Mental Health Advocates

A group for support,  advocacy, and education involving mental health, disorders, and just a general support group. I can also share my ideas on where to find resources in your area for assistance. 

Come here if you want to learn about mental illnesses, have a disorder, need friendly support in dark times, share success stories, and more. 

I Finally Told Him

For a while now, I've had anxiety and depression. But I had been hiding it from everyone as I was/still am scared of the reactions. I've even had suicidal thoughts at times. But today, I couldn't take the pressure. I was walking around my room stressing out when I went to the fridge to eat something. My dad was there and I was just about to cry. While I was getting out grapes, he told me to sit down and talk about something that happened at school (I got a bad test score (and getting told this by my teacher was torture and apparently, it was obvious)). He told me about the test and how he only cares if I try my best but despite telling me this, I still cried. We talked for a minute or so when this was the conversation that followed -

"Is this the only thing you're anxious about?"

*unsure* "Yes"

"I feel like there's a 'but'"

I told him about my anxiety. I told him that I was a very anxious person and that basically everyday, I would freak out about the most irrational things and that I'd been hiding it from everyone for quite a while. But I didn't tell him about my depression. I regret having not telling him about that as I know I should but I feel as if I physically can't. But I'm glad that I told him something. I won't go into much further detail at this point.

How did you guys tell your parents/friends/other about your mental health issue/how did they find out?

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    Debbie S (Pegawolf)

    Wow!! That takes real Courage!!! Good for you. Take pride in what you've done! Make sure you realize what a success this was! I don't remember me needing to tell my parents. I saw my first psychobabble person at age five. As for friends... Eh.... Didn't have any past second grade. As an adult I have one close friend. Told her really early in our relationship (tell her the worst so she can can leave before i become invested in the friendship) she basically said yeah i know. That was 24 years ago and we are still close although 200+miles apart. Hopes this answers your a question.
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      Jessica

      I believe I was under so much stress that I finally told my mother I needed to go to the doctor as I didn't feel like myself. What did you him was very good and a great step toward helping yourself. Unfortunately for me my mom believed that I didn't need medicine or counseling and kind of hounded me on it but I went ahead and consulted my doctor and a psychologist anyway. Please don't be afraid to talk to someone your close to, my depression and anxiety has majorly cleared up and although ofcourse I still have issues I have to work through, and I always will I have severely decreased the amount of medication I'm on after several years, the main reasons being I don't want my body ingesting anything it doesn't have to and because I plan on having a baby soon and that medication is not good for the fetus, but PLEASE if you need help get it, don't be ashamed, everyone has issues we all just handle them differently.