Hi!

[Lovely_Lizzy_]

So I’m Lizzy as you could of guessed, I am a person who looking for a way to get help without seeing a therapist, ya see I still live with my parents 😅..... and they are quite the religious bunch, my older brother also suffers from similar challenges (I don’t like calling them conditions🙂) and they didn’t handle him telling them too well. What are the challenges I face u may ask, well it’s depression and anxiety....stereotypical ikr, but I seriously do have problems that I just can’t tell anyone about so I came here to get help because I can’t access a therapist or any type of medication atm. I hope u guys like me and accept me cause I feel I’m going to be showing a lot of my real self off....normally that side of me drives people away, but I hope I can find people who will get me😁. Thanks for reading till next time!

[Hidden]

Hi and welcome!! I'm sure we will get you and you will get us too. 😊

[optimuscoolbeans]

Welcome Lizzy. You will find support here. We are all in similar boats here. Maybe different colors. But boats none the less.

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to optimuscoolbeans]

Well I’m glad u identified with my story 😁

[Agora1]

Of course we will like you and accept you Lizzy. This is an amazing group of caring,

sensitive people who never judge or put others down. This will be your safe place

to come to. Whenever you are ready, we will be only a message away. xx

I'm glad to Welcome you.

[Lovely_Lizzy_]

Aww u guys are sweet

[Hidden]

Yeah we do like you and accept you just as you are, thanks for joining the community and sharing with us. I am hopeful there is some tips from the community that will help you

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to Hidden]

Me too

[snow_queen]

hi Lizzy! I'm so glad you found us you will definitely be accepted here. I also still live with my parents (and my mother is a big part of the reason I struggle with my mental health) so I get the struggle. I don't know if this is an option for you, but I'm using online counseling and I actually really like it. it does cost money so like I said not sure if it's an option but it's much less than in-office therapy and great for me because it's easy to keep my parents from finding out

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to snow_queen]

Omg thanks for the advice but... sadly I’m broke, and jobs aren’t easy to get 😔

[snow_queen in reply to Lovely_Lizzy_]

Yeah I know it’s not for everyone and everyone’s situation is different. I really hope you find a way to get the help you need though ❤️

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to snow_queen]

But I am really thankful for the suggestion ❤️

[Amcs0609]

It's brave of you to share. I can't offer much help in solving anything, but I have been working on my own struggles with anxiety and depression for over 20 years.

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to Amcs0609]

Wow I admire that

[Kkimm]

Hi Lizzy

Feel free to message me anytime and I will reply as soon as I can

You are not alone and can share anything on this forum.

Best wishes

Kim

[Scarletsunrise]

Hi Lizzy, through the NHS you can get access to silvercloud which is an online counselling course which might be useful to you. I feel like they could possibly use over the phone counselling but I've no experience of that. Also I use Woebot which is cbt from a chatbot and is super cute.

Alternatively I dont know what religion you are but my dad is a priest and often takes on a role as a counsellor for minor things and mediates with people and their families and even support services to help them get the help they need. It might therefore be worth approaching a religious leader you trust and asking for help.

I cant imagine what you are going through, my families support is so important to me, it must be really difficult without it.

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to Scarletsunrise]

1. I’m Christian and 2. It’s amazing that your dad does that 3. My parents don’t believe in mental illness they think it’s just the devil 4. I’m glad you told me this, I’m sure it will com in handy

[Scarletsunrise in reply to Lovely_Lizzy_]

Ah the devil. Well maybe a good response is to agree with them. It is the devil, the devil creates mental illness to make your life hard and unbearable so you forget God and question His will. So you need help beating the devil, luckily there are all these experts trained in doing just that, sent by God. Maybe it is Gods way of testing you and making you show humility by reaching out.

Sorry if that sounded flippant, it wasnt meant to be. I find that disagreeing with people just causes an argument and sometimes the best approach is to find where your worldviews match and create an argument that makes sense to them.

Although I suspect this might not work in itself but I'm sure your priest will support you if you approach him/her. Remember God loves you and would not want you to be suffering, and if this isnt true he isnt God so doesnt matter.

[art62grammie in reply to Lovely_Lizzy_]

Lizzy, we are all here for you. I have had mental illness since 14. I am now 56, My mental illness began as Anorexia. I lived with it for forty years. I have recently recovered. Recovery will be a part of me as long as I am alive. It will remain daily to stay recovered. I suffer from PTSD. That PTSD is the result of childhood abuse. The Anorexia is also a result of abuse. I have been in treatment for over 6 years now. My mental doctor and therapist are great. They and I believe mental illness is no different than a physical illness. It is just a different part of the body. The mind is complex. Some physical illness is very complex too. When I being abused as a small child. The Anorexia took me. I did not ask for it. I did not wake up one day and decide to starve. It took me like cancer. Anorexia is all about control. When I was young I could not do anything to control the abuse nor to stop it. The illness took full control of me and I was dying. I have learned a lot more about Anorexia in the last few years. My father raised me in a very strict Pentecostal home. He was a deacon and Sunday school teacher in that church. No one knew that he was evil but his family. All other people in his life as friends and fellow church worshipers. They thought he was the perfect person. Until you live in that home people have no clue. Looking through the window is one thing. You can heal the mind. It only took me 56 years but I have accomplished it. I give thanks daily for the mental help I have received. You hang in there. Chat anytime. That is why each one is here. You are most definitely not alone.

[Lovely_Lizzy_ in reply to art62grammie]

That’s you for sharing. My parents aren’t home a lot but when they are my mom is to busy for me and my dad is either gardening or on his game, and I don’t talk to him when he’s playing his game, cause he can become verbally abusive. Obviously that doesn’t help my self esteem, or me in general. I haven’t told many people this, they think I am starving to be skinny or to get attention but it is a form of control and I relate to that. When you feel u can’t control things then you do bad things to the one thing you can control, your body. Your story really is quite amazing and I’m glad u shared!

[art62grammie in reply to Lovely_Lizzy_]

You do not let Anorexia take you. I know too well after forty years of it. It is the most deadly mental illness known. Research has proven it. We can not survive without food or beverage. Thank you for saying my story is amazing. When it took me at 14. I was 5'4" and 125 Lbs. with very long blonde hair. My hair begins to get dry and brittle. It was falling out by hand fulls. I went to bed at night. I was so starved that the horrible smell coming from my mouth was nasty. I prayed that I would just die. I went from 125Lbs to 90 lbs in one month. Starving by eating only a handful of carrots. I was so weak that walking was a nightmare. I couldn't talk for a long time. My monthly periods had stopped. They stopped for 5 years. Doctors told me I would never have children because of damage. My photos were horrible. Living this life forty years of it. It was hell on earth. I am so sad to know of anyone who is stricken by the horrible Anorexia. Yes, it is all about control. The one thing we can control our food intake. Its ultimate goal to destroy one's body and mind. Depression, loneliness, no self- worth and all these horrible things. You please talk with me anytime if you have Anorexia. I do not want to see you suffer alone with this illness. I love my recent recovery. It is wonderful. Daily I put on my armor and stand proud and strong. I will not let the enemy of Anorexia take me again. It took me a lifetime to recover. Forty years a victim of it. It is never too late to recover. The only way to truly recover from Anorexia is through professional help. Mental doctors and therapy. My six years of treatment as an out-patient is doing wonders. Yes, abuse in any form can cause Anorexia. We can not control the abuse so the Anorexia takes us. Be strong and please reach out to me if need be. Anorexia is tough but recovery is worth the fight. Never let the fear of recovery keep you from recovering. Fear is only as big as we let it be. Be strong and stand up to any fear. It then becomes weak and small. You are the winner.

[Hidden]

Hi! I think you're on the right path here. We, who suffer with anxiety and depression, are here to support one another. Welcome to a group none of us asked to be part of, but rather found ourselves drawn to. We have commonalities as well as differences. Makes for a healthy mix!

[EEMO]

Definitely in this together, lot of Good people on this. It wasn't til I felt Depressed. that I realized I wasn't alone.