Do you have a mental illness?

[AlenRose_XX]

Voted : "I think I may have a mental illness, but I have not been diagnosed"

I've been to two therapists and the first one, an old woman who I really disliked and didn't trust at all, I saw once and refused to go back. The second one was the one my mom went to and when I went to him he acted like he didn't give a damn and just needed his hours, I swear he was about to fall asleep while we were having our session. I couldn't be diagnosed properly with him because my mother decided she'd just go ahead and stay in the room and listen to everything so I withheld pretty much everything, so he diagnosed me with Manic Depression. I believe I have a personality disorder or possible Bipolar Disorder, or even just depression, I'm pretty sure something is wrong with me but there's no time, or money to find or try another therapist and honestly, I'm kind of afraid to try again since I've had bad experiences.

[Mr Bad]

i think i do but cant b bothered to go to a councler

i have this huge obsession with guns, war and stuff like that. its taken over my life and i cant stop it. its so annoying i cant stop it ether

[Gemma =]]

Have you had a mental illness?

I've been diagnosed with moderate depression and OCD.
I self harm, have some form of dermotillomania (I skin pick, can't let scars heal, bite the insides of my cheeks until they bleed.)
I have intermittent experiences of an ED which my GP can't be bothered to diagnose properly.
I'm pretty sure I have undiagnosed paranoia.


Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?

Mostly from my own family. When my Mum and sister found out about my self harm they kind of bullied me about and got angry at me. As for people in general, most have been quite considerate. Really, all that I have noticed is sheer ignorance where people don't know how to react to you simply because they don't know enough about what you're going through, not because they want to discriminate against you.

Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?

I truly believe that if I hadn't gone through depression then I wouldn't be who I am today. It has helped me see that everyone has some form of "mental illness" at some point in their life. I've seen 'normal' people, with the symptoms that had me diagnosed with a mental illness.
I think my ability to empathise with people has benefited greatly and I just feel that in general, I am more open about things and willing to talk about anything freely.

[bfoster]

Depression and stress are such disorders which most people face in there life as some stage for one reason or the other. If it's children the pressure of studies gets over their head and if it's adults the pressure of work attracts depression.

The best way to get over stress, depression and anxiety is to take a break from your regular schedule, go out, and take good sleep. This helps in clearing the mind and try consulting a specialist who can suggest you as how you can get over your problem. There are various prescription drugs to get over anxiety and depression, but these should only be used in accordance with the instruction of a physician and going on anti depressants should be the last option. Rather than going on drugs, one should look for the reason behind there problem . Keeping yourself busy and changing the schedule also helps sometimes to get over stress and depression.

[x-gothic-princess-x]

I voted yes... I got told by doctor and school nurse that I have Bi-Polar Disorder

[swimmer92]

I was diagnosed with OCD, depression, Bulimia and Borderline Personality Disorder. I was also diagnosed with schitzophrenia, but then they decided it was BPD
But im all better now!

[lolface]

I think I might have a few things wrong with me, but everytime I've asked if I can see a professional, I'm told there's nothing wrong with me and that "a kick up the arse" is what I need. lol.

[jessica1122]

Diagnosed: Depression, Dyslexia(including the discalculia thing), Anxiety Disorder, and severe Insomnia.
I got the insomnia and depression from my mom, and dyslexia and anxiety disorder from my father. It does effect my life really big, the dyslexia/dyscalculia makes it really hard to get the grades i need to pass, the anxiety makes it difficult to be around other people, the insomnia, well duh keeps me from sleeping good, which only triggers the other things, which then triggers my depression-but depression very rarely gets to me.

[tangledupinyou]

• Have you had a mental illness?

I voted yes. I was diagnosed with OCD about 7 months ago having suffered with it for 10 years. Nearly finished treatment now.

• Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?

I haven't personally faced much discrim, just mainly some people not fully understanding the nature of OCD. Although I do have friends who have faced a great deal of discrim.

• Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?

Quite alot actually. Treatment for my OCD has led me to have a great deal of introspection and I have learned alot about myself. Not just that but I have learned to accept OCD as being a part of me and not an object of hatred. It's who I am, and I'm quite proud of that. Having a mental illness leads me to be understanding of others' pain and has given me a lot of friends, not to mention more faith in the human race.

[just-me]

Have you had a mental illness?
yes i do, i have clinical severe depression....meaning been diagnosed
Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?
no i am not, though very few ppl no about it.
Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?
over the last 48hrs i have learnt so much from it, i was in hospital and couldnt have learnt it anywhere else.

[Zraiiah]

• Have you had a mental illness?

Yes, I have been diagnosed with depression as well as numerous phobias... Some of my fears include but are not limited to: flowers, bugs, non-flowering plants, dirt, darkness, heights, tall objects/buildings, all social activities, large open spaces, small spaces, etc.

• Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?

Lots. I don't get too much trouble for being depressed but I've had many incidences where I'll tell someone what I'm afraid of and they'll torture me with it (i.e. chase me with a flower, which is probably the worst of my phobias). Even my family teases and scares me on occasion.

• Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?

Phobias are not to be taken lightly. I think people should be more aware of what a phobia actually is and what happens to the victim in that situation. I think I'm a lot more sympathetic of others with mental illnesses.

[Catsrmything]

I was diagnosed with minor depression when i was like 7 years old and they didnt do anything about it and said i would just grow out of it but i never did and no one ever told me thats what i had so i always wondered why i was different and stuff and i thought that maybe there was something wrong with me then i heard my mom a talking to my school counselor about it when i was like 13 and thats when i started looking up all my symptoms online and i realized i have social anxiety and then i became suicidal and i told my school counselor and then my mom sent me to a psychologist and she gave me medication for it but i didnt like the medication i didnt want to feel like i had to depend on a pill just so i could be myself so i stopped taking it and started trying to get over my anxiety on my own and so far i think its going really well and i think ive learned to believe in myself more and i think its made me stronger.

[kadyCHAOS]

General anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, clinical depression and bulimia nervosa.

[Emzy]

Yes, I have Anxiety & I'm borderline depression, but I'm seeking help for them both. I chose not to have tablets as I want to sort this myself, so I'll be attending classes every thursday night.

[simplyxme]

Yes, I've been diagnosed with depression, mild anorexia, bulimia nervosa and anxiety.

I do get some discrimination about it. My mum likes to tease me sometimes about my bulimia and depression, & my friends get a little angry because I always decline going out with them.

I have learned a few positive things. Coping skills, how to talk things out, ect. But, now its just a matter of using them.

[michy7x]

Clinical Depression for a long time. Was diagnosed and put on Prozac about 3-4 years ago. I've been in an adolescent psych unit for the past 7 months and i'm getting discharged on June 2nd. So although i don't feel everything's all better, i'm hoping to get my life back on track after all of this. It's helped somewhat and given me exposure to people with other mental problems, some of whom i've become close with.

[rizz]

yes i do...i have borderline persanlity disorder, depression, attachment disorder, disimic disorder and depression but it seems to change every few yrs for some reason...they (the phycs) seem to either add or remove the disorder (i hope you understand what i mean...im haveing a bit of trubble explaining it) the only ones that have stayed it BPD and depression

[missy mel]

I voted yes, I've been diagnosed with an eating disorder, severe depression, and an anxiety disorder.

I've not really faced any discrimination, I think it makes things harder for the individual more so than for example an employer

I think I have learnt a lot about myself from it, and have learnt to accept certain things better and to handle myself in a more mature way

[Penguin Queen]

depression and post traumatic stress disorder.
Yes, people love to call me crazy, and they think its ok. Also, jokes about padded rooms and straight jackets.

[ridiculousness]

Have you had a mental illness?
I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, severe anxiety (social anxieties especially..) >:\ 'Body dysmorphia'...
I've learned to control them well.

I personally have a suspicion of OCD...it runs in my family and I have worsening symptoms of it.

Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?
Sometimes it slips to the close minded people or they hear rumors, I get teased about it, just immature things about hospitalization and straight jackets. lol. I also had a teacher who treated me differently (which I got permission to be excluded from public presentations of things like to the class.)

Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?
I've become a better person with treatment, I respect others a hell of a lot more, and I'm mentally and physically healthier with my awareness.

[DivingCheska]

Have you had a mental illness?
Yes I have been dignosed(spelling) with Adhd,Bi-polar,Depression,OCD,Insomia

Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?
Not really i get called stupid but its not because of my illnesses

Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?
I've learned even though it takes me longer to do stuff then other people im jsut as good as them sometimes..

[GirlsOnTV]

I'm diagnosed bipolar. I go through the phases without medication or treatment. I don't see how anything good can come from an illness.

[Spontaneous Smile]

I have General Anxiety, which I believe causes my occasional depression and my OCD. I'm not sure. Lol.

No I haven't faced social discrimination against any of it, if anything I have people who are experiencing something similar or are supportive of me.

[SS x Vengeance]

• Have you had a mental illness?

- They diagnosed me with depression, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar and post traumatic stress disorder. Yeah, I know, it's a big laundry list...

• Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?

At this school called Evit, they are refusing to take anyone with an IEP (I have one of those for depression) so they may not let me go to that school next year.

• Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?

Other than how to deal with it, I don't think so. It isn't really a positive thing in my life so I don't really know how to make it act like it is.

[peppermintpenguin]

i voted yes. i'm bipolar and i have depression and i'm OCD.

[Imaginary]

I said I feel I may have one, but haven't been diagnosed. I've been diagnosed with having depression, but I've never considered that a mental illness. Imagine going into a doctor's office thinking something exciting’s going to happen and just coming out with depression. How boring.

[Dream]

Have you had a mental illness?-This depends largely on how one defines mental illness. I might have a mental illness, and I've been diagnosed with ADD, GAD, and dysthymia.


Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?- what?

Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?- Tons. I've really learned to appreciate life.

[*Faith*]

I'm on Prozac now but I don't think I've officially been diagnosed with depression.

[savealife723]

i have anxiety, depression, and i am bipolar.

[Lisa111]

I have APD. Probably.

Have I faced discrimination because of it? Yep.

Have I learned anything because I have it? Therapists are annoying.

[~CourageousSurvivor~]

I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I haven't told very many people at all. The only people that really know are my family members and the only reason they know are because they kind of have too.

[AshtrayHeart]

Have you had a mental illness?

I haven't been diagnosed but I have been told many times I may have it and I myself am 99.9% sure I have the problem it's not so much a problem I don't know what you call it but I'm a pathological Liar. I can't stand even saying it. I feel so ashamed.

Have you faced any discrimination for being mentally ill?

When people first started telling me I had this they all put me to aside like there was something wrong with me which there was, I was on a site we were all great friends but when I found out I had this one of them posted a thread telling everyone on that side that I had this disorder and a big row started, I felt so alone and wrong - I wanted to die to be quite honest with you, I wanted help straight away and I wanted it to stop and they've all left me behind now but thanks to someone, I've gotten over that I've learnt to fight against it on my own and I'm so much better than I used to be I can now admit to lieing just about of course I still tell the odd one thats just the way it is. Pathological lieing is Just like drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and self harm, it's an addiction its a way for me to get attention and feel loved because I feel so left out.

Are there any positive things you have learned from having a mental illness?

I guess it helped realise why I was like I was, if that makes sense it makes me understand people a lot better too, people like me - I know alot of people are frowned upon and looked at badly for being a pathological but people have to remember it's just like an addiction a person doesn't realise there lieing until they've done it, they believe there own lies. No one wants to be a liar.


Okay, I kind of went over the top there sorry, I still feel so ashamed saying I have it and just writting it down, none of my family have it only a few friends know I have this and I hate it - I feel like I'm being constantly judged and people don't believe things because of this when I'm telling the truth - I do know when I'm lieing now and I try my very best not too but It's so hard. I wish i didn't have it but I have to learn to deal with it.
Please don't judge me on this, I know alot of people do and will in the future..

[(Insert Name Here)]

I'm bipolar, and have anxiety and depression. Do they count?

[sayray]

schizoaffective (bipolar scale), PTSD, Substance Abuse, ADD....was first diagnosed as Depression with psychotic symptoms ...but then it progressed.Haven't cut for 6 years...if someone else who has schizoaffective or schizophrenia was just wondering how you're dealing with it....and what meds you're on?...

[Liq]

Yes. OCPD.

[Lygophobia]

Depression. Anxiety. OCD. Eating Disorder.

[Lugez]

I've been diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, and Dysthymic Disorder (a type of depression).

No one really knows about it, so I haven't really faced discrimination.

And I'm not really sure what I've learned. It just clarifies who I am, I guess.

[Jacey]

About a million of em I took self- help tests tested positive for everything, anxiety disorder, manic depression/ bipolar, ocd, some schitzophrenia, some autism, not to mention this is all caused by jhd so it'll get worse and there's not a way to get rid of them and i have only listed some of the ones i've diagnosed myself ugh there's so many things...

[kokorocks]

depression, OCD, AD/HD and possible biploar disorder

[amy2929]

yes, i have been diagnosed with severe clinical depression with suicidal ideation, PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder), bulimia nervosa, general anxiety disorder.
I have been discriminated against by my family but i think they just don't understand - not that they try
I find that living with mental illness makes me a stronger person, and helps me to face challenges.