I'm using mental health as the subject for my university project and would like some thoughts on the subject. I'm focusing on depression and self harm as ive suffered with manic depression and self harm for 6 years (attempted taking my life 2 months ago). I would love to hear your experiences with the illness and how you've coped, struggles, and how you were to decribe it to someone who doesnt understand it. I would also appreciate first name and age for research refrencing! thank you
Might I suggest that anyone wishing to contribute to this post only submits their real christian names and ages in the form of a private message to Yas, and not allow that information to appear on the open/ public pages of this forum.
Dear Yas
Depending on the severity of the Depression, and also allowing for the fact that it may or may not be accompanied by other symptoms (usually anxiety), which on their own are serious conditions, then describing it to someone who doesn't understand it is like asking someone to describe colour to a person born blind.
The best you can hope for is to get a person with a lack of understanding, or possibly a stigmatised attitude toward Depression, is to educate them to start thinking of it on a parity with a common physical illness, such as heart disease or cancer.
Turn up at the office with a plaster cast on your leg and you won't need to do any explaining. Turn up at the office with a broken brain where nobody can see the medicated equivalent, and nobody notices. If they do, they usually think you are exhibiting strange behaviour, not suffering from an illness.
The solution to that, is to be completely open and tell peple you are going through a difficult time and are suffering with Depression. Because it is a mental illness, you may well be faced with a wall of ignorance, but those who want to understand will show themselves.
There are such a plethora of symptoms associated with this condition, it is extremely difficult to sum it up in a single term. If absolutely pressed to do so, I would ask you to think of a person suspended inside a completely transparent block of ice. Their brain is conscious and active, but they are totally incapable of action.
Best wishes to you with your project and indeed, on your own personal struggle with this wicked and pernicious illness. :-)
I have had depression for 30 years. I always believe it is young people who self harm, but I may be wrong.
I do hope your project is going well. You are brave to do it on this subject as you yourself know how hard it is to cope with mental illness.
Life has been difficult for me. I took an overdose and was in a psychiatric hospital. I lost jobs, house, relationships because of my depression. I have been on many different anti depressants. Yes it has been a long hard battle. But I cope as best I can.
I don't keep it a secret from family and friends that I have depression.
I don't want to be part of your research, as feel that is too poersonal, but I wish you luck with it. I think you are doing great to cope with university. Good luck