Has this community positively impacte... - Anxiety and Depre...
Has this community positively impacted your mental health journey? If yes, please describe how in the replies below
AnnaHUHealthUnlocked72 VotersPlease select one:
It has been so great to have so many supportive people from all over the world.
I haven't really been on here that much, but it feels good to have somewhere to go, if I need to.
This community helps me by realizing that I'm not alone and, I get support here when I can't get it anywhere else. I can also reach out to others that are struggling.
It helps to know we are not alone and that others struggle with the same difficulties.
It is always nice to have someone to talk to, even anonymously. Grateful for the support we all get from this community and feels good to reciprocate the same with some of the members who are new to treatments.
For me, I find it helpful to be able to offer others encouragement and perspective based on my experiences. I also am able to share my own anxieties, feelings of guilt about how I behaved before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression.
People here are very supportive and provide advice with the best intentions and love. It is very helpful for me.
Very reassuring knowing that this site (and others) can give real help with support and just knowing you are not alone with struggles.
I'm not alone!
This site offers a great platform for mental health support and I have met a few cool people. At the same time, arbitrary censorship (with no seeming reason and no explanation) and a group of resident trolls that are never dealt with tend to hinder things. HU is by far a good thing despite it's flaws (which are human in nature, go figure).
It has helped me realize that I am not alone with this illness, meeting people with similar issues is helpful. It has also been helpful in sharing information on what has helped and what has not which is a great resource. Its just nice belonging to a community of understanding people. Its a great place.
The majority of people here are friendly and supportive and also knowledgeable which help as I feel listened to and respected by the community.
Hello AnnaHU I hope you are fine ?
The most important thing this community has given me is the awareness that I am not alone in my case, and I can share with people from many places in the world. And, basically, knowing that I am not alone makes me feel like some people (therapists, laboratories, researchers ....) work "for me" and for my well being.
I know that, whatever is said on the forum stays on the forum. I am not afraid of saying something that may be repeated or whispered to someone else, I feel safe here. And it is probably the only place where I do.
Now, to come back to your question, I have thought several times, over the past months "I should talk about that in to the forum" when I had "black" ideas or felt sad. And I should have, just was afraid to bother anyone. So yes, the fact that the forum exist is important and the fact that we all are human on each side of the keyboard is a life changer !
Hope this helps
Love from France
O
Because it is a safe place to share my depression with others going through the same disease. We help each other because we understand each other.
Many things have helped with my anxiety, firstly the book. If people don't still talk about it then anyone struggling should find the book by Claire Weeks. It's a must read for anyone with anxiety. Google Claire Weeks and anxiety and you'll find it. If I'd never come here I'd probably never have heard of it.
Secondly propanolol. The advice people give here about drugs is invaluable. Hearing people's experiences first hand rather than being told what should happen can only happen somewhere like this.
Lastly, and honestly most importantly are the people. I've spoken to a good few, and read posts by and tried to help a good few too. I'm not the most extroverted or chatty but many people here have helped me massively. And I have to especially mention Jeff and the wonderful Agora, both of who kept me coming back because their advice was superb.
So a big thanks to them, and everyone else, and the site and all involved!
Have received support and have felt good offering support to others
Good to have this resource in place. It was of help during the pandemic.
This community has helped me manage my anxiety when I feel lonely and isolated. I've received alot of support and the responses are immensely helpful in getting me to focus on the positive things I have in life. it's truely a life saver.
I've found it really helpful and supportive here and to know i'm not alone in my own journey and how much alike many of our struggles are regardless of what age we are or country we are in. I've also benefited from good advice and compassion from others here and also benefited from providing information and advice to others, it feels good to me if it helps someone else. My main issue has been social anxiety and it took courage to initially post here and i'm so glad I did, it has helped in my recovery in learning to speak up and validate myself and not be afraid of being seen.
This is a great, supportive site. It's wonderful that we can be honest and describe what is going on, because life is not always okay. It is especially rewarding if I can share something that really worked for me.
Most people know my story here, so I will keep it short and simple.
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I lost my previous (traditional support group) due to the pandemic.
Support groups help with my anxiety (and sometimes depression), and I am very grateful for this place, and this community. 
My mental health issues stem from childhood trauma. While I don't think any sort of forum is equipped to untangle that mess, I have learned a LOT about managing my symptoms here. As others have likely said, it's also nice to have a place to go when I'm feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for this place and I hope my comment was helpful.
Afraid not. If only life were that simple, but I' m sure many people get something out of it.
It's nice to know that others are traveling the same road as you are. Made connections with others. Definitely helped me
I like that there are people here from various countries. It's interesting to learn what other people have to go through to access mental health care.
it has been a supportive experience to me.
There's just something so powerful in having a place to turn to where people talk about living through the same pain and fear and hopelessness as I have been feeling for so long. I live in a place where it aggravates my feeling of displacement in the world caused by trauma. What I appreciate MOST? That this site is alive, with people whose comments didn't stop years ago (thats already how I feel in life, like everything has died with me). I know that people here read and respond, which means so much when I'm really low. And I'm so impressed with those who stick around, who like myself, return when they can to offer support to others like them. I'm sure they all know who they are, but I want to make sure they know how much they mean to me. Agora1, starlight and others..❤🙏
Lots of support
It provides a sense of community when I am feeling most alone, and gives me to opportunity to also reach out to others who need support
HU has been & is a very positive & helpful experience. Helps me to feel not so alone dealing with my anxiety, & fears. Keep this site going. Thx.
I don’t suffer but was looking for something for my sister who is in such a bad place and found this. I think it’s absolutely brilliant and has made me understand so much more about depression and anxiety, just wish I could get my sister to look and get some support from it. She appears to far gone and just does not want to live. Breaks my heart
This community helps me in understanding the difficulties faced by people around us and comforts me with the suggestions received by the supporting people. The content helps me in dealing with my health anxiety and fears. Kudos to all
This community has definitely impacted my mental health journey mostly because I do not feel alone or judged. I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts and feelings much more freely than in my medical encounters with healthcare professionals who I feel can be judgmental and not fully understand you . The ability to connect with others who are experiencing similar symptoms and feelings is in itself a form of therapy which is sometimes more beneficial for me that an actual therapy session with a Therapist. I don’t think that many Psychiatrists and Therapists have really experienced depression and don’t always know how I truly feel. They treat you based on symptoms and what they have learned in their training. I have seen Psychiatrists who are really cold and without any compassion. Feel like just a number.
Thank you!
Yes, this group has greatly impacted impacted my mental health journey positively. I've met and talked with people that have same symptoms with me. It encourages me to know that I'm not alone. I have also read success stories of members that overcame and the different strategies or treatments that helped them. It's also good to be where you can discuss your issues without being judged.
This place has been my get away place from the world of chaos. I've found a family here and, I learn alot about depression and how to prevent frequent attack from this community
The need to always evaluate self awareness and understanding to help eliminate the stressors in life to
Live a life which as meaningful outcomes
I have been on this site since 2015, it has helped me on numerous occasion's, BUT since 2020 its heavy USA influence has ruined it! American terms and medications are literally foreign to myself living in UK, it's original 'port' of origin. Originally a vein of sympathetic humour ran through it, making replies almost 'making your day', this has definitely gone, the black shadows of trolls regularly apparent in most days! I have a few friends on this site, their advice has helped me many times, some advice on this site can be invaluable, but nowhere as good as it used to be!
I know I have a place where I can be honest about my depression.
I have clinical depression and major anxiety disorder, officially. It used to be exceptionally bad but meds, of all sorts, helped immensely. I've been like this for many years, however, I can't discuss with others because they just don't know, they have no idea what it's like. I saw one therapist years ago who was very good the rest of the psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists being completely irrelevant. I'm qualifying all of this because, unlike out in everyday life, in here, there are a few that actually understand, have empathy, know what it's like. I've written a few things in here that I couldn't articulate outside of this site. So, my experience has been positive. Even if I connected with one person only, it's worth it to me. One person can have immense leverage. One person can mean so much.
Experiences from other patients have been useful for me
This community has provided me with some benefits. I feel good being able to provide therapeutic advice to those in need, and I have received some good feedback about alternative treatments from other members. However, I find many of the posts are confusing or very difficult to respond to properly. I do not want to provide a generic response such as "try getting some exercise" or "this will go away eventually." I would like to be able to provide more therapeutic responses but the format of the community does not make that easy.
Hello AnnaI suffer from generalized anxiety major depressive disorder and ptsd, for 50 years. I joined Health unlocked in the last few months when I was really having bad symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is all about community and being able to connect with other persons that have the same disorder as you. My family my friends my children do not understand what I'm going through. This community does. they have offered me suggestions they have listened and responded with kindness and emojis for support. Someone people on this platform do not know what to say to encourage healing and they are willing to say " I don't know what to say but I relate". Even that's comforting.
I had been suicidal and this helped me by communicating with others who have the similar difficulties, symptoms and some circumstance.
I think that last paragraph sums it up I was feeling suicidal, worthless and overwhelmed. This platform literally saved my life a couple times. In the matter of 3 months.
This platform Health unlocked offers camaraderie, compassion, understanding, support, a place to vent, a place to go when you might not have another place to turn.
Keep up the good work I wish there were more sites like this.
Montana
It feels good to know I'm not alone and this platform helps me parse through my irrational thoughts. A lot of the help honestly comes from responding to others who are struggling, especially when their troubles are relatable to mine. Kind of feels like the advice I'm giving them is advice I also should tell myself, which is helpful.
helps to strengthen my belief in certain things.....makes me feel better helping others with what they've got going on if i can......and just overall helps in general
Whenever I have intense emotion I come here for understanding. When I want to feel grateful and give back I come on HU to try to help someone like I have been helped.
Yes, it is a very good place to share what is important to me, and to read what others write and are experiencing. It is a help to me when I have to stay home, and wait to see and someone to talk in person.
It is nice to be able to connect with people that understand. I can also try to give back
Moderation team
