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Mental Illness
Cpunk
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi, I am am an avid lurker, but haven't posted before. With that in mind, I would love any advice about this OP/thread via PM from a forum contextual standpoint, or with a post if it directly addresses the subject matter.
This is a thread about coping with mental illness, either first hand or experiences with a friend/loved one. As per the title of the forum, this thread is mostly about help and advice. I encourage relaying of your stories here, but try to tie in a question or suggestion.
Issues dealt with can range from schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and personality disorders to generalized depression or anxiety. Just because I couldn't cram the whole DSM-IV into a single sentence doesn't mean your particular symptoms or diagnoses isn't welcome here. It is and you are.
This is NOT a thread for:
-Personal views on the merits of psychiatry or different forms of therapy.
-Detailed descriptions of traumatic events. (See below)
-Discussion of particular brands of drugs. (General classes are OK, follow my lead here)
-Stories about your crazy college roommate.
-Asshatery of any kind
Going over past trauma in detail can 're-traumatize' a person. Doing so can be helpful, but I strongly recommend it be done only with the help of a professional. Instead, effects these events have had on you or seeking solidarity are fine topics for posts. Again, try to pose your posts in the context of help or advice.
I am not a therapist, and am not going to be doing any therapizing, nor will anyone else here.
Following that, I am not a professional and everything I say comes simply from my own experiences, and should be taken as suggestions to look at critically.
Here's my story and my advice, which should be taken as an example of a good post in this thread:
I am a 24 year old guy living in Vermont. I was diagnosed with bipolar/schizoaffective dissorder three years ago after I failed out of college. I have been to two long term programs, and am currently taking a hiatus from therapy.
Depression and hypomania (getting really excited/energetic with grandiose thinking) have been my main struggles. I also have a hard time organizing things from day to day affairs to long term plans. The programs, therapy and drugs have been a huge help, and I am generally a happy camper.
OK, my advice as a total non professional:
Very small things snowball, for good or ill. Pick one tiny thing you know you can do every day to make life easier.
My tiny thing is to clean my room every night before I go to sleep. When I wake up I don't see soda cans and tangled Rock Band instruments which makes it so much easier to enter the world of the living. I am working on graduating to two small things by doing ten pushups each morning. After a little exercise I can't help but feel energized, which is what I need bright and early.
Write a to-do list. This is way harder than it sounds for because seeing all the crap I have to do (return that movie, get back into college, etc) gives me fucking panic attacks. But that anxiety exists in the background anyways and makes everything harder. It's worth it.
tldr: just read it for god's sake or don't post.
This is a thread about coping with mental illness, either first hand or experiences with a friend/loved one. As per the title of the forum, this thread is mostly about help and advice. I encourage relaying of your stories here, but try to tie in a question or suggestion.
Issues dealt with can range from schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and personality disorders to generalized depression or anxiety. Just because I couldn't cram the whole DSM-IV into a single sentence doesn't mean your particular symptoms or diagnoses isn't welcome here. It is and you are.
This is NOT a thread for:
-Personal views on the merits of psychiatry or different forms of therapy.
-Detailed descriptions of traumatic events. (See below)
-Discussion of particular brands of drugs. (General classes are OK, follow my lead here)
-Stories about your crazy college roommate.
-Asshatery of any kind
Going over past trauma in detail can 're-traumatize' a person. Doing so can be helpful, but I strongly recommend it be done only with the help of a professional. Instead, effects these events have had on you or seeking solidarity are fine topics for posts. Again, try to pose your posts in the context of help or advice.
I am not a therapist, and am not going to be doing any therapizing, nor will anyone else here.
Following that, I am not a professional and everything I say comes simply from my own experiences, and should be taken as suggestions to look at critically.
Here's my story and my advice, which should be taken as an example of a good post in this thread:
I am a 24 year old guy living in Vermont. I was diagnosed with bipolar/schizoaffective dissorder three years ago after I failed out of college. I have been to two long term programs, and am currently taking a hiatus from therapy.
Depression and hypomania (getting really excited/energetic with grandiose thinking) have been my main struggles. I also have a hard time organizing things from day to day affairs to long term plans. The programs, therapy and drugs have been a huge help, and I am generally a happy camper.
OK, my advice as a total non professional:
Very small things snowball, for good or ill. Pick one tiny thing you know you can do every day to make life easier.
My tiny thing is to clean my room every night before I go to sleep. When I wake up I don't see soda cans and tangled Rock Band instruments which makes it so much easier to enter the world of the living. I am working on graduating to two small things by doing ten pushups each morning. After a little exercise I can't help but feel energized, which is what I need bright and early.
Write a to-do list. This is way harder than it sounds for because seeing all the crap I have to do (return that movie, get back into college, etc) gives me fucking panic attacks. But that anxiety exists in the background anyways and makes everything harder. It's worth it.
tldr: just read it for god's sake or don't post.
Cpunk on
0
Posts
With the rules you've mentioned, you'd have a good go at keeping things on track for a few pages, maybe more if you become actively involved in topic management through your own posts.
Other than that, I would suggest simply lurking longer, or modifying the OP to talk about youself or ask about your own situation. These topics do come up from time to time, people post their own theories, advice and experiences, and all in all try quite diligently to be helpful. Your own views and advice would be welcome, I'm sure.