone and go to sleep and we'll see what happens tommorow" It may not work for eveyone else but does for me very well. We just have to remember not everyday is the same. You will have some bad days in the office but you can't carry it over next day. IE be selfish for your nights sleep. It helps.

[cgscott]

All different bouts of depression though. Some people are mega active some wont get out of bed. I think people can put themselves into depression. Activity helps a lot. The more you sit in the house the more you become depressed.

6 months unemployed taught me that.

[Lainie]

a lot of people stay in bed as that is where they feel safe an no one can hurt them etc. on the odd occasion ive had what is known as a duvet day when i dont want to speak to anyone etc. a lot of sufferers of different mental health issues feel they dont want to trouble others with their problems.

[racin-snake]

i know that old chestnut Lainie the old hide from the world one lol

i have did the avoidance thing hundreds of times not just for a day but a week or so its an escape to your own place even though its a dark lonely shitty one its yours and its funnily comfortable
like if your sleeping you aint thinking churning crap over and over in your head

but i don't do this to protect anyone but in fact i do it cos i cant be arsed with explaining or in fact talking to anyone at all for a few days ...its logical for me at the time
simple as that really

one other thing is the interesting bit that CC brought up
animals do know what mood your in and they also know when and how to act accordingly to the mood
unlike people funnily enough a dog or a cat will instinctively know what mood you are in

but all in all sympathy's not a requirement though understanding the problem for what it is might be better for folks

i can see CC is trying to say that but in his own way lol

ime afraid i don't care what's thought of me for being manic or the other side depressed
its just how it is if i could be happy and the life and soul all the time i would but alas the old napper wont allow that so
take it as i am
if i were blind there would be no problems or deaf or disabled by any other means
and anyhoo this NORMAL is overrated ive met folk who claim to be normal lol
they were just in denial :afraid:

[stanburyfam]

HI guys sorry to bring up an old thread. I know I should let sleeping dogs lie BUT what I have read in the media lately has greatly worried me..We have lost several people in the last few weeks due to suicide whole families have been wiped out and many more devastated.

What I wanted to say is this no matter how bad things get there is always a light at the end of the tunnel but sometimes our minds go out of control and we do things we would not normaly do...In september I took a massive overdose(not the first time) the weird thing is from what I can remember previous to the incident nothing major had been going on one minute I was okay the next I wake up in hospital 5 days later. I did not suffer any emtional problems when I woke and felt no trauma exept for a very sore chest caused either by the shocks or the chest compressions not sure which(heart stopped three times)it might even have been caused by the way I was sleeping god knows anway I was interveiwed by the psych team and was feeling so well they let me go home instead of putting me into a psych ward. To this day I do not know what happened or why i did what i did BUT I can tell you this.

My wife was devastated she is my main carer and apperently I had been showng signs of mania for a while but I get very verbaly agressive when manic and she did not want to rock the very unsteady boat so she let things go.. You see the problem is with some mental ilness the "sicker" a person gets the more they lose touch with reality and it becomes harder and harder to convince them they are ill until the point where in my case it is usualy neccessary to section me and at this point i am usualy so far gone that I am escorted to hospital in an ambulance with police officers present althoug i have never been physicaly violent I am a bid guy and they need to keep everyone safe. I usually react very angrily to being hospitalised and have often laid the blame on my wife with threats of divorce etc but my wife is one of the most amazing people of earth and she has stood by me through all of this and continues to be me rock(she will probably lose it one day and beat me to death with a flake but till then we live and love)
I have three great kids my eldest has a lot of support from young carers and her own talking therapy in case she needs to unload my second child has downes so does not understand to muchof what is going on and the youngest is to small to know what is happening but when the time comes we will make sure that they all have as much support as they need..

Okay sorry for the very long winded biography and if you are still awake I will now get to the point of this reply..

If you know someone well and they are behaving out of character there is something wrong if they start drinking heavier or taking drugs suddenly there is something wrong. The behaviour changes might be minimal and as I am not a doctor I am not going to describe them but there is lot of info on depression out there but one thing I wll say a severly deppressed person might seem just the opposite in fact in an attempt to convince themsevles and the wrold everything is okay they may even seem happier then they have ever been but there are always other signs that go with it that show a bigger and better picture. Usualy talking to the person themselves is useless and you will probabaly get told to bugger off but talking discreetly to others close to them to see if they to recognise any changes will usualy give you an idea if you are on the right track.

If after investigation, only you and the others close to this person can decide where to go from there but if you are even slightly suspicious somthing is up DO SOMTHNG QUICKLY things can go from bad to deadly in a matter of hours I know from experience..You can start with a call to your local mental health crisis team explain the problem or your suspicions and they will give you advice on where to go next if it is considered urgent things happen very very fast that I can promise you..

The person who is ill may hate you at first for doing what you did but when they feel better they will thank you. By stepping in you may save their lives and the lives of their family and I can promise you one thing just because a person is mentaly ill children are not taken away as some ppl beleive(unless of extreme danger) but what does happens is lots of support is out into place to help them if they need.

Guys sorry for this long winded article it is probably useless and means nothing to anyone but if it helps one person in a tiny way the 2 hours it has taken me to type it is worth it

GET INVOVLVED YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE

[Lainie]

well stan i would personally like to thank you for the time and effort you made in typing that. if you ever need anyone to talk to you can pm me. i can personally relate to a lot of what you are saying.

im glad you are getting the help you need as i do know its not easy living with people with mental health issues and those that look after them should not be forgotton as at times it is a thankless chore for them.

xxx

[SatSearching]

I think cgscott has a very valid point about keeping active.

I do some free work for a charity, not because I have lots of free time, but due to my day job, my skills are rare and of value to them (long story).

One of the other guys involved is a Manic Depressive, cracking guy, is a awesome welder (another skill needed by this charity), he cannot work due to his illness, but I rekon if he wasn't involved in this charity to do what he is good at, he would have worse issues.

Point I am trying to make, it helps if people keep active if they are depressed, it can be a real tonic, gives them something else to think about and be engaged in, there are various charities out there crying out for help/skills that you would be surprised about, and rewarding to all parties.

SS

[ChelseaBun]

I think cgscott has a very valid point about keeping active.

I do some free work for a charity, not because I have lots of free time, but due to my day job, my skills are rare and of value to them (long story).

One of the other guys involved is a Manic Depressive, cracking guy, is a awesome welder (another skill needed by this charity), he cannot work due to his illness, but I rekon if he wasn't involved in this charity to do what he is good at, he would have worse issues.

Point I am trying to make, it helps if people keep active if they are depressed, it can be a real tonic, gives them something else to think about and be engaged in, there are various charities out there crying out for help/skills that you would be surprised about, and rewarding to all parties.

SS

thats exactly how i feel about my baby, i dont get a second peace from him, i dont get a moment with my own thoughts i am always mentally and physically active and thats how i like it. its probably not healthy but its working for me so far lol

[Larue]

Had read this thread several days ago.
Was thinking about all this.
Have lost my very good friend( read brother) under train wheels.
I think there is nothing wrong with people.
It's just our life becoming very different and some of us can't accept that and can't see the exit of this circle of life.
Just have look how simple was life 150 years ago and how things are going on now.
It's very different thing.
Just different.

[Canker_Canison]

thats exactly how i feel about my baby, i dont get a second peace from him, i dont get a moment with my own thoughts i am always mentally and physically active and thats how i like it. its probably not healthy but its working for me so far lol

This is not directed at you CB, just a general warning to everyone.

Keeping busy & active can make a big difference. But that needs to be balanced with medical support. If not you could just be bottling up the problem for a later date.

A friend crashed, mentally, a few years ago. The main cause was the death of her brother some 8 years ago. She just never dealt with it & carried on with her hectic life.

Always look over your shoulder to see what's creeping up on you.

[Lainie]

sorry to resurrect an old thread but just wondered how everyone was doing.

ive been off work for 4 weeks but hope to go back next week. after my car crash last year i put in for a transfer at work as its just too stressful for me. not just the job but also the managers and climate i work in. its very micro management and the sick leave in the building is horrendous.i qualified for an equality move but im still waiting on this nearly a year later!!

ops manager in work has just been a complete ***** and i know he would love to have me "paid off" but thank god he cant due to equality act.

i got my meds changed in april to venlafaxine and im on a high dose of them. ive been great away from work - my niece says im like 2 different people. however have to face facts that i have to get back to work.

[ChaLeeBoy]

i was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder nearly twenty years ago, and suffered with bouts of depression and anxiety for years, mainly severe anxiety.

it's only since i started doing reiki and other holistic therapies that i feel that i have genuinely improved, to a stage where a lot of people tell me i'm now one of the calmest people they know! (most of the time anyway, i still have the occasional wobbly day)

I have chronic PTSD myself. I was diagnosed last year, tried the meds, no good, at least for me. I find solitude and meditation to be the best thing, but socialising, forget it!

[Lainie]

just how long can post traumatic stress disorder last?

im genuinely interested.


after car crash last year doc put that on my sick lines as i was off work for 7 weeks.

[twatty]

chronic disabling anxiety thats me got issues good to read some of the comments.trying to snap out of it but its a long story feel exausted but hey will get there.thx lainie

[tshirtman]

just how long can post traumatic stress disorder last?

im genuinely interested.


after car crash last year doc put that on my sick lines as i was off work for 7 weeks.

It can last a lifetime in certain situations, (usually military related)
but some times it can be misdiagnosed for something called, "Abnormal Grief Reaction", it's a fairly rare illness, that's why it gets mistaken for PTSD
one of the saddest patients I've looked after suffered from AGR, he witnessed his 3 year old girl get knocked over and killed, and he never got over it, he just wanted to die, and it was our job to stop him.

PTSD can come and go for years, it hits you when you least expect it, the trick is knowing how to deal with it, finding a coping strategy when it hits,
I get it myself from time to time, after I witnessed a couple of suicides in a short space of time.

I know your not big fan of CBT, but I found it helped me, but maybe it's because I've got access to some of the better psychologists for advice when I need it.

[twatty]

my cbt is on hold due to pain waiting for mri scan.suffer from anxiety but been asking doctor for 2 years to send me for scan but he tells me pain is due to anxiety cbt women didnt agree and told doctor to send me for scan so pissed off with doctor at a loss just now but hopefully get sorted

[billy2]

Wow what can i say , i have been fighting my demons for say over a year now with out looking for help iam finding it hard going down that road, i think it might be the stigmata that goes with depression and the why people treat you when they find out about it , i have been down the Suicide road many time over the year i sleep a bout 3 hrs in 24hours and at times find it hard to move on , what keeps me going is my little 5 year old girl and how it would take its toll on her, i lost my youngest brother age 29 14 mths ago who had 2 kids the same age as my kids and seeing what it did to them was not nice at all and i would hate to put my kids through that , my doctor has tryed putting me on meds to see if that will help but i fighting going down that root what i do find is getting out of the house dose help i find my self going for a walk for about an hour every night now and getting to the gym 4 times a week helps, staying in the house all day and night looking at soaps will bring you down big time , think its time to stay quite now

[Canker_Canison]

Wow what can i say , i have been fighting my demons for say over a year now with out looking for help iam finding it hard going down that road, i think it might be the stigmata that goes with depression and the why people treat you when they find out about it , i have been down the Suicide road many time over the year i sleep a bout 3 hrs in 24hours and at times find it hard to move on , what keeps me going is my little 5 year old girl and how it would take its toll on her, i lost my youngest brother age 29 14 mths ago who had 2 kids the same age as my kids and seeing what it did to them was not nice at all and i would hate to put my kids through that , my doctor has tryed putting me on meds to see if that will help but i fighting going down that root what i do find is getting out of the house dose help i find my self going for a walk for about an hour every night now and getting to the gym 4 times a week helps, staying in the house all day and night looking at soaps will bring you down big time , think its time to stay quite now

Don't fight the drugs. Let your doctor know you're not sure about them. You should start out on a low dose/light weight drug. A doctor should not be putting you on the harder drugs like prozac without trying softer versions first.

I can't remember what I was on, but it was a step below prozac. It balanced my mood swings, I didn't hit bad lows, but neither did I hit great highs. But they really do help.

[Lainie]

@ billy2

dont ever think you need to be quiet. you dont and if you need anyone to talk too just pm me as i do know how difficult it is.

you are doing one very important thing - getting out. i too have difficulty in going out at times. im usually ok if someone is with me or im going to meet someone. im bored stupid being off work. however forcing myself to do paperwork and sorting out my music etc to keep me busy.