Do you have/Have you had a mental illness?

[Stress Doc]

Good Point, I just did not want to add to the list.

[letsconnect]

Let's just keep away from terms which may stigmatise/stigmatize - that's my main concern here, really
(apart from being a rabid Szaszian anti-psychiatrist evangelist, of course )

[drummerswife]

Thanks Stress Doc, I think thats an important distinction.

Just thought I'd toss this in. I recently came across a movie called "Crazy People" It stars Dudley Moore and Darell Hanana. On the surface, its a comedy about truth in advertising which also, at least to me, carries a powerful mesage about human potential

[SXB1962]

I have something called (by my GP at least) cyclothymic depression. It's kept more or less under control with 30mg of Seroxat (boo hiss etc) each day...

...and, more importantly, the love of The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, and the two greatest sons a man could ask for!

I guess I've had it all my adult life (since puberty) but have only been treated for it for the last 12 years or so. Before that I used to self-medicate my sadness with drink, drink and more drink!

I am now teetotal and have been so since Jan 1st 2000. Haven't touched a drop and feel a zillion times better for it!

[sainjohn]

hi,

Mental illness is one type of mind depression,Mental illness has many faces, ranging from occasional episodes of depression to severe, chronic conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Unlike broken bones that can be seen by an x-ray, the form of mental illness someone has can be hard to diagnose. It can also be hard to know how severe their condition...



thank you....

[Mercedes]

Originally Posted by Stress Doc

OCD/anxiety/phobias are not technically classified as mental illness. They are emotional conditions and/or disturbances.

Many times all psychological conditions are lumped under the term "mental illness" this is unfortunate and not correct. This sets up a stigma that should not be there.

Just like the term "insanity." This is a legal term not a psychological or psychiatric one.

having anxiety or OCD does not make you "mentally ill."

Just thought I would clarify this so as not to have people worry unnecessarily.



Blessings

I totally agree, it seems to me that a lot of people are 'labelled' as having 'mental health' problems when in fact they are suffering with an anxiety disorder. Most of us with an anxiety disorder are often just born worriers and we produce a surge of adrenalin at the slightest sign of anything worrying. There is also a lot of overlap with anxiety disorders and it annoys me once again when I see how people are labelled as having all sorts of various disorders

[RedHairedEm]

Depression (last serious bout was five years ago) and generalized anxiety disorder, ongoing.

The former was dealt with by meds, TLC, the power of cheap music, and getting help to make some changes to my life, especially my working life. The latter I was put on beta-blockers for (I was getting palpitations just from the anxiety), but they didn't help much. Having weaned myself off those, I've tried alternatives and found that Bach remedies and EFT have some effect. I think counselling would help, but the location of where my local NHS is offering it means I'd have to take too much time off work.

I've also become fairly certain over the past few years - although I haven't yet been formally diagnosed - that I have Asperger syndrome. I fit most of the criteria but apparently it's quite tricky to get referred for diagnosis in the UK as an adult, and I'm 41. OK, I know it's not strictly a mental disorder - developmental disorder is the term, I believe - but depression and anxiety very often go hand in hand with it. Easy to see why if you imagine spending most of your life not fitting in with other people and not being able to work out why.

[mikey]

Originally Posted by RedHairedEm

Depression (last serious bout was five years ago) and generalized anxiety disorder, ongoing.

The former was dealt with by meds, TLC, the power of cheap music, and getting help to make some changes to my life, especially my working life. The latter I was put on beta-blockers for (I was getting palpitations just from the anxiety), but they didn't help much. Having weaned myself off those, I've tried alternatives and found that Bach remedies and EFT have some effect. I think counselling would help, but the location of where my local NHS is offering it means I'd have to take too much time off work.

I've also become fairly certain over the past few years - although I haven't yet been formally diagnosed - that I have Asperger syndrome. I fit most of the criteria but apparently it's quite tricky to get referred for diagnosis in the UK as an adult, and I'm 41. OK, I know it's not strictly a mental disorder - developmental disorder is the term, I believe - but depression and anxiety very often go hand in hand with it. Easy to see why if you imagine spending most of your life not fitting in with other people and not being able to work out why.

Doctors have made comments that I may have aspergers but I really don't care either way.