How do you feel when you realize you're actually mentally ill?

[SadSally]

I don't mean for the first time, but just in general. I know social anxiety causes me to behave the way I do, but when I actually see TV commercials about mental health or anything kind of media talking about mental illness, the realization hits me "OH MY GOD, I'M ACTUALLY MENTALLY ILL!"
It's weird. I know I have it, but actually acknowledging it as part of my life is surreal.

 

[SCP-087-1]

marginalized

 

[Pacific_Loner]

I feel like the entire world is crazy and I'm just another kind of crazy. So it doesn't sound like such a big deal.

 

[SoScared]

I've quite easily accepted that i'm one of the 1 in 4 that has some kind of mental condition. Since I decided that I really needed to address this problem I have made astounding progress. I had some CBT sessions and now i'm a Buddhist. I still have bad days and during each day I still normally experience considerable discomfort.

These days people talk openly about depression but not anxiety. I don't think the general public understands anxiety. Even if they kind of understand it they don't grasp that it appears time and time again day after day, year after year.

 

[LoyalXenite]

I find when it hits me like that I tend to either feel defiant, a bit of a "screw you, who are you to say Im the one with a problem, mind your own business" type of response, or I feel resigned and overwhelmed by it.

 

[Xion]

I feel like I don't belong anywhere.

 

[Graeme1988]

I feel like I don't belong anywhere.

^ This pretty much. :sad: As well as feelin' confused, frustrated, helpless, hopeless and deeply ashamed in equal measure. Being told to "man up" by my family doesn't exactly help when dealing with my mental illnesses.

But then, men with mental health issue don't seem to get the same support as women. In a fairness, I might be completely wrong on that? I'm just saying as more an observation, in terms of how I got treated when I seeked help for my anxiety and depression.

 

[LoyalXenite]

But then, men with mental health issue don't seem to get the same support as women.

It's so sad how true that is :thumbdown:

 

[zharl]

I feel weird. The same way you put it in fact. It's like, I don't feel mentally ill because it's still like mental illness isn't a thing in US culture. Mental illness is something that can be completely cured because of "mind over matter" or something like that.

While I don't buy into this notion, it's still hard for me to really accept that I have an illness. In fact, I have brief moments where I forget, then I'm quickly reminded by some sort of lovely thought that decides to make an entrance. Because of the stigma, I can't have mental illness and still be marketable to a profession or valuable as a person. It's almost like I have to pretend it doesn't exist, or any remaining self worth I have would plummet.

Erm...that got dark. Sorry 'bout that! On the bright side, the weather is beautiful in Cali today!

 

[Nanita]

I used to think "I'm not really mentally ill all though I have a lot of mental problems". But now I'm like yeah I am actually mentally ill. And I've realized that I'm much worse than I thought I was.
But in a way there is a peace that comes with this realization. And acceptance.
When I was younger I didn't know what the heck was going on with me and why I was so different than most people and why so many situations were horrible for me.
Now when I look back, I completely understand why I was having a difficult time, and why certain situations or people would trigger my sadness, anxiety or bouts of depressed moods.

 

[BlackPuma]

There hasn't been a time where I felt like I wasn't. Perhaps a time where I was too young to notice, but if that's the case I definitely just grew into it. In matter of fact, I sometimes get the opposite sensation. Where there's a momentary glimpse of feeling completely normal and integrated. It's a euphoric but strangely alien sensation.

That makes me happy and sad. Sad because the moment lasts so very short, but happy because that's how most other people feel pretty much all the time. By extension it makes the world seem like a less dark place.

 

[theoutsider]

Oddly, I actually felt a bit of relief when it finally hit home. I guess I spent so much time trying to figure out what the heck was going on with me and coming up blank that actually knowing I have a legitimate illness made me feel a little better. There's some irony for you. Finding out I was a little crazy actually probably saved me from going totally crazy.

 

[Kiwong]

I wonder how did this happen to me?

 

[rockchick46]

I feel like I don't belong anywhere.

That was how I felt, when I 1st realized that I had a Mental Health issue. I also started to get the feeling too cut myself (but i don't do it). Self harm is not a problem that I would like to have, on top of everything else. I think having SA & Depression is more than enough too deal with, thank you very much.

That feeling of not belonging is such a very sad and lonely feeling. Yet I find when I have visitors and they have to go....as soon as I have shut that door....the feeling that i get is the worst feeling that I can get, even now than feeling of not belonging. [emoji27]

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[Kiwong]

Social anxiety disorder is defined as an excessive or unreasonable fear of social situations, not simply being anxious in social situations. There are levels of severity, it becomes a mental illness when starts to adversely effect a sufferer's life. It is a big deal for many sufferers, it diminishes their lives. It is possible to live and achieve with SA, but for some it is a huge challenge. To say it is not a big deal really downplays the challenge it is for some sufferers to live high functioning lives with SA.

 

[kihira]

Social anxiety disorder is defined as an excessive or unreasonable fear of social situations, not simply being anxious in social situations. There are levels of severity, it becomes a mental illness when starts to adversely effect a sufferer's life. It is a big deal for many sufferers, it diminishes their lives. It is possible to live and achieve with SA, but for some it is a huge challenge. To say it is not a big deal really downplays the challenge it is for some sufferers to live high functioning lives with SA.

Yes, agreed, and for many people it is a part of a whole range of mental problems that they're living with that make up their mental illness

 

[rockchick46]

Yes, agreed, and for many people it is a part of a whole range of mental problems that they're living with that make up their mental illness

I agree with both Kiwong and Kihira. As SA affects very body in different ways. As with me I do have SA and Depression (which I have had for most of my life), which were both given a chance to play when I was told that I had Menopause.

So now I have had to put my life and uni on hold, until I can get my life sorted out. So if anyone tells me that this is not a Mental Health issue...I not know what is...!

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[Nanita]

Social Anxiety Disorder is an actual thing and yes it is mentall illness.

I used to be aware that I definitely had social anxiety, but I now know that I also have general anxiety (like, anxiety at all times not just socially) and depression and mild to moderate aspergers. But the actual Social Anxiety is making it impossible for me to be in a lot of social situations, and therefore making it impossible for me to be in school or handle a job or meet people and form friendships. It is a big deal.

 

[Graeme1988]

I used to be aware that I definitely had social anxiety, but I now know that I also have general anxiety (like, anxiety at all times not just socially) and depression and mild to moderate aspergers. But the actual Social Anxiety is making it impossible for me to be in a lot of social situations, and therefore making it impossible for me to be in school or handle a job or meet people and form friendships. It is a big deal.

Same for me, sadly. :sad:

 

[rhonda6373]

I feel overwhelmed because I have depression, SA, and alcoholism. I try not to think about it and take one day at a time. I have ignored the SA until recently because I have to focus so much on staying sober. I am trying to get more educated about it.