To tell you I have a mental illness

[LEMisdisappointed]

Time to talk are having a "big share" on the demon facebook to raise awareness of mental health issues and prejudice.

i think this link will work

I suffer from depression and anxiety - it skews they way i take things sometimes, so something that would go over my head normally really upsets me and i over analyse EVERYTHING. I am on citalopram which helps with my anxiety and means i can get through the day without having a meltdown. I manage to be a good mum and decent partner and think im fun to be around. I am not ashamed to have a mental illness.

[quesadilla]

Good for you. I heartily support this.
I have never technically had depression (though I have been depressed) but my DH, DSis and at least two close friends have.

Both my DH and my DSis had their lives turned around by a) allowing themselves to admit they were I'll and b) taking medication. And yes I know there are people who think this is a cop out but it has saved both of their lives. Neither of them are free from problems and both have ups and downs but both are hopeful and functional because of it.

Whatever you do to deal with your mental health problems here's to dealing with them without stigma and with tolerance, support and understanding.

[morleylass]

Me too, I suffer from anxiety although currently off ADs although experiencing a few mild symptoms currently so keeping a close eye on myself. I have told a few friends but only a couple of people at work. I think my boss would be ok but would probably give me less challenging work if she knew as she would be worried I wouldn't cope. Others would be less understanding unfortunately . I'm currently on an NHS wellbeing programme that I hope will help me deal with better going forwards although I accept that I may have relapses throughout my life as it seems to come from nowhere!

[OutOfCheeseError]

YANBU. I have anxiety problems, fairly well controlled at te moment but I fear them flaring up again. My DP and close friends and family are aware, but I don't feel comfortable sharing more widely. I fear people's judgment. My brother has bipolar disorder. His lot is harder than mine and I worry every day about how the illness affects his life, and how people's reactions to it and their lack of understanding compound the problem. We can only overcome stigma by talking about it but...it's hard. I applaud you for sharing and wish I had your courage IRL.

[Mogz]

High fives for all the sharers!
I was first diagnosed with depression aged 14, with the help of my amazing councillor we realised the signs had been there since I was 9 or 10 years old. I mostly had verbal therapies but in the last 2 years started taking citalopram (came off when we found out about baby).
It's something that controls my everyday life in strange and bloody annoying ways but I've learned to live with it, accept it and not let it rule me all the time. Having a very supportive DH with whom I can talk very openly helps massively. Having an employer that tried to discipline me for sick leave when I was suicidal was NOT!
More needs to be done to take away the stigma of MH issues, there are so, so many people out there who are affected by it, and the best way to raise awareness is to talk about it, so keep it up and never EVER be ashamed.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I have PND and severe anxiety issues since having DS3. I'm not on medication, nor have I spoken to a dr about it. Some days I'm ok but sometimes it floors me. I can't make decisions, even deciding what to have for dinner causes a lot of anxiety.

I shared.

[Buddhagirl]

I used to have five mental health disorders. Just posted something similar on Facebook, eep.

[idiuntno57]

realise I am hijacking OP's post but I urge all to consider telling just one more person tomorrow. In my case Stephen Fry and Catherine Zeta Jones are all very well as the face of bipolar disorder but it is knowing my next door neighbours cousin etc. has been through something like me keeps me going when the going gets tough.

[Tee2072]

As everyone probably already knows, because I never shut up about it, I have Anxiety Disorder, Clinical Depression and Borderline Agoraphobia.

They will take my meds out of my cold dead hands. Including my Xanax which I pay for privately because the NHS will no longer cover it, the bastards.

[Catypillar]

LEM thank you for starting this thread.

I have bipolar disorder, had depression since my teens but didn't do anything about it until I was 25, diagnosed with bipolar when I was 28. I'm on two mood stabilisers and having psychotherapy as well. I've been very well since the beginning of this year, but before that was ill (mostly depressed) on and off for years. Colleagues have been very good, although I'm a psychiatrist so you would hope they wouldn't be horrible about it... some have described me as "a one person anti-stigma campaign"

Littleen hope you get on well with the lamictal- I'm on it as well and it's helped me a lot.

Joanne279 your GP sees people with mental health problems every day, 90% of people with mental illness are dealt with only by the GP so they know what they're doing and will not think badly of you. I put off seeing someone for ages on the grounds that I thought I could just get on with things (despite seeing my patients getting better on medication, sometimes dramatically so!) and wish I'd done it much earlier. One of the awful things about this is that the illness itself convinces you that nothing will improve. It's wrong. Look after yourself xx

[Llareggub]

I suffer from depression and ADs. I am fairly open about it too.

[DfanjoUnchained]

I will share this.

I've suffered from panic attacks, anxiety, OCD and emetiphobia since I was very little (before I can remember)

Not on any meds but had some cbt which helped. I've learnt how to live with it but I get flare ups from triggers.

I don't think anyone knows the true extent of my 'conditions' apart from my sister.

[Sallystyle]

I have OCD and health anxiety.

My husband has bipolar with schizophrenia traits.

[HugAndRoll]

I have depression, anxiety and sometimes hear voices telling me to hurt myself (haven't self harmed "properly" since being a mum) amongst other things.

I'm on fluoxetine at the moment. Went on that 2 weeks after finishing my weaning period off sertraline, clearly wasn't as ready as I thought to come off medication. I had suicidal thoughts and overwhelming urges to self harm. Got a review appointment with my GP tomorrow and am not sure how to go about it. I feel loads better than I did but I still hear voices but I'm not sure if that's normal as it's in my voice but different from the usual running through what I need to do that day.

[kinkyfuckery]

I have suffered from depression on and off for about 15 years. Am currently unmedicated but struggling - possibly due to stress, or my own physical health - with feeling down, and my anger and patience levels. I have OCD, but it's manageable so I have never spoken to a professional about it. I was heavily 'into' self-harming (mostly cutting) as a teenager/young adult and sometimes the urge does come over me, but I haven't done so in years.
I also suspect I probably have aspergers and possibly ADHD.

I have an 8 year old daughter with mental health issues - diagnosed ADHD and awaiting diagnosis of ASD.

#timetotalk

[sillymillyb]

What a fab thread - thank you, it's so easy to feel like you are the only one suffering.

I have PTSD, depression and anxiety. I have just finished a year of weekly psychotherapy and am in a good place at the moment, but its taken some time to get to this point.

[CrabbyBigBottom]

YANBU, I have always been very open about suffering from depression and anxiety. Had my first spell of it at around 16 years old and have been on and off ADs since my early 20s. Been on citalopram for about 7 years and it keeps me on a fairly even keel overall. It isn't something I'm ashamed of.

[Arnie123]

I have bipolar and it is very unusual for me to even say that even on an Internet forum. I lost my career as a doctor through disability discrimination (I got a we thousand out of court but that is no compensation for an entire lifetime of a well paid career. My family disowned me as they said I was a nutter and an embarrassment and my sister a practicing GP told me to fuck off and kill myself.
I have spoken about my bipolar on other forums and have been called all sorts. I recently posted on a Guardian Comment is Free thread about being a parent with menal health difficulties. Another poster replied I had no right whatsoever to reproduce and "people like me" are not fit to care for a budgie. The moderators quickly deleted it but it led to me phoning my health visitor in tears asking her if I was fit to look after my son. She was lovely and reassuring. My advice to anyone who has mental health problems is only tell people on a need to know basis and be very careful posting on the Internet as people can be a lot crueller when they hide behind computer keyboards. Seriously if I met the person who made the budgie comment in rl I would knee him in the balls.
Mh discrimination is WORSE than the illness itself. Telling someone you have it is like taping a giant "kick me" sign to your back

[springytooty]

I suppose I don't tell many people about my MH problems because I have so many friends from the MH community - we're all one group, we know one another well, allow for one another's 'foibles' because we have foibles of our own.

I would say all of my close friends have MH disorders of one type or another - I find 'ordinary' people a bit dull tbh LOL. I have just had coffee with a friend who is diagnosed BPD and has an eating disorder and self-harms. I could go on, listing my friends and their various dx... but tbh it is irrelevant what the actual 'labels' are now, we're just friends and we love one another.

I have had depression for as long as I can remember. I have been treated for depression throughout my life and have a very healthy respect for my MH in that I watch it closely - I know how to look after myself. Let's think.... I also have an eating disorder, I can be compulsive; I have suffered with crippling panic attacks (though no more). There's probably more but I don't remember it all at the mo... tbh because it isn't important iyswim? What the actual names are? I'm me and that's that, I don't need to be divided up like a pie chart.

BUT it helps to recognise one another by sharing dx, so in that sense it's great for building a community. I love my friends (and they love me). We are survivors, we have and do suffer a lot.

[springytooty]

tbh it's harder telling people I'm a christian (see? you're already looking at me in a different light ).

You gotta laff

[idiuntno57]

Arnie your post makes me so angry on your behalf. Bastards.

I have had social services and non mh doctors think they have a right to look into the minutae of my life and it made me and my family seethe. I did not loose my employment (though did switch career) because of my bipolar but it was close.

However it is because of these sorts of things that I believe that if you feel strong enough you should speak out. In my micro journey to damascus I have find some really unexpected people share their stories because I shared mine and that was good for us all. I am who I am because of my illness. It is not going away so I need to find a way to live with it. Being open is the way I finally found and at the moment it feels good.

[Latara]

I have Recurrent Depression with Psychotic episodes, and also have 'traits of' BPD.

I see an NHS Psychiatrist 3 monthly; and I take an Anti-depressant and an Anti-Psychotic daily. I also have Epilepsy (a neurological condition actually) and take anti-epileptic drugs daily.

I will never admit to those conditions on Facebook, sorry. Only my very close friends and family are aware of these problems.

[Buddhagirl]

It's anxiety provoking (lol) posting it on Facebook, especially as I'm a therapist and most of my colleagues are on there! Why the fuck should I hide it and be ashamed though!

[springytooty]

((((Arnie))))

Ignorant fuckers

[celestialbows]

Thanks for this post. I have severe anxiety which makes me depressed its much worse post natally. I have been trying to manage it through various herbal remedies but am considering giving in to the prescribed drugs.

*Slight thread hijack but one of my big issues was a huge weight gain from ADs in the past and my body not letting go of the fat despite great nutrition and exercise . I stopped the drugs and lost the weight gain, for those of you on citalopram: has It made you put on weight? I am not vain, I also have physical problems which are made worse when I'm heavy. Part of my anxiety makes me scared of putting on all the weight again.

If you prefer ill start a new thread re the side effects. Thanks

[springytooty]

ok then, hands up: how many of us come from toxic families?

(I can see your hand already, Arnie)