What mental health conditions does everyone have?

[Percy]

Just out of my own nosey parker interest I'm curious to know what the people here have been diagnosed with.

I have PTSD as well as diagnosed SA (much improved), severe depression and general anxiety. As well as ADHD and Asperger's.

[firemonkey]

Mental diagnosed: Schizoaffective . The SA, GA, mood swings ,depression are seen as part of that.

Developmental diagnosed: Asperger's

Not diagnosed but highly probable : dyspraxia, non-verbal learning disorder, learning difficulty .

Possible: agoraphobia

Then there's the aphantasia .

[Mo34]

Haven't the foggiest anymore as I can't get a proper frigging diagnoses!

Have been formally diagnosed with SA by a shrink. But other docs have suggested AVPD.
However seeing a pathfinder CPN she felt I had schizoid PD traits - tho not actually schizoid PD rather than AvPD. Also Trauma - tho this is wound up in the potential PD traits.

When I was a service user of MIND my recovery worker enabled me to put in for a ASD/Autism referral, I haven't heard anything back as yet but the wait is long - 2 years or so.
So God knows - I could have all of the above or none. And I'm more confused than ever, lol

Back in contact with pathfinder and the new CPN is going to try and see what she can do in terms of me seeing a psychologist (tho there are very few) but she is having to figure out how to pitch it. She has said if she tries to step me up currently they will probably reject it as I am seen in the eyes of the cmht as too functional (****ing ridiculous system). Other than that the only option is to go private.

[Jen.]

Just plain old SA and depression.

[gregarious_introvert]

I have no idea! It's been said above that it's difficult to unravel everything and it's also possible to be misdiagnosed (a lazy shrink back in the 1980s labelled me with Borderline Personality Disorder, when I was a child my parents were told I was "Hyper", now ADHD of course). I have been diagnosed with Clinical Depression, "Anxiety" (nothing specific there!), Agoraphobia and of course, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, plus I have secondary issues to the last-named, like Dyspraxia and Auditory Processing Disorder, but that applies to most on the spectrum.

I do read about some of the issues faced by others on this forum and think that I have got off pretty lightly and been lucky, in that I've been able to keep all my issues under control (most of the time), even if it did take me half-a-century to learn how to do that!

[Consolida]

Many moons ago my shrink diagnosed me with social phobia, today more widely known as social anxiety disorder. I also suffer with Depression but that didn't come on until after the SA which, lets face it, would make any sufferer feel depressed.

I never pressed my shrink for further diagnoses because having an official label for a set of symptoms hasn't benefited me in any shape or form. For the SA he bombarded me with prescriptions for benzodiazepines and for the Depression prescriptions for every anti- depressant under the sun, very few of which helped. Years ago he referred me to a strange psychologist who once turned up at the house at midnight for a therapy session. Bizarre.

I am certain that I also suffer with a Generalised Anxiety Disorder as I worry excessively about anything and everything and feel sure that I would fit the criteria for having that. Worrying obsessively about my health and that of my loved ones is all part and parcel of that. In the past year or two, I have also become semi Agoraphobic and dread to think what I will be like by the end of the Pandemic especially as my Shrink has very suddenly ceased prescribing me benzodiazepines and totally washed his hands of me.

I don't believe I have Aspergers and any online questionnaires that I've filled in my scores have always come back extremely low.

[Dougella]

I was diagnosed with "serious social phobia" when I was a teenager. I have also suffered with depression and eating disorders, but those are much better now due to therapy and antidepressants, along with changes of circumstances.

When I take the online questionnaires for ASD I usually get the result of having traits, but whether that means I should persue that further I'm not sure.

[Indigo_]

I have no official diagnoses.

[girlinterrupted]

I was originally diagnosed with `severe social phobia` when I was 14,so about 30 years ago now (I was never told but saw it written on the sick-notes I had to get from the GP every 3 months back then). Over the years that has been changed to SA or AvPD,different professionals have used both terms at different times. Your guess is as good as mine. Also `diagnosed` with agoraphobia,OCD (never been sat down and told directly,but various CPNs,Drs,psychiatrists have referred to these as my conditions,as if I had already been told),and `officially` directly told I have `systemic clinical depression`,clinical depression that is life-long and not situational,although I debate that. I definitely have had severe bouts of it,during one breakdown I `lost` 3 months or so that to this day I don't remember while in a catatonic state. I only believe that it was that long because I remember Christmas dinner,and then the next thing I was aware of it was a lot warmer and apparently Easter lol

GAD and OCPD and health anxiety have all been mentioned in passing over the years,as well as DPD (not the delivery service ) and I've probably got enough symptoms of all of those to qualify,but I really cba to push for anything official. At this point (and for many years actually) I don't see the point in any further diagnosis or clarity or re-assessments,unless I was actually wanting or needing medication for a condition. For a start I don't think I could be bothered with the stress of starting all over again to nag and push and follow-up with the system,secondly it'd take months or years and I can't get any help for my MH where I live even before the pandemic shut everything. Mainly though,I don't want any other labels,even though they can be helpful at the start for you to know you're not alone,not just `crazy`,and to seek out help,by this stage the reality of my MH is what it is,no matter what name you put to it.

[humphrey]

I have an official diagnosis of Social Anxiety, Depression and Anxiety - which I have been taking medication for, for about 20 years.

[Dougella]

^^ I was about 14 when I was diagnosed and I was never told either, I have no idea why they did that! It would have helped me a lot to know what I was suffering with and what I could do to help myself, I think.

[girlinterrupted]

It definitely would have helped me^. I had a 4+ year gap when no-one would tell me what was wrong with me,so I thought I was literally the only person in the world to feel that way,and ofc there was no internet so I couldn't look anything up. I didn't know what a panic attack was let alone that it couldn't kill you for years,I just literally thought I was 1) `mad` and 2) dying. And they wonder why in that time I went on to develop other issues

Even as an adult it's odd how the professionals will all refer to my conditions or whatever you want to call them,as if I know I have a,b or c while I'm sat there thinking `ohhh....okay?` and yet if I question them on it they have always just said `oh labels help no-one` or sometimes even just change the subject entirely. One Dr said to me (years ago) that my (then) curiosity is just a symptom of my OCD and `he won't pander to it`. Dumbass did confirm the OCD diagnosis at least I suppose

[Dougella]

^ I don't know what they were thinking quite honestly, it's as if we're not people that they're actually supposed to be working with! I thought I was the only one too and things were just my fault. I definitely think I developed other problems due to not knowing.



Some doctors are just unbelievable! Maybe they just want to work with the conditions but don't want to actually work with people......bit of a problem for a doctor.

[Percy]

Thanks for the responses. No particular reason but idle curiosity.

[Dougella]

^ Are you saying that there's no possibility of change or improvement in mental health for a person in their 30s?

[lone*star]

I'd say the very term 'mental health' is a rather unfortunate and somewhat misleading name in itself, and is both the cause, not only of much confusion on the subject, but even adds unnecessarily to people's overall suffering in general. Why? Because it tends to give people the impression that it's the exact equivalent, and therefore runs side by side, with 'physical health'. But does it? I'd say the two are, in fact, very different things. Physical health is much easier to look at and measure - for example, you either have diabetes or you don't; you either have breast cancer or you don't; you either have Covid-19 or you don't.

But can the same be said for many, if not most, so called 'mental illnesses/disorders'? And if so, why is it possible that you could quite feasibly receive ten different diagnoses (including perhaps no diagnosis at all) from reporting the same problem to ten different 'specialists'? There's obviously something wrong with that situation somewhere! So 'mental health' is clearly not the parallel equivalent of physical health that we've been led to believe.

As an illustration, someone might have always been introverted, quiet and shy as a child; and now, in adulthood, continues to find socialising and talking in group situations at work, for example, difficult and uncomfortable. In such scenarios they experience a much higher than average level of anxiety than most people and, as a result, tend to try and avoid situations like this wherever possible. So the question is, is such an individual mentally ill? Do they have an official 'mental disorder' that needs diagnosing? And if so, who says so? And if it's a qualified professional, do we then have to accept their opinion as being accurate and true?

Can you see what I mean? It's not as simple as having a broken leg.

[Jen.]

Originally Posted by lone*star

And if so, why is it possible that you could quite feasibly receive ten different diagnoses (including perhaps no diagnosis at all) from reporting the same problem to ten different 'specialists'? There's obviously something wrong with that situation somewhere!

Many physical illnesses aren't as simple as a broken leg and you could go to several different doctors presenting the same physical symptoms and each one might tell you something different is wrong with you.

[firemonkey]

For me mental illness should involve a level of distress and/or lack of functioning

[Moksha]

Never been officially diagnosed. For years I thought it was just SA, but now I'm convinced I had a shame-based avoidant personality disorder in place by eight or nine. I also suffer from paranoia, dependency, agitated depression, and a fear of intimacy, but they all have their roots in the shame and avoidance.

I still don't know which came first - the shame or the fear. And I have no idea why I became the way I did, whether it was genetics, suffocating and manipulative parenting, or something else. Not that it matters anymore. I'm 43 now, so it's all too late.

[Percy]

Counselling does have its limits. Sometimes people need more.

[Mike.Kzov]

Just common garden general anxiety, social anxiety and depression. The general anxiety comes and goes, and I mostly keep on top of the depression, but I've found SA the most troublesome bugger.

[GhostOnMagneticTape]

Originally Posted by Moksha

Never been officially diagnosed. For years I thought it was just SA, but now I'm convinced I had a shame-based avoidant personality disorder in place by eight or nine. I also suffer from paranoia, dependency, agitated depression, and a fear of intimacy, but they all have their roots in the shame and avoidance.

I still don't know which came first - the shame or the fear. And I have no idea why I became the way I did, whether it was genetics, suffocating and manipulative parenting, or something else. Not that it matters anymore. I'm 43 now, so it's all too late.

Hi Moksha, going upon what you have written, I do suspect you have an element of childhood trauma, abandonment and neglect (CPTSD). Hence, I recommend reading this book which has helped me a lot to understand the roots of my depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD etc and what to try to do about it in the long term. Shame is at the lowest form of consciousness, I think many addictions are a result of shame due to a turbulent and crappy childhood. Personally, shame has been like a "demonic" entity whipping me with chains every day "I'm not good enough", "I'm pathetic", "I'm weird", "Nobody likes me", "I hate myself" etc. There are some really powerful and enlightening paragraphs in this book that may click with you intellectually and emotionally. It's never too late!

Healing the Shame That Binds You (Recovery Classics): Recovery Classics Edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Healing-Sha...=UTF8&qid=&sr=

“I used to drink,” writes John Bradshaw, “to solve the problems caused by drinking. The more I drank to relieve my shame-based loneliness and hurt, the more I felt ashamed.”

Shame is the motivator behind our toxic behaviors: the compulsion, co-dependency, addiction and drive to superachieve that breaks down the family and destroys personal lives. This book has helped millions identify their personal shame, understand the underlying reasons for it, address these root causes and release themselves from the shame that binds them to their past failures.

Shame is the instigator for many toxic behaviours and patterns of living.

[T]

i haven't been diagnosed with anything well apart from Dyslexia many moons ago... i have feeling i have several things that well i guess i'm scared to talk to my GP about... i have bouts of severe depression, i may have bi polar as my moods are all over the show at times... also think i have some learning difficulties as it takes me along time to figure out certain stuff and my communications skills are abit crap too either online and real life... i know i should get checked get them checked out but well you all know

[Pink*Lady]

Social anxiety, depression and PTSD.

[mossieman]

Central sensitivity syndrome, Asperger's, Agoraphobia, Social anxiety & Depression.

[Rufus]

depression and anxiety - on 2 types of antidepressants, 2 lots of vitamins (B9 & 12) to help them work better and propranolol for the anxiety.

I am curious who made these diagnosis for you all, was it just your GP, was it a therapist - how did you get help - my GP has just passed me onto talking changes, which just going through a CBT book, did it once years ago and it was useless and the therapist (if thats what they were ) was a waste of time and threatened to kick me off it as I didnt / couldnt do the exercises, didnt really care or try to understand me or my problems just said fill out the book. I could talk for hours how ****ed up my thoughts are - then I think I need to man up and get on with it but I cant stop my negative thinking.

[Dougella]

^ Did your doctor tell you that taking those vitamins would help the antidepressants work better, or was it something you found out about yourself?

My diagnoses came from various places, a psychiatrist when I was a teenager and my GP but it all got a bit muddled as I wasn't actually told what I was diagnosed with as a teenager.

You might find a different kind of therapy suits you better, a lot of people don't seem to get on very well with CBT. ACT is another one (acceptance and commitment therapy) that some people have found helpful and person centred therapy I think is another. Some therapists practice a mixture.

[Percy]

^That's what I thought. GP's don't diagnose.

[Dougella]

^ I thought GPs could diagnose depression? Atleast I'm sure it's on my medical records, but then I also saw a psychologist somewhere along the way.....so i'm not sure.

[Percy]

I suppose they might be able to. It was a psychiatrist who diagnosed my depression.