Our disorders are NOT our identity

[Hardlookcap]

I was thinking today ... how many times have I had to say “hi I’m ..... and I suffer from anxiety and panic etc” ... no! I’m never saying that again! That’s not WHO I am! “Hi I’m ...... and I save animals and I try to make the world better one good deed at a time and I’m honest and giving!” Don’t let these disorders make you!

[Lostjoy]

I never tell anyone except for on here that I have anxiety and depression. I guess you could chalk me up to the stigma case who doesn’t want to be labeled by mental illness. I would never ever tell anyone that my Mother is schizophrenic either. I always felt I would be looked at differently since I’ve heard it said that mental illness can be genetic.

I am not as reluctant as I used to be though.

I really do wish we could get some research started to where mental illness can be recognized in the health care industry as a real sickness. Its so sad how many people have to suffer in silence for fear of being labeled as crazy. Plus many health care providers won’t even cover mental illness at all.

[Lostjoy in reply to Lostjoy]

Sorry I kind of got off topic.

[Hardlookcap in reply to Lostjoy]

It’s not off topic! My mother struggling is what made me go to school for this. My struggling and finances are what made me stop. But all of us victims are what is taking to work to try to pay to go back. I feel I can change the world. I feel I have extra qualifications with what I witnessed and what I am!

[Hopeful-Tinkerbell]

I don’t use labels. I usually tell doctors or something if I’m super anxious I just have severe anxiety. I have the abc’s of mental health problems. They all contain anxiety and everyone has that so I just say that. It’s sad though the stigma it has. Everyone gets sad and nervous in some form or another. A lot of people don’t get treated because of the stigma or they can’t afford it. I wish that would change.