h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well I thought that I would start this thread and actually admit that I had bad bout of hypomania and still live with it today altho it isn't as harsh as what it once was. I was sectioned in 1999 and I am still quite angry and sad that I was sectioned but I dealt with it and got myself under contol again.

What I would like to see on this thread is a discussion about mental illness and any helpful advice no matter how seemingly trivial - it all helps!

I would also like to hear if anyone has ever had anything similar to me or been diagnosed with hypomania or any other mental illness, and how they coped with it.

I have always been hyper physically and mentally in that I have lots of nervous energy and racing thoughts about everything - but I always had a lot of self control and I would come across as someone just dizzy and and bouncy till the year 1999 that is!

Now, since I was sectioned, I have bouts of paranoia that I am insane and worry a lot more about what people think of me, whereas I never did sweat that kinda stuff too much afore.

Feel free to ask questions, vent or anything else you wanna add!

getting cold in 'ere by myself maybe I shouldn't have started this thread by admitting that I were sectioned...

No, no sir not paranoid here, of course not

There's a sort of history of mental health issues in my family, but I think that two people diagnosed with schizophrenia actually have/had substance abuse issues, and subsequent 'breaks'... Also, as we've recently become aware, there's probably some more-than-ordinary depression going on.
You're very courageous Vixen, I honour you.

Hi Vixen
I am mildly bipolar, I once considered voluntary hospitalisation, but luckily decided against it. Sounds like your experience was bad.

As I said I only have it mildly, a few days of low depression followed by a few manic running around days, which wear out hubby! Inbetween I am okay, sometimes happy, but more usually just ok. Getting happy more though lately, what with the increased exercising.

used to be delusional, thought I was Guinevere reincarnated when in a love triangle, and once even thought I was Jesus. Not helped by a healer saying there was nothing she could do for me, as I was perfect and the powers said she was to leave me alone!! Now who was more delusional there?!

There is a page you may get on with here, I will direct you to it in a personal message.

Della thank you Not that courageous after all I did breakdown...!

Sorry to hear that some of your family also struggle with mental illness, how does the rest of the family cope? Shame about the drugs I don't think however that 'drugs' are the cause of schizophrenia or other mental illnessess as such, I think they just bring to the fore what is already there, but then again that's just my opinion.

My dad and step mom, were really cool even tho I haven't known them for that long (another story) and I also found out who were really my friends at the time! My birth mom totally freaked out and actually got quite nasty in the end...because quite a few family closet skeletons popped out, we can hardly communicate now!

I also think some psychiatrists do more damage than good, and some doctors really need philanthropy lessons!

Have you read any R.D. Laing?

Just a thought...

Kaz...I think that you are marvellous in how you cope with your bi-polar Guinevere, that's interesting, Jesus is kinda worrying tho - a whole sex change going on there....

The healer sounds like she was being diplomatic in that she could see something wrong and didn't want to mess with it, however saying that you were perfect...I think she needs a good kick in the shins...not that you arn't perfect that is..just that it wasn't a clever thing to say to someone who is struggling with their identity... *mentally kicks healer where the sun don't shine*

I can't say that I had delusions at all, I knew where I was, what was going on, and was quite clear at what was happening to me...just that my emotional output was peculiar and not normal for me...I felt like my brain was doing all kindsa weird and funkah electrical stuff....*chuckles* Kinda like a car misfiring

I couldn't communicate very well, cos my mouth were running away with my thoughts, and my past was catching up with me...all those pent up emotions...*sheesh*

I knew I wasn't well in the head to begin with, and because I had no one close to talk to where I lived, I asked my baby's godparents to look after him, and went to see a friend. He told me to get a grip, go to a doctor, have a holiday and relax!!! That's what I did except for the holiday that is, I never got chance..

I went to see a doctor that very afternoon, and when I started talking to him, I asked him what qualifications he had for dealing with mental health...and I must have come across as aggressive and he told me that if I wasn't careful he would section me under section 12 (you are locked away at a doctors lesiure, forever if they want!), not being sure what that was, I freaked out, and legged it from the surgery in terror!

That was the edge of the abyss for me... and my then partners (who was a cocaine addict and dealer) abuses threw me over the edge when I got back.

There is more, but suffice to say...I was sectioned (section 2) for 3 months - 2 months in Northhampton High Observation where there are only 6 patients at any one time, no privacy, locked doors and windows, mirrors everywhere for viewing, no laces or sharp objects allowed. The last month at Acer ward in Huntingdon.

My baby was looked after by my ex's parents because I put up so much fuss that I didn't want him to look after him because of his dealings and stuff. ...*sigh*

Tell you what, I saw a lot of messed up heads with different varying degrees of mental illness, have had my eyes opened so to speak to the human condition - I think therefore I am.



It's good to vent - I hope it helps some people and gives insight to mental health from an extreme end. I want to be as candid as possible....and there is a happy ever after and a light at the end of the tunnel

Hello Number 6...I can't say that I have, why do reccomend it?

A few months after I was released I devoured quite a few psychiatry books such as Freud and Jung...and others that I can't recall the titles of now

I love to read and like to learn - I used to have an old oxford dictionary/encyclopaedia, whilst I was sectioned my ex, burnt it in the back garden and took photos of it to show me that he had done it...I never did quite get my head around that weirdness

Wow, Vixen your doctor sounded like a complete ****. To be honest 3 months sounds like overkill, it sounds like you needed a new environment (away from partner), someone to listen to you and some space to relax and get your head together. 2 months without privacy would send me completely bonkers, I cannot bear to be with people too much and need time on my own. Withoug your own time, how can you begin to recover? Sounds like a dreadful experience, and nothing that I would ever wish on anyone. Don't do it again!!

Well I wasn't 'right' when I went to see him, and I want to be fair and give him the benefit of doubt that maybe I did come across all wrong with body language and facial expression.

I do think even so, he was the professional, I was there to seek his help, my asking his qualifications about mental health should've given him some clue as to what was wrong, and he could have been more helpful and asked me to wait whilst he consulted someone..in short he could have been more kind.

He wasn't my usual doctor, the one I normally had wasn't there at the time, perhaps if he had been, things might have been different, who knows..

It wasn't fun, and I don't intend to do it again I hear you, without your own time, how can you recover - I had to, because I needed to get out to get my baby back, build a life for us away from shithead

I guess your baby was a good incentive for you then. I once had to call out a doctor, and he said I had pelvic inflammatory disease and possibly clammydia and I should go to my doctor asap and get referred to a gynaecoelogist. I saw a locaum and he said there was nothing in the notes about possibly having PID and shouted at me. I was in so much pain and off my head on painkillers, that I went out crying. Later on I had a call from the surgery which said he had referred me.

Then when I saw the consultant he said he had no idea what had caused the pain, he didn't even test me for PID, chamydia or refer me to a bowel specialist or any of the obvious options. So I went to the sex clinic and got checkout there, they thought I had PID and put me on medication for it, which made me very ill, whilst they waited for te results. Results came back clear, so the strong medication which made me sick and cancel my 30th birthday party was all for nothing.

Some years later I found out that the consultant had put in my notes that my pain was psychosomatic, and I had been labelled a hypochrondriac. By then I had a diagnosis of vulval vestibulitis, so I said obviously his diagnosis was wrong and the new diagnosis should overwrite it, they refused.

Just an example of how doctors can ruin your life.

I've stabilised a lot over the last few years, but I was something of a manic depressive when I was younger, which three times turned into just plain old depression.

In the middle, and worst, of the three episodes, I was doing my A-Levels - one of which was Psychology. I was surprised and saddened, as they say in the Letters to the Editor, to learn that the Medical Model of 'Abnormal Psychology' believes that all mental illness is down to chemical imbalances in the brain, and everything should just be cured with drugs. This is still, basically, what medical students are taught as the official approach.

RD Laing was something of a 1960s visionary, and I suspect he isn't always taken seriously as he might be because of that - although later, more clinically respected work along similar lines has been carried out by Peter Breggin, or so I'm told by those who know more about that sort of thing.

Laing was the first to conclude that 'mental illness' and 'abnormal psychology' were myths - basically, his point was that we live in a world that's not particularly psychologically healthy itself, and to become 'mentally ill' was merely a valid reaction to living in the kind of society that we do. He also made the point that the CAUSES of mental health problems should be sought out and treated, rather than just prescribing drugs to 'cure' the afflicted.

I was lucky to find out about him at more or less the right time for me, and it made me feel a lot better about being depressed. In fact, I realised that according to the clinical definition thereof, what I'd been was actually schizophrenic - it's just that the 'S' word has got such a stigma attached to it (and most people, inaccurately believe it to be what's actually something entirely different called multiple personality disorder) that doctors go out of their way to avoid telling you that you are if you are - and that after reading Laing, I was quite proud of having been schizophrenic.

I think 'The Divided Self' is the best place to start...

eeeeek!

Well, they can't ruin your life if you don't let em, at least you know the truth! They are just people with issues too, and their sh*t stinks as well *chuckles*

Can't say I have much faith in doctors or head doctors, however there were some really nice ones that I met, that were really helpful. Same goes for nurses....!

I met some nice doctors when I lived in the west of england, bristol and devon. Since moving to london, everybody makes it quite clear they don't have the time or the inclination.

I mean what doctor diagnoses vaginal pain as food poisoning, because us brits are very unhealthy eaters apparently. I changed that doctor, got the one who said she would believe the consultants diagnosis over the subsequent one, and there are no more doctors in my area to chnage to.

She kept telling me there was a long wait for a psychologist, so I shouldn't bother joining the waiting list, so I said if the wait is long, surely it makes sense to join as soon as possible. With logic like that looking after your health and holding the locks to the help you need its a wonder any of us are alive!

Sounds like you haven't found the right doctor for you then...mebbe you should keep looking - you said that there are no more doctors in your area does that mean you have tried every single one - male and female?

If you have a car, perhaps you can go further afield, I know that doctors don't encourage this, but whatever it takes, you know yourself best

Its all right, there are no more doctors to try but I don't care anymore! I just don't visit them anymore. Don't have a car and being in South London they are very strict about how far you go, as so many of the practises are full-up.

To get it back on topic, do you still have to have check outs with a psychiatrist? Or are you considered completely cured now?

I just noticed your new name!!!!

That's a shame you can't get a nice doctor

Back on topic, no I haven't seen any head doc's since 1999, I did what was required of me...which was a bare minimum outpatient visit after I was let out..and then never went again

I'm ok now, *twitch, twitch, nervous tic*

heeee...my new name yeh I like it...

I don't think that I have too much of a problem now...there were allot issues including past ones that came to ahead when I was 'sick' and they are all now safely dealt with!

The outcome from my 'episode' is that I learned a helluva lot about human nature, from all aspects of being deranged for a short while , and how other ppl dealt with it, doctors, nurses, social workers - and most especially family and friends some of whom I was really disappointed about, and others that I was overwhelmed by kindness and support.

Tell you what, I am sooooooo glad I don't live in 1800's!

Hello again Number Six

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That is disappointing - some people just need a break from themselves or environment and don't always need drugs.

LAING sounds rather clued up about it all, shall have a look next time I visit the library...thanks for the breakdown Number six

Sorry I took so long to acknowledge your posting, Number Six - the simupost with Kaz must have upset the server! I didn't see it till a short whiles ago....I meant to say that in the post above and forgot

Oh and about drugs and such like - when I was first admitted I did not want to take any such thing...and well once you are institutionalized you have no choice, no freedom etc, all it takes is two doctors signatures. A number of nurses and doctors suddenly all converged on me and I was told that if I didn't drink the cup of medicine they were holding, they were going to hold me down and inject it. Being as I virtually felt I had no dignity left at that point I gave up and just drank what was given.

Sucky eh? One time, I got up in the morning, went to have a wash and I blacked out, very scary. Apparantly this was one of the side effects of the medications...I was on enough to down a