It's World Mental Health Day!!
No no.. am not suggesting some celebration or something.. though i do wish that more people will understand about mental health, and hopefully dampen the annoying stigma the society tend to paste on us.
Basically i just managed to join Voices of the Dark and the Deep group as an admin. the main reason is because i was hoping to get a place for some of us to gather and share our experiences and help each other. due to time constraints, the forum’s not really well formatted and categorised yet.. but the first section i made is certainly for there to stay (i hope)!
Tips & Advices From The Experienced Section
i realized from Karin’s journal to help me, Clinical Depression & Silent Cries that many of us here actually do suffer from some form of depression or bad health or mental health problems..
What are some of the different Mental Health Problems?
Check out the list on the left hand side of this website or this page for those who have no idea what genre are those under (there’s that many different form and names).
i think some of us who have a form or another of mental illness will agree with me that the public need to be seriously educated that there are actually many form of mental illness eh? Well, we may not be able to educate everyone, but we can try by slowly educating the one closer to us.
Easier said than done.
is that what you’re thinking? hehe.. yesh, i read minds…
i agree. it’s seriously easier said than done. i know because i’ve been trying to educate 1 lady for the past 4yrs, and till now, i still fail. but hey!! does that mean i should stop trying? if it’s for my own good, why should i stop? it’s frustrating, yes. i agree. but it’s really important we try to educate those close to us ie. friends and especially family because they’re there to stay and (hopefully) support us someday.
Anyway, back to the point… the Tips & Advices From The Experienced Section is create with the idea of us sharing some tips and advices we might have, be it from personal experience, or from the experience of someone we love.
But it is in no way a professional advice section. So ultimately, if you or someone you know, if having a medical problem that might be related to mental health, please please do seek proper professional medical help. Visit your GP, or the hospital. Seek help. It’s nothing abnormal. How can it be with millions around the world suffering from it. Seek treatment. Work towards recovery. Be strong. And screw the stigma society paste on our medications, aka “Happy Pills”.
The ignorant masses will call it Happy Pills.
Many in general tend to think that it’s bad to depend on medication. “You’re get addicted.” “Why are you taking Drugs?!” “Are you nuts!?” and yadda yadda yadda..
Basically most of us know the general public believes that it’s bad to get addicted to our “Happy Pills”. But my advice is please please,
- stick to your medications as prescribed by doctor
- don’t bother taking extra (i’ve tried, it doesn’t work that way)
- don’t try to wean off it without consulting your doctor first (i’ve tried it and it backfire and even worsen my condition)
- don’t believe the public stigma about being addicted or dependent on the medicine.
Why the last statement? Because i feel the public lack 1 understanding about mental illness and how our medicine works. They are not professionals.
Yes, our medicine will not help solve the problem. that’s a silly notion to believe. BUT, the correct belief we should have is, our medicine is there to help us. Yes, it doesn’t help solve the problem. medicine is there to help us internally, where we can’t control, eg, the chemicals in our brain or the hormones our body releases as time passes. (am not refering to teen raging hormones, but rather some illnesses DO happen due to our body changes, releasing of some hormones that may lead to things like weight gain or hair loss that can lead to depression).
So yea. The medicines prescribed by doctors are supposed to help us internally. IF at any point it seems like it’s not helping or your problem is getting worst, return to your doctor and tell him that it’s not helping or it’s getting worst. tell him how is it worst (in detail). if there is no improvement or changes in a few months, seek a second doctor’s opinion.
Now, while our medicine are there to help us, we ourselves mustn’t believe in the public stigma that our medicine is a Happy Pill. No, it isn’t. It’s there to help us internally. That’s all.
Ultimately, we ourselves must work hard to solve the root of our problems.
We ourselves must work hard to improve and stay healthy.
We ourselves must find solutions to help us deal with our situations and problems.
We must work towards our own happiness, not depend on just medication.
Don’t ever stop seeking help. Take care of yourself. Love yourself.
May we all feel and get better by the next WMHD..
Take care. Be Strong. Be Healthy.
Love and hugs,
fa 
Check out Karin’s journal here!! Help spread the word and promote awareness!! =D
Karin Taylor
well said Fa!!
you’ve covered a lot here, and again you’ve stressed to see the doctor, which is really important – to have that support
I will link your journal to mine now :)))
silentcries replied
aww.. thank you so muchie, Karin!!! Thanks to your journal i know of it!! =D
barnsis
Do you hear the hands clapping, well they are. so well said. Every one of us sees the world through our own eyes and feel that our normal is everyone else’s normal. Not true. Each of us has a unique body and mind. What works for me is not necessarily what works for you. if I can take 10 mg of lithium and keep my depression regulated then you should be able to do the same, no, you might need 5mg or 15mg and three weeks from now each of us might need more of less as the chemicals our bodies produce changes. One of the worst things you can do is stop taking whatever medication you are using because you don’t need it any more, if you do you will need it again and fast. One thing many medical people don’t tell you is that any of the medications that work have to be built up in your system over time but when you stop taking it then it drops out of you like the a bomb. No I do not suffer from any of these conditions, but I have dealt with enough folks who do to have a little understanding of what is happening.
silentcries replied
awww… thank you, Byron!! Hugs!
Very wise words and info shared!! will you add that to the Tips and Advices from the Experienced forum when you’re free? Cause am sorta young, so people might not believe me alone enough.. eheh..
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge through experience!! it must have been hard on you as well. it’s not easy to help or handle people with mental illness or any major illnesses.
Thank you so much, Byron!
Karin Taylor
that’s a brilliant statement that byron made there fa!!!
georgiegirl
Hear Hear!!! Well said Fa. Very very wise words indeed. Thank you for putting it all into proper, well thought out, serious words and sentences!!
I think I only started calling them happy pills because of the stigma relating to just the word depression, let alone the illness. Such a sad state of affairs when you can’t call a spade a spade.
Those that think the antidepressant medication is wrong and unnecessary and addictive need to check their sources. The addictiveness depends on which brand and quantity prescribed. All professionals/doctors tell us that the medication won’t cure us… we have to do much ourselves, including counselling. Like you have said, the medication only helps by juggling around the hormones and chemicals in our brains.
If people think they can recover from depression without medication, I wish them all the best wishes in the world. Just because I couldn’t, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just don’t hide away and pretend the depression is just sadness awaiting a happy day or better luck or nicer things happening. Those things will still happen, they just won’t be recognised because of the depression.
Lots and lots and lots of Tim’s hugs
and love back to you too :D
It’s a good thing our fellow bubblers are so understanding!! I’ve tended to rabbit on a bit on this subject, in all our journals. But it is important… people need help out there and talking is one way of helping.
So more love and hugs to you Fa (and Karin) for waking everyone up!
xx
GG
silentcries replied
aww… Thank you, GG!! hehe.. i call them the Happy Pills when i have to explain to my friend “what the hell am i swallowing”. lolz!! either that or i’ll say i’m eating drugs. to me it’s like, hey, since they think so, and refuse to believe or listen or understand, might as well i play along~ XD it’s also my way of trying to make light my situation, so that i won’t think of it as a sad pathetic mental thing to whine and moan and groan about.. hehe..
Just don’t hide away and pretend the depression is just sadness awaiting a happy day or better luck or nicer things happening. Those things will still happen, they just won’t be recognised because of the depression.
I AGREE!!! Some people just love to live in delusion eh? Sometimes we really need to educate them, and help them, especially if we care for them. i do give up and ignore those who’re dead darn stubborn to the pits of hell though, cos they’re cheesing me off and i need to take care to not end up getting worst myself.
Let us all work hard and hope the normal people aka the world will wake up one day!!! Hehe.. XD
Jakki O
Fantastic Fa and very well said :D
silentcries replied
awww.. thank you, Jak! Hugssss~! X)