Mental Health

[Mr Silver]

Do you consider yourself to have (or have a diagnosis of) a mental health condition?

I myself suffer from OCD. Not so much the classical 'hand washing' and germophobic behavious, but more along the lines of intrusive thoughts. Its a draining and often stressful condition that makes me incredibly anxious on occasions. At this point in my life i'm fighting back however. What helps me is to see others who share this condition, then I know that i'm not along. Its also a positive sign when you read about people who've beaten the problems and who give advice on how to manage it.

So, the poll is anonymous, but if you would like to share your experiences, feel free to do so. Its always interesting to hear from others who suffer with conditions that are occasionly taboo within society

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I've been diagnosed with OCD and depression, but that was a long time ago. I haven't been medicated for either of those in about 13 years.

My OCD used to be of the handwashing variety. I eventually outgrew that and I'm not sure to what extent I'm really OCD anymore.

Anyway, I'm fine.

 

[Mr Silver]

I've been diagnosed with OCD and depression, but that was a long time ago. I haven't been medicated for either of those in about 13 years.

My OCD used to be of the handwashing variety. I eventually outgrew that and I'm not sure to what extent I'm really OCD anymore.

Anyway, I'm fine.

I've suffered from the handwashing variety in the past. At one point I washed my hands so much that they were red raw. I eventually realised that if I kept doing this, I could be permanently scarred and that was the motivation for me to stop doing it.

 

[Kommander]

I have never been diagnosed, therefore, since this is the internet, the following is complete bullshit.

I'm almost certain I have Paranoid Personality Disorder. Not Paranoid Schizophrenia, that's something different. If the CIA can read my thoughts, I don't care, and the joke is on them.

Paranoid personality disorder is the one where one is overly suspicious of the people in their lives. With me, when people are nice to me I assume they're up to something, and when people are mean to me I assume it's because they admire certain things about me and see me as a threat.

I'm fairly open about myself, but it's not because I'm trusting; it's actually the opposite. I feel that if I'm open and honest, everything is done on my terms and gives potential enemies less to use against me. Also, it's sort of a challenge. If I confide in someone, most of the time it isn't because I trust them. I'm challenging them to use the information against me and reveal themselves as my enemy. Out of everyone I know, there is only one person I trust completely, and a few that I have some doubts about, but mostly trust them.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I have depressive episodes that come and go, and (probably partly related to this) periods of extreme emotion, probable chemical inbalance. I was diagnosed with "severe depression" and was on medicine for a time (reluctantly, as I hate using drugs, but they did help. I stopped using them about six months ago). The depression is still ongoing.

Other than that, I'm a rather odd example, really. I've had mental health check ups, as part of my psychological help for the depression, etc, and it's always been concluded that I don't have any mental illnesses or conditions other than that. One possible exception - it has been suggested I'm somewhat autistic, maybe borderline Aspergers, but to be honest if so it doesn't impere my functioning and really we've never been sure if a diagnosis is meaningful when it's this far removed from a "problem". Neither are the people who suggested the diagnosis, particularly as I don't really fit many of the signs. What's weird - to me anyway - is that there's not a condition on the list that I didn't once brush up against in childhood (or so I see it) or fit some of the signs - but never to the extent that I was diagnosed and often those traits would soon disappear as I grew. Possible OCD signs around age 10, soon disappeared, signs of anxiety disorder and panic attacks age 13-14, they passed, hypochondric symptoms around age 14-15, gone now (though I'm still more germ-wary than most, it's not to an unhealthy extreme), possible eating disorder signs last year...seem to have gone. So I consider myself having scooted around many mental disorders without actually having them. Or else I started developing them but overcame them rapidly. I've learnt that my mind is actually quite resiliant.

That must sound like I'm a mess, but really, while my mind is indeed rather scarred, the psychological professionals I see seem to think it's actually rather good up there. The one who works with me the most, and who's affiliated with the university, called me "the most extraordinary mind she'd ever met". She meant it in the "good" way .

.

 

[Kestra]

Depression from the age of fifteen on. I'm doing much better now but I stay on my meds because I can lapse back easily. Generalized anxiety and panic attacks developed later and went untreated for awhile. I did therapy and meds and got off my meds last year. I think where I'm at in general is pretty good and I'm proud of myself for taking care of my mental health.

 

[Sean Aaron]

No, but I do give regularly to the Mental Health Foundation because they seem to do good work.

 

[ElBurro]

I was diagnosed with depression almost 13 years ago. I've been on and off medication (currently on) since then. I suffer from anxiety and occasional panic attacks. It was at it's worst about 7 years ago and I ended up not leaving the house for 2 years.

 

[SmoothieX]

I've never been diagnosed with a medical condition, but I have one two occasions gone to counseling sessions when I wanted to change something about myself but couldn't on my own.

 

[LitmusDragon]

I'm fairly certain I have aspergers or high-functioning autism or similar. I'm actually not clear on the difference, from what I've read they seem to mirror each other fairly well. I'm puzzled by social cues (especially facial and body language) and fake a great deal of my social interaction. I tend to obsess over details and unexpected turns of events can send me into a panic. I'm most comfortable relating online where I have time to think through my responses properly.

I haven't seen a therapist except when I was very young and was having a problem with recurring nightmares. I would be open to seeing a therapist if there was something I wanted to change, but right now I'm happy with myself how I am. Other people seem to have much bigger problems than I do.

 

[thestrangequark]

I have Been diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder, the onset of which was at the typical age, 19. Although I am not currently on medication I have taken it in the past. I've realized that medication is most effective for me in the treatment of acute symptoms of mania or depression, and not helpful as an everyday thing. I've had two servere major depressive episodes in the past (to the point of suicidal ideation), and one major manic episode, along with a couple of hypomanic episodes and a couple of times experiencing what is called a mixed state: being manic and depresses at the same time.

What I hear a lot that really irks me is the whole "everybody's a little bipolar" line. I want to strangle people who say that, though usually I just ask if they have ever gone seven days without sleep feeling wide awake and full of energy the entire time -- because I have.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Crazy is what other people are. I'm delightfully eccentric.

That said, I'm pretty sure I have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder with high-functioning sociopathic tendencies, but as with Kommander's comment, it's complete bullshit. I'm just a self-important arsehole.

 

[Lindley]

I was diagnosed with childhood bipolar disorder when I was 2(!) years old. I was on a variety of medications for a long time.

However, the severity of the mood swings eased considerably around age 18 (which is not uncommon with the childhood form). It isn't too much of a problem anymore, although I can still tell the difference between an up or down cycle by looking at my level of productivity.

 

[Kommander]

What I hear a lot that really irks me is the whole "everybody's a little bipolar" line. I want to strangle people who say that, though usually I just ask if they have ever gone seven days without sleep feeling wide awake and full of energy the entire time -- because I have.

That said, I'm pretty sure I have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder with high-functioning sociopathic tendencies, but as with Kommander's comment, it's complete bullshit. I'm just a self-important arsehole.

That's the problem with self-diagnosis. Pretty much everyone shows behavior or has tendencies that seem similar to personality and mental disorders. I have periods where I'm feeling pretty good and have lots of energy interspersed by periods where I'm not feeling quite so good and I don't have as much energy. That's normal. It's when the ups and down are extreme when one is bi-polar. I also think pretty highly of myself, but again, its not extreme enough to be considered narcissism. I'm also an attention whore, but I probably don't have histrionic personality disorder. The difference between being "normal" and having a disorder is how extreme it is.

The paranoia thing with me goes way beyond normal. Most people are suspicious of other people's motives occasionally, but with me it's everyone all the time. I examine everyone's actions all the time and try to figure out what they're up to. If someone doesn't return a phone call or reply to an e-mail I start speculating that they secretly don't like me and only pretend to so they can use me. Any time someone compliments me my first thought is that they want something from me. When I'm criticized I think the person is threatened by me and feels the need to establish an upper hand. These kind of things are not normal, and rather irritating.

 

[kirsten187]

I definitely have some form of depression. At the end of 2009 / start of 2010, I saw a psychologist over a 6 month period and it was basically cognitive behavioural therapy. I was referred by the Occupational Health Department at my previous job, which was the only good thing to come out of the job. I know I'm still very negative but I'm a little better than I was. I still think that I'm worthless a lot of the time.

I used to suffer quite badly from OCD in the mid to late 1990s, primarily hand washing. It's pretty much gone now though.

 

[Thor Damar]

Well I have a godawful inferiority complex, one that is so bad and predominant that I call myself a reverse megalomaniac. Someone who loathes themselves so much that they end up with the conviction that he/she is uniquely worthless. Since I came up with the term it is of course complete shite.

I have aspergers and possibly have many dyspraxic traits which render me functionally incompetent compared to the rest of humanity. Then there is a rather irritating mild dyslexia to deal with. (thank god for spell checker...)

Naturally I'm a miserable gitwizard.

 

[Vulcan Princess]

There was a time when I thought I was depressed, but it turns out I have a rare adrenal condition that mimics the same symptoms as atypical depression. Once I got my endocrine system worked out I was good as new. (Although there was a period of a week or so where my adrenal meds made me so wired they thought I was manic. A tweak in the dosage put me back to normal.)

 

[Kestra]

What I hear a lot that really irks me is the whole "everybody's a little bipolar" line. I want to strangle people who say that, though usually I just ask if they have ever gone seven days without sleep feeling wide awake and full of energy the entire time -- because I have.

That said, I'm pretty sure I have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder with high-functioning sociopathic tendencies, but as with Kommander's comment, it's complete bullshit. I'm just a self-important arsehole.

That's the problem with self-diagnosis. Pretty much everyone shows behavior or has tendencies that seem similar to personality and mental disorders. I have periods where I'm feeling pretty good and have lots of energy interspersed by periods where I'm not feeling quite so good and I don't have as much energy. That's normal. It's when the ups and down are extreme when one is bi-polar. I also think pretty highly of myself, but again, its not extreme enough to be considered narcissism. I'm also an attention whore, but I probably don't have histrionic personality disorder. The difference between being "normal" and having a disorder is how extreme it is.

Yeah, a lot of this stuff is on a spectrum and some people may have certain traits to a lesser degree. The other thing to remember, especially with personality disorders (which I believe are changing in the next DSM?) is that it's about specific clusters of traits. I may meet one or two criteria from each personality disorder, but that's obviously not enough to diagnose me with any particular one of them.

Honestly, some people don't even understand some of the criteria used. It's like how being depressed isn't just being sad, being manic isn't just having more energy than usual. A period of mania has specific characteristics. I think there's just a lot of misunderstanding.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Indeed. There is a big difference between mood and disorder. My own personal experience is that mania and depression are entirely different emotions to happiness and sadness. It's not even a matter of degree, ie depression is feeling very sad or mania is feeling very happy -- no, there are unique and disparate states.

 

[ElBurro]

I think there's just a lot of misunderstanding.

I totally agree with you on that one. Years ago, a friend of mine suffered from post natal depression after she had her daughter and the friend actually apologised to me because until she had gone through it herself, she couldn't understand what it was like and she was sorry for just thinking that it was 'feeling sad'. Of course, I appreciated the apology, but there was no need for it. I was just glad that she understood (unlike some friends I've had).

I get really pissed off when I see people on tv talking about depression as if it's only feeling a bit down. It's a very real condition and not something that you can just get over if someone tells you to 'cheer up', as some people still seem to believe.