Confessions of Those Affected by Mental Illness!
Mental Illness Awareness Week [MIAW] (October 4th - 10th)
2015 theme: Stigma Free
(Learn what we're doing on 7 Cups for this week here)
People with mental illness have many different stories to tell – of suffering and despair, but also of courage, resilience, hope, and generosity. [Source].
… and we want to hear those stories on 7 Cups!
Some confessions might be triggering, read at your discretion.
Do you have a mental disorder?
There can often be a lot of stigma around a variety of mental illnesses. It can make it very hard to talk about with others. But we want to hear your voice! So please share your story with us, or how stigma makes you feel or affects you, or just anything on your mind about what youre going through - whether on a high or low, if you can.
Do you know others with a mental disorder?
Perhaps there are so many things youd like to know or ask, but youre worried about it or dont know how. Feel free to share whats on your mind through this activity. It may allow you the opportunity to receive responses and support from those with mental disorders.
But why 'confessions'?
Great question! We realise that, for many, mental health can be a challenging topic. One may have many reserves about expressing themselves and vocalising certain things for a number of reasons. 'Confessions' has the connotations that one is acknowledging something for which they feel shame or embarrassed by. We have in mind that we would like to strive to be #StigmaFree and this involves looking at the things associated with shame and so forth. We would like to address it, and through these confessions, offer our support. The idea is to break the silence! So, through this activity, perhaps it can allow one to build up to talking more freely about what's on your mind.
So are confessions only negative?
Most definitely not! We do not have to stick strictly to the idea of confessions being about things one is shameful of. Perhaps it will be on something one is extremely proud off, yet - for whatever reason - hasn't felt able to express, for example. It most definitely does not have to be negative, and it can be a question too. E.g., "I find it hard to accept that my sibling has [mental illness] and is not just [stereotype]. I know that's not the case, so I feel bad for thinking that way. Is there anything I can do to help this?".
Feel free to get creative and use comic scripts, sketches or pictures, etc, to help share your confessions.
Submit your confessions via this form!
Rules:
● Please be respectful of others.
● Do not submit any graphic or inappropriate images or otherwise.
Inappropriate content will not be posted.
Other than that, we look forward to your confessions and offering our support!
edited by Rain45 Moved here due to Forum restructuring
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#1
I sometimes feel like a burden to my family. I feel guilty when receiving support from my loved ones, because my depression makes me think I am a fraud and overly dramatic. I am starting to believe that maybe I am just lazy, ungrateful, whiny creature, and not a real person, full of hopes and capabilities.
I know exactly how that feels. keep fighting that feeling everyday. even if its hard or you don't think you will win.
Just remember, just as if you had a broken leg, it takes time to heal. If you had a broken leg and your family had to take care of you would you feel guilty? Your brain needs to heal. Time will not heal it, time will allow you to learn how to best manage it. If you had a broken leg and couldn't be independent you would be frustrated, but you would understand that it is only a matter of time until you heal right? Same goes for depression. Recognize that guilt is a part of the "broken" thought process and try to remind yourself that you will be ok. :) Hang in there.@QuickJazz
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#2
I thought what I was going through was normal for a very long time. It was both scary and relieving to know I was wrong.
@QuickJazz Exact same here. When something " a symptom" is one you've always experienced or do so frequently, its hard (for me anyway) to realise that this even a symptom and not just what everyone has! I mean, how would you know, if its all you've ever known! Ive watched some videos of others describing my same breakdown/symptoms and I just kept thinking, "wait that's a symptom? And not just normal?"
It was certainly a very strange to discover, I agree both scary but also relieving to know I (and you) are not alone in these experiences, and its not our own fault or means we're wrong somehow. Its symptoms of an illness, and nothing more. Well distressing and heartbreaking, but we're not alone and there are treatments and it can pass like every other illness (please god)
I hope my words offer some small comfort, and thank you, now I know I'm not the only one who didnt realise certain things werent "normal" and it doesnt just make me even less normal again! Minds, they are strange things...
@QuickJazz
I go through that everyday but the thought of being burden makes me not ask for help even when I'm offered
@QuickJazz
I hope you know that your not alone.
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#4
I am going through some powerful anxiety and depression following a long illness, surgery, effects of surgery, a yet unresolved medical problem, dealing with being a caretaker for 20 years for my son who is "severely mentally ill", and loss of support from my other son. It has become very difficult for me, and I'm hanging on by a thread. I would like to hear how you have coped with anxiety and depression, Thanking you in advance
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#5
My bipolar makes life so unmanageable it makes me sick. I hate that I'm depressed more often than I'm manic because it's not often I actually get things done. Right now I'm depressed without the depression. I'm only dealing with side effects i.e. not being able to motivate myself to do things like shower or home work and not being able to sleep no matter what I do. I know I need to be doing things, but I can't. I just can't. &That makes me feel so worthless.
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#6
My therapist once told me that I talk about myself, my life and my problems, as if they weren't mine, as if I didn't care how bad they made me feel. And I agreed with her, because I really feel some sort of detachment. I'm not sad or happy, I'm just dealing with life. I can't say I have a dream or aspirations in life. I just feel like I have to put up some strength so I don't fall into severe depression and take steps back instead of forward. I wish I had something to live for, instead of being afraid of the future.
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#7
i have depression, and have been doing self harm.
i feel i have to hide my bpd bc if my ework finds out i wld.be fire
7 Cups Anonymous Confession regarding Mental Illness
#8
It's taken me nearly 30 years to admit that what was going on on my head wasn't normal. I've lived all my life feeling worthless, never enough, desperate to be perfect so maybe that way someone would love me, with gruesome images dancing on my mind at every waking moment. Car accidents, natural disasters, killings, buildings burning, sudden deaths... I see them, in my mind, every single moment. It's like having a broken alarm in my mind that never stops screaming.
I'm paranoid again, scared to sleep again, still so confused over my diagnosis and what it means for me, sometimes I want to tell people harsh truths (well, imo) about them, but I'm not heartless enough to, but sometimes I want to so bad, I still want to hurt myself or worse, despite being years clean of both, still think of both all the time, becoming more and more obsessed with thoughts of some dangerous (to myself) things that I won't mention so as not to trigger, and one idea that would hurt someone else...I'm scared of where all this bottled up "stuff" may bring me or lead me to do. I dont want to harm anyone else but what if I eventually snap and? What?
@BeBrave13 how are you doing
