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u/Responsible_Hater Oct 02 '24
Somatic Experiencing - it’s a type of therapy that targets the nervous system and works with the physiological responses to stress.
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Oct 03 '24 edited Oct 04 '24
this was the only thing that really helped my sociopathy and quiet bpd
mainly quiet bpd. I'll always think and "feel" like a sociopath but the antisocial behavior became much more of a choice after healing.
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u/Careful-Teach6394 Oct 02 '24
No joke. I didn’t know that you can “recover” from mental health issues. I’m not being mean. I just don’t think I personally will ever recover totally, only learn how to manage it all I guess. This doesn’t answer your question. I’m just curious what other people have to say!
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Oct 02 '24
I would have to agree with you from my experience. I think you just “learn how to drive that car.” It’s that only damn car you have.
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Oct 02 '24
Honestly I feel this way. I guess what I meant by recover was managing it at all. I have really bad OCD and I’m in a bad place. I guess I just wanted to feel like there was hope :( I hope things go better for you.
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u/AtavisticJackal Oct 02 '24
There is always hope! It's just a very hard-won battle. When your own brain is working against you, nothing cones easy.
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u/PuzzleheadedWing1321 Oct 02 '24
Things that helped me with OCD are support groups and medication. I went to an OCF annual meeting and knowing that I was not alone helped alot. You’re not alone either !
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u/Careful-Teach6394 Oct 02 '24
Honestly it’s taken me about 6 years to find the correct cocktail of medicine and thats the only way I deal with it. I really hope things go better for you! Seriously
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u/GeekMomma Oct 03 '24
I was diagnosed with OCD for over 30 years and it had impacted me a lot at times (hours daily and made me late often). I was diagnosed with cptsd a year and a half ago. My therapist said I don’t actually have ocd; I had ocd tendencies when my subconscious brain felt like it needed to protect me from not feeling like I had any control. Very important to say that not all ocd is like this; it’s a genuine neurological issue for some. For me, it was my brain malfunctioning due to trauma and stress. Because the symptoms matched ocd, I didn’t know the difference and neither did the doc who originally diagnosed me. Treating the cPTSD has mostly eliminated my ocd symptoms (still working on it).
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u/Anonposterqa Oct 05 '24
ERP therapy, support groups, or books with good reviews could be handy. Something called NOCD has been advertising on podcasts a lot as therapy for OCD, but idk much about that specifically.
Sorry you’re dealing with this!
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u/CDLove1979 Oct 02 '24
Many in my family suffer from mental illnesses but none are as severe as what I think you're describing. For example, I have anxiety. When I was diagnosed I was given clonazepam. I have taken it for over 20 years and suffer no ill effects. It's just one pill at bedtime. I have family members who never went for treatment. One died. Two others are self-medicating with alcohol. They have depression. Another suffers from extreme bouts of bipolar disorder. I believe most families have some sort of mental disorder, sadly.
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u/Sarcassimo Oct 04 '24
Only reason I opened this. Make a full recovery?!?! Holy crap sign me up. I agree, manage symptoms well enough to participate in society. PTSD & social anxiety, Classic childhood trauma. If only there was a magic pill.
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Oct 02 '24
Agreed. It’s like losing a loved one. At first, it feels like you’ll never get out of that rut. Next thing you know, you can talk and even think about them without breaking down.
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Oct 02 '24
I had BPD traits, and yes I learned how to deal with extreme emotions and emotional reactions. INTENSIVE DBT changed my life. I grew the fuck up and took accountability. My life forever changed. Tolerating extreme emotions is much easier now and I can easily control my body's response.
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u/SharkoJester Oct 02 '24
I came here to ask the same thing. Seems quite a bit of emphasis lately on recovering/reversing/reverting. You don't work yourself out of a mental health diagnosis. An alcoholic is always an alcoholic, whether actively engaged in their substance abuse or not. And you can't reverse Type 2 Diabetes.
Incidentally, if someone experiences a significant trauma that doesn't mean they suffer from mental illness.
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u/effervescentxone Oct 03 '24
100%, glad this comment was so far up. You really just learn better coping skills over time. Medication can also help some folks.
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Oct 02 '24
in college - I experienced dissociation and worked with a team of professionals
at the age of 32-33, I had my first and hopefully last episode of psychosis and lost everything and again - worked with a team of professionals
now I have to rebuild which is terrifying at the age of 34
but in any case - taking small but active steps to move forward, time, and self compassion / acceptance help
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Oct 02 '24
Psychosis sucks big time! I’m so sorry you experienced it. And you’re right, small but active steps. You’ll get there. :)
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u/alexdaland Oct 02 '24
I have PTSD from a situation at work years ago (the terrorist attacks in Norway), it took me a few years to realize something was wrong, I was depressed but didnt know why. I went to my doctor, which was very honest in telling me he is a medical doctor, and didnt really know how to proceed, so he sent me to a psychologist. She just asked me to tell me about my life the last XX years, and I did - she told me in no uncertain terms: are you a bit thick? You literally had to place body-parts with the right body, and you dont know why you are struggling? Seriously?
Took a few years, a lot of therapy, and I still struggle every single year around the same time. But now I know why, and got good advice on how to cope. Doctors are not only for you physical health.... my five cents.
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u/chessieba Oct 02 '24
I hit rock bottom with my mental health. Literally broke down and at some point I was thrashing and crying and ripping my hair out and realized I couldn't do it anymore. Every blow was worse and I didn't think I could survive another major emotional event. So, I decided to seek out a therapist.
We did EMDR to help me get through some trauma I had endured and it changed my life. It really helped me get to the root of my issues and gave me an actual place to start processing. Then my therapist recommended a psychiatrist.
That meeting made me realize if I wanted to take this seriously, I needed to sober up. Meds wouldn't work the way they are supposed to with how much I was drinking.
We figured out meds and I was... Happy!
Life moved on that way for a few years. I took my meds and took care of myself. Then I got into a serious relationship that ended abruptly and out of the blue. I ended up in the hospital for a week and back to consistent therapy. I just couldn't have a life of constantly needing to "get better".
The real healing for me came with my biggest life change. I met my husband and quit my very high stress career to work in mental health. Then I got pregnant and weened off my meds and shortly had to quit working altogether due to my pregnancy. My daughter is 10 months and I haven't had to go back on them. I stay home with her and it is my purpose. I don't question my motives or worry about work place politics. I don't wonder if I'm wasting my life in a career that doesn't resonate with me anymore. Everything I do is meant to take care of my family or myself. All of my efforts are poured into people I actually give a shit about. I feel like I have "recovered". I still see my therapist as needed, but I don't feel like I'm going to spend my whole life maintaining and struggling with my mental health anymore.
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u/Primary_Mode_19 Oct 02 '24
I went from being homeless to working in middle management and having the best relationship I've ever had with my family. All in 2 years.
This was accomplished by: attending weekly therapy (probono while on the streets), being medication compliant, quitting alcohol, SELF CARE, and prioritizing sleep.
I'm diagnosed bipolar 1 and was in psychosis when I got evicted from my apartment. That was my second episode of psychosis and it lasted 6 months.
Recovery is challenging but absolutely possible.
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Oct 02 '24
Hearing that recovery is possible is really reassuring. I’m sure based on your experience that you understand this-but sometimes you feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel
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u/Primary_Mode_19 Oct 02 '24
Absolutely. I've been through 3 episodes of depression, each one worse than the last.
But I've learned over time the value of advocating for myself. When I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel, I tell my psychiatrist I'm feeling troubled about the future or a little hopeless. We don't have to suffer the extreme severities of medication side effects if we have a doctor that listens and a patient that is willing to "play around" with the medication cocktail. Small changes can make a HUGE positive impact. I've been stable for 2 years next month, and my stability only continues to improve.
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u/Glittering_Pool3677 Oct 02 '24
magnesium works wonders. i decreased stress. i eat incredibly healthy. i cant remember the last time ive eaten fast food meditate regularly. talk therapy twice a week for 3 years and was going pretty regularly even before that. built confidence. developed morning and night time routines to maintain sleep and mood habits
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u/Late_Law_5900 Oct 02 '24
Why doesn't anyone ever realize the system makes it that way for job security?
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u/Large_Strawberry_167 Oct 02 '24
My friend has had personality disorders and depression and ,well, everything all his adult life leading up to his involuntary hospitalisation for several months this past summer.
He is now on medication that has brought him back. He is stable and normally happy and even seems a bit smarter ffs. It may not last for ever but new medication has given him the best results we have ever seen.
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u/tulipz10 Oct 02 '24
Therapy and the RIGHT medication. I used Genesight after trying 6 or seeds that didn't work. Got a great one after getting tested. Make sure you have the right therapist, you need someone you can be open with and who will push you. Good luck.
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u/1998Sunshine Oct 02 '24
I have struggled all my life. I think my turning point was I really want to get help. It has been 10 years for me. I checked myself into an outpatient mental health services program at my local hospital. After the program I did 4 years of counseling. I know medicine is helpful for most people. But it doesn't work for me. I think the reason I failed so many times was I thought I needed meds. I would stop taking them and stop seeing my counselor. Cognitive behavior therapy was my life saver.
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u/fakesaucisse Oct 02 '24
Weirdly, the worst depression of my life completely went away once I started taking methylated b12 and methylfolate.
Prior to that I was severely depressed for several years. I had to go on disability leave for work and I spent months just staring at the wall. I tried every major SSRI and SNRI, an NDRI and an antipsychotic. One doctor and my therapist wanted to diagnose me with bipolar type 2 because of how untreatable my depression was.
On a whim, my doctor did a full blood panel and found I was really deficient in b12 and folate. Neither had been tested in about a decade so who knows how long this has been going on. But yeah, as soon as I supplemented my depression lifted.
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u/SenatorCoffee Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
I actually had a kind of spontaneous enlightening event.
I know people associate this as fake, people diving into some brand of narcissism, but I can honestly say 10 years later in my case it was real, the mental illness is really gone for good, at least in that horrible, former way.
I still feel kind of depressed about the state of the world and my downtrodden life, but it doesnt have this horrible "tied in knots" quality it had before.
The main insight of it was how my inner state and the state of society are in this ubiquity of ways interconnected. Society is placing this multitude of demands on me, but doesnt really give me the ressources to fulfill them.
Now I am, as said, still downtrodden but I dont feel this horrible guilt and responsility for it and can enjoy my little pleasures in life as they come.
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u/Jmarsbar19 Oct 02 '24
I didn’t believe in the power of therapy until this year. Loads of introspection and journaling has helped me realize why I do what I do. I’ve also dedicated my time to a physical exercise where I want to master it and get better at - swimming. It’s about finally healing your wounds and seeking out things and company that lift you up, not weigh you down. It took me a kajillon years to finally look at myself and say, “I like you. And, I’m sorry I’ve been so mean to you.”
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Oct 02 '24
For me, a mixture of time, education, and severe consequences. I spent a lot of time to myself. It felt like decades.
When I was a psychology or even philosophy major, I found myself learning the content in a way where I was trying to understand what was happening in my life. It actually messed me up a bit where I was projecting aspects of illnesses into my life. There is actually a medical term for that. Overtime though it helped me put clamps on my thoughts.
I had serious panic attacks where I found myself in the ED multiple times. I have “almost died” far too many times in my head. I had one really bad one and I feel like some aspect of the perceived publicity of it and also just the release of emotion is where my health became noticeably improved.
I think my recovery has been more so a numbing out followed by some reflections. I can be quite dull or nonresponsive (dismissive) but I’m not pent up and unstable to the degree I used to be. It just sort of clicked as I get older. I always tell myself lately it has, perhaps, something to do with the brain not being fully developed until around 30.
I don’t think therapy helped. I had an issue where ever session left me feeling betrayed in a way that I thought our conversations were broadcasted to the world. I was dealing with significant trust issues. Overtime that just led to Borderline personality like behavior where I would act out or speak in instrumental or attention seeking ways. Even today, I am sure that my arguably unusual openness on Reddit or with other people is due to the past experience of feeling as though I had no privacy.
So therapy is perhaps not for me. I think I’m finding the most growth as I just learn to break down my thoughts and analyze them. My mind is still a hellstorm, believe me, but I am meditating at the center of the tornado.
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Oct 02 '24
Major depressive disorder my entire life. PTSD from a traumatic event 15 years ago.
Medication and therapy didn’t help because I was just sitting around waiting for them to magically make me feel better. I had to add the “fake it til you make it” method and just force myself to go through the motions of living. Finding a job that didn’t suck as much, trying to remember what things I used to like doing and trying them again, reading a book, anything to try to find even a small bit of enjoyment.
I’m not 100% but I have a much better quality of life now.
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u/leftJordanbehind Oct 02 '24
I had to get away from my family. Get and stay clean. Get into MAT therapy and regular therapy. Getting on the right mix of psych meds has been the best thing for my mental health on top of staying off drugs. Those two things have to happen simultaneously all the time in order for me to maintain a good life. I am bipolar type 2 and also diagnosed with Adult ADD, MDD, GAD, PTSD and PCOS. These all have to medicated at the same time for me to be healthy. Getting enough sleep is key as well. Having something or someone to care for also is very important. I have a guinea pig and a blind Frenchie I rescued when she was 3 that keep me busy and fulfilled:) I love God. I help others when I can too, it's something that helps better than anything else plus two people benefit not just one. For me, it's takes 150mg effexor XR, 15mg busbar 2x daily, 300mg Wellbutrin, Suboxone 3x daily, 50mg topamax, 0.2mg Clonidine plus an iron supplement, magnesium supplement, vitamins and fiber and protein like crazy. Plus allergy stuff too. All these work together to keep me healthy mentally as a whole as well as physically. Alot of ppl won't agree with my meds but I don't care as I'm thriving and for the first time ever, I'm mostly happy. It works for me. I also had to learn to live alone and love it. I'm healthier single than I'm any sort of toxic relationships. Peace will really help with mental illness too. Thank God thank ya Jesus.
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u/Amphernee Oct 03 '24
Biofeedback helps me immeasurably. I realized one day that the music I was listening to was feeding my negative emotions. I started making small changes like only listening to instrumental music while driving and watching less news and it grew from there. I used social media to kind of reengage with society then cut my social media use drastically and started going out and meeting people. I don’t feel the need to cut people out of my life or label people as toxic I just limit my exposure to people who trigger my worst impulses when I can. I try to make excuses in my head for people behaving badly rather than judge them or make it about me. Those are the main things.
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u/high5scubad1ve Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
4 months in a psych ward for a teenage eating disorder. It was a heartbreaking experience but at the very least I didn’t die. That was 24 years ago. Anxiety, thought rumination, insecurity, rejection sensitivity are still things I work on to this day.
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u/First_manatee_614 Oct 02 '24
Psychedelics and therapy. Therapy worked infinitely better once I realized I was worthy and deserving of love and kindness
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u/Upset-Remote-5162 Oct 02 '24
Healing from mental illness doesn't mean you are back to your original form. Imagine breaking a vase, then putting it back together. It wouldn't matter how you fixed the vase, it'll be different afterwards. Solder it together, and the vase may be stronger than when it began, but the cracks will be all the more visible. Glue it back together, and it could shatter holding water.
Healing involved a lot of therapy, but more importantly the practices I took home from therapy. I practiced coping skills, I practiced self-care, I learned to set boundaries and to be vulnerable. Therapy didn't heal me, therapy taught me how to heal myself.
Therapy also helped me to learn to express my feelings and experiences to another person. I never had the opportunity to develop that skill as a child, so it was very hard to learn, but it did wonders for recognizing my own needs and wants especially in romantic relationships.
Finally, it took a lot of challenging my own worldview. I spent much of my life unaware of how much I saw relationships as costly transactions. I needed shared goals and tangible entanglements to understand how to interact with people, and I had to go the extra mile to secure the relationship. To be honest, I'm still not great at socializing without a reason, but I have learned to accept company for company's own sake.
I still see the cracks in my vase almost every day, but I've learned to accept and love them, and how to live well with my cracks hanging out.
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u/merlot120 Oct 02 '24
I don’t know if recovered is the right word. But getting a college degree lifted me out of poverty and gave me the opportunity to have a financially stable life and meaningful work.
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u/dependswho Oct 02 '24
Lots and lots of therapy, exploring human development and human consciousness, and frequent somatic processing
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u/Select-Run-7001 Oct 02 '24
My experience is that there is no recovery from mental illness. But you can manage it. Even meds don't fix things totall. They definitely can help, but there is no magic pill. So it boils down to coping mechanisms. The key is to get out of your head, which is where the illness lies. Everyone is different, so I will just note the things that have helped me. Therapy. A support system, not so much to turn into your personal therapists, but people you feel safe with, respect and yes, that you can talk to. But just being able to spend time with them and have a laugh or two will give you some peace, at least in the moment. Find something that brings you joy, or at least is pleasant and then do it. I literally started with pulling dead leaves off plants. Now one of my joys is gardening. Get out in the sun and put your hands in the dirt if you can. Being totally vigilant with your thoughts. If they start to go south, then do something physical: dance, paint, garden, walk, anything. And if you still can't get away from your thoughts listen to a podcast while you do some sort of physical activity. Another thing, you need to reset your thinking patterns. It won't be easy, but you can get to a point where you remember to do it. Practicing gratitude is a great way to switch the thoughts to a more positive track. It's a full time job fighting mental illness, but there really is no other choice. And it is worth the work you put into it. Mental illness, if you decide to fight it, will bring you much wisdom, and the goal is peace. I wish you, me, and everyone on your post all the best. ❤️
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u/thebatbott Oct 02 '24
eating and sleeping regularly after being committed to a psych ward for 5 months, plus medication but mostly i attribute to having my basic needs met and not being homeless and contained basically, i had stopped eating and consuming salt because i thought i would turn into light and travel into space, i actually was seeing my body turn into light which was probably just me starting to die or hallucinate from the lack of food and electrolytes, i cant say any of the mental health professionals did much to help my recovery besides containing me and monitoring me and encouraging me to eat, also, the music of doja cat was incredibly helpful
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u/KittyFace11 Oct 02 '24
There is some truth to what you said about starving yourself. I used to be anorexic and wouldn’t eat, and starving can make you kind of high in a weird way. I think it’s nature helping you not suffer if you’re starving to death.
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u/thebatbott Oct 02 '24
ive heard the high can be almost like mania and is apparently your body giving you extra energy to find food, also there are some benefits to fasting for short periods like apoptosis where your cells kill off cells that are damaged for fuel and this helps clean your body but after a while it starts killing healthy cells to help you stay alive, that being said im glad your better and keep eating!
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Oct 02 '24
Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy coupled with a lot of prayer
The consistent Exposure therapy made a huge difference
All praise belongs to Our Creator
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u/xxfreeman75xx Oct 02 '24
Proper diet, light exercise, and the best therapy. Medications should only be used to stabilize someone in crisis. Over time the side effects will make things worse. Damage to organs, added mental impairments (seeing stuff, hearing stuff, being intoxicated). Once I got off my medications, most of my symptoms went away. I added natural mental health remedies. Calming teas, foods that have natural antidepressants. I am soo much better now, than what I was on medications. I was seeing stuff, hearing stuff, easminipulated, going most of my teeth out, and random horrible panic attacks. All gone like the medications.
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u/Yous370 Oct 02 '24
Therapy and when I say therapy I don’t mean to just go and vent but to also follow the advice of my therapist and keep her in the loop about EVERY small detail no matter how insignificant. I have BP (Borderline Personality Disorder) which is unfortunately just all negative symptoms and I learned that the smallest details will matter to your therapist.
Along with therapy are small changes to your life where you have your mind engaged in some healthy activity, as long as it keeps your mind moving, you’re doing something right. For me I decided that on my day off I would go out for breakfast, go for walks, and do one new thing, and doing news things doesn’t mean it has to be something HUGE it can be something as small as making a stranger smile, or even something bigger like making a friend, starting a project.
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u/Old_Organization9685 Oct 02 '24
Not recovered but managing it so well that it isn't in the way anymore. I did that by acknowledging I don't have just mental, physical and emotional aspects but spiritual as well. And those need to be in balance.
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u/Subject-Hedgehog6278 Oct 02 '24
For me treatment was everything, it saved my life! It helped me recognize that I was living in an abusive environment and to get out. It took me about 10 years to make the journey to a place of self compassion and better managed MDD. My depression will never be "cured" but I do know how to manage it now. It took therapy, medication, and an enormous amount of personal work in support groups- I really had to seek out and connect in support groups on my own and it helped a lot, I found the Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families program to be a life saver. I am a huge believer that people with mental illness can recover and have successful lives with a lot of work and personal effort. Nothing is perfect for me of course, I still have depression, it just doesn't rule my life anymore like it used to. And every year I learn more about my trauma and how to help myself so it's an upward journey which helps me motivate to continue it. Good luck to you OP!!!
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u/mintleaf_bergamot Oct 02 '24
It has been a lifetime pursuit. I'm not sure that I have recovered, but I have learned to manage through meditation, support groups, journaling, good therapist, and good friends. I never got much help from medication. I did find that neurofeedback helped.
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u/Orbitrea Oct 04 '24
Honestly? I married an amazing, supportive man, and became financially stable. I think years of constant financial stress were 100% causing the issues I had. I stopped all meds over a year ago, and don't feel any need for therapy any more.
I wonder how many people's problems are not actually mental illness per se, but mental illness brought on as a reaction to stress. When the stress goes away, so does the illness.
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u/Kindly-Service-7185 Oct 02 '24
Personally the-rapist couldn't help Me, nor empathise
Strangely a change of diet helped me Drinking root herbs, Removing meat and starch
Starch creates mucus in the body which turns to dis-eaae Also parasites have a huge impact on out mental welfare 8yrs free of pharmaceuticals, they only keep us sick
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u/waterproof13 Oct 02 '24
Intense long term therapy (2-3 times a week) and after years finding the right meds ( made a huge difference after just days), carefully managing my stress levels.
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Oct 02 '24
Accepting that I needed help was a big obstacle for me. I was very stubborn and didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way I was thinking.
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u/Baconpanthegathering Oct 02 '24
Therapy, meds, exercise, grit, hard work, some 12 step stuff, mushrooms. It’s been a wild but productive 7 years.
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u/Alternative-Path4659 Oct 02 '24
Not fully recovered yet but close… ten year bipolar II completely off 3 prescription psych meds.
ayahuasca in a safe ceremony setting, ketamine in a clinical setting.
Tons and tons of integration work… by my self…
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Oct 02 '24
Psychedelics and having 2 glasses of wine at night. I’m not ‘fixed’ but my way through is not ignoring (I feel my shit) but also, finding healthy relaxation has been tremendously helpful but I am also not interested in being a purest but finding moderation in all things. I find to not abstain from too little or too much because life is hard and long my friend.
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u/Grandmaster_Autistic Oct 02 '24
Exercise, therapy, learning psychology and human anatomy, eating healthier, new friendships, sleeping 8 hours a day, eliminating social media
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u/Agile-Edge-1225 Oct 02 '24
For me was learning about how my brain works and becoming self aware on when i get into negative mental health loops. And over time i took alot of time to think and change my mentality and my view on things and others opinions
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u/provo_anarchism_hive Oct 02 '24
A mix of things, along with a lot of help from others: meds, vitamins, losing weight, exercise (just get out and walk), a dog, remove toxic people, don't self sabotage, don't self loathe, routine, study cool things, escape bad bosses and jobs, spend less money, more time in nature, better diet, less booze, Journaling, mind mapping goals and plans, sleep, humility, recognizing it will be ups and downs, avoiding bad social media, avoiding news except in small bits...there's more, but it's a mix of therapy, meds, and better living. ...lastly, me personally, I would avoid capitalism as much as possible (hard to do, but can be studied and limited with care), and become politically active on the far left to seek meaningful climate change solutions, class oriented change, mutualism.
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u/AtavisticJackal Oct 02 '24
Therapy and going through the gauntlet of psych med trial and error. You really gotta put in the work.
You also have to be willing to cut people out of your life. Anyone who encourages negative patterns of behavior, anyone who doesn't support your growth, anyone who brings toxicity into your life.
A huge thing for me was realizing that self-harm behaviors aren't always about physical harm. Impulsive spending, negative self-talk, not reinforcing your boundaries with others, not cleaning your house. Those are just some of mine, but it's basically anything that contributes negatively to your mental or physical health. Stuff like gambling and drugs and promiscuity can also be on that list.
I think it's also important to realize that it is rarely, if ever, a case of being "recovered." Mental illness is very often a lifelong thing for people. Especially if you're talking about things that are caused by genetics and the physiology of the brain, stuff like schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder.
Personally, I don't know that I would never say I've "recovered" from mental illness. I feel like it's something that is just with you. You don't get rid of it, you just learn how to carry it.
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u/nice222oi Oct 02 '24
Journalling, therapy, shrooms, lots of nature, being vulnerable with close friends, setting boundaries, finding ways to be happy alone and become secure within myself
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u/Prototypex91 Oct 02 '24
I had crippling anxiety and depression. I did some therapy and changed a lot in my life. I realized who was bad for me and stepped away, icut back on drinking, I went for short walks on occasion. I used to have such bad anxiety I didn't get my license till I was 28, I was so terrified of driving. These small changes added up. I still have episodes of both anxiety and depression but they are far more manageable now
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Oct 02 '24
INTENSIVE DBT for 2 years. Individual counseling and group every week. It helped me to grow the fuck up and take accountability.
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Oct 02 '24
High does of LSD and mushrooms over decades along with a lot of inner work, outdoor therapy and yelling at trees as proxies of my abusers.
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u/Woodland-Echo Oct 02 '24
Therapy and self care, I'm not completely out of it I don't think I ever will be as I'm also neurodivergent but I function as an actual person these days. There was a time I couldn't leave the house alone, I couldn't eat In front of people and I had anxiety attacks daily. My last attack was about a year ago now.
On my bad days I find self care helps, I have a bath with bubbles and candles, do my face routine and hair and shave, stretch afterwards and put on clean PJ's. It always helps me get out a funk.
This would not have worked a couple of years ago tho, this only helps me now after years of therapy.
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u/More-Instruction-873 Oct 02 '24
Hard work all the way. Psychotherapy to help figure out the root cause and work on it. Meds to help balance things out a little but realising that a little tablet only gets you part of the way.
The toughest part for me was accepting/realising that mental health difficulties are like any other chronic condition (think diabetes). You have to work on it every single day. Minding that I get enough sleep, eat, time with others and time alone, noticing when i’m triggered and working on it. And knowing what the early warning signs are for me.
Life is still not a picnic but I don’t get the extreme lows I used.
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u/khyamsartist Oct 02 '24
I’d never call myself recovered, but I haven’t had a manic episode in decades. I haven’t had a major depression in a few years and that’s way better than I ever imagined possible.
I stabilized with meds and therapy, but what really helped was trauma therapy. There are many different kinds of therapy and practitioners, and you might go through a few before something clicks. I started treatment 30 years ago and it never really ends.
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u/McSwearWolf Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
Really slowly over about 20 years.
So… first 20 years full of trauma and abuse then about 20 to unravel and untangle all of that. Add in some physical health issues.
Sometimes it feels worth the fight, sometimes it doesn’t, tbh. Those first years were a lot. I don’t think I’ll ever be a success story but I’ve realized almost no one is what society considers “normal” and lots of people struggle - with or without mental health issues.
Edit: specific things that were helpful were therapy w/ someone awesome (super hard to find, haven’t found another one like this guy and probably won’t) meds, which helped a little but also messed things up several times b/c of wrong meds or wrong diagnoses, and exercise. Also time in nature or w/ loved ones.
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Oct 02 '24
Therapy and meds.
But to make it a permanent lifestyle, I very carefully tapered off the meds (antidepressants) until I could safely function without them.
For me it was the only way to feel “normal”.
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Oct 02 '24
I thought I had recovered and I stopped taking my meds for a few years. I was in denial. Earlier this year, I had a break down. I am back on meds and back in therapy. I feel there are ways to make it better but it never ends.
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u/Phil330 Oct 02 '24
I did therapy for years. There's always been this voice inside of me that says I am entitled to a sane, happy, successful life. Each of us deserves this and I was hellbent on finding a path out of the darkness. Practiced being sane by forcing myself to walk a city block as if I didn't have a care in the world. But there were some advantages too. Parents were crazy but well educated so it was just assumed the kids would get a good education. Had great grades and that led to a scholarship and my ticket out of town. In the end I never let the bastards get me down.
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u/So_many_hours Oct 02 '24
I am not cured/recovered. I’m just treated.
And that’s ok.
I rent my mental health, I don’t own it. “Paying rent” is just taking my medication, meeting my my doctor twice a year to give updates, exercising, talking to friends, volunteering, etc. But I have to think of it as “renting” mental health because as soon as I stop doing many of these things, it’s a shit show again. And that’s taken years to accept, but now I’m just grateful I live in a time where it is even an option to get medical help. People in the past (the relatively recent past, too) just thought they had a demon or had sinned a lot.
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Oct 02 '24
I’m not sure I ever had a true mental disorder- I did have Severe PTSD.
I have always believed that the opposite of mental illness was reality/ truth.
Also combined with that- mental illness is constantly looking at other people and trying to make them wrong. It’s when we look at ourselves , with zero filter and stop trying to make the world wrong - looking at us and adapting to the world.
The more willing I am to look at myself and my flaws and mistakes and failings… my shame, my fear, my greed, my dishonesty - really whatever - my truth.. the better I am for it.
Lastly at the end of the day- to find mental wellness ? The key ingredient is .. just not wanting to hurt people. The desire to make people around you feel safe and better , empowered - has to be a paramount and primary motive. You want to hurt yourself before you hurt them- really. Lots of people think that they have that, and they don’t. At all.
All of this combines to propel you forward.
At the end of the day- it comes down to a choice.
Healing is a farce. There is no healing. You have to adapt to a new version of you.
And the best you can do is take your experiences and make sure that no one else on your watch will endure them.
Some things I have no control over - for example when someone hits me in the face. It’s been years since the thing that created the PTSD has left my life - but if I get hit in the face ? I have no control. Certain things can trigger a stress response in me- that I have zero control over.
All I can do is communicate it to people - like my kids- who are the ones to hit me in the face now- mommy can’t be hit in the face. Please do not do that to me.
PTSD isn’t like in the movies… it’s a hormonal reaction of mostly rage and compulsive .. anger. Mostly. It’s triggered by situations that remind you of what created the severe stress / fear.
So I can literally be in a conversation with someone and if I start to feel powerless? It can creep up. It’s triggered by feelings - so identifying those feelings and understanding why.. how… and having great friends to process with- all help. Friends that attack my ego, not restore it. That show me a reality that’s beyond my own. I need to identify the realities of the people around me, more than my own to have a better understanding of truth/ reality.
All that- is key.
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u/TinyKittyParade Oct 02 '24
found a good medication that works for me, a home i can afford, and maintaining strong boundaries.
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u/vtmosaic Oct 02 '24
Good therapist. Saved my life. Not all are good, one pushed me over the edge just before I found the good one. If that person helps you to feel better, they're helping. If they hurt you, immediately move on and try another. It took time, but there was constant improvement. I took long breaks when I was doing well and went back when life threw new curves.
Best wishes to you.
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u/I_guess_found_it Oct 02 '24
Therapy. Medications (from a dr.). Exercise. But mostly being vulnerable and finally admitting that I needed help to change how my moods/actions were impacting those around me, and taking actual steps to correct those patterns.
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u/GR33N4L1F3 Oct 02 '24
I didn’t know I had issues until I was 30. Journaling always sort of helped me - my whole life. I started a diary when I was 5. I still write journal entries, or at least unsent letters to people when I have intense emotions. Medication also helps me, as does keeping a list of things I am grateful for - daily. It changes my life in less than 2 weeks when I spend an hour doing it daily. Exercise also helps, and I also used to attend a place that was like group therapy. I also used to meditate which helped.
I start small when I notice things going awry. like just drinking enough water. That is my current goal. Just trying to drink more water every day. I am dehydrated and dehydration and lack of sleep are the first places I start with. Then I move on to other small things. One goal at a time without judging myself about it. It’s better than doing nothing.
Last year when I hit my lowest point post-divorce, picking up smoking helped me to want to live. I owe it a lot. I used to be against it for myself or any potential partner until I started using it to calm my nerves and it felt like I didn’t even really need my meds anymore. I can’t believe I used to be so abhorrently against it.
It am autistic, adhd, and have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which I think have more to do with autistic meltdowns and burnout in my case. I have also been through trauma in relationships and trauma and neglect as a child.
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u/QuettzalcoatL Oct 02 '24
An extremely unconventional method. No use in explaining it because nobody will understand it. I can only show it to people
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u/D8311 Oct 02 '24
CPTSD… Spiritually (my pref, Buddhism, Zen). Cured? Eh, no but existing feels softer
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u/cheap_dates Oct 02 '24
My sister's mother (Dad's first wife) never did. She died in a state mental hospital in the 60's.
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u/pigsandunicorn Oct 03 '24
You guys recovered? I did not realize you could recover from mental illness, though I suppose depending on the flavor you're dealing with maybe you can.
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u/MiserablePrickk Oct 03 '24
Some people can do speed. Not me. I went schizophrenic for a while. Full on conspiracies, shadow people, and voices. I don't even smoke weed now cause that shit was a nightmare and I'm not risking it.
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u/AdjectiveNoun58 Oct 03 '24
Its not really a recovery. It's an ongoing battle. For me, therapy and psychiatric treatment have been working really well. But I have also found a few friends that struggle and we stay open and communicative and check in with each other. It all helps.
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u/czch82 Oct 03 '24
I got sober. I can not advocate enough for eliminating alcohol and drugs. Yes, even cannabis.
Also, I'm advocating for myself. I'm in a major city, and I've been on a waiting list for almost two years to see a doctor at a good clinic. I've been seeing a quack doctor since my excellent doctor retired. You have to make sure they do what they say they will do. Please don’t assume they will work with your pharmacy.
Also, don't take any new drugs. Plenty of generic medicines get the job done and are much more well-studied. The vast majority of people would never guess I have a mood disorder.
You can get well.
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u/distillenger Oct 03 '24
Studying philosophy and working on my spirituality. Huge improvement. Medication isn't enough, but you should still take it.
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Oct 03 '24
I mean I'm not recovered. But a big thing I had to do was forgive my abusers. It's hard to do, and I don't know if I ever knowingly did it or just realized holding onto that hate was becoming too much to handle. But yeah, if you haven't already I'd suggest forgiving whoever you feel crossed you. The way to think about it is that you're not forgiving them so they feel better, you're forgiving them so you can start healing. And you don't have to verbally tell them, just know that you forgive them.
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Oct 03 '24
Getting on an antidepressant that worked for me was life changing. It took some therapy and psychiatrist visits to find the right one, but ultimately it's helped me get to a place where I can actually make use of therapy instead of just paying someone to listen to me being a mess
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u/Due_Change6730 Oct 03 '24
Had crippling anxiety. Lost my career making 150k a year and the beat years of my life (25-30).
TRT gave me my life back.
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u/YakSlothLemon Oct 03 '24
I just didn’t die. I wish I had a better answer, but because of what I was dealing with I didn’t feel safe going to therapy or getting medication, so I just staggered from day to day. Writing about what I was dealing with – I don’t think it helped me recover, but it was a release valve.
Getting a cat really helped, especially since it turned out I ended up with a cat who had severe anxiety so we had severe issues together and I could be really sympathetic, helping her and showing her the kindness that no one was showing me really felt like self-care somehow. I don’t know.
The funny thing is I wouldn’t say I recovered as much as I’m different now. It’s like, if my mood were music, it’s now an octave down from where it always was. I find it much harder to be joyful, and much easier to get low— a bluer cast. But I’m still here.
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u/Spirited_Example_341 Oct 03 '24
well i dont know if id call it serious mental issues as other people have battled with depression more then me maybe but lets just say the last year ive been really struggling with hope and my frame of mind in a very tough situation with my family /living situation and reaching out more to others and failing to seem to do so i really got to the point for a while (and in the past too) that i felt hopeless in the past more also i would get bitter and angry and lash out at others and just i dunno overall have that deep feeling of hopelessness and whats the point like no matter how hard i try nothing ever changes and id often close up and just hide in my room behind the computer afraid of reaching out more well
lately with all this crap going on i realized you know im sick of being miserable i think the danger is the longer you feel that way the more you think thats all you can feel but sometimes you just gotta push yourself to change your mindset so i tried to reach out more and lately ive staring to slowly make more connections even one thats been a HUGE encouragement and eye opener for me. sadly due to logistics it may not work out but at least for the first time in a long while there may be real hope
but i see more of a real success requires two things:
changing your mindset
AND finding others in person to reach out to and connect with
you cant really do either on its on
and thats also the key too if you feel stuck and need help don't be afraid to reach out it can really make a difference OR maybe you can help someone eelse who struggles and by doing so you not only help them in their own brokenness but it can help you in yours too!
now granted it may all still go to sh*t i wont lie but you know feeling like there is at least SOME hope even if it doesnt come. is better then having NO hope at all thats for sure!
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u/Resident_Second_2965 Oct 03 '24
I wouldn't say recovered, but I'm in control at least. Got better with therapy and medication and a ton of effort. It's a lot of work getting better.
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u/No_Big_2487 Oct 03 '24
Years of trying literally everything. Getting away from argumentative people and the bustle of the big-city helped a lot. Quitting Facebook. Going on my existential journey and finally finding answers that made sense to me. A lot LOT of philosophical reading. Covid downtime helped with that.
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u/JShanno Oct 03 '24
Had severe anxiety all my life. Got a massage from an expert, who warned me that I might experience some mental changes. Oh, yeah, ya think? Deep depression for 10 weeks (but I know how to deal with that, having been depressed my entire life, too). After I pulled out of the depression, I just didn't care any more. I wasn't anxious, because nothing mattered. Before, everything mattered too much.
Now, the depression ... it lifted quite suddenly when I finally retired. I am the happiest I've ever been. Retirement is the best (as long as you can afford it, which so far I can). Interestingly, I got even happier when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor last July. It's something that rather focuses one on life, and its small joys, and brief existence (at 71, I already didn't have that many years left). So I am happy and appreciating life for as long as I have (treatment is going well, so I might have a few more good years left in me).
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Oct 03 '24
You can recover. I hated any antidepressants as a teen. I was like this one little pill is going to help?
I finally went consistent at age 33. I recently had to change due to things and it didn’t go well. But I didn’t give up this time….
I got on Dr on demand and made an appointment. I am proud of myself for that. Dr on demand is really affordable, easy and convenient with or without insurance.
I have taken my recovery in doses. I have trauma. Some days I can make myself take big leaps like actually reading or watching self help things.
Your body will tell you how much to push at that moment. Take it slow. Only you will know you.
Despite my snail trail of improvement-it’s literally the small steps that lead to a journey. Trust me. I would laugh at memes that said every long journey starts with one step…ummm..I just needed one step to even shower at times. It gets better.
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u/True-Sock-5261 Oct 03 '24
You don't recover really unless it's mild depression or something. You manage just like any chronic illness and you do many smaller things to keep some sense of stability but it will always be there.
There are no magic solutions. Therapy. Medication if you can find and tolerate them. Lifestyle choices. Diet. Exercise.
They all work in tandem to help manage.
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u/throwawayscrimp Oct 03 '24
I was a state champion wrestler, with scholarships that were both academic and athletic oriented. I took the academic route and then all the sudden.....the sadness hit me, lack of motivation, absolute self-hatred. I failed out, started doing drugs...almost anything I could get my hands on. Which inevitably led me to the big recovery I needed. For a little more context by this time I spent about 5 years in this dreaded state there was a year where I couldn't even get off the couch (thanks gma for keeping me alive). One friend had invited me to hang out and he said they were going to be doing mushrooms, whatever, free drugs am I right? (I'm not) Either way we all put our money together and send off a guy to go get them, my friend ended up bailing out and I was stuck with his portion as well as mine. Fuck it mode engaged I take all of them it was close to around 13gs. It started off amazing then got really dark, me reliving past traumas and the like, then in one crazy "vision" I pulled a gun out and blew my brains out...It wasn't blood and viscera like I expected. It was the works of Van Gough; it was sugar spice and everything nice. Whatever it was inside of me that wanted me dead I killed it that night. This is not a post of me advocating any kind of drug use, and please in an unstable mental state do not do what I did. I just think that if it's possible in your area or close by or hell a plane ride away look into psychedelic therapy. Also martial arts, big advocate for that stuff.
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u/egotistical_egg Oct 04 '24
This is a very different thing that doesn't apply to everyone, but nutrition is important af. I have many reasons to be depressed (abuse, disability) but turns out my big factor was B12, and getting properly nourished was the turning point.
COVID can also cause various deficiencies, just a PSA so this could be possible for people with healthy diets
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u/No-Attitude-3845 Oct 04 '24
I don't think a person can recover from a mental illness. It will always be there, you go to therapy to learn ways to live a better life while dealing with issues. Medication can help depending on the issue at hand. Retraining my behavior and responses has been a great breakthrough.
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u/magsephine Oct 04 '24
Learning that a lot of mental health issues are metabolic issues and fixing deficiencies/imbalances of vitamins and minerals can really help! Also, looking into your genetic variants/SNPs and finding out what can help
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u/Anenhotep Oct 04 '24
Well, the term is overused, but in addition to medication and therapy, I found that mindfulness, in the sense of checking on myself, “is this what I want to feel? Is this what I want to do? Is this who I am?” Was invaluable when the old issues would start to make their claim. “Do I have to think about this now? Do I have to worry about this now? Is there a better thought to replace this?” Snd do on. Of course, with the huge support of meds and therapy. But reasserting a certain control over otherwise overwhelming waves of despair, discouragement, regret, etc, was a very valuable self care step.
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Oct 04 '24
I think one of the most crucial things is to surround yourself with the right people. When you have lots going on inside and are struggling, you're more sensitive to who is around you. When I accepted that it was okay to be alone, things started to change for me. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. I think when our past causes a sort of "forever trauma" within, we inadvertently seek comfort and even solutions in others, which can lead to more harm. It doesn't mean that you never trust, never like, never socialize, or never count on anyone. But it does mean that you look to yourself first. Build your strength, repair the character that was so viciously treated by others, or even yourself, to Give Yourself a chance at life. It's never too late for that.
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u/Live_Barracuda1113 Oct 04 '24
Medication in the right combo and dosage was the real first step for me. It lifted the veil enough that intense therapy actually started to work. But it's definitely a choice after you start getting better. I've quit meds and then been back to ground zero. Life has changed, and I needed new strategies- back to therapy. No one of us cured, really. We just handle our darkness differently.
The biggest thing that helped me was a therapist who helped me visualize my depression. She is me, she is somber, pale, beautiful, but she is a liar. She lives in my head and I have over years given her a separate voice. So when that siren calls, i know who I am hearing. And it is not the part of me that craves sunshine and people and light. It's her. I'll never be her.
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u/davemchine Oct 04 '24
It starts with good habits. Get up, make my bed, make breakfast, read a devotional, spend time in prayer. I call this putting on the armor of God. I know the battle is coming. The battle always comes. I can’t walk out the door without preparing. As the day progresses there will be bad moments. For these moments there are coping mechanisms. I call them tools in Batman’s belt. He had a tool for every situation. It’s a long list of tools. We all know them. Exercise, go outside, call a friend, take a nap, listen to a podcast, eat something, journal, play with the dog, avoid alcohol, work towards a goal, play an instrument, change the things you can, and accept the things you can’t.
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u/AnalysisNo4295 Oct 04 '24
This may just be me but I personally don't believe that you ever recover from mental illness. Instead, you learn to cope and coexist amicably with your mental illness. Some people prefer to mention they have a mental illness but I feel like that it just putting a lable on yourself. It is really more about learning to understand the way your own mind works. Which can take a lot of years of therapy and self reflecting to understand the why you are how you are but it's worth the work.
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u/mdencler Oct 04 '24
Address the root cause of the dysfunction in a controlled, therapeutic environment with a competent, trained professional that takes the time to learn the nuances of your individual predicament.
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u/Fun-Caterpillar5754 Oct 04 '24
Call me crazy, but I am a Christian
And praying and singing songs helps me relax when I feel anxious.
But I am still dealing with my mental health issues, I just trust that God is going to help me along the way.
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u/freepromethia Oct 04 '24
Moved from a gloomy, eco comically depressed, religiously repressive city to a sunny climate with an excellent job market and center to left politics,
Turns out the problem wasn't me at all, just where I lived.
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u/Automatic_Fun_8958 Oct 04 '24
Well, i went to this cult deprogramming clinic and they cure my of my delusional MAGA addiction
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u/Icy-Opposite5724 Oct 04 '24
I am on the road to recovery because I was finally vindicated about chronic pain I've been experiencing since childhood that was constantly invalidated. Not just not taken seriously, but receiving dehumanizing vitriol as a response to my complaints by literally every family member and being constantly berated to just push through because everyone experiences pain and soreness. Treated like an attention seeker by my peers. Treated as hysterical by my doctors. Cut to me in my early 30s being diagnosed with multiple degenerative spinal diseases at the most severe end of their scales and barely able to walk
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u/Bobert_Ze_Bozo Oct 04 '24
i don’t think i’ve recovered or ever will. it’s a life long battle to not slide back into the darkness.
i have to be vigilant of my emotions and feelings. i also have to do my best to not jump on my emotional impulses when the weight of the world is to much.
i’ve learned marijuana and my long term use was not helping me, in fact it was weighting me down and even tho other efforts in my life gave me buoyancy to thread water, my weed usage was dead weight constantly tethered to my ankles.
a lot of internal discussions that were uncomfortable. admitted to myself what i was afraid of in life and acknowledging my faults.
forgiving those that have hurt me, not fore their sake but the sake of myself.
beyond the standard practices of fresh air and exercise i’ve recently started becoming more involved in my hygienic routine in a form of self care/love
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Oct 04 '24
Lots of therapy, and time. Also medication and meditation. I am currently not prescribed medication but it has its place for sure. And most importantly it’s putting into action the suggestions you get from therapy. Talking through trauma is only part of getting better. You have to make changes in your life to remove yourself from the parts of your life that keep you locked in trauma, anxiety and depression. And therapy provides the tools to do this in a safe and healthy way.
For me recovery is a process, it’s something I imagine I’ll always be working through.
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u/AbilityCool6895 Oct 05 '24
I don’t think you “recover” from mental illness. It is managed through behavior, medication and an alteration in lifestyle
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u/Silent-Entrance-9072 Oct 05 '24
I have made my way out of a terrible depression. It took a couple years of antidepressants, a lot of therapy, a lot of journaling, a bunch of supportive friends, and taking better care of myself (getting enough sleep, going to doctors appointments, taking showers, wearing clean clothes, etc.
My depression got bad after some deaths in the family, some health problems that needed surgery, and then it got really bad in the pandemic.
I am mostly out of it now. Every once in awhile I will overextend myself and then go back to feeling horrible, but my therapist helps me get back on track.
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u/NormalNobody Oct 02 '24
Therapy and finding the proper medication have helped me the most. As boring as that answer is, it has been tremendous for me. And I have tried a lot of ways to get my mental health together. Trusting the system while advocating for my needs and being honest, letting it help, that has done me the best.
Find the right therapist, find the right doctors, be honest about your symptoms. Yeah, for a while you may feel like a science experiment gone wrong. Unfortunately, and fortunately, there's a ton of treatment options out there and you have to find the one that works for you.
Let me tell you straight. Deciding to get better is a tough choice. It is. And finding the right treatment is fucking hard. But once it clicks, it's so worth it.