Poll: How many people on here suffer from mental health issues?

[Musette]

I have no mental health issues to my knowledge, even if I have piss poor control over my crying, whether I feel like the crying is warranted or not.

(It's less of seeing sad movies and crying and more of me falling apart emotionally in situations where it's really inopportune, particularly in situations where I'm made to feel powerless, such as if a boss were to yell and completely silence me when I'm attempting negotiation. I know full well that situations like that are unavoidable and I'm not entitled to explain myself, but the emotional part of my brain doesn't acknowledge that. Can't say if it'd be something that could be labeled as a mental health issue, but still acts as a source of shame for me.)

 

[JoJo]

63.5% have said yes
36.5% have said no

I would have thought the numbers would be closer to 1 quarter saying yes.
Interesting results.

Part of that may be down to people with mental health issues being more likely to read a thread about mental health issues, the same happens on threads about sexuality where the rarer options seem to be overrepresented, most likely because the majority or 'default' are less likely to bother voting in the first place.

OT: Aspergers here, it's not as bad as some since I can at-least live independently and hold down a job but I'm noticeably not normal and that's something I can't shake off, even with having practised socialising with neurotypical people for years. I've long since accepted it's part of who I am and make the best of it I can.

 

[sky14kemea]

I'd wager a fair amount.

I'm actually signed off working (or job seeking at all) due to mental health issues. I'm not really keen on sharing what I have, though. All I will say is that it makes me nauseous pretty much every day all day.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'll just point out that I've been diagnosed with OCD, rather than giving off a whole list.

Wow, 2/3 of respondents claim to currently suffer with mental health issues. I wonder is it just that this forum attracts people with these issues or is it that a lot of gamers have issues.

Wow, 2/3 of respondents claim to currently suffer with mental health issues. I wonder is it just that this forum attracts people with these issues or is it that a lot of gamers have issues.

It's likely that people without issues won't reply as much as people who do have issues. It might skew the appearance a bit.

It's also quote possible that the broadness of mental health issues makes this more common than you'd think in a culture which vilifies mental health issues.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

No mental health issues as far as I know. Here's a new poll question: how many of you have been actually diagnosed with a mental health issue, and aren't just guessing? Cause we all go a little mad sometimes, you know.

 

[babinro]

63.5% have said yes
36.5% have said no

I would have thought the numbers would be closer to 1 quarter saying yes.
Interesting results.

Part of that may be down to people with mental health issues being more likely to read a thread about mental health issues, the same happens on threads about sexuality where the rarer options seem to be overrepresented, most likely because the majority or 'default' are less likely to bother voting in the first place.

OT: Aspergers here, it's not as bad as some since I can at-least live independently and hold down a job but I'm noticeably not normal and that's something I can't shake off, even with having practised socialising with neurotypical people for years. I've long since accepted it's part of who I am and make the best of it I can.

Excellent point.

I'll almost never time to vote on polls that have no personal interest to me.

 

[Loop Stricken]

It seems like a lot of people admit to having mental health issues on this forum. It might just be that those who suffer are most vocal online because they can't really air their feelings in person.

By "mental health issues" I mean anything like depression (even mild), social anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, or anything whether it be minor or severe.

I suspect that I've been suffering from depression for at least 13 out of my 29 years alive, but I can't say for sure since I haven't been to any sort of medical professional to get a diagnosis.

 

[IceForce]

None that I'm aware of.

And by that I mean I haven't been diagnosed with anything (since I don't like the idea of self-diagnosis).

 

[Tsun Tzu]

Nothing clinically diagnosed. Been to a therapist or two as a kid.

Made a conscious/concerted effort to behave more cheerful and grounded than I felt in order to avoid such a diagnosis.

What really constitutes "depressed"? Is it a general feeling of antipathy toward life/people/motivation? X number of suicidal thoughts in a given period? Morose, listless behavior/thoughts? Is there a certain 'quality' that has to be met for the aforementioned suicidal thoughts? Perpetual tiredness/sluggishness?

If any of the above. I'd probably be classified as depressed.

Social anxiety, in my earlier years, was pretty awful too. Still not that adept at dealing with people on a face-to-face basis.

For instance, I'm currently sitting here with an aching lower right abdomen, putting off a visit to urgent care for the past 20 hours of constant dull pain because I don't want to feel awkward and scared in a doctor's office with strangers. I'll most likely force myself to go in about an hour just on the off chance that it's something serious, but eh.

 

[Dirkie]

No mental health issues as far as I know. Here's a new poll question: how many of you have been actually diagnosed with a mental health issue, and aren't just guessing? Cause we all go a little mad sometimes, you know.

I was officially diagnosed with "normal" autism in 2004 (after a burnout, partially caused by the employer I had in that time), and that became aspergers syndrome in a second diagnosis in 2011 because I wanted to know a bit more about that label called autism.

The fear of failure I mentioned earlier is nothing that was officially diagnosed (can it?) but it was noticed at school and hinders me in a lot of things, like my work. Whatever I do as a perfectionist, it is never and will never be good enough. Over the years I learned to cope with it and the "Good enough when nobody complains about it" is good enough at the moment.

Next to all of that, probably a form of OCD light (self diagnosis, but not entirely unbased), because I can get lost when things are not exactly as they were before, or where they used to be.
For example, I can't find my keys when I hold them in my left hand instead of my right hand. Distract me enough, take care to hide something about 10 centimeters from where it is supposed to be and it's trouble, I simply don't see or recognise it untill i can bring my mind in order to accept it's new place.
Go me and my awesome brain that accepts no changes in reailty!

Other attributes that are probably linked to my autism are the overly sensitive senses (hurray for words!) when it comes to light, smell, sound and touch. Somehow taste seems to have avoided the whole hypersensitiveness, and that's good because I do like spicy food sometimes.

All in all, I do have some issues, but I tend not to suffer from them all too much, basically a (black and sometimes even morbid) sense of humor is a great help.

*if someone gets notified about me quoting them without being quoted, I misclicked a button.

 

[BEE-BOT]

Nothing clinically diagnosed. Been to a therapist or two as a kid.

Made a conscious/concerted effort to behave more cheerful and grounded than I felt in order to avoid such a diagnosis.

What really constitutes "depressed"? Is it a general feeling of antipathy toward life/people/motivation? X number of suicidal thoughts in a given period? Morose, listless behavior/thoughts? Is there a certain 'quality' that has to be met for the aforementioned suicidal thoughts? Perpetual tiredness/sluggishness?

If any of the above. I'd probably be classified as depressed.

Social anxiety, in my earlier years, was pretty awful too. Still not that adept at dealing with people on a face-to-face basis.

For instance, I'm currently sitting here with an aching lower right abdomen, putting off a visit to urgent care for the past 20 hours of constant dull pain because I don't want to feel awkward and scared in a doctor's office with strangers. I'll most likely force myself to go in about an hour just on the off chance that it's something serious, but eh.

Depression can come a few different forms that affect people in a wide variety of ways.
Also I know exactly what you mean about doctors visits.

 

[BEE-BOT]

No mental health issues as far as I know. Here's a new poll question: how many of you have been actually diagnosed with a mental health issue, and aren't just guessing? Cause we all go a little mad sometimes, you know.

Right here. Although if there was one thing it would be bipolar disorder. Im not saying I think I have it, but Im just worried as theres a family history, and this is the age for it. But other than that everything else was diagnosed.

 

[Mykal Stype]

My psychiatrist says that I have paranoid delusions. I've stopped listening to him though, because I'm sure he's trying to kill me.
In all seriousness though, I have Type II Bipolar and body image issues, so I like to make bad jokes about mental illnesses as a way of lessening the burden. My favourite joke to tell is barely even funny, but I like to tell unfunny jokes for no reason: you shouldn't joke about Bipolar Disorder; it's only funny half of the time. That joke is so stupid nobody will ever laugh at it, but it's for me, so shut up.
I'm open about my Bipolar Disorder now as it's much better not having to hide it, but the body image issue is something I've always had a hard time dealing with and am just now trying to fight against, but it's hard when people tell you that you're wrong about how you think when you open up. I am a tall, extremely skinny guy. It's not because of anorexia, I'm just built that way. I have to take a yearly blood test due to other health issues (I like to joke that the Irish side of me is car bombing the British side) and my doctor includes nutritional tests due to my weight. Every year I come out absolutely perfect, with my doctor once telling me that he rarely sees blood tests come out this well. Because of that, he tells me to not listen to other people when they talk about my weight, because I shouldn't be messing with my diet. But obviously, everyone is a better doctor than my doctor and tell me that I should be eating a lot more (unhealthy), working out (doesn't work for some reason as I just get stronger with barely noticeable outward changes), or that I should be eating significantly more protein (also unhealthy). Because I tell people this and they don't care, it starts to feel like they care less about my health and more that they don't like looking at me. So I don't wear shorts, I don't swim anymore, and I feel uncomfortable in short sleeve shirts. I have a fear of getting into a sexual relationship because then he'd have to see me with my clothes off. Turns out that being told you look wrong your entire life screws you up really bad. I try to joke with other people to pretend I feel OK, but I really just hate myself.
I've started going to nudist beaches and camps because they've seen every body type and seeing others' imperfections helps out a lot. But one joke or criticism and it's back to square one. And before anyone suggests it, I have taken a testosterone test. That's a big suggestion now that commercials are constantly talking about the dangers of "Low T."

 

[BadNewDingus]

I have been in a mental institution. It wasn't that bad as I met some people with real problems(I was there because of women troubles). I also found out that they still do electro shock therapy there. Oh, and my roommate for one day tried to kill an orderly. Yeah, I slept in the same room for one night with him. He seemed alright, I even asked him if he wanted to read a magazine.

 

[TheLastFeeder]

I've been fighting depression for about 15 years now. It's odd. Some days I can be fine, then a day later I'm considering stepping out in front of a train. The smallest thing can throw me off completely. I tried anti-depressants (SSRI's and old-fashioned tricyclics), but all they did was make me fidget and belch. I didn't feel like myself.

Big problems don't hit me as hard, I seem to rise to the challenge. It's a culmination of small things that'll do me. It's hard to explain, but if I were to try, I'd say "I'd rather be punched hard in the face once, than be hit with a spoon all day, every day".

Worries about finding a job recently have led to severe anxiety issues too. I don't eat regularly, my stomach is knotted up with worry, and I can't even sleep due to a really weird feeling that spreads all the way down into my legs!

I'm on a short fuse at the moment.

I've been living with depression for about 10 years but I normally never talk about it.(knowing someone is worried about me doesn't help at all, it just tends to agitate me.) But it's kind of *funny* what sets me off: Covications where I misheard a question and awnsered something diferant, misplacing my keys, calling in sick or simply remebering something that I did years ago. But somehow death of a reletive or severely damaging my left hand so it took 2 years to recover, did not.

A few years back I lost a job that I had worked in for several years and my depresion got me "locked down" for several weeks, I had a good resume and recommendations but I got these anxiety attacks when ever I filled out job applications or thought about next months bills.
After 5 weeks I found the curage to ask a friend to help me fill out the applications and drive or accompany me to the place the interview took place because the anxiety tended to get so strong on the way there that I just wanted to run out of the building when I got there(If I managed to get myself inside in the first place).

I know it's hard(and feels impossible) but if you have a friend that you trust and/or feel safe around, ask him/her for help preparing and keeping relatively calm when you looking for a job. Being around some one when you go though this can make it feel achievable.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Other attributes that are probably linked to my autism are the overly sensitive senses (hurray for words!) when it comes to light, smell, sound and touch. Somehow taste seems to have avoided the whole hypersensitiveness, and that's good because I do like spicy food sometimes.

As for sound and touching, same here. I'm extremely sensitive to people who touch me without permission, doesn't help that people seem to disregard that rule. As for sound, it isn't as sensitive as touching but it can be a hindrance sometimes.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I'm really anti-social and afraid of meeting new people IRL. I have no problems with chatting with people online, but in real life, that's a whole different story. Even meeting people who I know know for a long time online is a problem for me. It's a huge problem in my life, to the point where I can't make any new friends and I'm slowly losing those that I was kinda forced to make because of school (it was forced but I'm thankful for that). I tried finding a boyfriend online and everything's find until we try to arrange an offline meeting.

Now, I don't know if this a mental health issue, but it has a rather large negative impact on my life, so even if it's not a textbook mental issue, I consider it one. However the two psychiatrist I visited were of no help, they were like "well, you can only help yourself and force yourself out into the world and with time it will pass." Good thing that social anxiety and similar things aren't taken serious in my country, right?

EDIT: Oh, and I might suffer from depression. Self-diagnosed. The psychiatrists told me to cheer up because not everything is as bad as I think it is...
I should probably visit a psychiatrist in a different country, or at least city. It sucks to live in a 2nd world country that thinks mental issues are a joke, where depression and social anxiety aren't a thing. Where people don't even try to understand that you simply have problems, that you just can't go out and talk with people. Adding to that the fact that I'm in the closet because being gay is totally not okay here adds only fuel to the fire. Can't wait to get enough money to move away from here.

 

[Entitled]

Voted "no" for nothing diagnosed, but I'm practically a shut-in with zero social life. I manage to go to college classes, but in the summer, several weeks pass without me leaving the house or talking to anyone other than my family.

If I would have to guess I would identify myself as an autist, based on other symptoms, and yes, I know that self-diagnosis means nothing, but I don't really trust the local hungarian mental health system, and can't afford it anyways.

 

[Private Custard]

I've been fighting depression for about 15 years now. It's odd. Some days I can be fine, then a day later I'm considering stepping out in front of a train. The smallest thing can throw me off completely. I tried anti-depressants (SSRI's and old-fashioned tricyclics), but all they did was make me fidget and belch. I didn't feel like myself.

Big problems don't hit me as hard, I seem to rise to the challenge. It's a culmination of small things that'll do me. It's hard to explain, but if I were to try, I'd say "I'd rather be punched hard in the face once, than be hit with a spoon all day, every day".

Worries about finding a job recently have led to severe anxiety issues too. I don't eat regularly, my stomach is knotted up with worry, and I can't even sleep due to a really weird feeling that spreads all the way down into my legs!

I'm on a short fuse at the moment.

I've been living with depression for about 10 years but I normally never talk about it.(knowing someone is worried about me doesn't help at all, it just tends to agitate me.) But it's kind of *funny* what sets me off: Covications where I misheard a question and awnsered something diferant, misplacing my keys, calling in sick or simply remebering something that I did years ago. But somehow death of a reletive or severely damaging my left hand so it took 2 years to recover, did not.

A few years back I lost a job that I had worked in for several years and my depresion got me "locked down" for several weeks, I had a good resume and recommendations but I got these anxiety attacks when ever I filled out job applications or thought about next months bills.
After 5 weeks I found the curage to ask a friend to help me fill out the applications and drive or accompany me to the place the interview took place because the anxiety tended to get so strong on the way there that I just wanted to run out of the building when I got there(If I managed to get myself inside in the first place).

I know it's hard(and feels impossible) but if you have a friend that you trust and/or feel safe around, ask him/her for help preparing and keeping relatively calm when you looking for a job. Being around some one when you go though this can make it feel achievable.

Oddly enough, I'm still pretty good at interviews, it's just disheartening not getting anything. Never thought I'd be in a position where I felt this useless though.

I've been depressed for so long, I've forgotten what it was like before. The anxiety came as a bit of a shock though. I never realised just how hard a mental issue could manifest itself physically.

Just gotta keep ploughing on regardless. If I don't, I'll be a total wreck :/


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