Mental Health

[ting1984]

I have moderate Aspergers (now just called moderate or level 2 autism), diagnosed back in 2014 when I was 29. I'm currently a housewife, though I've worked both full and part time at various points in the past, especially in education and caregiving. I don't socialize much outside of the husband and church. I do spend some time online, but not as much as I used to. I'm most content being at home and staying occupied with various projects, whether playing video games, reading books, organizing my basketball card collection, listening to music, doing word puzzles, or just hanging out with the husband and the cat.

 

[Patisserie]

So my roommate and bestfriend went on a road trip this weekend. After he left I realized that I haven't been alone by myself in years and it's kinda put me in panic state. I didn't sleep well last night..... I hate to think how I'd be feeling if I wasn't on my meds. Part of me is terrified and another part of me is proud. Just another step in the road for a better life right?

 

[Mayor Ng]

I'm graduating with my BSN (bachelors of science in nursing) after 5 hard years of college this year.
I feel so unmotivated and depressed because I wont have a graduation or pinning ceremony at all. My school is having an online ceremony but it was pushed from the original 9th grad date to the 23rd. I'll be out of school for a month at that point.
I have PTSD and really struggle with my memory, I barely remember the majority of my childhood prior to college, so having huge events and celebrations to look back on is important to me. I wont have those.
I got my cap and gown in the mail just to put on for an hour to take pictures and then take off again. I'll be getting my nursing cap, lamp, and pin in the mail. I'll be getting my diploma in the mail.

I already did not have many people truly supporting me, but I at least wanted to feel celebrated. The "congrats" on fb means nothing to me. Even the virtual graduation feels like a joke. Everyone posting their grad pics in "honor" of us makes me want to cry. I cant go on a trip before starting my nursing career because everything is locked down; I have no break from the chaos.

Every year of my life I've had to struggle and fight, this was supposed to be the one I was going to look forward to and remember for the rest of my life. Coming to terms that I wont even have this single moment of celebration is hard and I'm really struggling. I havent cleaned in weeks didjsnxjmdjsj if it werent for me living with my boyfriend of 5 years I'd probably have isolated myself entirely.

Congratulations all the same on the completion of your bachelors degree! I completed my Bachelors in Science with Honours in International Hospitality Management last August and had my graduation ceremony in February this year. It had not been easy making the decision to go to the ceremony as I live I South-East Asia with the coronavirus outbreak rampant in China and not much information about it was available at the time. I studied aboard and would have to fly to attend my ceremony and there were news of infected people on planes and uncertainties about whether the virus was contagious on-board via the air conditioning system.

The ceremony went ahead as usual as curfews and lockdown around the world was not in effect until middle of March to early April but a lot of people (especially international students) had not returned to attend it. I'm sorry that you will not be able to have a physical ceremony and the memories of attending one and most probably if you had one, it will not be the same with peoples' worries of the pandemic.

Like @moonbox said, you should and deserve to be celebrated for 5 years of hard work and that there's not much we can say to make your current situation easier on you. I just want to say congratulations all the same and hope that you find another significant milestone in your life to celebrate and to look forward to Stay safe and stay strong!

I have moderate Aspergers (now just called moderate or level 2 autism), diagnosed back in 2014 when I was 29. I'm currently a housewife, though I've worked both full and part time at various points in the past, especially in education and caregiving. I don't socialize much outside of the husband and church. I do spend some time online, but not as much as I used to. I'm most content being at home and staying occupied with various projects, whether playing video games, reading books, organizing my basketball card collection, listening to music, doing word puzzles, or just hanging out with the husband and the cat.

As long as you are content and happy, do what you love

So my roommate and bestfriend went on a road trip this weekend. After he left I realized that I haven't been alone by myself in years and it's kinda put me in panic state. I didn't sleep well last night..... I hate to think how I'd be feeling if I wasn't on my meds. Part of me is terrified and another part of me is proud. Just another step in the road for a better life right?

That sounds terrible to go through. Hope you sleep better tonight and the nights to follow and not think too much about the meds you're on. I'm not an expert nor have much experience with your situation but I suppose change is always a part of betterment. The human body and mind are very adaptive and versatile. Sending you support where ever you are

 

[ForgottenT]

Hoo boy.
Grew up in a dysfunctional family, and alcoholism, still love my family though, it's not really anyones fault what happened.
But as a teen I went through many years with severe depression, ended up just being a shut in for a couple of years, could go longer than a week without leaving my room to eat, didn't talk with anyone etc.
Eventually I went to study graphics design, and although I found out it wasn't the kind of job I wanted anyways due to it mostly being about text formatting etc it gave me the push to get better, moved out, found a job, been pretty good since, although I'm still pretty shut off from the world other than my co workers, and the older lady living in the apartment downstairs.
All of it feels like a distant memory though, but that was also 6 years ago.

Compared to that Corona is nothing, even though I had it, and so were quarantined for 5 weeks.
Luckily where I work haven't been shut down, so we're still working.

 

[hzl]

Yeah covid is playing havoc on people with mental health issues right now. I don't really want to delve into my own mh issues but I have begun to take cbd oil for my mental wellbeing and it helps me immensely with anxiety. The lockdown has been a nightmare for me (lost my job being the main issue) so I can empathize with the pain others are feeling but I couldn't even imagine what it's like to lose a loved one or be stuck in an abusive situation during the current climate

 

[Sky The Cutie]

During covid my schizophrenia has heightened, I find it hard to sleep properly, eat properly, remember to do all my hygiene task, but i'm still using my coping skills and trying to make it through, I haven't been hospitalized since march which is a big win for me, as i've been stuck in the cycle of going to one repeatedly over the last three years. I'm pretty proud of myself for being able to use my coping skills during all of this, but I'm also disappointed that most of my coping skills right now are just cooking and calling friends and gaming with them, but I still have a tinge of happiness every time I do them.

 

[Buttonsy]

Just a suggestion, why don't you send emails instead? Since you are able to post and explain your condition, email a therapist and let them know that you have an anxiety with phone or webcam and have the therapist find a solution or method that you can practice on your own offline and in a safe environment. Remember that you are unique and your uniqueness is something that people should be appreciative of, since normalcy is overrated.

About being trans, I think you need to seriously consider your sexual orientation, hormones can mess with your body and mental state and should not be taken lightly even with advise from a therapist. If you are comfortable with your sexual orientation the way it is, then be confident about it. You will meet stubborn and close-minded people everywhere but there are also open-minded curious people that would more than happy talk to you about your life (because it is interesting and different from their own)

I would definitely be interested in text or email based therapy, but the therapist my doctor put me in contact with said that wasn't allowed, so I'm not sure what to do about that. I am trying to find mental health work I can do without a therapist, like meditation and journaling, but I feel like I really need a professional to talk to.

I'm somewhat confused by your second statement, I don't really get what my sexual orientation has to do with me being trans. Sexual orientation refers to what genders someone is attracted to, where as gender identity has more to do with self-image and doesn't really have much to do with attraction. I'm also definitely aware that hormones have downsides, as I have been doing my own research and speaking to doctors about it for years, but untreated gender dysphoria also messes with my body and mental state, so the way I see it, the benefits outweigh the risks for me.

 

[Mayor Ng]

Hoo boy.
Grew up in a dysfunctional family, and alcoholism, still love my family though, it's not really anyones fault what happened.
But as a teen I went through many years with severe depression, ended up just being a shut in for a couple of years, could go longer than a week without leaving my room to eat, didn't talk with anyone etc.
Eventually I went to study graphics design, and although I found out it wasn't the kind of job I wanted anyways due to it mostly being about text formatting etc it gave me the push to get better, moved out, found a job, been pretty good since, although I'm still pretty shut off from the world other than my co workers, and the older lady living in the apartment downstairs.
All of it feels like a distant memory though, but that was also 6 years ago.

Compared to that Corona is nothing, even though I had it, and so were quarantined for 5 weeks.
Luckily where I work haven't been shut down, so we're still working.

Hey buddy (forgive me if I assumed we could be)!
I grew up in a dysfunctional family too, the amount of drama, headaches and heartaches I've been through puts Asian melodrama movies to shame (from an Asian family). I only started to open up when I was 16 going on 17. Despite opening up and getting better over the years with the help of my more extroverted gf, I'm still awkward around strangers and only when those strangers join my small circle of friends will I feel more comfortable and more open (takes awhile to open up to strangers). It seems you have a small circle of acquiantances, that is good, it gives you the social interaction you need (you don't need the whole world) and sooner or later, your circle will gradually but surely increase in size

I'm glad you got SARS-COV-2 virus out of your system and that you are still able to financially support yourself with your work. Those are the most important things in life, to be healthy and stable, and with those in place, life goes on and time will mend your soul and spirit All the best and stay safe!

Yeah covid is playing havoc on people with mental health issues right now. I don't really want to delve into my own mh issues but I have begun to take cbd oil for my mental wellbeing and it helps me immensely with anxiety. The lockdown has been a nightmare for me (lost my job being the main issue) so I can empathize with the pain others are feeling but I couldn't even imagine what it's like to lose a loved one or be stuck in an abusive situation during the current climate

Yes the Covid-19 pandemic have mentally affected more people than it has taken the lives of and will continue to do more as it endures. I follow the news around the world and everywhere, everything look bleak and gloomy, it's sad and I hope that the worse is behind us and only better days are ahead Stay safe and take care of your mental wellbeing and I hope your anxieties get better

During covid my schizophrenia has heightened, I find it hard to sleep properly, eat properly, remember to do all my hygiene task, but i'm still using my coping skills and trying to make it through, I haven't been hospitalized since march which is a big win for me, as i've been stuck in the cycle of going to one repeatedly over the last three years. I'm pretty proud of myself for being able to use my coping skills during all of this, but I'm also disappointed that most of my coping skills right now are just cooking and calling friends and gaming with them, but I still have a tinge of happiness every time I do them.

Why are you dissappointed? It's amazing how well your coping skills are! Some of my friends are perfectly normal individuals and they look like blobs now (unmotivated with life apparently or just being bummed they can't go out and socialise). As long as you're happy and you're mentally well, all is good Life is too short to be dissappointed in what you could have done better because you can't relive the past, be amazed and confident in how your current self is doing and praise yourself when you are doing much better than before! Cheers and stay safe

I would definitely be interested in text or email based therapy, but the therapist my doctor put me in contact with said that wasn't allowed, so I'm not sure what to do about that. I am trying to find mental health work I can do without a therapist, like meditation and journaling, but I feel like I really need a professional to talk to.

I'm somewhat confused by your second statement, I don't really get what my sexual orientation has to do with me being trans. Sexual orientation refers to what genders someone is attracted to, where as gender identity has more to do with self-image and doesn't really have much to do with attraction. I'm also definitely aware that hormones have downsides, as I have been doing my own research and speaking to doctors about it for years, but untreated gender dysphoria also messes with my body and mental state, so the way I see it, the benefits outweigh the risks for me.

Maybe you could ask your doctor to reference you to another therapist that allowed text or email based therapy? I don't have much experience in this and only trying to help, sorry if I'm not being much of a help and I hope you'll be able to find what you are looking for

As for the previous statements, I was referring to your gender that you identified with (gender identity) and I misused the sexual orientation term (sorry if I confused you). I'm glad that you are doing your own research, I know some people don't, if you believe that the benefits outweigh the risks and your doctors agree with you, then by all means, give it a shot, it is your life and you deserve to have a better one

 

[Feferily]

I saw a thread on how someone’s kid picked out a bunch of villagers and wanted to join in with my little alters favorites. She’s eleven and has some wild faves... but I got too anxious because I was worried it was out of place even though she’s a kid picking them out. And now I sorta wanna make anther thread for her but dunno...

 

[Mayor Ng]

I saw a thread on how someone’s kid picked out a bunch of villagers and wanted to join in with my little alters favorites. She’s eleven and has some wild faves... but I got too anxious because I was worried it was out of place even though she’s a kid picking them out. And now I sorta wanna make anther thread for her but dunno...

You can always make a conversation, it's more private than a thread. You could pretend that you are playing doll house with her, replacing the dolls with villagers and house with town or island. Just don't make inappropriate remarks or comments and keep dark jokes to yourself. Think of what you think about when you were a kid

 

[limiya]

I feel as if my mental health has been all over the place ever since COVID-19. I had a month off from work due to it, but then my workplace decided to open up again super early and it’s just been really anxiety-inducing. I also don’t have the best mental health in the first place due to having super narcissistic parents and general other issues, but I just feel a lot more tense at the moment.

In a weird way, having a month off of work was worrying but also kind of nice. I feel as if I’ve been over-working myself ever since I graduated from college, and the month off gave me a lot of time to spend with my chosen family (my partner and my pets). It was spooky, yes, but also bonding.

I’ve gotten used to working again but there’s always bit of a worry there. Also, my job has super inconsistent hours due to having a constantly rotating schedule every week, which has made it a little hard to adjust to getting back to regular life. One week, I’ll do all morning shifts and others I do all evening shifts. I know that there’s a lot of other people out there who have to live in much harsher conditions and have worse issues to deal with, so I try not to take what I have for granted, but it can be hard at times.

 

[Feferily]

You can always make a conversation, it's more private than a thread. You could pretend that you are playing doll house with her, replacing the dolls with villagers and house with town or island. Just don't make inappropriate remarks or comments and keep dark jokes to yourself. Think of what you think about when you were a kid

Oh yeah! I never have issues speaking with her! I mostly meant I wanted to share her list and thoughts to the community but was vaguely worried since it isn’t the normal kind of “kid picked these out!” Thread...

 

[Mayor Ng]

I feel as if my mental health has been all over the place ever since COVID-19. I had a month off from work due to it, but then my workplace decided to open up again super early and it’s just been really anxiety-inducing. I also don’t have the best mental health in the first place due to having super narcissistic parents and general other issues, but I just feel a lot more tense at the moment.

In a weird way, having a month off of work was worrying but also kind of nice. I feel as if I’ve been over-working myself ever since I graduated from college, and the month off gave me a lot of time to spend with my chosen family (my partner and my pets). It was spooky, yes, but also bonding.

I’ve gotten used to working again but there’s always bit of a worry there. Also, my job has super inconsistent hours due to having a constantly rotating schedule every week, which has made it a little hard to adjust to getting back to regular life. One week, I’ll do all morning shifts and others I do all evening shifts. I know that there’s a lot of other people out there who have to live in much harsher conditions and have worse issues to deal with, so I try not to take what I have for granted, but it can be hard at times.

I can relate a little. I work in the hospitality industry (hotels and resorts) and have rotating schedules as well, it can be tough when you are put off work (which I am at the moment, my next job has been postponed indefinitely until the pandemic is over since it is devastating for the industry as a whole). During my uni years, I had to separate my internship component into two periods and the transition between work and uni can be very stressful plus the lack of uni breaks and work breaks just makes adjusting to regular life much harder. Right now, I am lucky enough to have an employment as an elementary math tutor while I wait on my job status and have now expanded to history and geography. Staying at home and teaching online has helped me take a step back and look at what I want to pursue in the future after the pandemic is over.

I hope your work place is safe and that your employers are wary and taking precautionary measures to keep you and other employees safe. If you ever feel that something is amiss, do not hesitate to let your employers know, maybe they have not thought about it and your safety and wellbeing are important (if your employers are decent). I hope all is well with your partner and pets (they're more precious than your job which you only need to financially support yourself). Stay strong and vigilant and if you ever need to speak your mind somewhere or need people to hear you out, come back to this thread! The people on here are supportive and I'll check back from time to time to try my best to help

Oh yeah! I never have issues speaking with her! I mostly meant I wanted to share her list and thoughts to the community but was vaguely worried since it isn’t the normal kind of “kid picked these out!” Thread...

I feel that the TBT community has been very welcoming and accepting. Any bad apples will just be weeded out by bad feedbacks eventually. Give it a try and if it's not pleasant, you could always lock the thread and people will not be able to post on it any longer or you can edit the contents (delete them if necessary). The feedback system is there to ensure you have a pleasant experience on TBT, give it a shot! Besides normalcy is overrated and sometimes the community needs something special and magical like a kid's creative mind

 

[Feferily]

I can relate a little. I work in the hospitality industry (hotels and resorts) and have rotating schedules as well, it can be tough when you are put off work (which I am at the moment, my next job has been postponed indefinitely until the pandemic is over since it is devastating for the industry as a whole). During my uni years, I had to separate my internship component into two periods and the transition between work and uni can be very stressful plus the lack of uni breaks and work breaks just makes adjusting to regular life much harder. Right now, I am lucky enough to have an employment as an elementary math tutor while I wait on my job status and have now expanded to history and geography. Staying at home and teaching online has helped me take a step back and look at what I want to pursue in the future after the pandemic is over.

I hope your work place is safe and that your employers are wary and taking precautionary measures to keep you and other employees safe. If you ever feel that something is amiss, do not hesitate to let your employers know, maybe they have not thought about it and your safety and wellbeing are important (if your employers are decent). I hope all is well with your partner and pets (they're more precious than your job which you only need to financially support yourself). Stay strong and vigilant and if you ever need to speak your mind somewhere or need people to hear you out, come back to this thread! The people on here are supportive and I'll check back from time to time to try my best to help



I feel that the TBT community has been very welcoming and accepting. Any bad apples will just be weeded out by bad feedbacks eventually. Give it a try and if it's not pleasant, you could always lock the thread and people will not be able to post on it any longer or you can edit the contents (delete them if necessary). The feedback system is there to ensure you have a pleasant experience on TBT, give it a shot! Besides normalcy is overrated and sometimes the community needs something special and magical like a kid's creative mind

Ah, thank you! ^D^ It's something I'm scared to be upfront about offline and it's nice to have support online!

 

[visibleghost]

my main issues have been severe depression and anxiety leading to loads of fun things, but somehow i survived the worst parts and am now on a medication that works. i have been thinking of quitting some of my medications lately, not the one that's working but the other two i have had since i was 16 or 17. i just don't think they are necessary but the medication that's working is apparently even better when used with other antidepressants so i don't know, it might be a bad idea.

 

[Bowie]

I’m currently going through therapy for PTSD following an experience of homelessness and two accounts of sexual assault, followed by some suicide attempts. Mental health is something I find tricky to talk about because I don’t really think it’s something I could talk about in a rational way, because maybe I would rather be dead most days, and maybe in my experience things don’t actually get better. And that’s also okay to talk about, in my opinion.

But lockdown has been tough on me, for sure. I feel very fortunate to have been able to secure a job just before lockdown came into affect after some physical health issues that got me sacked around Christmas. Being left alone with my own thoughts is the worst thing for me, and now more than ever it’s hard to find means of escapism. I hope everyone comes out of this at their very best.

 

[Mayor Ng]

my main issues have been severe depression and anxiety leading to loads of fun things, but somehow i survived the worst parts and am now on a medication that works. i have been thinking of quitting some of my medications lately, not the one that's working but the other two i have had since i was 16 or 17. i just don't think they are necessary but the medication that's working is apparently even better when used with other antidepressants so i don't know, it might be a bad idea.

Maybe you could get multiple experts' advices and opinions on them? You could look up on your meds and see what side effects they have and determine if it's beneficial for you or not (whether the benefits outweigh the risks) and bring it up with health professionals (always good to get multiple advices and opinions). Sometimes meds we take earlier on lose their effectiveness or no longer need to be taken, you could always have your prescriptions checked and updated. Just an observation, hope that helps

I’m currently going through therapy for PTSD following an experience of homelessness and two accounts of sexual assault, followed by some suicide attempts. Mental health is something I find tricky to talk about because I don’t really think it’s something I could talk about in a rational way, because maybe I would rather be dead most days, and maybe in my experience things don’t actually get better. And that’s also okay to talk about, in my opinion.

But lockdown has been tough on me, for sure. I feel very fortunate to have been able to secure a job just before lockdown came into affect after some physical health issues that got me sacked around Christmas. Being left alone with my own thoughts is the worst thing for me, and now more than ever it’s hard to find means of escapism. I hope everyone comes out of this at their very best.

Hope you are doing better and not having suicidal tendencies as of late! Mental health is always tricky to talk about because you risk being ridiculed and scoffed at but it's not something to be hidden away either. I still think being able to talk about mental health with like-minded people or open-minded people is beneficial for all parties involved. Glad you have secured a job before the lockdown and hope you can escape into Animal Crossing or other relaxing games during your free time to keep your mind off things. I sincerely hope you find someone to talk to and that helps you realise the value of your own life or even better gives value to it Stay safe and stay strong!

 

[jokk]

covid definitely revived my recurrent severe depression. ugh, and i was just starting to heal.
i started having severe panic attacks to the point of hallucinating when i was in 8th grade. i don't really experience psychosis anymore but my depression is extremely debilitating. i've been hospitalized and now take a fun mix of an antipsychotic, an abnormal antidepressant, a stimulant, and a benzo. i feel like animal crossing tends to attract people with mental illnesses. it provides a great escape from real life which i think is why is appeals to people with wonky brains like me

 

[Mayor Ng]

covid definitely revived my recurrent severe depression. ugh, and i was just starting to heal.
i started having severe panic attacks to the point of hallucinating when i was in 8th grade. i don't really experience psychosis anymore but my depression is extremely debilitating. i've been hospitalized and now take a fun mix of an antipsychotic, an abnormal antidepressant, a stimulant, and a benzo. i feel like animal crossing tends to attract people with mental illnesses. it provides a great escape from real life which i think is why is appeals to people with wonky brains like me

I hope this pandemic goes away soon so you can restart your journey of healing. There's not much I can say to help you with your hospitalization and meds but I hope it only gets better in the months to follow.

Animal Crossing has always been popular because it is a form of escapism. Many people play it and not just people with mental illnesses but it does help create a safe a comfortable environment where they can escape into.

Hope you get well soon!

 

[Luciaaaa]

As someone who struggles big time with their mental health (diagnosed with conditions not gonna go into that right now) I really appreciate that this thread exists.

Covid has been very tough on my mental health. Things were starting to look up but we have taken a massive step back over the past month or two. I am grateful that I have had AC available as an outlet and an escape.