Connecting with others who struggle with their Mental Health

Sounds to me like you are doing a lot! I’m 71 and was diagnosed at 12 with mental illness. Had a full life interspersed with hospitalizations and such. Now I just live everyday as best as I can. I do have a supportive husband and adult children and now grandchildren….my gifts for being alive. Just do what you can and give yourself a pat on the back. You made it through another day.

@betnlar Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. While we wait for others to post here, I know that reaching out was a big step, right? Besides your personal mental health things going on, there are world happenings that can help contribute to any or all of this list you gave us!

Having a supportive spouse is a major plus! As is having varied interests like animals, music and crafts [many of us here do different types - what are your favorites?]

I have gone through bouts of depression in my life, and found that medication, talk therapy, journaling, trying to focus on a healthy lifestyle for me, have all worked. Some better than others at various times. As @dsg said, doing what you can and being thankful each day. You're a warrior, and we're here for you!

What makes you smile today?
Ginger

hello betty ,
i am a 67 year old woman who suffers with many of the same mental health issues as you do. i especially battle with moderate depression since i was young - a long time ago. i don't have ocd but i think everything else is the same. but i have no friends except casual ones, from the senior center where i just started to go twice a week. before that i was completely isolated except for my daughter. let's chat sometime. and try to keep positive.

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.
Fondly, Betty

Hi Betty.
I too suffer with PTSD, panic attacks, depression and anxiety. I am 47 years old, and I was just diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in January. It is hard for someone to understand when they do not deal with it. Although they mean well, it just means more when you connect with someone that can relate. This is a great place to connect with others that understand.

Peace to you on your journey,
Michele

Hi Betty I feel like I can relate to isolation. It's so hard.
Feel free to find me on FB
JESSIE Cassidy
Calais, Maine

Welcome, @caroledaisy. Isolation is hard and the pandemic has made this even harder. Do you live alone? Do you sometimes even feel isolation when among people?

@caroledaisy @colleenyoung
Yes isolation becomes a part of depression but sometimes as a necessity or protective mechanism for knowing one reacts differently to people or situations.
Being more sensitive when one is in a manic or depressive state.

I also suffer from depression, on and off most of my adult life. Covid and all the variants of it has not helped. I have to be extra carf

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.