Lived Experience Forum

[tyme]

Hi @therealcrumbles ,

How are you going? Thank you for sharing a little about yourself. 

Do you have any particular hobbies you are interested in?

What are some things you enjoy as part of your self care?

[velosophist]

@tymethank you!

I like crafting - crochet's a big one I'm into at the moment - and I'd love to get more into rag-rug making and basket weaving.

I identify as neurodivergent (Autism and ADHD).

I guess I'm also trying to get on top of my finances and stuff - I think I saw a thread on money / budgeting somewhere?

[Shaz51]

Hello @velosophist 

I have tagged you to the Budgeting Page for you have click on and have a look 

@tyme , @Zoe73 , @PinkFlamingo 

[L-B]

• Hi there. I've been living with schizophrenia for over half my life. I am really struggling with anxiety and depression as well. I have support and a new antidepressant that isn't working. My depression and anxiety has been pretty bad for a while..I am wondering if everyone in life is struggling like this. I am losing hope. Is it just human nature to suffer? Am I simply feeling sorry for myself?

[tyme]

Hey @L-B ,

Welcome to the forums. I'm sorry to hear you are struggling so much with your anxiety and depression. It can really be so debilitating at times. 

I'm sure there are many here who can relate to feelings of being so low in life, including myself. It is understandable that you are questioning whether it is human nature to suffer or whether you are feeling sorry for yourself.

I honesty struggled for over 10 years with my depression. I didn't think there would be a way out. Yet a few years down the track, I'm in awe that I've actually overcome that dark place. That place is so real. Yet reading other people's account of recovery can provide great hope in life. 

By connecting with others here on the forums, I hope you find the courage to battle on. Yes, it's hard work, but totally worth it.

Do you have professional supports? Also, with your medication, would you consider speaking to your prescribing doctor about its non-effect?

[L-B]

I have professional supports And can speak to my prescriber as well about the non-effect of the medication...

[tyme]

That's great to hear @L-B  that you have supports in place.

Would you like me to create a thread for you so you can connect with other members and chat about what's on your mind?

[L-B]

Yes, great idea.

[Minerva]

Hi 👋🏻

This is my second step after what feels like a backslide of mental health and physical health to the “best I have achieved” since being unable to work due to what I prefer to call “interesting set of physical and rare physical illness” which have impacted the treatment of debilitating PTSD, ADHD, and what I experience as a result of my unique combination of medication conditions is resulting social anxiety, agoraphobia, depression and complete isolation and the expected financial and impact to self worth that accompanies.

 I live in Australia however my family members are overseas and are not able to support me , even with basic communication. They struggle with the disparity of the younger version of me, with no diagnosed health conditions , highly educated and adventurous who headed off to explore the world vs the same person with medical conditions I already had , just diagnosed and then not comprehending that all the advertised spirit and education in the world cannot fix PTDS and ADHD and the subsequent other impacts to my life.

I am married, and my husband also has mental health issues and over the years this has caused challenges however with some counselling and learning effective communication we are working together as team and it is with his support I have been able to remember that what feels like a return to “complete inability to function” , while can feel very intense, I am grateful for the times when I had supports in place and receive therapy , and therefore am able, with help begin my return from the “void”.

my biggest challenge, is overcoming the mindset that has kept me stuck for the last two years.

An medical emergency occurred with my husband, and at that time , he required acute mental health support and we discovered that there was a huge gap in services

to support me and to maintain the supports I had in place. 
I struggle with medical professionals believing me, or refusing medication if I do not do exactly what they say. This has been a big challenge for me as medical files record all  the misdiagnosis and remarks notes that now colour my credibility. 

it intrigues me how a file that shows clear disagreement amongst the profession as to how to best treat my set of symptoms , finds me being deemed the one with credibility issues🤷‍♀️

furthermore since my husband’s acute incident two years ago (less details best for all) it feels as though my whole support system slowly disappeared as questions around our being together and our lived experience that we do better together and want to be together, falls into the “too hard” bucket .

As I struggle with succinctness, we have been in a fog of cycling mental health issues  and financial issues and have no outside support . This week , I am taking the leap of faith that the logical solution I see, which is for us to each independently seek support for ourselves to enable us to seek support for us a couple , will be available if I ask for help and slowly take steps to overcome the physical and emotional consequences of “unable to leave my bed” for long periods of time.

so with hope that today I have taken another step to connect with others , I hope to get to meet some new understanding friends. 

[Juliet2]

Hi I'm Juliet2, I have PTSD, long term childhood trauma and mental health since a teenager.

Previous self harmer. Combined with physical disability and limited mobility/function.

I'm lost and don't know where to start or who to turn to, or who I can trust.