I thought I’d post this seeing as there’s been a bit of a push at reducing the stigma of living with mental health difficulties recently and the sensitive and emotive subject of suicide re-occurring recently on the forum.

In my relatively short time on this forum I’ve seen many threads come and go about specific mental health difficulties, often ending up with people arguing… which obviously helps anyone searching for a bit of support or advice 🙄

I really hope this thread doesnt descend into “you don’t have OCD, you just can’t get on with people”, “suicide is selfish” and “you just need to MTFU”… I hope people can feel honest enough to admit to the wider community they struggle sometimes without fearing the kinda response that they’re normally faced with!

Unless you’ve lived with mental health difficulties then no matter how close you’ve been to someone who has… you can’t truly understand what its like. So please, please save the judgement and negative comments… you’d only be furthering the stigma and contributing to an attitude in society that makes it very difficult for people to admit they’re struggling and get help/support when needed.

To those who come to this thread and contribute in a productive, supportive way… thank you in advance.

To those brave enough to post some personal info… thank you, and good luck 🙂

What’s the question ?

I was wondering that, too…

Oh I’ve just realised that the question is in the title. Well “life” is the answer then I guess.

We are all in recovery, just some more than others.

I’m guessing, it’d be something like
“Mental Health, what do you struggle with?”

I mean that’s just a wild flailing stab in the dark but my keen insightful mind has identified that sentences with a question mark at the end constitute a question.

I don’t mind talking about it now as i’ve kept it locked up for so long.
About 5 years ago i was diagnosed with depression, over the years it has come and gone but over the last 18 months I’ve really been suffering from anxiety + panic attacks. It’s linked in with my IBS, it’s a viscious circle (the more i worry about my ibs coming on the more likely it is to come on) It’s now affecting all aspects of my life to a point where i can’t do simple tasks like go to the shops with out feeling so axnxious. I’m currently off work for 4 weeks with it but i can’t see myself going back anytime soon.
Social life has been killed off by it, I’ve missed good friends weddings, I don’t see my riding mates, I’m meant to be doing HONC on Sunday but don’t know whether i’ll be up to it as I get panic attacks when i’m driving/stuck in traffic
Currently changing my medication so that has me feeling really low as i’ve come off one and the new one hasn’t made any improvements yet. CBT has helped a little but work won’t allow me anymore time off to go to the sessions.
So overall I’m feeling the lowest i ever have 🙁

Maybe we should all declare our positions on ICD-10??

I’m not sure people really want to do that – it’s a bit personal, isn’t it??

Rachel

There’s no need to take the piss out of us who suffer from dyslexia samuri.

You’ve gone against the sentiments behind the thread already 😐

I wasn’t taking the piss. You should add ‘paranoia’ to your own mental problems.

You cruel man.

Mental health, what do you struggle with?

everyone elses mostly..

If depression is a scale that we are all on, I am at the opposite end, I am genetically chirpy, always shake off the doldrums in no time, usually find the best in things and can always be relied upon to be chipper and optimistic.

IT IS PURE HELL!!!!

I struggle with the retards on here, does that count?

I struggle with the idea that people trying to deal with serious mental health issues which are both complex and personal think they’ll get anywhere by posting about them on a mountain bike forum

I’m naturally cynical but I’m actually always happy. So can’t really help.

Anyone want a hug?

I am genetically chirpy, always shake off the doldrums in no time, usually find the best in things and can always be relied upon to be chipper and optimistic.

IT IS PURE HELL!!!!

For people who have to listen to it.

I **** hate happy people – they get right on my tits. There’s **** all to be happy about, life is shite.
So don’t go around with all your laughing, singing, joking, whistling, bollox.

I mean that’s just a wild flailing stab in the dark but my keen insightful mind has identified that sentences with a question mark at the end constitute a question

My name is Samuri and I have a problem with excessive sarcasm.

My main issue actually (this is molgrips now) is what they call bill phobia. I get into trouble for not paying bills, taxes, filling in forms etc because I just hide from it – I have the money, that’s not the issue. Just afraid of it, so I put it out of my mind.

Well don’t i feel stupid for posting now

Thanks for ruining what could have been a very helpful thread

I found converting to a hedonistic stoic belief system was very helpful

I may start a church

Thanks for ruining what could have been a very helpful thread

It’s only ruined if you give any value to the opinions of people here. Which you shouldn’t do. You shouldn’t feel stupid either. No one here should matter. Neither should their opinion of you.

wow… cheers guys!

some people do find it useful knowing where in the ICD-10 they stand, giving their feelings a label does help some people.

some people find it useful discussing things, and sometimes that’s easier with strangers…

wow…. just wow.

I’m amazed that people are coming out with the usual crap after reading Houns’ post. Very poor.

I’m another one that has had mental health issues, and if you’re going to troll and make jokes, can you at least put a bit of effort in? 🙄 😐

There is still an awful lot of misunderstanding and stigma attached to these issues, and moronic comments like these just contribute to that. And again, if you’re going to be a sarky **** you could at least be funny/witty with it.

For people who have to listen to it.

😀

Laugh and the world laughs with you, except when you have an annoying laugh that irritates the already slightly grumpy people in the vicinity, as the old saying goes…

Hi I’m roper and I’m addicted to spiders.

Houns, I may be wrong but I think you have made too many conditions (and it’s Mon morning).

Unless you’ve lived with mental health difficulties then no matter how close you’ve been to someone who has… you can’t truly understand what its like.

I’ve cared for someone with mental health issues and I would say, at times, I understood their condition better than they did. The problem with some Mental health problems is the person with the condition can’t always tell what is happening, or when the condition comes on. Someone close can. Just a thought.

iDave – hedonism is very underrated, and gets bad press. I consider myself a hedonist…

Every person I’ve known with serious mental health issues has had a wicked sense of humour, including towards their own condition. And in fact some of the very best comedians imo, have been people with serious mental health issues. I wouldn’t take anything too seriously.

I consider myself a hedonist…

Me too, and I suspect that iDave has read the Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck which is a superb book and should be looked up by anyone who is looking to understand themselves a little better.

Every person I’ve known with serious mental health issues has had a wicked sense of humour

Unlike most of the people in this thread trying desperately to be funny and failing miserably then.

So your criticism is based on the quality of humour, rather than the humour itself…….fair point.

I’ve cared for someone with mental health issues and I would say, at times, I understood their condition better than they did. The problem with some Mental health problems is the person with the condition can’t always tell what is happening, or when the condition comes on

there’s a difference between knowing a lot about a condition and suffering from one. insight into ones own mental health is another subject in my humble opinion.

Torminalis – As with most books of it’s ilk, I didn’t get past the first chapter. But the first three words of the book are all you need to read and absorb.

‘Life is hard’.

After that, you decide what your response will be to the fact that life is hard. And you respond in order to make things OK for you firstly, and leave others to respond to what you did in their own best way. As it’s entirely their choice, it’s not your problem.

And deciding that you’re not in control, is still a making a choice.

None of which may make sense.

I found converting to a hedonistic stoic belief system was very helpful

I can see the T-Shirts! Confront your problems…Hedon!

But the first three words of the book are all you need to read and absorb.

‘Life is hard’.

+1

As a 16 year old it had a profound influence on me, it is the only book I have ever read in the ‘self help’ category and I didn’t really know what it was when I started flicking through it, the first three words did somewhat capture my interest.

Life is bastard hard. Accept that and it suddenly becomes much easier.

I would not say that life is hard as such.

I would say that life comes with a lot of problems. You need to figure out which ones are the most important and work on solving them.

I do not believe it is inevitable that life turns out to be hard – just likely.

I’m bipolar. and have a disassociative disorder as well to really complcate the issue.

Being bipolar means I have massive mood swings, the manics are great, you get loads of stuff done, everything around you seems to happen really slowly so you get loads done. However you also spontaneously buy yachts, motorbikes,fritter money away,start arguements, Punch people in pubs and generally behave in an incredibly irresponsible not a care in the world manner.

The downs are ‘kin awful, the first thing is you begin to feel really bad about the stuff you did when manic, this makes the depression pick up speed and pushes you further into the depression.

After a few weeks of the depression, you simply can’t face getting out of bed,you stop going you reach the point where you can’t even speak to family and friends,many times you can’t even look them in the eye.You stop eating and drinking.You may even stop getting out of bed to go to the toilet.If it’s a full moon, you’ll begin to turn into a werewolf as well, so it becomes unsafe to open the door to anybody for their own sake.

After a couple of months, you haven’t spoken for three weeks,if the doorbell goes, you pretend not to be in because you just don’t want to see anybody for any reason, you may even have barricaded the door so anybody with a key cannot get in. You’ve still got plenty more to go.

By the time you dont even bother moving about the bed anymore, The Local Mental Health crisis team are usually invloved, and by now, you REALLY don’t want to open the door to them because you know that’ll mean you being sectioned and spending at least a couple of months on a locked ward.Eventually, they do make their way in, you do get sectioned and taken onto a ward.

After a couple of months of anti-depressants,anti-psychotics and mood stabiliser,making the right faces and body language when psychiatric nurse come round to do your observations, and telling psychiatrists what they want to hear, they’ll eventually start letting you out on leave a little at a time.eventually you’ll be allowed to leave and go home permanently.

Wait eight months and start the whole cycle all over again.

Does that answer your question?

I would not say that life is hard as such.

nutter 😉

I do not believe it is inevitable that life turns out to be hard – just likely.

I think it is pretty inevitable, examination of your own motives in this life is a challenging and unending chore but one that is necessary to be truly loving. Acceptance of the failings of yourself and others, forgiveness, empathy, the courage to stand up, the courage to back down. All hard. All vital to be truly happy.

Avoiding these hardships only makes life even harder.

IMO of course, YMMV.

Does that answer your question?

Yes I think that’s the sort of answer the OP was looking for tadeuszkrieger.

with you houns. sounds like my own case notes(though not ibs, other health problem)! still working with it, good times, bad times but getting there, it is a hellish place sometimes. ive remained always medication free(despite drs wanting me to at times, but i also rule out nothing). i largely put i down to the priveliged situation im in with lifestyle, and my wife, family, work being flexible and supportive, plus my absolute belief that we have the tools to change our patterns. getting it right with ‘stepping back’ or ‘stepping up’ is hard and ive got it wrong a few times! mail in profile if you want to talk some more. if you don fancy honc i live nearby so welcome to have a mellow ride and a chat anytime.

Houns, i’ve suffered the exact same issues as you over the best part of 25 years and what started out as a stupid phobia gave me panic attacks for years, BUT I must say that it never stopped me doing anything. I think you need psychotherapy NOT drugs. Beta blockers etc are a poor doctors answer to panic attacks and you need to get to the root of the problem, you need to see a psychiatrist.

I had hypnosis for mine and worked a treat. Doesn’t work over night and I still have the stupid phobia that was linked to the panic attacks and I still have them but through managing them I conquer them, they happen about once a year tops and it lasts seconds.

ping me an email with your number to michaelreay@rocketmail.com with your number if you want to chat mate. I genuinely feel for people in this position, and non sufferers taking the piss compound the problem and demotivate you more.

Like tadeuszkrieger’s post I think I have an element of Bi-Polar, I have the ups but don’t have the severe downs. I’m ridiculously poor with money and it makes me feel great spending it, I’m good at earning it though so it helps, but since November last year I’ve spent about £13k on MTB stuff, all emotional purchasing and i’m a very average rider. I just ‘have to have’ the in things, all the gear and no idea type person. I’m overtly confident and I think that hides a lot of insecurities from a troubled past….