Mental health awareness 2020

[Eluvianii]

Guess it's time for a little story.

I was talking to a friend recently. He doesn't have the most optimistic point of view for life in general, and that day was particularly bad. I suggested at some point that he looked for help, that I would be there for him for as long as he needed but that without a professional, things were unlikely to change. He then told me that psychologists were a waste of time and a scam, that they didn't do any real work.

It's become obvious to me in recent times, in great part thanks to people here in the Shard, that the importance of mental health is still ignored by many, and my friend's opinion was there as proof. Truth is, I myself had to take sessions with a psychologist five times growing up. There, I said it, no shame in it. It's just that I need a little help from time to time. We all do.

Growing up, I had some big issues with anger management, which I never thought of as a mental health problem but, well, given the way it was treated, it obviously is, but I wasn't too familiar with the term. It was what you would expect. Lots of fights, I was expelled from school a couple times, almost a third. The real problem though, was that, although it was not frequent, from time to time my sister would get the worst of it. Did I ever leave any scars on her? No, but the things I said to her would make anyone hate a person, it may have traumatized her at the time, I don't know, I'm afraid to ask. But she doesn't hate me for it. We get along really well now and I don't think I will ever be able to thank her enough for that. Eventually the visits to psychologists along those years proved useful and things got better. It's not "cured", my temperament still can go from 0 to 100 pretty quickly, but that usually happens when I'm alone now, and I don't think I've snapped at a person in at least 5 or 6 years.

The point of all this is, if you have the slightest suspicion that you might have a problem, seek help. At the time I was too young and dumb to know there was a problem, but it was obvious to everyone else and my parents were always there to do something, but not everyone has that luck. Talk to your family, talk to your friends, talk to us and, as soon as you can, talk to an especialist. What you see as a simple problem now might turn into something you'll regret in the future. Don't let that happen.

[+ZincAboutIt]

I’ve had Generalized Anxiety Disorder for close to 20 years now, and it’s been relatively routine to cope with the low days/weeks and try to remember the more “normal” days where I can grasp some semblance of calm. I’ve managed to avoid medication and that’s something that I am personally quite pleased with, though I know it can work wonders for others. The last 5 months have been extra strange for me even pre-coronavirus since I found out I was pregnant in December. More anxiety than usual, to say the least. But I also have more of a reason to try and solve these issues in a more permanent fashion now. I don’t want to raise my baby with the ever-present specter of fear hanging over her that I’ve had over me for so much of my life. And now I have more time than ever to try and figure it out. It’s nice to have a reason outside of myself to motivate me towards positive change. Perhaps with enough work on myself, I’ll eventually believe that I’m worth the work in my own right. I have hope! 

Be kind to yourself, and find your reason - whatever it needs to be. :] 

[Ammanas]

In the past depression had been something that I struggled with. But that changed when I decided to make the decision to believe fully in God, and Jesus Christ and devote myself to walking the path of discipleship to the Savior. And living and immersing myself in religion as a tool to help me on my journey. It has probably saved my life as well as I no longer have such dark thoughts. I remember pleading with God to give me a new heart and He has answered. I’m still climbing up that mountain every day of my journey and there’s lots of things I want to improve on (and change) but I’ve found happiness now these last several years. 

[Elend Venture]

I have a few mild problems that have both partially overcame me and have been partially overcame by me. I'm not going to self diagnose, so call it what you like, but pretty much everything in my life has to be tweaked, touched, counted, tapped, washed, etc. until they feel "right" in my mind. Including my posts. That's why about ninety percent of them have been edited at some point or another. I've tried resisting this behavior and it only results in acute anxiety that inevitably leads me to places I don't want to be. 

I also get intrusive thoughts upon many occasions, I am altogether uncertain where they come from, but most are a touch disturbing; eg. Turning my vehicle into opposing lanes of traffic, becoming a sociopath, self harm, etcetera. The more I try to stop thinking about them the more they stay in my psyche.

Immediate physical pain seems to halt the anxiety that stems from these relatively small issues, which as you could guess, could cause a bit of a problem. I never got into that kind of thing though, thankfully. It scares me, so I take comfort in my compulsive behavior.

    In the last two months however, I have taken to frequent prayer in Latin when I get certain compulsions or thoughts, and the actions haven't stopped, but I haven't had an intrusive thought major anxiety about my thoughts in four weeks, whereas I had multiple every day before.

So I guess my mind is more at peace than it has been in years. I certainly feel more resolve to survive and serve the Lord here on Earth. There are better things to live and die* for than anxiety.

*Yay for Nightwish quotes 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Elend Venture
You know what, it feels like a better post now.

[Mat]

This is late. I am sad that I didn't see this sooner, but my pfp will be green for 11 days and 31 next year.

I am lucky enough to feel mentally stable however my grandmother has had some problems with depression in the past. She is great right now and I feel very grateful for it. 

<3 Green for May!

[AonEne]

InspiroBot says take care of yourself 2020! 

[The Awakened Salad]

May is almost over, but that doesn’t mean the conversation on mental health has to or should stop.

I think sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking that nothing bad will happen to us or to the people around us. That our loved ones would never be going through anything bad, because we’d know, right? 

I’ve fallen into that trap too many times, and I still feel guilty. It’s hard, strangely hard, to see the signs that someone is going through something. But please, please try. Read up on signs that may indicate that there may be something lurking beneath the surface, and ask people if they’re doing okay. Let them know that you care. Not all of the signs will apply to everyone, so it’s not a good idea to dismiss someone because they don’t fit into a checklist. 

Also, remember to listen with an open mind, should someone choose to confide in you. If they seem uncomfortable, don’t push them. Opening up about this stuff can be absolutely terrifying, and it probably won’t all come out at once. There’s nothing wrong with taking small steps. It takes a lot of courage to open up and speak about things sometimes, and those feelings need to be respected. 

It’s hard to know what to say. There are so many times where I’ve wished I could say the right words, and the other person’s pain would just go away. Honestly, I don’t think that any such words exist. But listening, trying to understand, and reiterating that you care helps. Be patient, because sometimes even getting a few words out can be challenging. If the person is being rushed, it may just lead to feelings of guilt and inadequacy, and then lead them to be even less likely to open up.

It can be extremely difficult to tell what someone's going through, especially if we don't know them that well, or dislike them. I'm not saying that you have to like everybody, but please, be kind. Be kind, because the alternatives can hurt far more than you may have intended. 

The state of mental health can be a slippery slope. The definition of “normal” can slowly change, until it becomes... not so healthy. Maybe you didn’t realise until after a long time. But it’s never too late.

It became hardwired into my brain to just say “I’m okay” whenever someone asked how I was doing. Even if I wanted to tell them how I truly felt, I just couldn’t. It was awful and frustrating and it’s still a part of me today. But, taking that first step is important. Whether it be in real life or anonymously online in a place like this. It’s hard. I know it’s hard. If you can’t say the words, you could try writing them down.  You don’t have to say everything right away. I used to think like that, and the thought of just spilling everything out of myself was extremely overwhelming. Even admitting that something might not be right to someone might be terrifying. But I cannot stress enough that talking about it helps. It helps more than I ever imagined. No, it’s not a magical fix that will make everything disappear, but it helps. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about it to someone you know, there are plenty of places online where you can anonymously, or hotlines you can call if you need to. Please, even if it’s the hardest thing ever, even if it scares you, even if you don’t want to bother anyone, even if you think your problems aren’t that bad and that no one will care, if you feel at all like you need help, please reach out for support. Asking for help isn't selfish. Asking for help isn't weak.

You deserve to be happy. 

One of the biggest challenge mental health awareness faces is the lack of information. We’ve come far, but there’s still a long way to go. No matter how big or small, whether it’s in real life or online, your voice matters.

There’s so much more I want to say but I don’t want this post to get too long. But please remember, you are loved, you are cared for, you are important, and the world is a better place with you in it. It’s a long and tough journey, and there will be setbacks, but it is possible to get better, things will get better, as long as you keep trying.

The most important step a person can take is always the next one. 

Edited May 30, 2020 by The Awakened Salad

[AonEne]

26 minutes ago, Talirta said:

Depression is really a matter of life and death and a total bummer if you happen to live in the same house with the person having it.

It's also a total bummer if you're the one living through it

Welcome! We generally don't post on threads that have been dead for months (also known as necroing) around here; there should be a new one of these this May.