Mental Health Support Thread (NOT for giving medical advice, or debating)

Dude, all I was saying was to just discuss this without the name calling and personal attacks.

 

Since when did I call anyone a name or make a personal attack? If you can quote it and prove it I'd be more than willing to apologize.

 

Any post that begins "I haven't actually seen a doctor..." can be finished, "...so I don't actually have a problem that I want to solve."

Sorry @Link the Writer, but I really can't remember your medical history, and I hope you are seeing someone about the anxiety. I don't mean to be harsh to you if you haven't, just to encourage you to see someone if you truly believe it's a problem.

 

Unreasonable. Anxiety about seeing a doctor doesn't mean that you don't want the problem solved. If you're arguing that seeing a doctor is an essential step to solving it, and that it's not realistic to expect to solve the problem without that step, OK. But that's not what your literal words are saying.

As one example, plenty of people from abusive childhoods were indoctrinated with the idea that everything needs to stay inside the bubble of the abusive family. They may need a doctor to resolve the aftermath of the abusive childhood. And they may need a doctor to give them the strength to...go see a doctor. An inability to defeat the terror and guilt that stops them from seeing a doctor doesn't mean that they don't want their problem solved.

Edited to add: And...doctors don't always know how to help. That doesn't make them not worth a try, but, as one example, I believe that mental health professionals don't yet have a trace of a clue about hard-core compulsive hoarders.

 

Jack,

I think you'll find I'm handling my anxiety just fine on my own; through meditation and applying logic. It probably helps that my anxiety is mild enough where I can at least manage it without spiraling out of control.

I do appreciate the advice, and honestly, it's not shameful to seek help if you honestly think it's controlling your life, but from where I'm standing now: I think I'm doing pretty well on my own. If anything, I've only been sharing my personal experience with anxiety and how it's affected me.

I've had Generalized Anxiety Disorder for my whole life, and I think I've finally gotten control over it within the past two years. I know what the hell it is, and I know just how to beat it into submission. Not promising that I'll outright obliterate the damned thing, but at least beat it to the point where it no longer has any impact on me. I think I'm almost there. If a percentage is to be applied here, I suppose I'm...50% of the way there.

Trust me, I know what I have, and I'm dealing with it, OK? You don't need to worry about me, my friend. I can take care of myself. If there's a point where I absolutely need to get help because there's no other option left, I will know it. Trust me on this. I'm not some wilting flower on the verge of a catastrophic mental breakdown because his anxiety has overtaken him. I've always have taken care of myself, and I always will. No matter what.

 

No, the point that I'm trying to make is that getting on a forum and whining is not going to solve your problem, self-diagnosis is terrible, and everyone gathering around to hit the like button only reinforces this behavior.

As someone who has spent years in therapy and a genuine lunatic, I have met many people that want to tell everyone that they have a problem, whilst doing nothing to actually solve that problem.

To anyone reading this: if you think you have a mental health issue, talking to a group online is not going to get you better. A group of non-professionals, making judgements based only on your account of events, with no interaction outside of a computer screen, is not a substitute for a real therapist. Validation from a group might make you feel better for a bit, but a visit to a real doctor is what you need to actually work out your issues.

And if you don't think it's bad enough to see a doctor, whining about it online is just a way to get attention, and there are much more positive ways for you to do that.

 

If anything else, I imagine they won't feel alone knowing that others are/or have gone through the same thing they're going through. Maybe it won't fix them right away, but at least it'll let them know that they're not the only ones fighting through whatever mental disorder/illness they're going through.

In fact, if they get more help by ‘whining’ it out through the forums, then I'd rather they do that instead. God knows I've gotten better at controlling my anxiety via meditation and these forums than anything else.

 

That reminds me. It turns out that my new psyche doctor called in a prescription for Tegretol 100mg XR once daily. Well I was originally on 200 mg Tegretol twice daily. So this new prescription isn't shit compared to what I used to be on. I talked to my family doctor, the person who did the referral, and told her about my experience and how the new psyche doctor made the statement, "Well since you are in school and working it sounds like you are doing pretty well. I might have to change your diagnosis, and you might not really need to be on any medicine." Well it kind of shocked the my family doctor, and she pretty much said that I should give her another shot, and if I still didn't like her, they would try to find another doctor to refer me to, but since there is such a long back up to see these psyche doctors around here, I would still have to continue seeing the new psyche doctor until I could actually get to see a newer one. Man I hate living in the BFE of Kentucky.

 

Well at least your PCP is responsible. The idea that she would change your diagnosis after one visit is lunacy.

If you're managing to go to school and work, does that not indicate that your current drug regimen is working?

 

Really I attribute my going to school and working to self-resiliency (not sure if that is the word I'm looking for, but I'm using it). I just had no choice on whether to keep depending on trying to get my disability, or to sell my car and do everything I could so that I could go back to school, and to get a part-time job and get by. I won't get into details, but I wasn't happy with myself and the ways I was getting by before. I had to make a change or curl up in a ball and die. Medication, or no medication, I had to make a change. It still didn't make a difference as far as having manic episodes and then days where I didn't want to get out of bed, because I was just too depressed about nothing in particular. I've had an understanding boss, and I've just somehow been able to continue to do well at school despite everything.

 

It wasn't directing anything at you Lew @Lewdog, I wasn't pissed off and my shouts to the ether would have been a but bunch of ungagged gags about a teenager with a fondness for his one string bass. As I said it'd have been inappropriate, given young Oscar sees it as a problem.

 

Hey everyone! Just letting y'all know that I'm thinking of bringing my anxiety up to my doctor today and see where it goes from here.

 

I was a nervous wreck but it went so well! He wasn't judgy at all and he clearly hears it a lot. I expect all doctors do.

Let us know how it goes, if you do it!

 

Will do!

EDIT: Talked to the doctor. He says my kind of anxiety is very common -- apparently he deals with it all the time. We're gonna start off with some low-keyed anti-anxiety meds to see what happens.

Also, apparently I have a mild scoliosis, which means my spine is slightly bent. The more you learn!

 

UPDATE:
Took the first pill from my anxiety meds.

I'm not sure if it's normal for meds to work almost instantly, but I can sort of feel my anxiety falling back. I feel more driven to do something, something different. I actually kind of don't want be as introverted as I used to be. I feel more open, more free.

Is this how people without anxiety feel? I'm not used to it yet, but it feels good.

 

Could be placebo.

 

@Link the Writer I had the same thing. They're supposed to take a couple of weeks to kick in but whether it was placebo or not, I felt very different. I remember driving home a couple of days after starting them and laughing out loud because I felt okay for the first time in months.

 

I guess that's the important thing. Maybe I'm only just tricking myself to feel less anxious before the meds actually kick in, but the important thing is that the anxiety has diminished.

 

As long as the medication kicks in eventually: sounds like you're on the road to better days.

 

@Link the Writer how's it going?

I have an appraisal at work today. Anxiety has me convinced I'm going to be fired.

 

Doing well. I'm more confident than I used to, less afraid of interacting with people. I noticed that this added with exercise and meditation leads to an increase of motivation.

The anxiety is still there, of course. Always will be, but at least now it feels like I've got a firm handle on it.

And good luck with the appraisal. I have to write a grant due next Saturday and my anxiety is telling me that I'll be a complete failure and a loser if I'm unable to meet the deadline.

 

I'd give you a "snap out of it" slap but I'm not there to do it. So... you know.

 

Yeah. But I've got a better handle on it. I've noticed that with the anxiety is gone, my head is cleared for more logical thought processing and problem-solving.

Basically, I finally have control over my anxiety rather than it having control over me.

 

I actually have a funny story!

I took my husband to work today, because my car is in the shop and I have therapy in a couple hours. While I was out running some errands, he texted me. "I forgot my wedding band on the sink. Can you go get it? I'm afraid the cat will eat it!"

Oh lord. *facepalm* ....My anxiety is spreading.