Our Mental Health is Important

[Marydel63]

I had posted a reply to a post. But also wanted to ask how others deal with their own worries. Especially now days when you can google any symptom and the results can make you feel you have a death sentence. With my own experiences with myself and family mental health wether it be anxiety, fear, depression etc is so important. I know when I was first diagnosed I wanted to buy a shovel and start digging my own grave. It is scary. First you worry about what others think no matter the cause of your cirrhosis . Why can some people who drink or not even drink get cirrhosis. My own opinion comes down to genetics and being prone to certain diseases.

We all don’t want to be judged when we have to say we have cirrhosis, or it is written on a paper. But we are judged because of the word cirrhosis. The fear and anxiety of what society thinks can influence people seeking help. It is not easy explaining your own health issues to medical or non-medical people.

It is a lot to handle mentally and sometimes being able to talk with a therapist or someone trained in helping with anxiety depression can help with facing the unknown .

[Hidden]

Good afternoon,

This is a very timely and thoughtful post. A lot of stigma still persists around that word 'cirrhosis' as you so rightly say. Dealing with the diagnosis yourself and peoples reactions to the diagnosis is extremely stressful. We can only hope that the general public and indeed the medical profession, will come to realise the impact that their preconceptions can have on the person involved.

Thank you for posting your message

[Hidden]

Coming to terms with a diagnosis of a serious health condition is alwaystough and not a one off event but an ongoing process that involves accepting ourselves as we are and living as best we can. It seems to me that it never rightly involves hoping or waiting for others to behave differently but tackling the part of the problem of discrimination that’s within our power : my own behaviour. If I lay off judging others I am less and less hurt by being judged. More and more I see that other people judging me isn’t my problem, it’s theirs. Living with a liver disease, medicated with ursodeoxycholic acid, it used to surprise me how many people assumed I am an alcoholic. I have never, in those circumstances, told the person that I’m not an alcoholic. It’s not important. We can only change behaviour by changing our own. I don’t know how it works but I know it does. Think only kindly of yourself and assume others do the same.ps I loved your cute story about the 3 sisters. It made me laugh a lot. I tried to tell it to my son but forgot what the 94yr old did and had to track your post down when I couldn’t remember your ‘handle’. Thank you for both your posts xx

[Marydel63 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much you are so right accepting ourselves !!!

[davianne]

Hi Mary,

I have alcohol related cirrhosis, and although I was a moderate drinker then, I do think there is a genetic element to it. To be honest, I have never shied away from telling people I have cirrhosis, and if they think badly of me, then that's their problem, and I strike them off my friends list. Although, I have to say, that has never happened, as generally people are not judgmental.

I did suffer with depression whilst still drinking as alcohol is a depressant, but after a course of sessions with a psychologist, and a bit of inward thinking and self analysis, I no longer suffer from it.

Hope this helps.

David