Connecting with others who struggle with their Mental Health

Posted by Betty @betnlar, Jul 16, 2022

Hi Everyone, I'm reaching out to find others who suffer with Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, PTSD and OCD. I have suffered with these issues for over 45 plus years. I feel very isolated and I'm trying to push myself to reach out and communicate with others who also suffer with these issues. Even just e-mail or phone communication. I have a few close friends, but as hard as it is for them to understand what I deal with daily, I don't think they can really understand me. A little bit about me. I just turned 60 years old. I have not worked a full time job in over 14 years. I was in a horrible accident about 15 years ago and unable to work due to my injuries. I was diagnosed in 2020 with Brain Cancer. Lucky me, in my brain only...lol lol. I am in remission right now but still need to go for follow up MRIs every 3 months. I moved to Florida about 5 years ago. I'm married to a supportive and loving Husband (2nd time around). I love animals, and when I am physically able to, volunteer at a local animal rescue. I love music of all kinds especially the 70s. I sometimes do certain arts and crafts. When I'm mentally able, I enjoy time on my computer. Other then that, I am home a lot. I enjoy the simple things in life. Thank You to All that took the time to read my post. I'm just trying to take each day as it comes.
Fondly, Betty

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.

@lindaw2

I'm not sure if I am in the right section of this site. I just joined to try to help my Grandson. I just found out he has admitted himself to a hospital. All we know is that he said he wanted to kill himself. Unfortunately he is an adult so we have little information. They will not let his father, my son, know anything. He is 27 years old. He has always been a loaner and has never had very many friends. His life has been very difficult. His parents divorce was traumatizing for him as she just abandoned them for a whole year when he was in second grade. Was on medication in school but didn't seem to help much. He survived school. He now works full time and still lives with Dad. We have had some tremendous loses in the last few years. His sister was killed at the age of 21 in a fatal car wreck in 2014. It left him scarred for life, I'm afraid. They were very close. His mother has had no contact with him at all so that isn't helping. We also lost our adult son a few years after his sister was killed in 2019. He was also close to his uncle. Heavy addiction was the problem. As far as I know my grandson has slowed way down on his drinking and had been going to a gym regularly and has held down a job. So this just seem to pop up out of the blue. I just want to be supportive but don't know how to. I'm afraid if my son loses his last child to this I will be losing him as well.

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What a sad story. You could create a new topic so people would find this more easily and could react. I am at a loss for words now.

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@lindaw2

I'm not sure if I am in the right section of this site. I just joined to try to help my Grandson. I just found out he has admitted himself to a hospital. All we know is that he said he wanted to kill himself. Unfortunately he is an adult so we have little information. They will not let his father, my son, know anything. He is 27 years old. He has always been a loaner and has never had very many friends. His life has been very difficult. His parents divorce was traumatizing for him as she just abandoned them for a whole year when he was in second grade. Was on medication in school but didn't seem to help much. He survived school. He now works full time and still lives with Dad. We have had some tremendous loses in the last few years. His sister was killed at the age of 21 in a fatal car wreck in 2014. It left him scarred for life, I'm afraid. They were very close. His mother has had no contact with him at all so that isn't helping. We also lost our adult son a few years after his sister was killed in 2019. He was also close to his uncle. Heavy addiction was the problem. As far as I know my grandson has slowed way down on his drinking and had been going to a gym regularly and has held down a job. So this just seem to pop up out of the blue. I just want to be supportive but don't know how to. I'm afraid if my son loses his last child to this I will be losing him as well.

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@lindaw2 I have read and reread your post contemplating whether to respond in the hopes of trying to be of help. I can relate to some of what your grandson has been through in trying to deal with one’s own depression while trying to make sense of one’s life. I too have checked myself into hospital because I was concerned for me. As scary as that was for me at least I had a moment to do the right thing. Then having to deal with hospital protocol is another matter because one is to have no contact with family or friends for a period of time. A difficult time for all.

I pray for your grandson, your family and you.🙏🏼❤️

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@marjou

@lindaw2 I have read and reread your post contemplating whether to respond in the hopes of trying to be of help. I can relate to some of what your grandson has been through in trying to deal with one’s own depression while trying to make sense of one’s life. I too have checked myself into hospital because I was concerned for me. As scary as that was for me at least I had a moment to do the right thing. Then having to deal with hospital protocol is another matter because one is to have no contact with family or friends for a period of time. A difficult time for all.

I pray for your grandson, your family and you.🙏🏼❤️

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Thank you. Just reading some of these blogs has helped tremendously. Since the loss of my son I don't want to sit by and just hope. I have offered for him to come out and stay with us but not sure if he will. But if he does I know I can offer my care and love.
Thanks again.

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@lindaw2

I'm not sure if I am in the right section of this site. I just joined to try to help my Grandson. I just found out he has admitted himself to a hospital. All we know is that he said he wanted to kill himself. Unfortunately he is an adult so we have little information. They will not let his father, my son, know anything. He is 27 years old. He has always been a loaner and has never had very many friends. His life has been very difficult. His parents divorce was traumatizing for him as she just abandoned them for a whole year when he was in second grade. Was on medication in school but didn't seem to help much. He survived school. He now works full time and still lives with Dad. We have had some tremendous loses in the last few years. His sister was killed at the age of 21 in a fatal car wreck in 2014. It left him scarred for life, I'm afraid. They were very close. His mother has had no contact with him at all so that isn't helping. We also lost our adult son a few years after his sister was killed in 2019. He was also close to his uncle. Heavy addiction was the problem. As far as I know my grandson has slowed way down on his drinking and had been going to a gym regularly and has held down a job. So this just seem to pop up out of the blue. I just want to be supportive but don't know how to. I'm afraid if my son loses his last child to this I will be losing him as well.

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@lindaw2 It must be heartbreaking for you to experience this. But, kudos to your grandson to realize he needs some professional help to get through his struggles!

@marjou has given us some good information about the protocol for no communication. If you know the place where he is, perhaps you can inquire when you will be able to see him, or if you can write him a letter?
Ginger

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@ellamster

What a sad story. You could create a new topic so people would find this more easily and could react. I am at a loss for words now.

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Thank you. I am new on this site. I don't know how to start a new topic. I will try to figure out how to do that though.

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Hi Betty, I am new to this site and I just read your story. You are a mentor to all who have or had cancer. I have met a few people who have had cancer and they just keep going and fighting. that is what they tell me to do and I did. You get thru somehow if you just keep going. I'm on for a different reason today but I will keep fighting for those I love.

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@lindaw2

I'm not sure if I am in the right section of this site. I just joined to try to help my Grandson. I just found out he has admitted himself to a hospital. All we know is that he said he wanted to kill himself. Unfortunately he is an adult so we have little information. They will not let his father, my son, know anything. He is 27 years old. He has always been a loaner and has never had very many friends. His life has been very difficult. His parents divorce was traumatizing for him as she just abandoned them for a whole year when he was in second grade. Was on medication in school but didn't seem to help much. He survived school. He now works full time and still lives with Dad. We have had some tremendous loses in the last few years. His sister was killed at the age of 21 in a fatal car wreck in 2014. It left him scarred for life, I'm afraid. They were very close. His mother has had no contact with him at all so that isn't helping. We also lost our adult son a few years after his sister was killed in 2019. He was also close to his uncle. Heavy addiction was the problem. As far as I know my grandson has slowed way down on his drinking and had been going to a gym regularly and has held down a job. So this just seem to pop up out of the blue. I just want to be supportive but don't know how to. I'm afraid if my son loses his last child to this I will be losing him as well.

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The fact that he admitted himself is a very good thing. He recognizes that he needs help and he is not afraid of asking for it.
It has been my experience as a mother of 2 addicted children that we, the family tend to enable their bad behavior when we think we are helping. It’s hard to believe that, but it’s so very true.
Please do yourself and the rest of your family a favor and find an Al-Anon meeting in your area. Al-Anon is a program for family and friends of alcoholics/addicts. It’s a safe place where you can share, and hear the stories of others just like you. Healing and peace can follow you through the trials that you are now and will be facing.
I have been there. There is always hope for today, one day at a time! Blessings.

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@gingerw

@lindaw2 It must be heartbreaking for you to experience this. But, kudos to your grandson to realize he needs some professional help to get through his struggles!

@marjou has given us some good information about the protocol for no communication. If you know the place where he is, perhaps you can inquire when you will be able to see him, or if you can write him a letter?
Ginger

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Yes, have been there and can say that where my relative was staying - voluntarily - there were visiting hours, you had to put all your items in a locker, and time was limited but you could visit with some degree of privacy in a common room.

Along with the contact I maintained via email with the social workers on the case, as well as a family meeting with the psychiatrist the relative had been meeting with to at least give an overview of what the relative was facing, (though it was quite a muted, measured discussion), there were a variety of opportunities to show concern, just be there, and listen.

I would hope you might find at least some of these outlets available to you and concerned family too.

Best wishes.

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