How Many People Here Suffer From a Psychiatric or Neurological Disorder?

[Goulette]

I've battled depression and some social anxiety since my early teens, due to a variety of not-so-pleasant experiences. All three of my brothers have more serious diagnoses: my oldest brother is usually homeless or in a hospital ward, is violent, been diagnosed with Bipolar (not accurate) then Aspergers (maybe), is extremely fearful of most people, and has a hard time making sense of a lot of things except science and computers. My youngest brother was initially diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, that switched to Tourette's Syndrome, then back to ADHD, then Asperger's, and finally with Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS), which is basically all of the above but not quite. My other bro has been diagnosed depression, although in addition to that I think he's at least partially Asperger (struggles socially but very gifted at other things).

I was homeschooled up until grade 4 by a mother who has a reputation for being left of centre and messing with everyone's mind, and my dad was always extremely introverted. Together they both were very restrictive while also never teaching me about how to navigate the real world. When I entered public school in grade 4 I didn't stand a chance. I was also raised in a couple churches that mostly taught how terrible you are just by virtue of being born. When I graduated from high school I hardly knew what to do with myself--I'm not just referring to college, career and relationship choices, I'm also referring to how to shop for groceries and how a credit card worked, and most there street smarts that everyone else my age already knew.

The worst period was also the period I got saved. None of my brothers had the proper diagnoses or treatment, my parents had been divorced for a few years by then and my mother still wasn't over it, and she was quite ruthless towards me and my brothers most of the time, the houses we lived in were either falling apart or were always a complete mess, my mother was also having a bunch of health problems and had surgery again, I had dropped out of my first college program and failed most of my courses in my next program, and no career aspirations and no job and no employment skills, and no friends.

Worst of all, I didn't have (at least not yet) the worldview and sanity offered by the Scriptures.

You'd be depressed and anxious too. Although my life has almost completely turned around since then, I'm still a wreck without the legal maximum dosage of Wellbutrin.

And coffee.

And bacon.

[Goulette]

Forgot to mention PTSD.

Yes, we've all stumbled upon a post by Tassman at some point.

[stfoskey15]

I used to suffer from some anxiety and OCD, but I'm mostly over that now. I don't think it was ever bad enough to lead to a clinical diagnosis, however. I've learned to manage it with relaxation techniques and some help from cognitive behavioral therapy.
For a while I wondered if I had Asperger's, but then I met someone who actually has Asperger's, and I realized I'm just introverted and less interested in human interaction than many people.

[shunyadragon]

Have dystil neuropathy caused by pernicious anemia, or B12 deficiency caused by malabsorption of B12. It was misdiagnosed for more than a year causing nerve damage to the fingers and bottoms of my feet. The problem is I do not absorb B12, and I have to take injections of B12.

[Adrift]

Thank you for sharing SerenityRiver!

[Sparko]

welcome serenityriver. i hope you make lots of friends here.

[SerenityRiver]

I have a few mental health problems depression, OCD ( I get blasphemous thoughts etc) i hear voices and i see things like angels and demons
my mental health is so bad that i cant go out the house with out my husband for my own safety ( i have tried to kill or hurt myself before )
am medicated and staying with my husband who is my carer
I found Jesus and he has been helping me get better and i believe he is with me all the time

[Teallaura]

[JardinPrayer]

Diagnosed bi-polar (though hypo-manic) years ago. Haven't felt it applied for over a decade...unless faced with a major crisis...like the one I'm trying to navigate presently.

[Jedidiah]

Forgot to mention PTSD. Also I have a terrible memory but I'm not sure where that comes from...

Don't forget that your friends here still love you horrible though you are.

[Teallaura]

Homosexual male which is said to be more vulnerable to mental illness than normal males. Clinical depression which recently lightened up after a year of ECT, really terrible social anxiety disorder and just general anxiety. For the past few years I've been more psychologically healthy than I was for most of my life, but I'm still pretty bad. I have to work alone and at night at a job that is below my skill level, I have 0 friends off the internet, and I really only leave my room for shopping and the occasional movie.

[hamster]

Forgot to mention PTSD. Also I have a terrible memory but I'm not sure where that comes from...

[Jesse]

I have Sleep Paralysis. Not sure if that is a Psychiatric/Neurological disorder or not. I've been dealing with it since I was 14. It sucks.

[rogue06]

I'm not sure if a fear of running outta bacon is considered a legit disorder

[Adrift]

I want to thank everyone who's voted so far.