Is anyone willing to share any experience with mental illness? I think we can help and learn from each other.

I generally have very bad anxiety and OCD. I have intrusive thoughts that I obsess about for days and days on end. My hypochondria is also pretty bad, and in the past I've convinced myself that I've had lyme disease, HIV, over-active thyroid....

Now I'm in the midst of thinking I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I've already spoken with my therapist about it who believes I do not have it, and my ex and family also don't think I have it - plus my friend with BPD. But I can't help it. I'm convincing myself. I guess that's an example of how bad my OCD and hypochondria can get.

If anyone is willing to help me out so I can really understand it, or if you'd like to hear why I think so, I'd appreciate it and you can message me

Remember guys, you're never ever alone!

OMG this is why I love ATRL! We're like one big family here to help each other out when in need ;(

I've been clinically diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Depression, and ADHD (if that counts).

aw

I wouldn't consider it a mental illness, but my brother has had autism since he was three He can talk but it's hard sometimes.

I also think I might have something due to my obsession with straws

Very brave and commendable of you to make this thread. It's times like these when I love ATRL.

I really don't feel good talking about things like this...

I used to think that way but I remember when I was depressed I would have loved to know someone else who experienced it to know really the depth of how I feel. So now i'm more open wiht that aspect of my life

Why? Mental Illness is a very serious issue that isn't really focused on enough. It's way more common than a lot of people may think. If people look at me, they'll think I'm the most normal person in the world because I manage my **** really well, but deep down inside I have a lot of underlying issues.

I've been self diagnosed with depression

Anyone have acute schizophrenia with bi-polar disorder??
I'm in the process of loosing my best friend to that, he cut ties with so many friends and the only time we actually hang out is when I initiate. He randomly doesn't talk to his entire family for weeks on end, and might be turning to religion for his depression

Idk maybe this isn't the place

I used to suffer from severe health panic attakcs

Ughh I can't even look at the word depression it makes me feel like i'm drowning in dark ocean waters, of my own self hate/insecurities & miseries. Just too much for me at times but I hope your getting the help you need to move on. And i'm here if you need to let it all out

I definitely have ADHD (it's so obvious if you are around me), and I have social anxiety (which I can get over when I'm SUPER comfortable)>

I used to be a VERY severe hypochondriac, I would search up symptoms and convince myself I had different things wrong with me and underwent a lot of tests which all came back negative so with that and constant reassurance from my family I overcame it, now I just have moderate social anxiety I guess. Like when I'm in public by myself and not with my friends or family I start to have panic attacks and I think people are talking about me or have seen me somewhere, crazy I know but it started because people off Grindr used to come up to me and make me really uncomfortable so I ended up deleting it.

I suffer from General Anxiety as well as Social Anxiety. I have intrusive thoughts as well. I over think and obsess over everything. I suffer from depression as well..some days it hurts to get up out of bed and try to get through another day. I have not been professionally diagnosed with anything, so these are just my guesses as to my conditions..

Also, could anyone tell me a good site or way to look for psychologists/psychiatrists? I really want to start treatment, but I'm being super picky about who I see. Trying to pick a mental health professional is one of the hardest things I've had to look for. There's so many and you can't find out much about them at all. Do you just go and try people and whatnot?

I've been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression (although I do just suffer from anxiety in general really) and I've been on antidepressants for about a year, I'm doing a lot better now though. About a year ago I was in a really bad place, I had to leave school and I could barely leave the house but I feel a lot more content now and I'm able to get out and do stuff again. I feel like within the next year I could really turn things around and get my life back on track, I hope so anyway

I'm here for anyone going through a rough time

I was diagnosed with depression when I was 16, but I do not like to talk about it because I've fortunately moved on from that time in my life and I only want to look forward to better times. I was also diagnosed with panic attacks/social anxiety at the same time, and I still have those problems now. I used to have multiple panic attacks every day but as time goes on they've gotten sparser, now I may only have a severe panic attack once every couple of months, if that. I hope that eventually they will completely go away, but that might just be a dream

Well there are different branches of psychology so you gotta find which one of the main ones you think will help you best. On top of that I just looked in the local area and by the grace of something found the right one. And it's been history

at us all having social anxiety...