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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 2:58:17 PM
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MyCatSmokey2006
Posts: 3144
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Limulus
Hi all,
I'm not really sure if this is the correct place for me to be posting on the forums, but here it goes. I suffer from severe depression that I've had since I was a teenager. I am not as sociable as I used to be, in fact I rarely go out of the house. I find it hard to trust people after being hurt so many times. One of my friends recommended that I join a support group or seek therapy. Most of my therapy appointments have been missed because I have days where I crash emotionally. My friend also thinks that I am co-dependent. Bi-polar, depression, suicides and other mental illnesses run in our family history. By the way, that friend is the only one left in my life as I seem to have pushed all others out.
I came to know Christ as my savior in 1996, shortly before my divorce. God gets me through many many things and has spared my life on more than one occasion.
That's all for now.
Hi, Limulus and welcome to the boards! I also know how's it's like to crash emotionally and not have many friends because of it. I've dealt with psychiatrists who didn't believe that my medication was causing suicidal thoughts, resulting in actual attempts, before I found one that helped me and is still doing so. I've also been rejected by ignorant churches and people because of my mental illness. At one time, I thought I was being victimized by society as a whole. It's hard being a Christian and having mental illness, since there is a lot of stigma attached to it.
One way to make new friends is to seek out those who have similar mental health issues. There are many ways to do this, including day mental health rehabilitation programs, social service programs, and local mental health agencies, who can give you a referral to other sources.
_____________________________
Melissa
MEOWY CHRISTMAS!
My BLOG!
MY CAT POST!
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 2:59:38 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
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quote:
ORIGINAL: agapetos
While it's not easy to go to therapy (and can in itself be the reason we 'crash' emotionally) it is worth going. It's possible that you don't feel you're achieved much in a session like this ~ but the fact that you've been able to show up is a great start. You really should discuss with your therapist how you can deal with this ~ over the phone if necessary, but preferably face2face.
Something that I learnt in therapy was that it wasn't just somewhere to cut open old scars. My therapist was also interested in how things had been for me in the previous weeks ~ during the time I was seeing my therapist, I had a virus and 2 aunts died. All this affected me emotionally and it was useful for her to know. I don't think a decent therapist would push you on your past if you were struggling in your present. I'd suspect that they'd like to try and help you cope with your present before looking at your past ~ and in looking at your present, you may find that some of your past is more bearable.
Those are great points!
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 3:31:28 PM
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womaninchrist
Posts: 456
Joined: 4/14/2005
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Hi Limulus! Agapetos gave good advice about therapy. A good therapist will help you learn to cope. Besides, while SOMETIMES (but not always) the past does have to be dealt with as part of learning to better cope, a good therapist won't dig into the past when it's not necessary or when it's not going to be productive (like if the patient isn't up to it or ready for it) - and they'll know exactly what to ask about and what to do with that information rather than repeatedly digging up all the randomly applicable info they can think to ask about.
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 3:35:35 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
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quote:
ORIGINAL: agapetos
But do I tell her now or later that I've bipolar?
How close were you two?
I don't keep my bipolar a secret, but I usually don't tell people unless it comes up in conversation.
It is so cool to be reunited with people!!
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 3:46:02 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5404
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
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Close-ish and we kept in touch after we left school then lost touch, then she tracked me down and we kept in touch and lost touch ~ around 15 years back, maybe a bit more.
I think we became closer after we left school though.
_____________________________
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not using them in fruit salads!
My blog
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 3:59:56 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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Agapetos- you're an intuitive woman, so I would trust whatever "gut feeling" you have about the issue.
If you're questioning whether or not to tell her, is there a possibility that she has given some sort of spoken or unspoken reason that she might be uncomfortable about discussing mental illnesses?
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 5:07:45 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MyCatSmokey2006
quote:
ORIGINAL: Limulus
Hi all,
I'm not really sure if this is the correct place for me to be posting on the forums, but here it goes. I suffer from severe depression that I've had since I was a teenager. I am not as sociable as I used to be, in fact I rarely go out of the house. I find it hard to trust people after being hurt so many times. One of my friends recommended that I join a support group or seek therapy. Most of my therapy appointments have been missed because I have days where I crash emotionally. My friend also thinks that I am co-dependent. Bi-polar, depression, suicides and other mental illnesses run in our family history. By the way, that friend is the only one left in my life as I seem to have pushed all others out.
I came to know Christ as my savior in 1996, shortly before my divorce. God gets me through many many things and has spared my life on more than one occasion.
That's all for now.
Hi, Limulus and welcome to the boards! I also know how's it's like to crash emotionally and not have many friends because of it. I've dealt with psychiatrists who didn't believe that my medication was causing suicidal thoughts, resulting in actual attempts, before I found one that helped me and is still doing so. I've also been rejected by ignorant churches and people because of my mental illness. At one time, I thought I was being victimized by society as a whole. It's hard being a Christian and having mental illness, since there is a lot of stigma attached to it.
One way to make new friends is to seek out those who have similar mental health issues. There are many ways to do this, including day mental health rehabilitation programs, social service programs, and local mental health agencies, who can give you a referral to other sources.
Hi Melissa! I somehow missed your post here.
In response to the part that I bolded, you sure got that right!!
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/13/2008 5:33:12 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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Agapetos, I just had a thought. Is there a possibility that your friend already knows that you are bipolar?
A few days ago a friend of mine (who I've known and had on and off contact with since high school) confessed to me that she's bulimic. Honestly, it was not a shock. It was something that I already knew based on my knowledge of the disease (which is limited) and the things she did while we were together.
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:00:07 AM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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I just don't like having people mad at me. My BIL did apologize, but my nieces aren't liking it one bit. Tonight will probably be a night of them seeing if their parents will enforce this new rule.
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:36:26 AM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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Well it's 9:30 and the battle is already lost. Maybe tomorrow?
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:39:25 AM
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womaninchrist
Posts: 456
Joined: 4/14/2005
Status: offline
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Melissa has a good point when she mentions boundaries. We're responsible for OUR actions and reactions but not anyone else's. You have a right to expect to be able to get enough sleep somehow, whether or not everyone else is "happy" with that. Your responsiblity is for your sleep and for communicating that need in a way that allows for them to adjust accoringly - your responsibility does NOT include keeping them happy at all times or doing whatever might be necessary to do that.
BTW, that book she recommended really is an excellent book.
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:22:33 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: agapetos
Roberta, I think that it's important that you don't let this drop. Yes, you may have people mad at you, but if they'd been considerate of you and your needs to begin with then there would be no need for it. Even if you didn't have a mental health issue, you'd still be needing more than a couple of hours sleep. And I'd be requesting the 'power' to kick the girls out of the room when you go to bed.
You're absolutey correct! It's going to be an uphill battle. The girls finally decided that they'd go to bed in their parents room. I set my pillow and my blanket up where I was going to sleep (in the recliner). I did a few quite odds and ends that were requested of me yesterday. I came back out into the living room and my BIL was in the recliner with my blanket and pillow - snoring! I got him to wake up enough to tell me that there was no room in his bed and he didn't want to wake the girls up again because it would take too long to get them back to sleep. Then he went back to sleep and I was unable to wake him up. So I slept on the other couch, which is broken.
I actually used to sleep on the other couch, until it broke. Now it feels like you're always about to fall off of it!
quote:
I can't remember what I have said about me recently. I requested that I be removed from my nurse's care last month. I received a message (after nudging once or twice) last week from someone on the mental health team to say that she had been asked to meet with me. She's just phoned again and is coming out on Wednesday to meet with me. She sounds nice. She also noted that my care plan is close to needing a review and so is bringing my old one so we can discuss it and what needs I have ~ which is pretty much what I'd been thinking!
I hope that everything works out for you!
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:26:31 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5404
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
Status: offline
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Where do the girls normally sleep?
_____________________________
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not using them in fruit salads!
My blog
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RE: Mental Health Encouragement. - 7/14/2008 12:45:59 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7000
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
Status: offline
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Where ever they feel like it. J-8 usually in her parents room or the recliner. J-10 usually in her bed for a little while and then she moves to the living room.
I have an appointment today that I must keep, but I don't wanna! The appointment has nothing to do with mental health issues and it's great that I got an appointment today, especially since I just made the appointment on Friday. The girls can't go with me, so I'm fortunate that other plans were able to be made for them...... for the entire afternoon! I've decided that I'm going to treat myself to a couple of hours of solitude afterwards. I have no idea what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go. I think I'm going to go to a deli and get a sandwich and take it to the nearby dog park and just watch the people and their puppies for a while.
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