RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread

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gaylel1 -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/7/2007 10:02:28 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SteveSund quote: ORIGINAL: Closie BTW, malingering is not a term used just with mental illness I read about a case of a guy who pretended to have a hearing problem so that he'd some workmen's comp money. Stupid of him. In another case, a nurse who had Alzheimers, early onset, pretended that the Alzheimers was worse than it was so that she could say some ugly things to people around her. Mental illness may be faked by some, but like Alz or deafness, it's real in the lives of so many people who love the Lord. People fake illnesses all of the time to collect disability or prevail in a lawsuit. Having worked in the mental health field, I saw plenty that tried to claim a mental disability. Fortunately, they rarely won. I have no doubt that a person could fake a mental illness, but it wouldn't be easy, IMO. Steve, I need to ask you does that applies to those who want to apply for SSI as well, because I hear sometimes that some do fake their illness to get monitary help.

FoxInSox -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/7/2007 12:59:50 PM)
Gayle, I'm glad to see you in this thread. I'm wondering if you will ask my question a few posts back? What is your advice for someone who has developed severe depression, an addiction, feels suicidal, and/or so on.? I'm curious to know what people who are anti-counseling would advise. Thanks, Michelle

womaninchrist -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/7/2007 1:28:03 PM)
To get Social Security due to disability (whether SSI or SSDI) you've got to have good documentation of your condition/illness showing among other things that it renders you unable to work at or above the SGA amount (and will do so for at least a year) that gets reviewed by people who do nothing but "disability determination", you frequently have to go before an independent medical examiner during the process and quite a lot of mental illness claims end up going before a judge. If you can be a "malingerer" and "fake" an illness through all that, you've got some pretty serious issues, just not the ones you're admitting to on paper. Besides, with all the stigma and discrimination, plus the frequent issues with quality/safety/ethics/professionalism/etc. with psychiatrists, counselors and medications, who'd WANT to be mentally ill if they had a choice in the matter?

DenimDiva -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/11/2007 2:50:47 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: deadhead quote: ORIGINAL: FoxInSox I have a feeling I'm going to regret this....but...here goes... Those of you who are anti-counseling (secular or otherwise), I'm curious about something. Suppose someone comes to you with a problem like depressions (the extensive, long term, kind) or anxiety (perhaps the kind that keeps one trapped in one's home, like agorophobia) or suicidal ideation. What is your ideal advice? What is your ideal treatment? Thanks, Michelle Wife had that and Christ cured instantly at salvation. Great for your wife! What if Christ had chosen not to heal her right away and instead wanted to heal her through counseling and/or medication?

SteveSund -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/17/2007 8:12:41 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: gaylel1 quote: ORIGINAL: SteveSund quote: ORIGINAL: Closie BTW, malingering is not a term used just with mental illness I read about a case of a guy who pretended to have a hearing problem so that he'd some workmen's comp money. Stupid of him. In another case, a nurse who had Alzheimers, early onset, pretended that the Alzheimers was worse than it was so that she could say some ugly things to people around her. Mental illness may be faked by some, but like Alz or deafness, it's real in the lives of so many people who love the Lord. People fake illnesses all of the time to collect disability or prevail in a lawsuit. Having worked in the mental health field, I saw plenty that tried to claim a mental disability. Fortunately, they rarely won. I have no doubt that a person could fake a mental illness, but it wouldn't be easy, IMO. Steve, I need to ask you does that applies to those who want to apply for SSI as well, because I hear sometimes that some do fake their illness to get monitary help. Oops, I need to check this thread more often. I have seen some people try this. More often, they just try to make whatever they have look worse. The SSA requires a great deal of documentation and they have become more 'picky' in the last decade. It is not unusual for them to deny an 'ok' claim. The person would then have to go through the appeals process and provide additional documentation and be examined by SSA doctors. It is unfortunate that some people with legitimate claims have to go through this, but it does cut down on fraud.

mountainrjoe -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/17/2007 9:03:13 PM)
What do folks here think about thought disorders? I seem to struggle pulling my thoughts together- I'm a student and focus is a problem- I learn, but it just takes forever to absorb- my mind wanders- I also struggle with a lack of joy- sometimes hopelessness- A brother struggles with thought disorder and manic depression, but I know my problems aren't anywhere near his- For me there is a resistance to get help, maybe guilt and not trusting medical science- I thought that I may have sligh ADD and depression- I have tried St. John's Wort and that seemed to help a bit- Any thoughts would be helpful. Although, I may never find this response in this maze thread-

agapetos -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/18/2007 5:36:27 AM)
It takes time to learn to concentrate for longer periods. You're not suddenly going to be able to concentrate for an hour at a time. You need to work at it. Self-diagnoses isn't always a good idea. It may be worth you getting evaluated and seeing what the doctor suggests and then researching it on your own and making an informed opinion rather than doing what you're doing. No doctor can force you to take medications you don't want to take.

cow451 -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/28/2007 11:25:20 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: agapetos It takes time to learn to concentrate for longer periods. You're not suddenly going to be able to concentrate for an hour at a time. You need to work at it. Self-diagnoses isn't always a good idea. It may be worth you getting evaluated and seeing what the doctor suggests and then researching it on your own and making an informed opinion rather than doing what you're doing. No doctor can force you to take medications you don't want to take. And, St. Johns is a relatively poor choice if you are depressed enough to really need help.

womaninchrist -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (12/28/2007 11:51:49 AM)
St. Johns Wort is also a good example of a supplement that can be unsafe to take with OTC or prescription medications. St. Johns Wort notably speeds metabolism along a particular liver-based metabolic pathway so anything you're taking at the time that's metabolized on that pathway with have a potentially drastically different rate of metabolism (and blood level) than expected under normal circumstances. This can potentially render the medication ineffective and/or dangerous. Whether you decide to start off sans meds and use counseling (and go with Christian or secular counseling) or to start with meds (and use a general doc or psychatrist) is your choice, but would be in your best interest to have someone involved who knows what they're doing to help with diagnosis and treatment. Armchair diagnosing and treating yourself of any condition (mental health or otherwise) can be dangerous. At the very least, find a good herbalist or naturopath to help you with selection and use of supplements.

DenimDiva -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (1/22/2008 11:21:31 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SteveSund quote: ORIGINAL: gaylel1 quote: ORIGINAL: SteveSund quote: ORIGINAL: Closie BTW, malingering is not a term used just with mental illness I read about a case of a guy who pretended to have a hearing problem so that he'd some workmen's comp money. Stupid of him. In another case, a nurse who had Alzheimers, early onset, pretended that the Alzheimers was worse than it was so that she could say some ugly things to people around her. Mental illness may be faked by some, but like Alz or deafness, it's real in the lives of so many people who love the Lord. People fake illnesses all of the time to collect disability or prevail in a lawsuit. Having worked in the mental health field, I saw plenty that tried to claim a mental disability. Fortunately, they rarely won. I have no doubt that a person could fake a mental illness, but it wouldn't be easy, IMO. Steve, I need to ask you does that applies to those who want to apply for SSI as well, because I hear sometimes that some do fake their illness to get monitary help. Oops, I need to check this thread more often. I have seen some people try this. More often, they just try to make whatever they have look worse. The SSA requires a great deal of documentation and they have become more 'picky' in the last decade. It is not unusual for them to deny an 'ok' claim. The person would then have to go through the appeals process and provide additional documentation and be examined by SSA doctors. It is unfortunate that some people with legitimate claims have to go through this, but it does cut down on fraud. I'm going through this right now. I first applied two months ago and it has taken quite a while for them to even set up my first appt. with a dr. That appt. is this Thursday.

Christophilos -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (2/4/2008 8:31:14 PM)
About that YouTube thing which showed people faking mental illness... I have heard of that. Its a repeat of a study done years ago where volunteers went to doctors and said they were hearing a voice saying "Thud" in their heads. They were surprised both back then and now how many of those volunteers found themselves committed to hospital. The purpose of the study was to show up lazy doctoring and to point out that it should not be that easy to get yourself sectioned - our law (UK) says you must be a danger to yourself or others, because taking away someone's liberty like that is a very serious thing to do. It is a last resort. Myself, I'm bipolar, and wound up in the hospital last year. It wasn't as bad as I expected. I have found meds to be wonderful, and I don't doubt that without them, I would have ended up taking my own life. I am lucky in that I attend a church which has a special focus on the mentally ill (in fact I met the pastor and a few members while I was in hospital) and so I know that they will accept me, even if I become ill.

Leon_Figg3 -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/3/2008 2:33:06 AM)
I find this idea of people faking a mental illness interesting particularly since I and some others had a ring side seat of someone who just may have faked a mental illness of some sort to get out of the Army. It happened in the late 1970's, this NCO and his crew had just completed 48 hours of refueling every vehicle in the Battalion while we were at a training base in Germany. When he got to the billets area he began talking non-stop. At no time during the next several hours did his expression change as he talked non-stop. He even conducted an hour long conversation on the phone supposedly with someone in the States. Since this NCO was known as a jokester, it was believed that this was one of his elaborate pranks so we all waited for his concentration to break. It did not. As the hours went by people began wondering if there really was something wrong with him since his expression did not seem to change throughout the whole time despite efforts to distract him and break his concentration. The turning point came when He went over to the Sergeant Major's quarters and woke him up to have a battlion formation about 1 'clock in the morning. Failing to get the Sergeant Major's co-operation he woke up the Battalion Commander. Within an hour the NCO was on a plane headed for Walter Reed Army Hospital. About a month or two after that night a friend of his received a letter from him admitted that the whole thing was a prank. He had had enugh of his military job and the military and wanted out. Faking a mental illness of some kind seemed to be the best way to get out. It worked. I still wonder if it was faked. I mean, it would have required an extrme amount of concentration on the NCO's part to talk non-stop as he did, and maintain his expression throughout the whole time despite all the things people did to break through his concentration.

eaglesfeather -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/9/2008 6:34:24 PM)
Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason? Actually, I know it's not that easy and I feel for all with psychological disorders. In my case, I was depressed most of my life. I never went to get diagnosed or anything like maybe I should have. When I decided to quit smoking for the ?th time I used Welbutrin (Zyban) which was traditionally (and still is) used as an anti-depressant. Suddenly, I realized how mentally great I felt! I realized that all of the things I was depressed about before were senseless. I got closer to God, my family, etc. This experience helped me even after I stopped taking the Welbutrin, because I'm aware of what's happening when I start feeling depressed. It's hard sometimes, but I always get through. I think that most others are capable of doing the same, but every person is different.

agapetos -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/9/2008 8:37:02 PM)
quote: Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason? I have bipolar. Way back in March '06 I can recall feeling great ~ then my thyroid went wrong and my mood dropped dramatically. I muddled through for 22 months. It wasn't until the end of last year when my mood finally picked up (due to a combination of therapy and different meds) that I realised how depressed I had been. Being depressed was my 'normal'. You can see now when your mood is dropping (and perhaps act to stop it dropping further). I know that I have and will have triggers that may affect me all my life. Neither of us (from what you've said) could have identified those things while we were depressed.

Leon_Figg3 -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/10/2008 1:04:36 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: eaglesfeather Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason? Actually, I know it's not that easy and I feel for all with psychological disorders. In my case, I was depressed most of my life. I never went to get diagnosed or anything like maybe I should have. I think what prevents individuals with bi-polar and depression, as well as other psychological disorders from "thinking" their way through episodes has everything to do with the chemical imbalance. My wife has a bi-polar disorder. When she has an episode her "logic" goes out the window, and she becomes an entirely different person. Usually she goes manic, but the last couple of episodes has sent her into the depression side Though both sides are equally as bad and dangerous, I have found that the depression side provides me with a greater window of influence and ability to get her in a safe place and the help she needs. The help that I can not provide. I wish there was a way that family and friends could help a person with a psychologocal disorder think through their episodes. I wish the psychological commmunity could be more supportive of the family and friends of individuals with psychological disorders. My wife and I have been married for a little over twenty years. Before that I had a mother, though never really diagnosed as having a psychological disorder may have had one. I always thought that she had issues with her parents that she could never really resolve, but through my own counceling for unresolved family issues, I have come to realize that my younger brother may have been partially right in believing that she belonged in a psych hospital. After all, our mother had a nervous breakdown shortly after giving birth to hm (my younger brother). You see, in the late 1990s I had to undergo some psych testing that revealed that to "experts" that I may have been borderline bi-polar. I thought that it was just my way of deaingl with life's pressures. If I got too deprepssed, I would find the humor in my situation. Also, if I was too happy, I would find a reason to become more serious. (Then agan, maybe I just tend to watch too much "Dr Who"). In either case, the tests exposed and revealed to me I had a host of unresolved family issues to deal with. Enough of my rambling.

DenimDiva -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/10/2008 1:07:06 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: eaglesfeather Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason? It's not easy to just pull yourself out of it if it's a chemical problem. Some of the problems are also rooted in issues of childhood. If a child grew up with a parent who was depressed and didn't know how to handle it, then the child probably never learned either. As a person who is bipolar, I can tell you that is a little different. You have your highs and lows. When you are having a high time, you feel that you can take on the world and have no need for meds, then the low period hits and you have no meds, etc. to help you through them, because you discarded all of your tools when you were on a high cycle. Its very hard to rationalize during either phase. Basically what you're kind of asking is why can't a person with a weight problem just lose/gain weight? You have to learn the lifestyle changes that need to be made and make them a part of your life and sometimes that includes medications/counseling.

eaglesfeather -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/10/2008 2:05:17 PM)
Yes I completely agree. And I know very little about the topic except my own experience. I really feel for those who have not found long term releif strategies for this. I know the pain can be worse than any physical pain for sure. quote: ORIGINAL: agapetos You can see now when your mood is dropping (and perhaps act to stop it dropping further). I know that I have and will have triggers that may affect me all my life. Neither of us (from what you've said) could have identified those things while we were depressed.

rmiles -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/15/2008 4:31:23 PM)
First Post ever. Hi, when I look at the state of mental health care in my province, British Columbia (just north of Washington State), I cannot help but be amazed at the excellent standards of care which are in place in some of our rural communities. In the mid to late 80's the main Institution for people with severe and persistent mental illness was almost completely closed down. The plan was to get people back into their home communities, where their family and friends lived, while providing a high standard of care in those communities. Some communities adjusted well, with local care teams, club houses, addiction services and vocational rehabilitation programs. Of course Vancouver itself, due to high population and cost of appropriate housing, as well as other issues which are simply a part of being ill (i.e. Islolation, poverty, housing, safety issues etc.), has over the years gained a high concentration of homeless people who also suffer serious mental illness, drug addiction (self medication) issues, or (quite commonly) both. The issues of homelessness, mental illness, and poverty don't always go together, but it is a shame that we don't approach people with these issues with overwhelming compassion. Even one of these issues can be overwhelming (and life-threatening). Health, societal, and yes, congregational care has to work together to help people recover and rehabilitate from the effects and symptoms of illness. Many times basic issues of trust and safety have been destroyed due to not only illness but society's response and treatment of people with mental illness. For people suffering from mental illness, there is hope, there are "relatively effective" medical treatments (no med is totally perfect), but it requires a lot more than simply taking pills. It takes more than simply talking with someone who ends their name with "alphabet soup". It takes a caring, understanding community who will support a person through the many conflicts which symptoms produce. It takes churches who will pray, and love, and support those who are ill with time and attention, encouragement and care. Never underestimate the power of the gospel in lifting a person from the self-condemnation, guilt, hatred and loathing that they have over their sin and sins. Never underestimate the power of Christ in being able to lift a person from a state of complete unworthiness before God to a place where he or she belongs as a child of God in Christ. And never underestimate the effectiveness of God's people in simply spending a few minutes a day with a person who is struggling a little more than most people have to.

DenimDiva -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/15/2008 5:20:28 PM)
Hi rmiles and welcome to the boards!

MyCatSmokey2006 -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/15/2008 10:23:30 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: rmiles First Post ever. Hi, when I look at the state of mental health care in my province, British Columbia (just north of Washington State), I cannot help but be amazed at the excellent standards of care which are in place in some of our rural communities. In the mid to late 80's the main Institution for people with severe and persistent mental illness was almost completely closed down. The plan was to get people back into their home communities, where their family and friends lived, while providing a high standard of care in those communities. Some communities adjusted well, with local care teams, club houses, addiction services and vocational rehabilitation programs. Of course Vancouver itself, due to high population and cost of appropriate housing, as well as other issues which are simply a part of being ill (i.e. Islolation, poverty, housing, safety issues etc.), has over the years gained a high concentration of homeless people who also suffer serious mental illness, drug addiction (self medication) issues, or (quite commonly) both. The issues of homelessness, mental illness, and poverty don't always go together, but it is a shame that we don't approach people with these issues with overwhelming compassion. Even one of these issues can be overwhelming (and life-threatening). Health, societal, and yes, congregational care has to work together to help people recover and rehabilitate from the effects and symptoms of illness. Many times basic issues of trust and safety have been destroyed due to not only illness but society's response and treatment of people with mental illness. For people suffering from mental illness, there is hope, there are "relatively effective" medical treatments (no med is totally perfect), but it requires a lot more than simply taking pills. It takes more than simply talking with someone who ends their name with "alphabet soup". It takes a caring, understanding community who will support a person through the many conflicts which symptoms produce. It takes churches who will pray, and love, and support those who are ill with time and attention, encouragement and care. Never underestimate the power of the gospel in lifting a person from the self-condemnation, guilt, hatred and loathing that they have over their sin and sins. Never underestimate the power of Christ in being able to lift a person from a state of complete unworthiness before God to a place where he or she belongs as a child of God in Christ. And never underestimate the effectiveness of God's people in simply spending a few minutes a day with a person who is struggling a little more than most people have to. I agree with you completely! The U.S.A. needs to have more of these programs in place, but our spiraling medical costs keep many people from getting the help they need, even with government assistance like Medicare and Medicaid. I'm thinking we should have universal health care like in Britain, but the medical for-profit community wouldn't stand for that. It's going to take a change in American political systems to bring it about, in other words, from capitalism to socialism. The Body of Christ needs to be more accepting of those members suffering from mental illness, just as they accept those suffering from diabetes and heart disease. I've been rejected from some churches because of their views about mental illness and it makes me wonder if any mentally ill Christian can be accepted in any church or in the Christian community. At least here in these forums, I've found acceptance and understanding from most Christians and others posting here.

womaninchrist -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (3/16/2008 2:14:36 AM)
quote: The Body of Christ needs to be more accepting of those members suffering from mental illness, just as they accept those suffering from diabetes and heart disease. I've been rejected from some churches because of their views about mental illness and it makes me wonder if any mentally ill Christian can be accepted in any church or in the Christian community. At least here in these forums, I've found acceptance and understanding from most Christians and others posting here. Very good point. I've been chased out of far more than one church due to letting it slip (even just in confidence to what I thought were carefully selected members of the pastoral staff) that I had a mental illness. Often, what was used to chase me out were accusations of spiritual problems or spiritual failings (using only my admitted mental illness as proof) that flat out defied logic. Like variations of "Condition A means Demon List B and Sin List C" or claims that a nightmare loosely inspired by some long ago event involved in my PTSD was "absolute proof" that I "still haven't truly forgiven" the person in real life for doing what they'd done and thus meant I needed to do some long list of obligatory repentance exercises, beg for the offenders' forgiveness and work harder on "truly" forgiving them. Or they'd just shun me like I had leprosy. I'll never figure out how on earth it's logical and not hypocrisy to say that it's ok to see my doc for my diabetes and that I SHOULD see my doc for my diabetes, but that my mental illness is proof of spiritual problems and reason to question whether or not I'm "really" Christian. That bit aside, what most of us need most, is love, kindness and acceptance - and for some reason we often have the most difficult time finding this from the Church. Often it's because knee jerk reactions like the ones that have chased me out of some churches. But the Church, at least here in the U.S. faces a challenge among the mentally ill - not because the mentally ill don't want the Lord, but because so many have learned to be wary of Christians. Something is wrong somewhere in all that...probably multiple somethings...

TMeeks -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (4/6/2008 12:00:11 AM)
This is a continuation of the thread titled "Trying to make boyfriend understand Bipolar Disorder" quote: ORIGINAL: Focusing quote: ORIGINAL: TMeeks quote: ORIGINAL: 1love1God1way Help him to understand how to act when you are having an episode. I am bipolar, and it is what I have learned to do. It helps if they understand what is going on with me, and know what I need them to do in those times. It's interesting, isn't it, that people understand the nature of an episode in the brain involving epilepsy when the symptoms are physical. And, they understand an episode in the brain involving a stroke when the symptoms are physical. But, they do not understand the nature of an episode in the brain when the symptoms are behavioural. Yet, all of these involve the very same physical organ of the body. Really? According to the doctors I have spoken to, to understand all these things would merit a Nobel Prize, because no, as a matter of fact, all of these things you have mentioned are still subject to a whole lot of testing. And for each individual, it's different. Treatment options for one person may make the condition worse for another. So, are you implying that bipolar is something that is made up? I'm not sure I'm following your comments......... implication......... misunderstanding......... ignorance......... The impression I'm getting from your post is that you have absolutely no understanding of bipolar disease. Your comments come across and very arrogant, rude, uncaring, and unnecessary. All you have accomplished is to belittle others. Subsequently, it appeared that you characterized my remarks this way.. quote: ORIGINAL Focusing My frustration is when there are unnecessary comments made here in the forums that belittle others. It's hard enough sometimes to open up and discuss something of this nature publicly without receiving responses that make one desire to run and hide in a cave. I've been there. It's very unsettling. This is someone who just signed up, has made one post. Let's not chase her away with smarmy comments. I'm sorry that you didn't ask me to clarify my remarks for you BEFORE slamming me so harshly. As it is, I cannot reply in the original thread, which is unfortunate. You see, you interpreted what I was trying to say, 180 degrees from my actual intent. I was replying to 1love1God1way's line that began, "Help him to understand..." The word 'understand' in this context, I saw as 'BE UNDERSTANDING" and my reply reflects that viewpoint. So, in an attempt to show how ironic it was that people aren't so understanding of conditions like bi-polarism, I set up three sentences. In the first sentence I stated that people understand (perhaps I should have used 'can be understanding') that epilepsy is caused by a PHYSICAL brain issue because epilepsy, for the most part, displays itself PHYSICALLY. Then I stated that people understand (perhaps I should have used 'can be understanding') that a stroke is caused by a PHYSICAL brain issue because strokes, for the most part, present themselves PHYSICALLY. Then came the ironic line... But, because bi-polarism does NOT display itself physically; but, through behaviors such as moods and anger, then people have a very difficult time UNDERSTANDING that it has a PHYSICAL cause in the brain JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO CONDITIONS HAVE PHYSICAL CAUSES. Participating in a lot of threads can lead to some sloppy writing. Sloppy or clumsy I'll give you. But, 'belittling' and 'smarmy' is an unfortunate choice of words when no clarification was requested and, in reality, with more careful reading, the context itself should have shown otherwise. If something is unclear in any post, PLEASE ask and give the writer a chance to clarify BEFORE lashing out harshly and personally. One of the reasons why I know that people have a hard time relating behavioural symptoms to physical brain conditions is that my own brother had a stroke. It only affected the part of his brain having to do with short term memory. You can't tell that my brother had a stroke by looking at him because there are absolutely NO physical signs. But, while he can remember every single Opera that he learned before the stroke, he might forget something that he did or was said to him a few minutes ago... making people annoyed that don't understand! [:)] I hope this clears this up. [:)]

Focusing -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (4/6/2008 1:46:32 AM)
Yes, this is a far better explanation as to what your initial comment implied in my interpretation. Thank you for the clarification. I have emailed to you (your PM box is full), and I think that will explain my frustration over this issue in a little more detail. I'm not picking on anyone, but I saw this post Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason?, and although it was used more as an example, unfortunately, there are far far too many people who think this way - without a thought or consideration or an understanding that depression is not something one can control on their own. There is no logic in depression. Oftentimes people don't even realize they are depressed, it's just ....... I don't know, I can only answer from my own perspective of having suffered deep depression in the past ....... it was suffocating. Always reaching out for what might be that last breath of air. Never hoping or expecting to get that next breath. Not caring if I never breathed again. I find it hard to read through these posts, and most likely will not, because it brings back painful memories of things I don't want to remember. I am no longer that person, praise God, but when I read about others reaching out for help it touches a deep place in my heart for the pain they are experiencing and I truly want them to grasp that light and hang on for life.

TMeeks -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (4/6/2008 9:29:40 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Focusing Yes, this is a far better explanation as to what your initial comment implied in my interpretation. Thank you for the clarification. I have emailed to you (your PM box is full), and I think that will explain my frustration over this issue in a little more detail. I'm not picking on anyone, but I saw this post Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason?, and although it was used more as an example, unfortunately, there are far far too many people who think this way - without a thought or consideration or an understanding that depression is not something one can control on their own. There is no logic in depression. Oftentimes people don't even realize they are depressed, it's just ....... I don't know, I can only answer from my own perspective of having suffered deep depression in the past ....... it was suffocating. Always reaching out for what might be that last breath of air. Never hoping or expecting to get that next breath. Not caring if I never breathed again. I find it hard to read through these posts, and most likely will not, because it brings back painful memories of things I don't want to remember. I am no longer that person, praise God, but when I read about others reaching out for help it touches a deep place in my heart for the pain they are experiencing and I truly want them to grasp that light and hang on for life. Thanks, Focusing! I knew that you had completely misunderstood my intentions. [:)] People find it hard because they do not understand the difference between situational depression and clinical depression. I can be a bit depressed by the fact that I failed a test. And, I CAN 'snap myself out of it'. But, when the chemistry of the mind gets so out of kilter that it's hard to even lift your arms due to clinical depression then it's an entirely different story. The way we think CAN help us in these situations; but, that does not mean that medications may not be needed to bring the brain back into balance so that a person CAN think the right way to further their healing. And, sometimes the damage or anomolies may be so great that medications are required forever. Those that dismiss this reality are often hurtful.

DenimDiva -> RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread (4/7/2008 3:40:45 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Focusing I'm not picking on anyone, but I saw this post Why can't bi-polar and depressed people just ask themselves "why am I depressed about this?" and use logic to find the answer that there is no good reason?, and although it was used more as an example, unfortunately, there are far far too many people who think this way - without a thought or consideration or an understanding that depression is not something one can control on their own. I wonder why people who have a heart condition don't just "snap out of it"..... [8\|] quote: I find it hard to read through these posts, and most likely will not, because it brings back painful memories of things I don't want to remember. I am no longer that person, praise God, but when I read about others reaching out for help it touches a deep place in my heart for the pain they are experiencing and I truly want them to grasp that light and hang on for life. Try the Mental Health Encouragement thread. I don't reccommend reading all of it, especially since there are debates on the first 5-10 pages. After that, it became an encouragement thread and is much nicer to post in. KWIM?

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