Could we have a general mental illness support thread?

[MeadowHay]

Years ago when I used to frequent The Student Room, they had a really long mental health support thread where people used to go to share their ups and downs and just chat/distract themselves or whatever else. I would have thought a site this big would have something like that but it doesn't. So I was wondering if anybody wanted to make one?? I'm not good at starting threads though, I don't tend to get many responses when I do...

I am having a relapse of my depression it seems and I have had some pretty bad days over the last week or so in particular but I am still here, plodding along, trying my best. It is lonely when DH is at work all day and I feel trapped in my flat, unable to go outside due to my anxiety but I am trying to focus on the positives and also be somewhat productive...I just feel sleepy allllll the time but I have to force myself to stay awake because DH has to go bed early for his job so he can get up early I already am sleeping about 12hrs at night and then staying in all day doing not much so if I sleep during the day as well there is no way I will be able to go to bed at the same time as him and I much prefer to go to bed with him so we can have a cuddle and so I don't feel so lonely.

How is everyone else?

I've just had 2 of those Ferrero Rafaello coconut/almond/chocolate-y things with a cup of coffee. This has made me unbelievably happy as I love things with coconut :)

Probably best to get back on the Slimming World wagon again (the chocs were part of my daily syn allowance)

Meadow I've posted on a couple of threads recently where being able to signpost the op to a support thread like this would of been helpful.

I've had MH issues since I was a teen. Diagnosed with bi-polar but I've suffered with anxiety, depression and PTSD in the past.

I'm currently somewhat stable (for the longest time in 12 years) but it may not last

I have in the past been hospitalised, overdosed and been under the home care team. I've also been on nearly every mood stabiliser, antipsychotic and antidepressant about. (Sadly not an exaggeration)

I am a fucking idiot don't do things by half, happy to discuss any of it as well if it's any use to anyone.

MH issues suck < I'd offer a wine but drinking fucks with my meds these days.

Meadow no I'm not getting any help for my anxiety at the moment. That's because I think I should be able to sort things out for myself. I've had some telephone cbt in the past but didn't engage with it as when I had it I was feeling good and I knew everything they told me already, I'm quite knowledgeable on the subject, being a long term sufferer. That's not to say I don't need help, coz I do.
I've also been on medication in the past, but can't say it made much difference.
The stigma of mental health is so great. That we should feel ashamed and embarrassed about it is ridiculous, but unfortunately that's the way it is. For me anyway. When I last spoke to my doctor about my anxiety, I burst into tears, was horrified with myself, grabbed the medication that was on offer and fled. I self referred for cbt last year, which was telephone based, but as I said this was not for me.
My reluctance to ask for help stems from the fact that I can go for long periods of time when I am ok, coping very well. But then I also go through periods where I am stressed and worrying about different things all the time, as I have done for the past 2 months, jumping from one thing to another.
I'm sorry for rambling on but it is such a help to be able to speak to fellow sufferers like this. It's so comforting and is good therapy for me.

Great idea for a thread - thought about starting one myself.

Anxiety and depression is my main thing. I have been depressed since about 10 or 11, low mood before too.

Lots of little things have happened. I'm on Srtralinw and been on ADs since 12.

Hello everyone else

I'll join the club if I may. I'm another gp avoider and have tried for many years to cope on my own. Sometimes I'm OK, other times rubbish but places like this to come and discuss things with like minded people have been so much help to me in the past. Have posted on different forums but MN seems so much more sympathetic, in my opinion. For me, it helps just getting things out and its great when someone replies to your posts. Stops you feeling so alone.
So hello everyone. Be seeing you soon.

Hello new people, welcome, let's all have a .

For those who haven't spoken to GP or not receiving treatment currently, please go back and speak to your GP . They are there to help you. There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, and I don't agree with the idea of getting better on your own, you wouldn't say that about someone with a physical illness. I don't really think medical conditions can be made better without treatment. Even if previous things haven't worked, there are always other things out there to try. There are loads of different antidepressants and other medications, there is a wide variety of different talking therapies etc. Sometimes it takes awhile to find things that work well for you but it is worth keeping going and trying because when you find what works for you your quality of life will improve. I have had lots of counselling, I'm on my second antidepressant and I also take benzos now and then, I have had a lot of social services involvement in the past too with my own support worker etc, I get lots of support at uni such as weekly mentoring, etc etc. It is a long process but worth it as I'm doing much better now. I couldn't have got where I am now without all of that help and medical treatment.

How do you keep yourself safe from suicide??

Also Sarcasm I'm another whose depression and anxiety problems started at a similar age in childhood . And not after any major incident either, just the build up of lots of things. Although to be honest my anxiety was probably present ever since I was a tot as due to having Asperger's there are a lot of things that make me anxious like sensory stuff that other people won't really have problems with.

Quark If you're feeling you need urgent help right now, you can contact the Samaritans by telephone on 116123, or if you're at serious risk of life-threatening behaviour call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Otherwise, you need to speak to your GP about how you've been feeling. I really hope you're ok. A lot of us here have been there.

Quark I think that is classed as suicidal intentions sort of. It's wanting to commit suicide without having plans to currently do so.

The pregnancy would be classed as a protective factor. Have we spoke on a thread earlier?

Has any one had any luck with self care?

Purple I think anxiety is worse to have then bi-polar personally. I've suffered with both and it's the anxiety that fucks me up more.

My GP referred me for CBT in 2015, but when the referral came through, it was with a friend's mum so obviously couldn't go ahead. I was left to it, and no new referral came through. So I've been managing on my own, with the knowledge I can go back to my GP if things get bad again.

I was a GP avoider before getting the courage and having the support of my dp to go a couple of weeks ago. I should have gone years ago really, before my MH issues started to escalate. I was so terrified, not sure what of really, and in denial. It helped when dp realised something was wrong with me and said "you need to see someone about this" because it validated my feelings and made me believe that I'm genuinely ill and that I wouldn't be wasting gp's time in going to see them, that I wasn't a bad person or anything for feeling how I feel.

I'm so glad I went now. It was so hard and It's too soon to tell for sure whether my medication has helped me yet. But I have felt a massive sense of relief since. It really wasn't as bad as I imagined and my GP was so kind and understanding. I just hope now I am finally on the road to recovery/managing my illness. My next goal is to be more honest about my feelings as I tend to brush things off and tell myself and others that things aren't that bad when really they are, which helps no one.

Anyway to any other avoiders who might be reading this thread, please please make that appointment. It could be the best thing you do.

Quark I know your other thread has gone but I really hope you've asked for some RL help

Just been signposted towards this thread. I am sorry there are so many of us here in the same boat.

quark I am pregnant too. I didn't see your deleted thread and post, I'm afraid, but please know that you're not alone

Hi Joanna welcome to the thread. Fancy a ?

I need to get back into going to the gym - I KNOW a good workout will not only help my weight loss, but will help keep my mood up. I've got placement tomorrow, so Tuesday I am going to attempt to get out of the house nice and early and get back into exercising.

I was about to make me and DH a but there is only one clean mug erghhh and due to sensory issues from Asperger's Syndrome I really struggle to wash up. So I am waiting for him to come off the phone to wash us a mug .

Welcome Joanna. I feel kinda cheddarded that people are being sent to this thread, I am glad it is helping people. It is helping me too.

I am going back to work tomorrow morning, I mostly work term-time only (in my SU) so I haven't been at work since mid-December so I am feeling a horrible anxiousness in my tummy about it. I don't even know why because I actually love my job and my coworkers and boss are all nice and really good when it comes to my mental health and stuff too. But whenever I have a break from something I always get anxiety about going back to it, I don't know if anyone else has the same thing?

Lolli I used to love going to the gym years ago but now I always feel too tired. Although I am pretty busy at the moment so it would be quite difficult to fit it in during term-time. Exercise definitely helps improve my mood when I am able to do it though. I do pole fitness kind of sporadically on and off and I love it and it really helps my mental health.

I get what you mean Meadow I'm severely visually impaired to so not knowing what was going on/loud and unusual noises bothered me from ... Since I can remember.

Can I join? I could really do with a support thread. I have suffered from depression for years. Last very bad episode about 5 years ago when I was supported by CMHT. I have been doing quite well but recently I have taken on additional hours at work as well as a uni course. I can feel overwhelm starting and just want to shutdown. I started a thread in chat which was ignored and made me feel even worse.
Need to force myself to go into work tomorrow or I will start on the downward slippery slope.

Hello everyone.
I hope folks will forgive but I am doing quite well ATM. We are launching a new business after two years of struggle to get someone who can help with the puter bit. The days are getting longer and our boat is nearly ready to go back in the water.

I am posting about life being good because it is all too easy hereabouts to believe that life is only depression and anxeity. It does get better.... (though no doubt I will be talking with darkness my old friend some time soon). When depression strikes again, I know there are good people here who can lend a hand in time of need. And for me thqt is a grewt comfort.

mybestyear Of course you can! Anyway can join. Hello to you and different as well. Glad to hear you've both been doing better recently, it is really uplifting to remember that people do have better periods/recover etc. Sorry to hear that you're starting to find things a bit more difficult though different. I know what you mean about threads being ignored, mine normally are too! Maybe you should try and cut down some of the additional hours at work/uni, maybe you too a big too much on at once?

I called in to work sick this morning, well e-mailed my manager. Was super nauseous all of yesterday and then this morning threw up a bit and have had a really dodgey tummy/bowels (tmi lol). I could have forced myself in but may have been running to the toilet all morning and this is the first time I'll have been off sick since I started my job in October so I thought I'd let myself rest. Idk if it's a tummy bug, or side-effects from my new acne medication given that the nausea started when I started taking it. Hope whatever it is it clears up as I have an exam tomorrow afternoon and I have a feeling that there isn't a toilet anywhere near the room they've put me in :/

Hi all :)
Me and 2 other ladies have made a fb group to chat on, for mental health support (from Mumsnet). If you feel like joining in, PM me and I can give you my name to find on FB!

I have bipolar disorder, OCD, Tourettes and Anxiety! I need a MH cv :)

mybest I'm sorry you are struggling at the moment. Go to work but plan to do something you really enjoy it will keep your mind focused on that instead of negative thoughts.

Could you PM me the group please purple? Thank you.

How's everyone feeling so far today?

Not good. Emergency appointment with private therapist this evening and whereas I don't want to be ungrateful, I am shitting myself that she will not/won't be able to help, and that we won't be able to afford it. Just trying to hang in there until the appointment.

Purple that's a fab idea il pm you.

Joanna I really hope they can offer some help, il keep everything crossed for you.

Hope everyone else is well.