Mental Health Issues?

[schizmz]

Thats the problem when we self medicate..cris..unforseen dangers ahead...again i cant go into details or ill be reported..but self medication can and does often work.. im 41 and its only the last 3 yrs i cant take it anymore..i did ok for 30 odd years ,but one day i ended up in hospital..and here i am....like i said anyone who wants to just talk sometime.. im here.

 

[cris]

What makes you think you have brain damage Cris?

I cant remember what made me think that :? :lol: It not a major problem, but studies have shown if you drink and stuff as much as i have it causes damage. In reality i dont think its a problem because i know its a problem, if that makes any sense:?

Apart from keeping snakes i dont think i have any mental disorders.

I also believe PTSD can be successfully treated in many cases, there are new treatments being devolped too, i saw a doco about it on the weekend on how it works. Apparently the US military were/are developing a drug that disconnects the part of the brain responsible too.

 

[schizmz]

Sound like we need a.. "the doctor is in" section

 

[AMY22]

I cant remember what made me think that :? :lol: It not a major problem, but studies have shown if you drink and stuff as much as i have it causes damage. In reality i dont think its a problem because i know its a problem, if that makes any sense:?

Apart from keeping snakes i dont think i have any mental disorders.

I also believe PTSD can be successfully treated in many cases, there are new treatments being devolped too, i saw a doco about it on the weekend on how it works. Apparently the US military were/are developing a drug that disconnects the part of the brain responsible too.

Yes drinking can affect certain parts of your brain. That's one of the reasons why there is an age limit for drinking, youger people who over-drink can damage parts of their brain (I can't remember but I think it was either the social or emotional part) that is still developing during puberty. I am against underage drinking, and I don't approve of parents who give their 14 year olds alcohol, especially with the 'it's safer this way because I know what they are doing' excuse.
About half my family is alcoholics including both my parents, it is actually genetic in my family, and the depression that also runs in my family probably has something to do with that. It is one of the reasons I don't drink, other than alcohol being a trigger for me. Such a fool I would be to indulge in such things.

As for curing PTSD, I think in some cases it can be depending on the cause of it. I think PTSD from a one off situation like a car accident might have more chance of being cured than PTSD like mine. It was lots of things over a long period of time and was diagnosed years after it should have been, I am literally shaped by it, for my PTSD to be cured would be a complete change of myself as a person. There are things I do want fixed for sure, but I don't have a great deal of hope for it.

 

[schizmz]

sadly there is no "cure" for mental illness .. only manageability..8).

 

[AMY22]

Sound like we need a.. "the doctor is in" section

Doctor Amy is in da house! Tell me all your problems.








I charge $10 a minute

 

[AMY22]

sadly there is no "cure" for mental illness .. only manageability..8).

That includes addictions as well The biggest mistake is thinking you can 'control' you drinking, etc. now. I've seen people relaps 5 hours after being discharged.

 

[schizmz]

And with denial comes desire..abstinence is just another form of control over you as is the addiction..there must be a centre. If a string is to tight it will snap..to loose it will not work..follow the middle path.

 

[waruikazi]

I love analogies, unfortunately there is one to suit every argument.

 

[Southside Morelia]

It's interesting how many people do suffer from mental health issues....whats MORE interesting is how many people DO SUFFER from mental health issues are are misdiagnosed or NOT treated at all because they don't know their actually affected.
Mental health affects most people at some point in their lives, BUT in varying degrees. This is a great thread. I too do suffer with anxiety and mild depression as a result of PTSD or so they say.... and I do take a medication which alters the chemical imbalance in my brain to control what my body cant. I also have a pre-disposition to anxiety, as it is hereditary as is most mental health issues and 2 of my older siblings and my Dad suffer as well, but all of us are in control of it.
I was treated for 3years + with counseling at UNSW and private psych's, which was great for learning about the illness and knowing how to break the cycle of certain types that I suffered from...I have learn't how to break that cycle from spiraling into full-blown attacks. I could talk for hours, so good luck to everyone out there that do suffer from a mental health disease, you can manage it successfully as I have!
All the best!

 

[abbott75]

I have a lot of friends who suffer from depression and one with an eating disorder. My girlfriend battled self-injury for 2 years and is only just getting control back. She can't even show her arms in her own house because the scars are so bad, and her mother cannot look at them.

All I can say to anybody who is suffering is please, please get help. It shouldn't take two suicide attempts before you tell someone you are suffering...

 

[lex10]

Wow, i'm so surprised at how many of us struggle with this or know someone who does. I've had very severe depression "etc" (big etc lol) for 20 years.

 

[naledge]

That includes addictions as well The biggest mistake is thinking you can 'control' you drinking, etc. now. I've seen people relaps 5 hours after being discharged.

That's not true.

My dad was a really bad alcoholic, he started drinking when he was twelve.

He gave up when he was about 25 and he hasn't had a drop of alcohol in the 26 years since.

You can definitely overcome addictions, anyone can. You just need to want to bad enough, my mum told him if he didn't stop drinking she'd leave him, that was enough to make him want to stop.

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

I battled depression for most of my life and dabbled a lot with self-medication. Once I hit my thirties, started getting anxiety as well. Went to a doc, tried medication, hated the side effects so quit those. Saw plenty of councellors over the years, they all identified the depression and anxiety, noted my aversion to crowds, parties, other peoples' rubbish, etc... Still, the only help I found for myself was a decent diet and exercise. Took the edge off but nowhere near an end to the issues.

Luckily after a 3 day blue with my missus, she piped up with the shot "What the hell is your problem?!? Do you have *bleeping* Aspergers or something?!?!" After a bit of researh and a follow up consult with the doc, turns out the answer was "Yes, yes I do indeed have Aspergers!" This was the elephant in the room that none of the professionals I had previously spoken with managed to identify, they could name the symptoms but not the cause. This discovery has turned my life around and after 36 years of being mostly miserable, I am finally starting to feel better about everything!

For all of you suffering from chronic depression, anxiety, and if you have "social" issues, ie: you can't handle being around too many strangers or tense up when someone enters your space, etc... Aspergers is a potential candidate.

When I joined a support group, it was a group for parents with kids with Aspergers, they were stoked to have me on board to see where it leads in adulthood, one of the speakers had a good long chat with me about my life and when I mentioned my business/hobby (snakes and enclosures) she almost peed herself because that sort of thing is classic Aspie behaviour! It turns out even my python obsession is a side effect of this condition!

It is something to consider though a professional diagnosis is tough to get as this condition was only described in 1994 and not a lot of work has been done with adults with Aspergers.

There are a few online tests around, Google will help point the way. Include Simon Baron-Cohen in your search as he is an Aspergers specialist (and happens to be Borat's cousin!).

 

[shellfisch]

For all of you suffering from chronic depression, anxiety, and if you have "social" issues, ie: you can't handle being around too many strangers or tense up when someone enters your space, etc... Aspergers is a potential candidate.

Good call.
This exact situation has happened very recently with a family member.
For years, my sister-in-law had issues (small, but there) with her husband. Exacerbated in the last year or two by the last child leaving home ie; now it's just the two of them.
After arguing and not talking over a few days, she finally threw the same thing at him.
Well, it was like a light coming on! He went and got tested, and yes it is there, and it turns out one of their 3 sons has it as well.
Early days yet, but hopefully he will benefit from some help

 

[Jewly]

That's not true.

My dad was a really bad alcoholic, he started drinking when he was twelve.

He gave up when he was about 25 and he hasn't had a drop of alcohol in the 26 years since.

You can definitely overcome addictions, anyone can. You just need to want to bad enough, my mum told him if he didn't stop drinking she'd leave him, that was enough to make him want to stop.

Whilst your dad hasn't had a drink in 26 years, he is still an alcoholic. If he started drinking again, he probably wouldn't be able to control it and I think that's what was meant by AMY22.

Alcoholics can't just stop drinking for a period and then say, 'I'm just going to have one'. They have to stop drinking altogether and for some people it can be a lifelong struggle. That includes even keeping away from people who do drink or not attending social events where there will be the temptation to drink.

 

[snakelvr]

Are there non medicinal ways of dealing with depression? I don't like the idea of people having to be drugged up to feel like they can survive living.

I suffered from depression for 8 years - then I tried Yoga. Best decision I ever made. Haven't taken any meds since

 

[shellfisch]

Another thought - Coeliac Disease (gluten intolerance)

My youngest daughter was diagnosed with depression when she was about 16-17.
It was 3 years battling with this till a doctor made the connection between her symptoms and that of Coeliac Disease. I had dismissed Coeliac Disease as a possibility because she didn't present in the typical way.
The difference in her symptoms now that she is on a gluten free diet is amazing.
The depression is not gone, but she is SO much better

Coeliac Disease is very often genetic/hereditary also.

 

[Poggle]

Whilst your dad hasn't had a drink in 26 years, he is still an alcoholic. If he started drinking again, he probably wouldn't be able to control it and I think that's what was meant by AMY22.

Alcoholics can't just stop drinking for a period and then say, 'I'm just going to have one'. They have to stop drinking altogether and for some people it can be a lifelong struggle. That includes even keeping away from people who do drink or not attending social events where there will be the temptation to drink.

My mates dad is a perfect example. Was an alco and stopped drinking when he was 30... started drinking again 18months ago... They buried him 2 weeks ago.

I myself have just come good from suffering from depression. I had an accident at work last yr which caused me to have 30 siezures in 24 hrs... From this it caused me to lose my job, my licence, my memory for a short time, the ability to walk property and talk properly.

I didnt even know i had developed depression at the time, was just lucky i had good family caring for me. The medication i was put on to stop me having siezure was a depressant so it made me feel worse and worse and i was unable to take anti depressant because of cross medication reaction.

I know how low some can feel, i lost a lot, but ya have to remember you are still here and tomorrow is a brand new day, every mornging i got up i was made to look at positivethings by my partner, and each moment she reminded me of all the good things i still had in my life.

It is so worth it to get help, life can be great especially when you have special people to share it with.

cheers,

Pog

 

[Snakewoman]

I have Tourettes Syndrome, ADD and OCD, Social Anxiety Disorder and some PTSD. I'm on anxiety medication, and it's helped with everything. I realised just how much it was helping when I ran out of it. :? I didn't get anxious, instead I got extremely angry. I'd never felt that level of anger before, and I was scared of myself

The PTSD came from the year 2006. I was attending a church in Melbourne, and I always took the train. I got on at Marshall station, and took my usual spot at the front. About 20 minutes later the train hit a car at a level crossing in Corio. All I could see were rocks flying past the windows and I thought I was going to die.

The car was an absolute mess, quite scary to look at, but thankfully I never saw a body. A few days after the crash I suffered multiple heart palpitations, and although these aren't harmful they were scary! I saw the man's death notice in the paper, and I attended his funeral, I figured it would help and it did.

Since then I've avoided sitting at the front of a train, and if there was a significant bump in the track it would cause me great fear. I'm much better now, but still a little apprehensive when taking trains.

I'm surprised to see this many others with similar problems to mine. Happy to chat with anyone if you need it