Mental Illness And You

[mystofpric]

I was inspired by a local radio campeign encouraging people to support their friends and family who are diagnosed.

When we hear the term "mental illness" we often conjre up images of people in straight jackets, padded rooms, and men in nice white lab coats. It is images like these that often prevent us from having frank and honest discussions about problems that roughly 26.2% (thats an astounding 1 in 4!) of americans have. This means roughly 57.7 million people, in the US alone, have some kind of diagnosable mental disorder.

There are four main classifications of mental disorders: anxiety, mood, impluse, and substance. Anxiety disorders include illnesses such as Post-traumatic stress disorder, Obessive-Complusive disorder, and phobias. Mood disorders include from bi-polar disorders and other major depressive disorders. Impluse disorders usually include ADHD and ADD. Substance disorders are made up of substance abuse and dependencies.

16.6% of the population will suffer from some form of major depression at some point in their lifetimes. 12.1% of the population with suffer from social phobias. 8.1% of the population will experience ADHD and 13.2% will abuse alcohol. Suddenly it doesn't seem so far away does it?

The largest problem face Americans, and perhaps this is true in other countries too, is a fear of treatment. This goes back to the earlier images we conjured, people are afraid of getting that label or sterotype. Treatment is vital for all of these disorders, they truely do affect the way we are able to run our lives, and interact with other people. Getting treatment does not make someone less of a person or in any way weak. Often times admitting something is wrong and getting help before it gets out of hand is a sign of strength and intelligence.

I suffer from depression and social anxiety. My depression, when it rears it's ugly head can make it very hard for me to get out of bed in the mornings and go to work, or to do anything for that matter. My social anxiety prevents me from enjoying "normal" 23 year old activities. I hate going to bars, i feel like everyone is watching. I can't work at a mall during holiday rush season, I freak out, I feel like i can't breath and I panic.

I have been diagnosed with depression for 9 years and I now know when i am falling into the funks and I generally know how to prevent it or end it. I say generally because i know how i have been feeling lately is beyond my ablities and i need to seek professional help. I also know certian situtations that are definitely going to cause me to panic in public and which ones I can handle. I'm not going to the mall again until Janurary. But again, if I find myself panicing more and more often i will need to see someone about that too.

Medication is often the most debated point in mental health. Not everyone will benifit from taking pills, teh flip side is though that some disorders need to be medicated or the person could cause harm to themselves or others. The most important part is to talk to your doctor. Tell them how you feel on the medications, is it helping, is it hurting? When i was on Prozac i didn't feel like myself, I often felt more depressed and i couldn't handle the stigma my family was putting on me. Any time I had a bad mood, often justified, they immediately asked if i was taking my pills. I took myself off my medication and it turned out fine for me, this isn't the case with everyone though. Changes in medication, including taking them more frequently or stopping them, need to be made with your doctor and not alone.

The one thing that will help more than anything else is the support of loved ones. If you have a friend that is sick, or had a broken leg you'd offer your help, this is no different. Often times with depression disorders the love and support of friends and family is better than any pill. This can also be said for many of the disorders out there. A helping hand is one of the best things you can give to anyone struggling.

If you or someone you know may be suffering from a mental illness and have not gotten help yet, please talk to a doctor. These are games to be played lightly and they have to taken care of before them get out of hand.

www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/statistics/index.shtml

http://www.mentalhealth.com/

[Mikayla1]

VERY nice article! As a mother of a child with a mental illness (ADHD) it is good to hear how others are dealing with their own mental instabilities, as it were! Good for you!

[mystofpric]

VERY nice article! As a mother of a child with a mental illness (ADHD) it is good to hear how others are dealing with their own mental instabilities, as it were! Good for you!

Thanks hun, i had a huge attack of conscience aftre I wrote this, like i had done something wrong. I just think that a lot fo us would rather not thing about it but we need too!

[sass]

Thanks hun, i had a huge attack of conscience aftre I wrote this, like i had done something wrong. I just think that a lot fo us would rather not thing about it but we need too!

You make very good points. I have been on anti-depression medication for about five years. A few months ago, something changed and the meds I was on were obviously not working any more. I reached a very, very low point. My doctor changed my meds and my friends helped a ton. Things are better now, due as much to opening up to a couple of friends and allowing them to help, as to the meds.

It takes a lot to admit to things like this, and I went more than four years on the meds without telling anyone. My advice is get help and let people help. No one knows better than I how hard that it, but it is worth it. A year ago I had trouble admitting it to myself and now here I am posting it for the world to see. Change is possible.

[mystofpric]

You make very good points. I have been on anti-depression medication for about five years. I few months ago, something changed and the meds I was on were obviously not working any more. I reached a very, very low point. My doctor changed my meds and my friends helped a ton. Things are better now, due as much to opening up to a couple of friends and allowing them to help, as to the meds.

It takes a lot to admit to things like this, and I went more than four years on the meds without telling anyone. My advice is get help and let people help. No one knows better than I how hard that it, but it is worth it. A year ago I had trouble admitting it to myself and now here I am posting it for the world to see. Change is possible.

Awww, well we're glad your here and saying it!

[ladylove]

Thanks for the wonderful eye opening article. There are a lot of disorders you mentioned that I would never have thought to be mental illness. I wish you good health, and the strength to carry on. Your road isn't an easy one, but you seem to be doing great, for the most part. Good for you.

[mystofpric]

Thanks for the wonderful eye opening article. There are a lot of disorders you mentioned that I would never have thought to be mental illness. I wish you good health, and the strength to carry on. Your road isn't an easy one, but you seem to be doing great, for the most part. Good for you.

Thanks hun! I'm trying and believe it or not this board helps a lot!

[ladylove]

Thanks hun! I'm trying and believe it or not this board helps a lot!

Then keep it up. We're here to support you, however we can.

[ohshelly]

Thanks hun! I'm trying and believe it or not this board helps a lot!

Good article, Suzy. Lots of good info.

I suffer from a lot of the same symptoms.

The thought of spending more then an hour in the mall is scary, I will have a panic attack.

I also don't like crowds, and you will rarely find me in a movie theatre, and I love movies.

None of this was an issue until I was in a terriable accident about nine years ago.

It changed my entire life, some ways good, in some not so good.

Very nicely written, Thank You!

[vanilla_bean]

Thanks for the article Suzy. Removing the stigma from mental illness is so important. Thanks for reminding us.

[mystofpric]

Good article, Suzy. Lots of good info.

I suffer from a lot of the same symptoms.

The thought of spending more then an hour in the mall is scary, I will have a panic attack.

I also don't like crowds, and you will rarely find me in a movie theatre, and I love movies.

None of this was an issue until I was in a terriable accident about nine years ago.

It changed my entire life, some ways good, in some not so good.

Very nicely written, Thank You!

My pleasure hun! I know that I avoid big festivals, UNLESS i'm safely backstage and away from teh crowds, but that's still kinda avoiding it huh? The mall isn't normally so bad (thank god for a small town) but teh holidays are here again so I'm hiding out at home. I don't party or do bars because it freaks me right out. The only time i could handle crowds was when I was an usher at a theatre and that was only cause I had some semblence of control (oh teh control freak in me wins everytime). My last therapist wanted to put me on meds for it but since I knew that it wasn't extreme to the point that I hide at home all the time (just teh holidays )i opted not to take anything. If it's something that is seriously preventing you from doing things (like going to see a movie) talk to your family doctor, see what they say. And I find that knowing what teh problem is, for me any way, is the best way for me to confront it and deal with it.

[TonboMidori]

Very nicely done and very well said. The "stigma" of mental disorders is still pretty strong, I think mainly because no one can see it. I think there's a basic human fear of things we can't see.

Plus it doesn't help that every time someone goes apeshit and does something violent, the cops/attorneys/press almost immediately dredge up mental illness as a factor

[ohshelly]

My pleasure hun! I know that I avoid big festivals, UNLESS i'm safely backstage and away from teh crowds, but that's still kinda avoiding it huh? The mall isn't normally so bad (thank god for a small town) but teh holidays are here again so I'm hiding out at home. I don't party or do bars because it freaks me right out. The only time i could handle crowds was when I was an usher at a theatre and that was only cause I had some semblence of control (oh teh control freak in me wins everytime). My last therapist wanted to put me on meds for it but since I knew that it wasn't extreme to the point that I hide at home all the time (just teh holidays )i opted not to take anything. If it's something that is seriously preventing you from doing things (like going to see a movie) talk to your family doctor, see what they say. And I find that knowing what teh problem is, for me any way, is the best way for me to confront it and deal with it.

Thanks, Suzy. You are spot on 100% that being aware is the best way to deal with my irrational fears. Also, the control fator plays in. That is exactly why the accident triggered these issues in me, I was not in control. (accident was not my fault, btw. Drunk driver at 1:30 in the afternoon ran a red light. She was on her way to work.) I see a therapst twice a month to work on these things, and it has helped tremendously.

Before the accident, I would go anywhere, do anything, I was the 'dare me to do it' girl!! I can see her making her way back, finally.

I do love movies, and went to one last year with my mom. She wanted to see a particular movie my dad wouldn't go to, so I went. Nothing terriable happened to me, either!! *ha*ha*. When my daughter was home, she and I would go to the movies sometimes, too. She was good at getting me to step out of my comfort zone. (When her husband was in Iraq the first time, she came home and stayed for the summer.) My S.O. has played a large part my healing, also. He is very calm and reassuring. What would I do without my Sweetcheeks!!

[Tyger]

One of my best friends that's been in my life since I was 16, is Bipolar, and I was kinda thrown into learning about it. She's always been upfront and honest about it, however, since the meds were so expensive back then (not sure how much they are now), she was off of them a lot. I saw her go from happy-go-lucky, to a screaming banshee in a matter of seconds. She had 2 small children, who grew up calling me their second Mom! I love her, and I love her kids to this very day. We all went thru so much together. Not only is she a great friend, but I've learned so much from her. One thing that amazes me is her ability to still see the goodness that can come, no matter what life throws at you!

I never knew it, but my Mother suffered/s from depression. I guess in retrospect, I can see it NOW, but growing up, I never realized it.

I know I've been depressed off & on. I also suffer from S.A.D. which is Seasonal Affected Disorder, making me depressed mostly in the winter months. And, I believe that, like my mother, I too have a touch of OCD (hers is extreme).

Many of my friends and family have some sort of "disorder" or issue that they deal with. We all have open relationships, however, and try very hard to help each other out.

I know that many people say "Well, what's UP with all this shit coming out? Back in MY day, these disorders never exsisted, WTF?" I don't think that this these issues are NEW, but I think that people nowadays are more willing to discuss things like the stuff that's coming more and more "normal". We have a variety of resources and outlets making mental illness more "known". Who knows how many people suffered back before electricity, phones, TV, or whatever? Being a home-body, keeping to yourself, and trying to make do was so common, that sometimes people's quirks weren't really seen or as obvious. I mean, who's to say that "crazy man on the mountain" wasn't really suffering from Bipolar disorder, scitzophrenia (SP!!), or ADHD?

I think that this is a great point to make Suzy. More often than not, people have some sort of issue that they may or may not want to admit too. Honesty to yourself, as well as trying hard to take advantage of the resources and support out there are really key to coping with these sorts of things IMO.

[mystofpric]

Thanks, Suzy. You are spot on 100% that being aware is the best way to deal with my irrational fears. Also, the control fator plays in. That is exactly why the accident triggered these issues in me, I was not in control. (accident was not my fault, btw. Drunk driver at 1:30 in the afternoon ran a red light. She was on her way to work.) I see a therapst twice a month to work on these things, and it has helped tremendously.

Before the accident, I would go anywhere, do anything, I was the 'dare me to do it' girl!! I can see her making her way back, finally.

I do love movies, and went to one last year with my mom. She wanted to see a particular movie my dad wouldn't go to, so I went. Nothing terriable happened to me, either!! *ha*ha*. When my daughter was home, she and I would go to the movies sometimes, too. She was good at getting me to step out of my comfort zone. (When her husband was in Iraq the first time, she came home and stayed for the summer.) My S.O. has played a large part my healing, also. He is very calm and reassuring. What would I do without my Sweetcheeks!!

oh man hun i am so glad your okay and i will say i wouldn;t be leaving the house for a long time if that had happened to me. in fact i rarely leave thw house in bad weather, i was in an accvident with my sister, we hit a patch of ice and rolled the car (i was the passenger). However that sometimes inapporpriate sense of humor of mine kicked in and i had her laugh (she had just paid the car off and she was a little hurt, i was away no problemos) I told her how cute her EMTS were (she couldn't see them they had to so covered in blankets) and that she now had both a convertable AND a hover car (her wheels bent under teh car) and that it was her fault for jynxing us (i have never been in an accident with someone else in the car) to which I promptly started knockin on her head. Oh and I was using a messanger bag to carry my dirty laundry, the cops went through it thinking was purse, he compliment my tatse of undies.

Tonbo- your absolutely 100% correct the labels and teh stigmas that come with even depression are in todays society, outrageous! I think though that slowly this is changing. More and more celebrities are admitting to depression and other disorders ( Brooke Shields had post-pardum, and Mark Summers <TV host> and Howie Mandell both have extreme cases of OCD) and i think this helps alot. Okay maybe not Howie he can be kinda weird. but he's successful!

[pappyld04]

I ran across a statement a few days ago that may or may not be relevant to this post. The US has 5% of the world's population, and 25% of the prison population. How many of those are in this group?

[mystofpric]

I ran across a statement a few days ago that may or may not be relevant to this post. The US has 5% of the world's population, and 25% of the prison population. How many of those are in this group?

I would have to guess so many. I mean how many people that are in prision say they don't know why they did it? Kelptomania (spelling?) and pedophilia are both mental disorders, but then there are also disorders that compluse (right word?) people to break the rules simply because it was put forth in rule form. Now i'm not excusing anyone of their crimes, but it does make you wonder.

Tyger, I'm really glad (but not shocked in the least) that you stuck by your friend! Also the more i hear of your mother the more i wonder if we're some how related....

Thread about OCD (while funny hearing what some people just have to do! Like i have to have all my books oa bookshelf and in alphabetical order by author and then in order by series and when it was writen or i think that they might get their feelinsg hurt) brings up a good point, while we all have tendancies and habits some people really do arrange tehir entire lives by this. Mark Summers (former host of Double Dare <a really dirty game show on Nickelodan>) used to go home after work and scrub his body for hours in steaming hot water to "get the show off me" then he wake up in teh middle of the night and have yo go meticulouys clean the living room ensuring that the carpet fibers were all straight. Howie Mandell shaved his head and avoids most pyshical contact to avoid germs! These are serious, though well treated, conditions.

Take care of yourselves guys! A happy head leaves room for a happy body!

[Tyger]

LOL Suzy! I got a kick out of the "I wonder if somehow we're related" comment!! LOL

[mystofpric]

LOL Suzy! I got a kick out of the "I wonder if somehow we're related" comment!! LOL

Well at the very least I think our mothers might be!

[ohshelly]

Take care of yourselves guys! A happy head leaves room for a happy body!

I love it Suzy!!