The mental health thread

[DirtyDan]

@DirtyDan I had a rough couple of years. I have shared this before and there are some great people on this site I communicate with daily. I had a major meltdown peak of COVID. I had a BAC of only .496, lucky to be alive. I laugh about it now but not too many people can walk away from that. For me it was stress from life, pressures from my old job that drove me over the edge during COVID and my life experiences just got too much for me during that time. I was diagnosed with PTSD, general anxiety disorder and severe depression. I was fortune enough to put my
life on pause for 6 months as I worked through my issues and still do everyday. I take mental health very seriously. Feel free to reach out man. I found EMDR treatment very helpful from my trauma during the start of reprogramming myself. I am a big advocate for it.

Thanks for sharing about yourself. I get comfort knowing that these hurdles can be overcome.

I have to wait until my IOP is done before I can find a therapist who is qualified to do EMDR. I have significant trauma from childhood that I would like to address.

 

[bushwick_bill]

Thanks for sharing about yourself. I get comfort knowing that these hurdles can be overcome.

I have to wait until my IOP is done before I can find a therapist who is qualified to do EMDR. I have significant trauma from childhood that I would like to address.

You certainly are not alone. Everyone's story and experience are different, but my best advice is to work with the professionals on whatever plan they think is the best course for you and follow it. I decided after an adverse reaction to medications not to go that route and instead focused on therapy using EMDR (in another thread, I believe I mentioned this before), breathwork, meditation, a change of diet, and obviously, for me, cutting out alcohol was a must for my mental health, eliminating negative people in my life, etc. I was able to remove my biggest trigger, which was the stressful work situation I was in, and fortunately, I was able to change jobs. I took a less stressful position, which has tremendously worked to my benefit and my success at my new position. I also have a loving and super supportive wife, which really helped during my recovery. Feel free to DM whenever you have any questions or just want to know that I am here to share with you more of my story. Know that there is light at the end of the tunnel if you put forth the effort and work. I did 30 days in a program in New Hampshire outside of South Boston; it was life-changing for me for a number of reasons. This was all a few years ago.

 

[DJTJ]

Oh man, I am not doing well. First, the good news; wife and I are expecting our first together baby. We have one, who’s seven, from her previous relationship, though kiddo does not know a life I wasn’t around in.

Now it gets bad. I have severe health anxiety. At multiple times, I’ve convinced myself I have severe illnesses over a multitude of small, in one day out the next symptoms. Cancer, ALS, you name it. It stems from a parent having significant rare diseases multiple times through my childhood. Expect worst, and it won’t be. I also had significant genetic defects as a child which required multiple surgeries. Having a cardiologist your entire life is not fun. I have to be my biggest advocate. However, I hate doctors. Unless I can’t function, I do not go.

Let’s rewind. Baby news through me to a deep depression about death. It took about three weeks to overcome, got back on medication after 18 great months away, and… bam! I think I’m having a heart attack! Of course it’s not, it’s a panic attack, but at the ER, in a daze of panic, I don’t alert them that hey! My EKG is going to be massively abnormal. Instead, I answer their questions direct and all of a sudden…. They’re freaking out. Everything comes back normal. After a week, I calm down. A month later, visit with cardio, zero changes since my last appointment two years ago, given the all okay. Awesome.

Take this good news positively. I’m going to start running. I’m going to start eating better. Find out, yeah, I need to build up, but I actually enjoy running. Have to take a week off because of the heat. No biggie. Until, on a July 17, I can’t suddenly put weight on my foot. Weird, but we’ll rest it. Come the weekend, feeling pretty solid. That Wednesday, feels really off. Get X-rays, gotta be broken. Nope. No diagnosis. No referral. Not broken, suffer through.

In this time of no mobility, I start to get a weird stomach feeling. As some of you have seen in the poop thread, stomach issues are normal and I know my stomach. Sharp pain? Gunna poop. But this is… no pain? Lots of rumbling. Okay, maybe it’s the new diet? No acid. Okay, maybe I don’t have enough fiber? Fiber backs me up even more. No pain, just a lot of movement feelings. It’s been over a week of just constant uneasy indifference. I’ve convinced myself it’s bad, but it’s not actually having any symptoms of being bad. I’m bloated.

And guess what? I still can’t walk.

I’m going absolutely crazy. I can’t afford a second ER trip in three months, especially when there’s no pain. I’m on the verge of a total breakdown.

 

[DirtyDan]

Oh man, I am not doing well. First, the good news; wife and I are expecting our first together baby. We have one, who’s seven, from her previous relationship, though kiddo does not know a life I wasn’t around in.

Now it gets bad. I have severe health anxiety. At multiple times, I’ve convinced myself I have severe illnesses over a multitude of small, in one day out the next symptoms. Cancer, ALS, you name it. It stems from a parent having significant rare diseases multiple times through my childhood. Expect worst, and it won’t be. I also had significant genetic defects as a child which required multiple surgeries. Having a cardiologist your entire life is not fun. I have to be my biggest advocate. However, I hate doctors. Unless I can’t function, I do not go.

Let’s rewind. Baby news through me to a deep depression about death. It took about three weeks to overcome, got back on medication after 18 great months away, and… bam! I think I’m having a heart attack! Of course it’s not, it’s a panic attack, but at the ER, in a daze of panic, I don’t alert them that hey! My EKG is going to be massively abnormal. Instead, I answer their questions direct and all of a sudden…. They’re freaking out. Everything comes back normal. After a week, I calm down. A month later, visit with cardio, zero changes since my last appointment two years ago, given the all okay. Awesome.

Take this good news positively. I’m going to start running. I’m going to start eating better. Find out, yeah, I need to build up, but I actually enjoy running. Have to take a week off because of the heat. No biggie. Until, on a July 17, I can’t suddenly put weight on my foot. Weird, but we’ll rest it. Come the weekend, feeling pretty solid. That Wednesday, feels really off. Get X-rays, gotta be broken. Nope. No diagnosis. No referral. Not broken, suffer through.

In this time of no mobility, I start to get a weird stomach feeling. As some of you have seen in the poop thread, stomach issues are normal and I know my stomach. Sharp pain? Gunna poop. But this is… no pain? Lots of rumbling. Okay, maybe it’s the new diet? No acid. Okay, maybe I don’t have enough fiber? Fiber backs me up even more. No pain, just a lot of movement feelings. It’s been over a week of just constant uneasy indifference. I’ve convinced myself it’s bad, but it’s not actually having any symptoms of being bad. I’m bloated.

And guess what? I still can’t walk.

I’m going absolutely crazy. I can’t afford a second ER trip in three months, especially when there’s no pain. I’m on the verge of a total breakdown.

Maybe it's time to have a discussion with your partner about getting admitted to a psychiatric hospital to help you get stablized. They can move faster on finding medication that works for you and depending on the hospital they may have different forms of therapy available.

There are also partial hospitalization programs and individualized outpatient programs. It's typically group therapy and psychiatric services for the PHP. My IOP offers both of those and individual therapy.

It sounds almost like your mental health symptoms are manifesting physical issues. You may benefit from physical therapy to address your physical issues as they arise.

I know it's expensive and asking a lot of yourself to get admitted but sometimes that's what people have to do to get right mentally. Your workplace should have a short term disability program available to cover a hospitalization, PHP, or IOP. Your insurance should cover a hospital stay if you have insurance.

You're in my thoughts.

Edit: Once you are given a diagnosis for whatever is ailing you then I would seek out mental health specialists that focus on that illness. Your case seems highly specific.

 

[ticon12389]

I am having a very tough time these days. I struggle throughout the day with trying to find a purpose on what to do. Things I used to enjoy give me no pleasure whatsoever right now. I recently switched my medication for other reasons and have battle depression and anxiety for many years. The only things that go through my mind these days are what should I do next? Why am I not enjoying doing anything? I see both a therapist and a psychiatrist for these but I figured it couldn’t hurt to share it here as well. Frustration and helplessness are at an all time high for me currently.

I also had back surgery in January which severely limits me on what I can do physically. It doesn’t help, but I don’t think it’s the root cause of my mental illness right now.

It is also affecting my appetite as I have lost about 15 pounds the last couple weeks because I can’t eat like I usually do. I’m at a loss.

 

[Criznit]

A couple quick questions for the recent poster's. I commend your openness, it's brave and you should know that.

Ages?

Drug/Alcohol use?

 

[DJTJ]

A couple quick questions for the recent poster's. I commend your openness, it's brave and you should know that.

Ages?

Drug/Alcohol use?

30.

Neither. I had a small alcohol problem in the two years post college, and outside of two weddings and two birthdays since, have stayed away. It’ll be a full year in September since the last time. Never got into drugs.

 

[ticon12389]

A couple quick questions for the recent poster's. I commend your openness, it's brave and you should know that.

Ages?

Drug/Alcohol use?

34, no drug or alcohol use of any kind

 

[Kouki]

I'm in a real funk lately too....No gym, eating like absolute shit, not cooking much at all, gaining weight, depression.

Blah, just crushed a red bull and time to hit the weights

I am overall so much happier when I am eating healthy and lifting weights... I just still can't find that work/life balance

 

[Kouki]

Oh and my body is falling apart, sprained my thumb and tweaked my hip playing softball, have been dealing with plantar fasciitis for three months now, preventing me from golfing... And my chronic back condition is flaring up

Someone give me a kick in the ass to get my life in order plz

 

[David.]

Oh man, I am not doing well. First, the good news; wife and I are expecting our first together baby. We have one, who’s seven, from her previous relationship, though kiddo does not know a life I wasn’t around in.

Now it gets bad. I have severe health anxiety. At multiple times, I’ve convinced myself I have severe illnesses over a multitude of small, in one day out the next symptoms. Cancer, ALS, you name it. It stems from a parent having significant rare diseases multiple times through my childhood. Expect worst, and it won’t be. I also had significant genetic defects as a child which required multiple surgeries. Having a cardiologist your entire life is not fun. I have to be my biggest advocate. However, I hate doctors. Unless I can’t function, I do not go.

Let’s rewind. Baby news through me to a deep depression about death. It took about three weeks to overcome, got back on medication after 18 great months away, and… bam! I think I’m having a heart attack! Of course it’s not, it’s a panic attack, but at the ER, in a daze of panic, I don’t alert them that hey! My EKG is going to be massively abnormal. Instead, I answer their questions direct and all of a sudden…. They’re freaking out. Everything comes back normal. After a week, I calm down. A month later, visit with cardio, zero changes since my last appointment two years ago, given the all okay. Awesome.

Take this good news positively. I’m going to start running. I’m going to start eating better. Find out, yeah, I need to build up, but I actually enjoy running. Have to take a week off because of the heat. No biggie. Until, on a July 17, I can’t suddenly put weight on my foot. Weird, but we’ll rest it. Come the weekend, feeling pretty solid. That Wednesday, feels really off. Get X-rays, gotta be broken. Nope. No diagnosis. No referral. Not broken, suffer through.

In this time of no mobility, I start to get a weird stomach feeling. As some of you have seen in the poop thread, stomach issues are normal and I know my stomach. Sharp pain? Gunna poop. But this is… no pain? Lots of rumbling. Okay, maybe it’s the new diet? No acid. Okay, maybe I don’t have enough fiber? Fiber backs me up even more. No pain, just a lot of movement feelings. It’s been over a week of just constant uneasy indifference. I’ve convinced myself it’s bad, but it’s not actually having any symptoms of being bad. I’m bloated.

And guess what? I still can’t walk.

I’m going absolutely crazy. I can’t afford a second ER trip in three months, especially when there’s no pain. I’m on the verge of a total breakdown.

My partner has similar obsessions, don't know if you've looked at ocd or sought treatment for it.

Ssri changed her life

 

[DirtyDan]

My metabolism has slowed down, not sure if it is due to age (26), poor diet, or my medication. I am up 40 pounds and it's killing my mental health. My mentality is not helpful because I am obsessive about checking my weight.

Anyone dealing with the same thing? I have been working out every other day to counteract the weight gain but it does not seem to slow it down.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

My metabolism has slowed down, not sure if it is due to age (26), poor diet, or my medication. I am up 40 pounds and it's killing my mental health. My mentality is not helpful because I am obsessive about checking my weight.

Anyone dealing with the same thing? I have been working out every other day to counteract the weight gain but it does not seem to slow it down.

Are you on any medication?

Habra you done a full thyroid and hormonal panel?

 

[DirtyDan]

Are you on any medication?

Habra you done a full thyroid and hormonal panel?

Yes, lithium, vraylar, intuniv, and gabapentin.

My doc seems to think it is one of the lithium, vraylar, and gabapentin causing the weight gain. They adjusted my lithium, but it's not making a difference.

The doctors at the hospital did a thyroid panel when they first put me on lithium and it came back normal.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Yes, lithium, vraylar, intuniv, and gabapentin.

My doc seems to think it is one of the lithium, vraylar, and gabapentin causing the weight gain. They adjusted my lithium, but it's not making a difference.

The doctors at the hospital did a thyroid panel when they first put me on lithium and it came back normal.

It's probably one of the meds.

Do u think you can check your TSH, T3, T4, free t3?
Also testosterone, free testosterone, LH, FSH.