Does Anybody Know A Person With A Mental Illness

Cybertrash, post: 5832 wrote:
At the moment, I don’t think I know someone who could be called “mentally ill”. I did, however, have a brief relationship with a girl who I suspect (she wouldn’t tell me) had something close to bipolar syndrome, she appeared to be really distress for seemingly no reasons, cut her wrists, and was on antidepressants (I hear this is fairly common in some parts of the world, but around here, I’d say it’s not).

I think that relationship was one of the most trying times in my recent years, not because she wasn’t “normal”, but it isn’t easy seeing someone you care for suffer that way.

Thank You for your Courage and Bravery in Revealing that you have been Close to a Person who was ‘Suffering’ my Friend; I Appreciate that Very Much; it is not always Easy for people like Myself to ‘See’ How Our Own Suffering can ‘Affect Others’ So Deeply; but your Experience Reflects That We Inadvertently Make Others Suffer Also 🙁

Fxn-L, post: 6033 wrote: I am an occupational therapist by trade, though I have no paid experience in Mental Health at all. Though to complete school I did work with several teenagers who were emotionally disturbed, had a history of enduring sexual abuse, and/or had intellectual disabilities of some kind.

During my time with them, I helped them as a job coach at a local sandwich shop. Higher-functioning or lower-functioning…it didn’t matter; each person was assigned a task and had a job coach there with them in case they needed help. I tended to work more with the autistic and/or mentally retarded teenagers when they were on the register and had to count out change and perform basic math and computer operation skills.

It was a great program. As a layman, it’s easy to pity people like them. “Oh, that poor retarded kid can’t do anything for himself.” “Oh no, that girl was raped a long time ago and now she can’t trust men. Poor her.”

The program existed to shatter these easy conclusions and show everyone that these kids could do something meaningful. And it was great for them too; they learned to trust in others again, were reinforced the math and social skills that they aren’t acquiring fast enough in school, gained friends, boosted their confidence in themselves and really just worked to become the best that they themselves could be. It’s really inspiring, working with those who have mental health issues. Especially when you know that it’s making a difference.

That’s my experience with mental health, in a nutshell.

This is Wonderful; and Exactly what I Feel is Needed to Help Others ‘Less Fortunate’ than Ourselves;
You Must have given these People a Great Sense Of ‘Worth’ in their Lives when you were working with them; and I Wish there was More Of This Available to More People;
There is Much ‘Stigma’ Associated with Mental Disabilities; I just Hope that Over Time these people who are ‘Ignorant’; learn to become ‘More Tolerant’;
Gaining Friends; Boosting my Confidence; and Becoming The Best That I Can Be; are Dreams Of Mine;
But has Always Felt like a ‘Miracle’ would have to occur for me to ‘Achieve Them’ 🙁

Thank You So Much For Your Kindness my Friend

Fxn-L, post: 6070 wrote: Absolutely. No one should ever feel like they’re not good enough for something.

After the Death Of My Mum in a Fire; and my Dad Of A Brain Tumour; before I was 5; the Consistent Rapes; Physical Abuse; Emotional Deprivation; and Mental Torture at the Hands Of My Foster Parents; the Death Of My Daughter aged 11 Months when I was 17; and the Death Of My Husband from Cancer 2 years later; my Own Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder when I was 16; and my Own Diagnosis of Leukemia when I was 19;
Apart from Music (which Fills A Small Hole); the Only Pleasant Thing I can Think Of Is Suicide 🙁