about
This is the official mental and physical health support thread. This thread is for anyone who feels that they are struggling to cope with a mental illness, a physical illness, a disability, or if you just need a place to vent about your feelings.
Most users in this thread are not professionals, so professional medical advice should not be sought or given. Examples: "What medications should I be on?" "Do I have depression/anxiety/bipolar disorder?" Users may give their personal experiences, or they may give some resources as to potential treatments, but above all please speak to a licensed professional if you require medical attention.
Please respect your fellow users on this thread. People in this thread will be vulnerable and can be sensitive to harassment, trolling, insults, etc. Please do not bring fanwars or personal drama into this thread.
Please keep information in here private (do not sling people's illnesses on other parts of the forum).
A note from Nurse XIA about this (click if on mobile):
Please feel free to request that someone talk to you in PM. There are many great users following this thread that will try and reach out to you. You can PM me if you need to talk as well. I am not a professional, and maybe I won't always know the right thing to say, but I'd rather you talk to me than to not talk to anyone and keep things inside.
resources
help lines (urgent)
seeking treatment for mental illness (general)
a great general guide on how to seek help (it's on an anxiety forum but the advice applies to anyone suffering a mental illness)
how to speak to your parents about your mental illness (if you are a minor or cannot get help on your own)
psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or counselor?
find a therapist (sadly only us/uk/can as of right now)
international search for a therapist (unfortunately not all countries included)
what to do if you can't afford therapy
getting a therapist: a brief step-by-step guide
what to expect at your first appointment
50 signs of good therapy
50 signs of questionable therapy (warning signs)
suicide
if you feel like you are a present danger to yourself, please call a suicide hotline. they will examine your level of emotional pain and will be able to find you help.
international association for suicide prevention crisis center database
befrienders helpline database (click "find a helpline by country")
what to expect when you call a sucide hotline
helping yourself when you feel suicidal
coping with suicidal thoughts
depression
understanding depression
some ways to cope with depression
natural ways to help with your depression (if you do not want to take meds or see a professional)
fun distraction things
calm down kit
anxiety
understanding anxiety
managing anxiety
about panic attacks
deep breathing and guided relaxation
calm down kit
calming videos
adhd
self diagnostic test this is definitely not a sure-shot way of determining whether you have adhd at all, but I recommend doing one of these tests before visiting a physician. please visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis/consultation.
professionals who are qualified to diagnose add/adhd:
psychiatrist (M.D.) - very trained in diagnosis since that is their specialisation.
psychologist (not M.D.; cannot prescribe medication) - trained in diagnosis and counselling - can refer you to specialised doctor if required further.
family doctor - may not have much experience with ADHD diagnosis; you may not get the appropriate result, cannot offer counselling but can prescribe medication.
neurologist - specialised in brain treatment and can also spot any other conditions such as seizure disorders, etc.
of course, the most approachable method is visiting your family doctor as they are easier to schedule with and have a history with you. however, they may not be as experienced as a psychiatrist and that can possibly lead to a misdiagnosis.
useful links:
Types of ADHD
Common symptoms
Executive Dysfunction
Living with ADHD [multiple articles]
Impulsive Behaviour
Gay ass Tumblr list "ADHD + The Internet"
Medication Comparison Chart
!ADHD medication side effects and precautions!
Finding a therapist (USA & Canada only)
related conditions:
anxiety
depression
other learning disabilities
oppositional defiant disorder
sensory processing disorder
Remember, medication may work great for some of you, and for some of you not so much. Or maybe you are in a place where you cannot get access to medication for whatsoever reasons. Nothing can be fit into a box because abnormalities in the medical field have always existed and will continue to exist. What works for you may not work for somebody else and vice versa.
Just because medication may not be it for you, does not mean it ends there. After all, ADHD is something you have to live with and over time you can help yourself by developing certain habits and regulations.
self care for adhd:
Management tips
Shorter list if you skipped reading half of the article above this one lol
Corny ass self care list for housewives that browse Pinterest
And the simplest advice for you is please get enough sleep. If this is hard; you are too distracted or have too much on your plate, still, try your best to get a solid 7 hours or so because it will wake you up in a much better mindset. A way to force yourself to sleep early is tire yourself out (physically) and fall asleep at a good time one night and repeat for the next few days, then when you are back to your normal routine you will naturally begin feeling sleepy at that hour (please don't resist it).
Surround yourself with understanding friends and try your best not to beat yourself up over it. Nothing will magically treat you, you are all you have.
Bonus! Cute website.
ocd
A few helpful links for starters:
Specific symptoms that come with OCD
Differenting between OCD and other conditions
The course of OCD
How people with OCD think
Different types of OCD
Self care:
Finding help for OCD
Things no one tells you about OCD (trigger-warning)
Managing OCD at home
Here's a list of mental health mobile apps that might be of some help if you're into that
Here are some more resources that might help you understand this better
What you need to know about OCD
More info about OCD
International OCD Foundation
OCD Self-screening test
A thread about Tics vs Compulsions (similar here)
OCD subtypes (detailed list here as I mentioned above)
Contamination
Compulsive hoarding
"Just right" OCD
Scrupulosity (religious/ moral obsessions)
Violent & sexual obsessions
Related disorders or conditions may include..
OCPD (Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder)
Body dysmorphic order
Skin picking
Trichotillomania
Dermatillomania
It might not always be possible to get professional help, so here are some self-help resources:
Cognitive restructuring for anxiety (couldn't find the worksheet but try looking into it)
Dealing with intrusive thoughts
Distractions
Treatment options for OCD
Finding help for OCD
How to find the right therapist for you
credit for adhd and ocd sections: <3
trusted users
these users have given their consent to be pmed by anyone struggling with mental health issues who wishes to not post on the thread.
VANTE
rei-chama
yujuwon
bekki
kayden411
Pirine
syzao nyan yves
yeppuda