@Ellen yes, I do the lining up thing, and the 'off off off' bit. You need to be careful doing that though, because if you do it excessively as you check each thing, it can affect your throat. My ex wife used to just sit watching tv till I was done. She never helped or reassured, even if in a hurry. If she wanted to be out by 11am, she would tell me 10am! My problem is that I work too far from home to afford fretting, which is part of my problem. I am not too bad at weekends because I know I generally only pop out for an hour or two. If I get disrupted whilst checking (which I do often at the front door) , I have to start over. It's almost like everyone says 'there he is, time for all of us to leave too!'. @Adendoll but why are so many people getting mental health issues these days? Yes, they have always been around, but someone told me that ocd has tripled in x amount of years. I don't remember ever seeing much of it when I was young. These days loads of teenagers get it. @ Ellen do any relatives have it? Both my cousins are really bad with it too.
My dad suffers from depression, he's sure that all depression is hereditary which I don't believe, I don't think ALL depression is. He smoked a lot of marijuana in the past and I privately believe that is a main reason for his issues today. I think maybe awareness is a main factor for the numbers being higher than they used to be. Also I think how we live, with a more artificial diet (additives, preservatives etc) affects absorption of vitamins etc that help with stabilising brain chemicals etc. Slightly different but long-term antacid taking can stop absorption of a B-vit (can't remember offhand which one) which can affect memory etc & may increase dementia/Alzheimer's conditions. Being in front of the tv, computer, etc I think affects how we behave, in that the amount of information, the type of light, frequency etc I believe can affect us. It's recommended to not use a laptop, smartphone etc for an hour or two before bed can help with getting a better night's sleep as the brain has had time to calm down. A more natural way of living years ago, being outside a lot and simpler ways of living, not as much daily stress, may have helped maybe with mental health
I often wish we could go back to the 80's. Much less stressful. I think all of that is spot on @Ellen. I have started a healthier diet, and I take a b tablet and vitamin d because I see no daylight especially in the winter (factory and canteen with no windows even, although vit d from sunlight can't penetrate glass anyway of course). I was only reading about frequencies and switching computers off before bed etc only last night. I bought a bigger tv and was wondering if it's that which is causing my daily headaches. I have now turned the backlight to maximum to decrease flickering, and adjusted brightness. I think that was what it suggested. How spooky though
[QUOTE="NorthantsGeezer, post: 817205, member: 14439" @Adendoll but why are so many people getting mental health issues these days? Yes, they have always been around, but someone told me that ocd has tripled in x amount of years. I don't remember ever seeing much of it when I was young. These days loads of teenagers get it. Multi-factorail I fear, as Ellen suggests diet, drugs.pace of life. technology, stress, environmental pollutants. WHO (World Health Organisation) published a report 'Child lead poisoning" in it states "Then, beginning in the 1970s, recognition grew that lead could cause subclinical neurotoxicity" most of the lead coming from petrol. Therefore unleaded petrol became the fuel of choice. We are all unknowingly vulnerable to our environment unfortunately. I do agree that there is seemingly more evidence of mental health problems in our young people, however this is usually counter argued with the point that it is because it is more recognised and labelled. In short I have no answers, I think in a sense all our lives are more of a physical and mental batte of survival than we actually recognise.
In my opinion its a chemical imbalance that you should be fixing yourself, not by adding more chemicals in the mix. Work through it psychologically, and not pharmaceutically. Most depression can be cured by fixing the problem in your head.with your head, and some good support. Although, people still get given LSD or LSA and other hallucinogens to eork through the problems with. Apparently it can work quite well for some people.
With my OCD, and looking back, I've had it since I were a kiddie, things have to be just so. Things like the screws in holding the door handles to the doors and the hinges etc.... The screw heads (slotted type) must be all the same way, either up/down or left/right! And I like tidy, like, VERY tidy. I'm a stickler for detail, I can't stand marks or imperfections in things, but you should see the state of my gardening clobber! Since having the boys and a dog, I've learned to accept that they do make a mess sometimes and I can deal with that no problem. But as soon as they are in bed, then I get to work tidying and cleaning. The mrs calls me a clean freak, but she accepts that is how I am. I've told her I could be the total opposite, untidy, lazy and couldn't give a monkeys. :-)
What an admiral bunch you all are...Everyone deals with these situations differently and what works for some maybe doesn't for others..I feel very fortunate not to suffer as others have ,not to say there haven't been serious 'bad times'....I admire every one of you and how you deal with 'it'...I do have a reasonable understanding of depression as my brother suffers terribly with it...which is very hard to grasp from the 'outside'...IMHO I've got this peculiar way of believing 'what goes in comes out' yes it probably sounds like I'm barmy ... I'm going on the' menopause' situation, different kettle of fish entirely...too much information... but food actually does work for me in this situation....and maybe it could work for depression...anything is worth a try...Sorry I can't explain myself better... But at the end of the day we're all in together and we'll get through it
What wonderful folk you are to 'open up' and tell all your different stories, my own depression was 'triggered' many years ago. Fast forward to January this year and they stopped making Clomipramine which I was taking, told the Doc. who asked the pharmacist to find me a close 'match' she didn't get back to me so I weaned myself off them. Was doing OK till some more 'life events' have found me needing to go back on them, hence asking what my lovely friends on here are taking. Regarding the OCD, I find myself counting things, fence panels etc must be counted, holes in the trellis??? Thank you all SO much for contributing to this thread, I appreciate it more than I can say. Val
Always here if you need to talk @val @Ellen. Just drop a mail and I will give you my number if you ever feel in need.
The best ones are: 1A) A dog, one that will want to go out for 3 or 4 walks a day, whatever the weather. 1B) Hens, preferably that you can sit amongst an enjoy them. 2) Hobbies, both something you can do when the weather's good or rubbish, such as: a) Gardening b) Walking c) Photography Joining/using forums will help with interaction. 4) Cut out/down on use of recreational drugs. Long term use of Hash/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug) and Cocaine. 5) Cut down on alcohol consumption, or mitigate it by a) Joining a homebrew forum and make stuff you wouldn't otherwise afford, like wines @ 33 -50p a bottle plus have the benefits of forum interaction. .
If it is due to a chemical imbalance, then surely it cannot simply be cured in your head, with your head? If your brain is not producing enough of one chemical - or, too much of another - simply telling your head something else will not necessarily trigger the right chemical response. I think there is a tendency to over simplify the blanket term: "depression". Hence my first post suggesting that it (basically) falls into two camps: reactive and clinical (and, of course, a whole spectrum in between). Equally, suggesting that people with depression can be "cured" by fixing their problems in their head with their head is very controversial. If its due to a chemical imbalance, it clearly isn't "in their head" e.g. what they think! For example: scurvy is due to a vitamin deficiency (chemical imbalance). Simply telling your head you don't have scurvy will clearly *not* cure it! *Some* people (depending on the root cause) may well appear to be able to "cure" it psychologically. Perhaps, for them, it is a "reactive" depressive state? For others, there may be no other (effective) option than to have any chemical imbalance redressed. (Clinical depression? Maybe?) For others, still, it may take a combination of the two. And for some people, neither one, or other, or both will bring them the state of mind they aspire to. @Val.. I am so deeply, deeply, sorry for your loss - I cannot begin to imagine how deeply that must have impacted upon you Wishing you peace in your heart and soul xMx
