Just wondering

[jamiebrown]

Ello everyone just wondering why there aint more help for people like us and more support for anxiety and depression. Some of mine and other peoples symptoms are absolutely awful and we shouldn't have to put up with them

[mosa369]

I totally agree and I feel there should be more of an awareness and less discrimination especially in the work place.

[nicole2003]

I agree too. There needs to be more help for us. Seems there is not enough. People don't understand these are serious disorders. Its not just 'in our head'

[mikecole114]

people are ignorant to what is going on. if we had a disease in any other organ you would receive sympathy and cards. with this you get doubt and guilt. the only organizations that begin to understand and help us are set up and run by fellow sufferers. despite everything im going through every time i talk to my dad he says "dont put yourself in a category we all have tough stages" i cant get through to people what is going on in my head because its so irrational and yet so naturally built in as a defense mechanism.

[tailspin]

I totally agree with this! There is a shocking lack of understanding about these conditions, not just amongst the general public, but even amongst medical doctors. It's bad enough being told by some well-meaning layman to just "think positive", but when your own doctor also starts telling you it's "all in your head", it's outrageous!!

Luckily there are some quite high profile mental health advocacy groups out there who try and educate people and de-stigmatize mental illness. In this country, for example, there is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and there is MIND in the UK, and probably several others too. They are all good resouces, but sadly, there is still an overwhelming amount of misunderstanding about mental illness. And, of course, stigma too. It sucks.

Thanks goodness for places like this though, where we can share our experiences and give and receive support!

[tailspin]

IT is getting better . God, 100 years ago they would have shipped us all off to the loony bin and locked us up for life .

20 years ago i was given a pill and told nothing . Atleast now i know whats happening and as sad as it is i know more than most of the ones treating me . But i guess that in life when you have a chronic condition this should be the case .

There is support out there but the problem is that you have to fight for it . One of the biggest problems i have seen is that the treatment is like a shit fight between so called experts . One sees a physical problem and one sees a pure mental problem . They just dont agree with one another and often we get stuck in the middle . So many and more so with counselors have their own vested interest in things .

I dont believe that mental health is any more ignored than any general long term illness .One of the biggest problems is that the brain is only just starting to be study well with the introduction on great medical testing . There is still much unknown. Being dismissed by general doctors is not a new thing and people with things such as MS ,Parkinson would have went though the same thing to start with . Doctors seem to like to dismiss what they dont understand . The problem i see is that i dont understand why they dont want to learn about it. Is it not their job to help. You cant help if you dont understand . I think that another is the problem itself makes us see it different to start with . But the sigma behind it that has been there and only just changing that it is all in ones head is of no help . I know it is of no benefit to you or any of us but i believe that we are the generation that will bring about massive changes in the way mental health is looked at .

I spoke with someone the other day about my anxiety and how it works . I said that it is brain based in that i know what to do but because my brain is not quick enough to do it , i often get beaten to it before i can bring the anxiety down . I mention that it is really funny that if someone is depressed then it is now being seen more and more that it is chemical related and that a person although can help themselves there is also alot that they cant do and need extra help . So a chemical is at play but yet straight off the bat with any anxiety is its "your fault".

There is unbalance chemicals involved in anxiety also and dont kid yourself there is not and if you are treated by anyone that tells you its all your fault then move on to someone that knows what they are talking about .

Great post, Forwells! I think you are right on when you say that doctors are quick to dismiss things they don't understand and that's why so many people with anxiety and/or depression (but especially anxiety) are so often dismissed by their doctors. I also don't know why more doctors aren't interested in learning about this. I sure wish a bit more money was spent on research into mental illness......

[mikecole114]

I don't know what we could do to proactively encourage people learning it. I've seen 3 different doctors since this and the first one I went to all nervously and to be honest I had never even heard of anxiety then and he was really good in explaining it. The second doctor completely dissmissed my complaints and claimed I was an alcoholic and that was the only reason (if you know me you know I really am not) and the 3rd again was really good to me. I think if I had got the shit one first I would have never got any help. I just hope other people have good doctors!

[kelseyt]

I do think there should be more awareness about GAD, it is an illness of the mind.

In some ways it's worse than having a physical illness, because with anxiety from the moment you get up in the morning it is a constant battle until the moment you sleep again. It's a battle to keep it under control and not break out in a panic attack or start letting the anxiety get the best of you. If you haven't experienced severe anxiety you won't understand how much of a toll that takes mentally. It's exhausting. So I understand why it's not something there is a lot of awareness about but I think more people should try to understand what we're going through. Not just say the usual "just think positive" etc. That sort of dismissive attitude is the worst way you can be with someone that has anxiety because it makes them feel completely alone.

[jamiebrown]

Exactly it's really getting me down because I say to people when they ask me why I never want to do anything and I am always down I say to them I just don't feel well and there reply is "your always ill you your a hypercondriact"

No one really knows how I feel need some real support

[mosa369]

I would love to start my own Charity based on Anxiety Disorders specific to Anxiety and Phobias. I see depression is linked to Anxiety but I feel the problem starts with Anxiety that leads to depression in some I understand also that depression can occur without Anxiety that's why I would like to separate the two. With my Charity I visualise organising trips out to places as a group going in a lot of activities that include team building, trusting people and confidence building.

I think also it's hard for non sufferers to quite grasp what Anxiety is to them it's all in our head though it's the physical symptoms feel so real - Not being able to rationalise with ourselves it's a war within the mind we see the world in a completely different way. Your not here to excuse what other people can't understand it's not their fault neither is it yours. You focus on yourself and take each day as it comes don't expect anything just baby steps. :)

[jamiebrown]

I would love to start my own Charity based on Anxiety Disorders specific to Anxiety and Phobias. I see depression is linked to Anxiety but I feel the problem starts with Anxiety that leads to depression in some I understand also that depression can occur without Anxiety that's why I would like to separate the two. With my Charity I visualise organising trips out to places as a group going in a lot of activities that include team building, trusting people and confidence building. I think also it's hard for non sufferers to quite grasp what Anxiety is to them it's all in our head though it's the physical symptoms feel so real - Not being able to rationalise with ourselves it's a war within the mind we see the world in a completely different way. Your not here to excuse what other people can't understand it's not their fault neither is it yours. You focus on yourself and take each day as it comes don't expect anything just baby steps. :)

This would be a great idea I would love to meet all you guys going through the same thing as me

[mikecole114]

This would be a great idea I would love to meet all you guys going through the same thing as me

Same I really wanna know someone who has the same thing. I'm even going to ask my councillor if she could ask her other patience if they want to get In contact with me. I don't know if they will be allowed to even but it's worth a try