Mental health

[Mary Kay]

I never heard of that! My sister's schizophrenia symptoms didn't appear until her early teens. She was really a wild child. I know she was experimenting with drugs at 14. By the time she was an adult, she always thought people were against her then panic would set in. She would leave the state and in about 3 months would come home and start over. She was also bi-polar.
But as I have said before both Grandma and Mom had/have it too.

[Kate]

Kate, what do you mean by this?

Hi Tescela. Some people can have dormant mental illnesses that they might not know about and can cope with unless something triggers them off. One trigger is thought to be psychoactive substances. For healthy people I don't think there's a problem but if someone is already vulnerable then they are at risk of psychosis or something else being flared up.

My social worker was telling me that informally in the UK schizophrenia is called the 'black man's disease' because so many young black men are triggered by the use of .........

Personally I was very reluctant to stop using ........ because I thought it made me feel better and acted like a sedative. After stopping I realised that it had been keeping my mental state unbalanced and had been keeping me from adjusting to reality.

As I said, I don't think this is something to worry about if you're not vulnerable. I believe that self medication and recreational soft drug use can have a place for most people. Some of us do have to be aware that we should be careful though.

[tescela]

Hi Tescela. Some people can have dormant mental illnesses that they might not know about and can cope with unless something triggers them off. One trigger is thought to be psychoactive substances. For healthy people I don't think there's a problem but if someone is already vulnerable then they are at risk of psychosis or something else being flared up.

My social worker was telling me that informally in the UK schizophrenia is called the 'black man's disease' because so many young black men are triggered by the use of .........

Personally I was very reluctant to stop using ........ because I thought it made me feel better and acted like a sedative. After stopping I realised that it had been keeping my mental state unbalanced and had been keeping me from adjusting to reality.

As I said, I don't think this is something to worry about if you're not vulnerable. I believe that self medication and recreational soft drug use can have a place for most people. Some of us do have to be aware that we should be careful though.

Thanks for the clarification, Kate!

[Christina]

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you. You have been so open and kind to share your stories. I was diagnosed with GAD 3 years ago, finally. I've been on meds and in therapy since. Though it's helped I still have difficult times and long way to go. I have yet to truly face my "demons". Despite my therapist telling me there are many people who are like me I really didn't believe her... until finding this thread. Now I feel like I have a lot to digest in a positive way. Some how knowing that I'm not some kind of, I don't know, societal outcast, and not that unusual comforts me.

I just can't thank you all enough.

[Kate]

All the best to you Christina, you certainly aren't alone.

It took me years to understand that my problem was my illness and not the rest of the world. The world is a bit of a mad place but what I found most important was to recognise that I had to adjust to it because it for sure wasn't going to adjust to me. Once I started developing coping strategies and accepting internal and external contradictions things became easier for me. As long as I take notice of warning signs I'm mostly well nowadays.

Hugs for you, as you say we all have demons, I hope yours quit being drama queens and learn to co-operate.

[taz3cat]

My doctors have given me sever anxiety and panic attacks and I am supposted to be normal (what ever that is). I am not sure some doctors are wraped right either.

When I worked as a social worker, I only found 2 types of doctors, they were Dr. Overmedicate and Dr. Undermedicate.

I am glad to see so many people overcoming their problems. I sure hope I eventualy get over this anxiety and panic attacks that I am having now. Occasonal I get depressed. Sounds bi-polar, but the doctors would tell me I was too old for that. They already told me I was too old for one physcial illness I have. Had to go to Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio to prove that.

Bottom line I am a normal (maybe), wrecked and bonkers.

[Mary Kay]

Well said Kate! Some are inheirited, some due to some type of imbalance or a rogue gene and some are created by your own actions or others. Whatever the problem is, you can rest assured there are lots of us out there who share it! I just am grateful we are now becoming a society that lets us talk about it.

[gep]

Well said Kate! Some are inheirited, some due to some type of imbalance or a rogue gene and some are created by your own actions or others. Whatever the problem is, you can rest assured there are lots of us out there who share it! I just am grateful we are now becoming a society that lets us talk about it.

All these AND thought processes can be distorted due to chemical imbalances and environment which, for those of us (me) who are susceptible can lead to depression and anxiety.

It's important to stay active and vocal in your treatment. Meds, counseling, combination of those, even diet and exercise can have both positive and negative effects on our physcial and mental states. Sleep well, eat healthy, exercise when possible (walking, fresh air, a little sun for the vitamin D) and talk to others who understand what you're going through. Like us!

[Christina]

Well said Kate! Some are inheirited, some due to some type of imbalance or a rogue gene and some are created by your own actions or others. Whatever the problem is, you can rest assured there are lots of us out there who share it! I just am grateful we are now becoming a society that lets us talk about it.

I agree Mary. I truly hope this positive move forward will encourage people to seek help and that people who currently lack understanding will find some.

You are all so kind and I'm really feeling uplifted with all of the understanding and acceptance I feel here. I'm grateful for your advice.

Thanks
Somewhat wrecked and always bonkers

[JABLUES]

Hi everyone..well my story started about 10 yrs ago. One morning i leaned forward to shave in the mirror and felt a shock go in my spine like someone stuck a cattle prod in me. It literally knocked me off my feet. I couldnt walk for 3 days. First quack dr i went to told me it was just a sprain sent me back to work..i worked construction at the time. Went back to work, started to lose feeling in my legs and the pain was constant, like a migrane or toothache in your spine. Second group of geniuses i saw, well i have long hair and a goatee so they immediately assumed i was after some pain drugs..they told me how healthy and fit i looked so (never knew it would be such a hassle to look healthy amd fit..lol) they told me to take aspirin and a couple days off work. Finally had an MRI that showed a small herniation (i wish). Finally after about a month found Stooge #3..a surgeon that told me simple procedure in a month be as good as new, can go back to work, play with my kids again..everything will be fine. Well the 2 hour operation turned into a 6 hour ordeal because there were some issues that didnt show in the MRI..like my disc had completly come out of my spine and embedded itself in the main nerve and going back and working had caused the nerve to wrap around the disc.so he had to cut the nerve away from the disc (permanent damage). A month into recovery i started losing feeling in my legs again and pain came back with a vengeance. He got nervous and sent me to his friend, I think he was one of the Marx Brothers or maybe from Monty Python..he told me I have to learn to live with the pain and the numbness was in my head! Now this is great..at one point during his interview of me, he actually came around behind me and suddenly pushed my head forward! I wont say what I said after that(there are ladies present) but i stood up to my full 6 ft 1 inche 190 lbs of fit and healthy and after some choice words and the threat of seeing how he was going to remove the stethoscope from his ass he called security. Anyway moving along, finally met a real doc that i asked to give it to me straight..his words..son, your up ****s creek without a paddle. Seems that when the nerve is so damaged, it doesnt heal and to operate again would mean going near it and good chance of causing paralysis..oh and he left just a sliver of disc that quickly disintegrated causing my bones to rub together and sometimes pinching that nerve. Things progressively got worse..scar tissue wraping around nerves and more discs tearing and leaking fluid onto nerves, arthritis setting into the spine and the likelihood i wont be able to walk one day. Im on pain meds now but they dont really do much. Do i feel sorry for myself..hell no..that would do nothing but set me back..i do miss not being able to do some things a father would like to do with his son..play ball..but i make it up to him in other ways and he understands as much as a 13 yr old could. Great kid.
To everyone on this particular forum always remember, even in those dark times when you feel very alone and the world is quiet but your body or mind may be screaming and your left to your thoughts..your not alone..there are people that can relate in some way to what you feel inside, i believe many good people here amongst others. Dont ever give up no matter how hard things become..if you have kids be strong for them..show them what courage really is, be strong for yourself.
Thank You All Very Much...JABLUES (joe)...