Mental Health Support

[kvrsthn]

Hi! This is my first time to post. I live outside US— in a country that does not prioritize Mental Health and isn’t even keen in providing support, let alone fast-tracking legislation for its bill. Resources are very limited too to the point that I have to look elsewhere to get what free resources I can get to help myself and be at ease. Seeing a practitioner on the field costs a fortune in this country too and I am so afraid as well to see one because of stigma. Speaking of, I have a Psychology teacher who even verbally harassed me and caused other people to bully me before graduating college, yes, sadly even in college there’s bullying. Given that, it is so hard for me to trust and find the right people to talk about the mental health issues I have developed over so many letdowns I have experienced. Until now I am in and out of depression and I really want to be helped... but anonymously for now. Idk. I feel like I recovered from my social exile but I get more and more sad by the day. I feel alone. I feel terribly sad and helpless and shamed.

[Strongheartforever]

You have a lot of road blocks but boy are you smart and enlightened and that’s half the battle. This may sound random but keep your thyroid in mind and get iodine. Your thyroid really effects depression and anxiety. Raw veggies and gluten can mess it up, steam veggies or sautee because they can interfere with your thyroids ability to absorb iodine and it can’t function without it. There are things you can do without a doctor to balance your body and change your mental health for the better. Take a kelp supplement if you can. Avoid gluten and avoid caffeine. Make connections here, positive connections, you have one in me. I’ll help you all I can. Your foundation is strong to pull yourself out of this. You’re not a victim. You’re a survivor, a warrior who will make the EFFORT it takes to move forward. Every adult is where they are because of their choices. But there is vital, crucial information that one must SEEK OUT like thyroid and hormone balance and human support. First, don’t see yourself as a victim. Second, it’s all up to you, you must seek help and find wisdom from many good hearted and wise people who offer it. I want to recommend Christiane Northrup MD. Her books and website are powerful medicine. Eckhart Tolle’s books, audiobooks, lectures, will change your life. There is so much good and bad out there, be discerning and choose good. A lot of this is general info for all dealing with anxiety and depression. No victim-mentality. Abundance!! Abundance of answers, abundance of solutions!! Research. Be a scientist. Find the truth. This is your challenge. This is your opportunity!! Or stay in a sad place. Social exile doesn’t do much good. Many of us tried that route. Don’t fear people. Most are as golden as family. And we all need eachother. Don’t label people “strangers”. How about “potential friends”? How about “sisters and brothers”!?! It’s not hippie b.s. We are all interrelated. Every ripple you send out, consciously or not, effects the whole planet. Know your power. Direct it wisely. Keep moving forward every day and your mind will carve out new neuro-pathways that lead to happier thoughts. Better every day, in every way. Conscious effort. Upward momentum!!

[Marshall64 in reply to Strongheartforever]

I like what you said but man, giving up caffeine for me is hard.

[Strongheartforever in reply to Marshall64]

Same here I fall off the wagon a lot. But for anxiety, crucial. Cutting gluten is way trickier but the results are astounding! It causes inflammation in the body and brain. Inflammation is what depression and anxiety ARE.

[Marshall64 in reply to Strongheartforever]

I'll have to look more into gluten. I hear two sides to this issue. Some say that it only affects those with celiacs disease and its effects to those without the disease are overblown.

I thought depression was caused by the uptake (or reuptake) of serotonin. All I know is that the SSRIs that I have been taking don't work anymore.

I like what you said about not victimizing yourself. I tend to do that and have to push myself through it.

[Strongheartforever in reply to Marshall64]

I tried the pills too, it’s a band aid. I don’t have celiac. I cut gluten. The changes were mind-blowing. Read “Wheat Belly”. Pizza, pastries, pasta, all this stuff is very different today than it was even 50 years ago. Now it’s poison. Inflammatory poison for our brains. There are about 17 thousand people on this one little forum about anxiety and depression. The other forums seem to have fewer peeps. It’s because our diets are destroying our mental health, gmo’s, Frankenstein food, toxic “meds”, hormones in the water, violence is our entertainment, isolation feels like protection, so much influence by the wrong people. So much confusion. Conflicting information. We all must seek out truth. It’s there.

[Marshall64 in reply to Strongheartforever]

I agree with what you said in the last part of your post. I read that there was a study in England that said that cancer, autism, bipolar, depression and other maladies increased after WW2. They correlate that with the boom of the petrochemical industry after the war. All of the detergents, antiperspirants, shampoos, soaps, etc that are absorbed through our skin are toxic. Add to that the toxins in our water, atmosphere, the hormones in our meat, high fructose corn syrup and gmo products have all contributed like you said to anxiety and depression. The pharmaceutical industry keeps pushing drugs as the answer. I admit, taking a pill is easier than life style changes. I will look into the books you recommended.

[kvrsthn in reply to Strongheartforever]

Thank you. I am learning a lot from the conversations here. I took note of your recommendations and will look into changing my diet to healthier one. I am not so familiar with gluten, iodine, and thyroid functions but I’ll look into that as well- for caffeine, yes, I’m doing my best to cut on this one.

I appreciate you pointing out that one must avoid victim-mentality, it’s very difficult to shift my thinking right now and be all just positive especially when I’m sticking to my truths that I have really been wronged. I might dig into that section further in this community next time. I appreciate this.

[Strongheartforever in reply to kvrsthn]

Forgive. Forgive and let go. The older you get the easier this becomes. You’re being eaten alive from the inside out when you hang on to toxic anger. When it was NEVER even about you. Hurt people hurt people. The ego says it can help you get revenge by seething. The ego is an illusion the mind builds up and it only causes pain. The people who hurt you are weak. You are strong. The people who hurt you are damaged. You are healing. Wish them well. Send them light, warmth and love from deep within your beautiful heart. Picture your heart and it’s vulnerable valves and veins. It needs you to give it oxygen again. Your anger and resentment cut off the ability for it to function at top level. I’m not blaming you for feeling as you do. I want you to get to a higher place. Don’t let those small incidents have so much power when you have so much power to MOVE ON and move up!! Breathe deep. Stretch out your arms and release the flood of pain. Physically release it. Stretch it out. Work out the hard parts on that scar tissue. Be healed. It can be done with changing your thoughts and moving your body. Try not to personalize that resentment. It’s just a thought form. Past and future are only thought forms. The present moment is all we ever experience. Sending you emancipation from your pain!!

[Hidden in reply to Strongheartforever]

Don’t forget what those foods do to your liver. High fructose corn syrup has the same damaging effects on the liver as alcohol.

[Stilltrying_]

It is anonymous on here like you say so it is safe to talk about whatever you want within reason and hopefully there will be people who have had similar experiences and can understand. x

[kvrsthn in reply to Stilltrying_]

I get the sense of it now, yes. I think the discussions here and the community is more mature other than the platforms I’ve been into. I will try to make use of it and be as communicative as I can and help as well. x

[Hidden]

I am on a strict diet from a dietician. I got depressed a year ago and lost 70 pounds and some how that damaged my liver. I only drink filtered water or lemon lime seltzer. My liver has recovered. My doctor was shocked I was able to do it so fast. Just because I have a mental illness doesn’t make me lazy.

[Hidden]

Hi, I am new too. I relate to how you are feeling. You express yourself well. I have trust issues too and I was thinking this week that if I don't fight this depression there will be nothing left of me soon. So today I got online and made a plan to get free support online, and in my community from NAMI, and to start being honest with myself about how I am really feeling and doing. Pride has not been my friend this past year and has kept me socially isolated, feeling stigmatized, and prevented me from getting the help I need. It sounds like you have been hurt and disappointed and are afraid to try? Perhaps this keeps us stuck in feeling powerless. I get it, that is me too. I am going to try and you try too okay? Social isolation during Covid is getting to be a real bummer for everyone but it will pass eventually. I hope we can come out of it all with renewed sense of purpose and commitment to well being. Hang in there!