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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Can you beat it? MH

7 replies

ZED55JAX0 · 02/02/2023 06:35

I am wondering if it’s ever possible to beat MH unwellness PND anxiety insomnia panic attacks etc..
do you ever recover? If so What do /did you take? What do you or did you do?
I know everyone will respond differently but interested in finding out if there are things to beat these horrible symptoms

OP posts:
CrispsnDips · 02/02/2023 06:48

Sometimes the secret is digging deep with thoughts (the unconscious mind) and the feelings to help to discover where the anxiety and panic attacks are originating from…but that’s just my simplified possible solution. It can be very complex.

Nix32 · 02/02/2023 06:52

I think it can be managed, but I don't think it ever goes. Knowing it could resurface keeps you vigilant about looking after yourself.

ladyvimes · 02/02/2023 06:55

You can manage it and some people beat it and others have to manage it the rest of their lives.
I needed medication, therapy, exercise and time to get my mental health under control. My advice is to try everything and see what works for you.

Ponoka7 · 02/02/2023 06:57

PND definitely. Anxiety attacks, it depends on the cause (mine were menopausal), so possibly. Again insomnia, possibly. Poor MH can be improved. But you are asking how long is a piece of string, because it depends on so many individual factors.

KnackeredBack · 02/02/2023 07:00

Personally, I just became so annoyed with myself (recovered anorexic), that I just stopped doing anything that I knew was unhealthy. For me, I stopped looking in a mirror for a while and made myself eat at least 3 meals, including protein, carbs and fats daily. I concentrated on nutrition and health. I took up exercise, as I recovered (couldn't make it up a steep hill walking at first) and focussed on the 'what is good for me' instead of the annoying but very persistent voice in my head. It worked and although I had a small relapse a year later, it wasn't as bad and that was 30 yrs ago now. We all have those internal voices that can be good for us or bad for us and I think I just became so pissed off with the bad because I kept reminding myself that I only had 1 life and didn't want to live like this. I suspect that I was depressed and would have benefitted from some cog behavioural therapy, but the impatience kicked in eventually and I just said bugger it!

LittleLegoWoman · 02/02/2023 07:05

Think of it as a chronic but manageable health condition OP. Like asthma or psoriasis. You will find ways to deal with crises (might involve help from drs and counselors) and get through them and also ways to maintain good mental health when things are ticking along ok. These things are different for different people but lifestyle habits like regular exercise, sleep and social time make a big impact for a lot of people.
And yes, some people have one episode of poor mental health and once it’s over they don’t have any more issues. And lots of people have several periods of difficulty with their mental health over their lifetime interspersed with times where they feel good - like being in remission maybe. A smaller nimber of people have more severe symptoms with fewer periods without symptoms but there’s no reason to think this will be you, especially since PND happens at a time in your life where you have much less control over how much sleep, exercise and social interaction you can get, on top of huge hormonal changes - these things don’t last. Babies grow and change and sleep better and become less vulnerable and less and less reliant on their mums and dads.

Vallmo47 · 02/02/2023 07:08

In short, yes to an extent. You do become extremely self aware and a bit more on edge about your health, in my opinion. I never used to suffer with health anxiety for example but I do have a tendency to overanalyse everything I’m feeling now. I try to limit these thoughts and make use of them though - so a very brief “Oh, I’m feeling very strongly about this and it’s causing upsetting thoughts. Need to take a step back”.
My GP thinks this is a very useful way of living my life though because of my past history of psychosis, depression and anxiety. One doctor said “if you had a nasty break in your knee, wouldn’t you take more care in future? The knee will heal, but it might not ever go back to exactly how strong it was. It’s very good to be aware of that and knowing your own limits”. It makes sense to me.

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