health Do you struggle with mental illness?

[PinkieatHeart 208]

I myself have severe generalized anxiety disorder(that in my opinion should have been diagnoses as panic disorder, but I was already on some medication when they officially diagnosed me, so they never saw it's true severity) and pretty bad depression.

 

I was wondering if any of you guys have battled or are currently battling any mental illnesses. If you're not comfortable opening up about it in full detail, that's totally okay.

 

But if you want to talk about it, how has it affected your life? What are some things you do to make yourself better? And do you have any tips or words of encouragement for the others here?

 

Hugs to everyone who replies and everyone who doesn't reply but still deals with these things! You're all super strong and amazing people, and I'm proud of you!

[Willow 1,008]

It hasn't been diagnosed yet, but from one of my friends who has been diagnosed, I exhibit all the symptoms of depression and have for a couple of years now. It developed while I was in middle school, and steadily got worse. Since I met my girlfriend, though, it seems to have gotten better. People have told me they've noticed a difference in the way I act. Despite that, though, it still lingers in the back of my mind and strikes when I'm vulnerable.

 

As for words of encouragement, I would have to go with Andrew W.K. on this one. "Don't give up just because things aren't easy." Even if it seems like things are going horrible and that there's no end to what you're going through, there is. I, and many others, have made it through this, and things ALWAYS get better. Whatever you do, don't give up. The good is on it's way.

[Matakas 31]

my psychologist told me i might have something called dysthymia, which is a "lighter" but continuous version of depression

while i might not have as many breakdowns a depressed person has, i'm constantly feeling down 

this sadness that i feel may not fuck me up to the point that i cant leave my room everyday (it happens from time to time, tho), but i wont be able to fully enjoy (or not enjoy at all) pleasurable life experiences if it's not treated

i also have some stress related problems from time to time, i get stressed to a point that i wont stop crying and i'll start getting super sick, sometimes it might even affect many of my biological cycles (sleep, hunger, "lady stuff", etc)

[Makazi 317]

I've been diagnosed with mild Asperger's, mild A.D.D., and mild to moderate social anxiety. It's difficult for me to be around large groups of people, though it's gotten better. There used to be a time when being in a place with lots of people, such as the store, made me extremely nervous and I would sort of 'black out' and go into my own little world where I would shut out most of what was going on around me; sort of like a tunnel-vision. It would get to the point where I would choose to leave the store and instead sit by myself in the car. While I still do choose to sit by myself in the car, it's more a choice than out of necessity now. If I go into a store, I don't 'black out', and I can for the most part function normally. I still get a little nervous if there's people nearby, but I no longer panic about it.

 

If there is one thing I do get nervous about, it's not knowing how I'm going to react in certain situations. While for the most part I'm okay, I react adversely to people who act cruel for no reason. Example: A few years ago I was at therapy walking to the back parking lot and this group of four or five teenagers was in the elevator. As I'm approaching, I see the elevator door closing. One of the girls says, in a completely cynical and mocking tone: "SORRY WE DIDN'T HOLD THE ELEVATOR FOR YOUUUUU," I figure, well, I wasn't going to the elevator anyways, so I just nonchalantly shrugged. For some ineffable reason, this caused the whole group to break out in a laughter that implied they thought of me as a loser. By then the elevator door was closed, but despite this I yelled: "F*** YOU!", and spit at the door. I was holding a coffee at the time, and I remember having to fight really hard to not throw it at the door. If I had been a few seconds earlier before the door had closed, I don't know what would have happened. Maybe I wouldn't have done anything, or maybe I would have ran at them and gotten myself beaten up, who knows.

 

It seems like an overblown reaction to such a trivial thing, but I was bullied all throughout middle-school and high-school, dealing with people making my life a living hell and laughing at me on a daily basis for no damn reason. Now it's just one of those things that triggers me; people that feel like they need to have a laugh at someone else's expense just because they can, I can't stand it. However, I think I've gotten somewhat better. More recently I was walking in a hallway and some dude felt the need to say "You're gay!". I just laughed it off and kept going. So while things like that can make me snap, I can also brush them off. Not knowing which I'm going to do at any given time is what frightens me.

[InfectedPone 1,550]

This doesn't sound as bad as the other posts here but I'm a bit of a psychopath, I just feel much less empathy towards others than I should. It just makes me not able to recognise when others are annoyed or sad sometimes as I mostly don't care to look.

[Mothra 625]

A few years back I dealt with being suicidal and depressed after being diagnosed with OCD, which in turn developed into other illnesses (ADD, BDD, RLS) as well as being super anxious all the time. I mean I think it's pretty safe to say it's not normal to freak out about someone telling you they're gonna call you on skype in 15 minutes and your reaction is to go downstairs, panic, and think "Oh god, what am I gonna do?"

 

Im getting better at dealing with them, but as much as I wouldn't wish it upon anyone, Im glad that I was able to not get into a dark place that i couldn't climb out of, and became at least a little bit better as a person in general which if I hadn't gone through it, I probably wouldn't be what I am now

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,302]

I've been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and at least some degree of agoraphobia.  My more severe and life-limiting symptoms began to manifest roughly 17 years ago.  I had issues with physical contact, cleanliness, invasive thoughts, rituals, and pervasive anxiety and paranoia.  Aside from a short-lived trial dose of Paxil when I was a teen, I've never taken any medications to treat my condition.

 

What progress I made in the past was fairly minimal.  My condition was something I simply had to live with and even accommodate; an obstacle I constantly found ways around in order to hang onto what functionality I still possessed.

 

And then I met Babe.

 

With her love and support, I've made more progress in the past approaching-two years than I had in all the years priors.  Things are easier now than they have been in a long, long time.  Instead of working around my condition, she's enabled me to work past it on several fronts.  I'm more comfortable in my own skin and less wrought with anxiety.  I can do things that I was once certain I never could - or couldn't bring myself to try.  Babe made me want to try.  Showed me what could happen when I did.

 

My advice is to be patient.  To hold on.  Because there's something or someone out there that, while not necessarily a cure, can have a very real and significant healing effect.  Things can - and sometimes even do - get better.  Wait for the better; hope.

[Matakas 31]

i know i already posted here and stuff, but i forgot to say, if OP or any other person here would like to talk about whatever, you guys are always welcome to talk to me c:

i may not give the best advice, but i'll always be there to listen and give moral support (we can even cry together if needed)

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,368]

The biggest struggles in my life come from mental problems. I am autistic, as well as having generalized anxiety disorder and in some ways PTSD. It is like a blender of issues and it seems like it gets more and more difficult to deal with as time goes on, regardless of my coping methods. 

 

I have tons of little quirks and the anxiety is also a constant problem. I worry about far too many things. :\ Makes enjoying things very difficult at times. Hard to enjoy something like a video game when your mind is pre-occupied by worry and fear. Then I also have certain nervous twitches that I do and random stims that I have, like rocking back and forth, I do that a lot. 

 

Me mind is pretty out there, but as a result, I have a pretty quirky personality I suppose. Now to just accept myself rather than disliking me. 

[Blaire D. Lycan 91]

yes i do and it is very bad. i suffer from schizoaffective, ADHD, and autism. those three cause me to make a fool out of my self daily and i cant control it. not only that but i get bullied about it...

[cybershocker455 324]

The biggest struggles in my life come from mental problems. I am autistic, as well as having generalized anxiety disorder and in some ways PTSD. It is like a blender of issues and it seems like it gets more and more difficult to deal with as time goes on, regardless of my coping methods. 

 

I have tons of little quirks and the anxiety is also a constant problem. I worry about far too many things. :\ Makes enjoying things very difficult at times. Hard to enjoy something like a video game when your mind is pre-occupied by worry and fear. Then I also have certain nervous twitches that I do and random stims that I have, like rocking back and forth, I do that a lot. 

 

Me mind is pretty out there, but as a result, I have a pretty quirky personality I suppose. Now to just accept myself rather than disliking me. 

I feel ya bro. I've got Aspergers, OCD, and generalized anxiety. I have the same internal problems. Hopefully I'll be able to overcome these issues and become a success someday. I do my best to accept myself.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,368]

I feel ya bro. I've got Aspergers, OCD, and generalized anxiety. I have the same internal problems. Hopefully I'll be able to overcome these issues and become a success someday. I do my best to accept myself.

Eh, me, I know at this point that there is no fighting off these issues myself. They are really, really bad. That is part of my problem though, I just want to live a simple life and live within my means, yet because of these issues I feel like a failure instead. I get disability and well, that's not being much of anything. I would rather be okay with that, but I have tons of confidence problems I guess. It is complicated. My is made of complications it seems. 

[cybershocker455 324]

Eh, me, I know at this point that there is no fighting off these issues myself. They are really, really bad. That is part of my problem though, I just want to live a simple life and live within my means, yet because of these issues I feel like a failure instead. I get disability and well, that's not being much of anything. I would rather be okay with that, but I have tons of confidence problems I guess. It is complicated. My is made of complications it seems. 

I'm the opposite, I want to do something memorable and amazing so people can remember me for generations to come.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,368]

I'm the opposite, I want to do something memorable and amazing so people can remember me for generations to come.

That's a lot of people. I would love to do something like that as well, but the best I can do is my sigs and stuff, I guess. Those aren't all that good either. That's really the only option I have. If I worried about being a huge success. I would probably hate myself, well, more than now at least. 

[Blaire D. Lycan 91]

i am both but it seems that my way of being remembered just got discovered when i started writing music.

[Veil 260]

No, but I had a really good friend who dose. Unfortunately we don't talk anymore because of that, its kinda disappointing cause it never really bothered me at all.

[cybershocker455 324]

That's a lot of people. I would love to do something like that as well, but the best I can do is my sigs and stuff, I guess. Those aren't all that good either. That's really the only option I have. If I worried about being a huge success. I would probably hate myself, well, more than now at least. 

Don't think like that. You're always at the welcoming committee so at leat people will remember you as the friendly greeter. I'm just making progress with my goals as of right now, I'll be strong, that's one thing I can say.

[Blaire D. Lycan 91]

That's a lot of people. I would love to do something like that as well, but the best I can do is my sigs and stuff, I guess. Those aren't all that good either. That's really the only option I have. If I worried about being a huge success. I would probably hate myself, well, more than now at least. 

dude have you seen your sig? it is amazing ok you have something going for you right here and now lol and your a admin that must of took time and effort!

[Vulcan 3,254]

Usual Cycles of Depression, recently got over another one, So I feel Great!

 

Also autism

 

I wonder if Weird counts as a mental illness?

[Castle Bleck 19,334]

Asperger's syndrome, OCD, depression, and anxiety.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mYJ0dFLjG4

[Comic Sans 401]

* ocd, paranoia, anxiety, asperger's syndrome... uh... 'moderate depression'. -shrug-

[King Sejong 859]

   I have post traumatic stress disorder, from my service in the navy, everything from abuse from authority, to harsh job environment, to near death experiences, it took a toll on my soul and now I wish I could go back, to a time before I enlisted. I now help my brother with his own PTSD, his experience as a paratrooper, has given him the same condition I have, mood swings, aggression, nightmares, depression and loneliness, his enlistment ends in December this year, so I try to help him when he comes home, our parents are no help, and rather have us both on drugs, but I find talking about it or writing about it really helps, anyway, I have no one to go to for my PTSD, I hope I could be there for my brother, and let him know that he has me to talk too, plus our sister, who is a great person to talk too, it is a struggle to cope with, mostly because of people's apathy, thinking they have suffered more than a serviceman, and have no right to judge, also people are so self important, they have no soul to help a struggling veteran, so we just have ourselves, but I am grateful to this fandom for listening to those who suffer, and I will listen to you too.  

[Grateful Crypty 4,787]

All the goodness everypony in this thread!
 
Yes, I had case of strong depression several weeks ago. Culmination was a long series of panic attacks.
Now I have a huge progress in restoration. Thanks to my friends who supported me.
 
I can't say it had absolutely no influence to me. I still have cases of anxiety related to some bad memories but I don't escape from it and work to fix it hardly.
 
My advice to everypony:
When life gets tough keep closer to your friends.
They will help you and never leave you alone.
Because friendship is magic!

Edited January 30, 2016 by Crypty

[Detritus 258]

I've had severe social phobia for most of my life, and I also have frequent depression coupled with suicidal thoughts. There's also a possibility that I'm mildly autistic, but I have doubts about that.

[Twiggy 2,966]

Does Psychopathy count? It's not really a struggle. Pretty much the ultimate level of not giving a fuck. It hampers me sometimes, but I can usually fake my way through things.