Progression of Disorders

[lunarla]

I think that lots of us are probably especially susceptible to develop certain disorders. For me it feels like it started with one thing and without being treated well from the beginning, developed into something far worse. Last night I think I probably had the worse depressive episode yet. It didn't even end last night. When I woke up I still felt the same. Even right now, I'm just sort of gliding by, not feeling particularly anything. At one point last night I went from hysterically feeling hurt to just numb and not really caring. I like the feeling, I decided. Anyway, back to topic!

How did all of your mental problems start? I don't really mean what event was the catalyst, more so just what feelings or disorder did you start out with and has that changed and progressed into something worse? Better?

For me, I think I was (and still am) hypersensitive to my surroundings. I don't know whether my anxiety or depression came first from that or if they just sort of came up together. From my anxiety came OCD because I felt I had to control the forces that were making me feel anxious. My depression was mild from the start and I think it developed into dysthymia. Extreme insecurity and a bit of social anxiety came in there somewhere as well. At this point I'm thinking that my dysthymia is becoming something worse because of fluctuating symptoms. It really worries me, actually. Feeling such irrational things and such a low mood/terrible coping mechanisms/way of thinking for so long can really change something in the mind.

 

[Hellhound]

I'm not sure. I know I've had a weird mind since I was very little. I was very shy and plagued with all kinds of irrational fears, my thoughts were irrational and disturbing, my behavior was abnormal, I was bad tempered, nervous and negative. Some things never changed, other things improved, I know others got worse... I think anxiety came first, but it wasn't as bad as now.

 

[BlueDays]

I think my SA and Depression have progressed over the years because they fed off each other. Not getting both of them treated earlier has made each of them fuel the other to progress into a worse state then they would have if treated earlier.

 

[Exposure]

I was always a little shy but always had lots of friends and was popular but then started doing ecstacy pretty heavy and i think it triggered my sa , i had a really big panic attack at work one day , completely freaked out , didnt know what anxiety was then and developed a really bad facial twitch and was ashamed , thought people thought i was a freak , started avoiding places , people , and bang , full blown generalized social anxiety disorder , if only i had of talked to someone ::

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I'm fairly certain I have HFA (High Functioning Autism) or some PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Delays - Not Otherwise Specified) & that could have been caused by a seizure I had when I was three as a reaction to penicillin, or I could have been born with it. Either way, I think the fact that my condition was never treated as a child just forced it to get stronger & stronger until it reached it's peak. Even though I've made some strides & done some positive things, I'm still well behind people who are far younger than me & I'm sure that if I had been treated as a child, I would be in much better condition than I am now. I try not to, but sometimes I get mad at my mom, my dad, & even teachers, etc. for not doing something about it. I was obviously not a "normal" child, I had very obvious problems, yet, no one helped me. It makes me mad to think of how I could be now if someone had only gotten me some help as a child when it would have done the most good.

 

[Enialis227]

Had the same level of horrifying social phobia all of my life, I was just able to cope with it earlier because I went to a small middle and high school. Once I got to college, my exposure to people sky-rocketed and I almost lost my mind.
Also, after talking to my parents and friends, I have apparently exhibited symptoms of Bi-polar disorder all of my life, but when I hit about age 17, it got much more severe. This also coincides with my admittance to college.
Both of my disorders got significantly worse when I went to college because of the drastic change in environment. Wether they would have gotten worse on their own, I have no clue.

 

[lurknomore]

I can't be absolutely certain, but I'm pretty sure SA came first for me- probably when I was around 9 or 10 (before that, I was still shy, I just didn't feel "alienated" or that different because of it). Depression probably kicked in around 11 or 12... but I was not diagnosed with it until I was 19 and had to drop out of college. The diagnosis for SP came a few months after seeing a counselor for the depression- I was feeling better, but still not getting out and doing things. I can't be 100% sure which came first, as I was so young when they started (and had never considered that I had any disorders until I was an adult), and these disorders do fuel each other. I'm thinking that for me, the depression stemmed from being unable to fit in and connect with others- and with the onset of puberty, and teen years being difficult enough, everything just snowballed.

Currently, my depression is minimal (if at all, or just circumstantial- finances, ugh), and I would classify my SA as mild- I can function and talk to people (mostly in "structured" situations though, work, routine daily activities, etc), however, I'm pretty sure I have Avoidant Personality Disorder- I can interact with people, but forming any kind of relationship beyond platonic is very difficult- I just can't open up with people. I'm not sure how long I've officially had AvPD though... probably at least for most of my adult life (I'm 30 now).