Today is World Mental Health Day

[sasguru]

Glad to say I have no mental issues whatsoever.
I am 3 perfectly happy lesbians trapped in a man's body.

[cailin maith]

I think there are lot of people who suffer with depression and dont even realise themselves, they have been in that state for so long the think it is the norm. I have suffered with bouts of depression as a by-product of anxiety, and it is not something you can snap-out of like most people think.

I think doctors need to be better trained in anxiety/depression. Although they are vastly different disorders, they are both treated in the same way by most doctors (meds), IMO (IANAD) meds don't cure the underlying issue, they just alleviate the symptoms so the patient can get better. I tried to get help a couple of times, both times i was just given meds and told there was a 6 month waiting list for any of the treatments that were meant to be the most effective (exposure therapy, CBT). So i researched the treatments myself, and practised what they taught, telling myself it was all or nothing, i gave myself a time limit to get better or give up, i am pleased to say i did get better.

CBT worked best for me - not the pills which I thought were a total waste of time.

I guess I was lucky - no waiting list for the other treatment so I managed to get it dealt with reasonably quickly.

[sasguru]

Glad to say I have no mental issues whatsoever.
I am 3 perfectly happy lesbians trapped in a man's body.

The advantage of this of course is that we save on strap-on money.
Although we do have to take turns.

[cailin maith]

The advantage of this of course is that we save on strap-on money.
Although we do have to take turns.

You are really enjoying that little fantasy for yourself, aren't you?

[Old Hack]

I have always thought there a thin line between being happy, and really unhappy, and that not an awful lot going wrong can send you down the wrong side.

It also depends on the personality. I think people whom you know who are genuinely the happiest people on earth, ridiculously so, are the ones who when they do go over the edge, go properly over the edge.

I lost a great friend some moons ago, James Utting, in Devizes who simply walked in front of a lorry when it all got too much for him. April 2004, will remember it for ages. I was working abroad at the time, but thought him one of the happiest people I knew.

I've always tried to look forward when tulip happens in life, as you have no control of the past, but I'd not wish depression on anyone.

[sasguru]

You are really enjoying that little fantasy for yourself, aren't you?

Fantasies lead to good mental health ...Enjoy

[sasguru]

Seriously though, the best antidote to mental health issues is to cultivate a sense of the ridiculous and a sense of humour.
We're all basically monkeys clinging to a rock hurtling through space, none of it really matters and some of it is quite funny.

[Old Hack]

Seriously though, the best antidote to mental health issues is to cultivate a sense of the ridiculous and a sense of humour.
We're all basically monkeys clinging to a rock hurtling through space, none of it really matters and some of it is quite funny.

I think that's the important part, to laugh at, ignore things out of your control, and worry about the things you can.

[fullyautomatix]

Dont know what depression means but seen a fair few very clever people going loopy. Once worked with a guy who had all sorts of mental issues. His wife had overnight disappeared with all his belongings, his car and his children. He went loopy, work got affected and would disappear for days from work. He accused me of installing spy software on his computer, accused me to spying on him in his house and even accused me of stalking him and that he saw me standing with a gun near his house.

[psychocandy]

Serious answer. Yep. Been mildly depressed for most of my adult life, and probably before. From time to time I get really low, but only had 'treatment' once - always feels like the kind of thing you should be able to get yourself out of, after all it's all 'up there'.

I do wonder (and admire) how people can go from day to day feeling joyous and happy, to me it all feels like a bit of a trudge through life, and things to 'look forward to' seem transient and unimportant in the grander scheme of things.

Well - you did ask.

Muddie,

Just because its all 'up there' doesn't mean its something you can get yourself out of.
Its a real illness. If you broke your leg you wouldn't expect to be able to fix it yourself, would you?

We're all closer to mental illness that you realise mate.