The Student Room Group

Mental Health Matters

From cruising around this website, it doesn't take long to realise how many people suffer from mental illness. I thought I would start a thread to address some of the questions about mental illness, and to provide an area where people who suffer from such problems can talk to likewise people. This isn't about a particular mental illness, but they often come together, so I thought it might be cool to have a thread. Even just to share useful links and advice.

If you are curious about mental illness it might be useful to visit: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Here you will find symptoms, treatments, therapy and medication and ways of coping

Considering suicide? On your mind a lot? Check this out: www.metanoia.org/suicide

Need to talk?
www.samaritans.org.uk

Feel you are being discriminated against because of your illness?
www.disability.gov.uk/dda

General information, support etc on depression:
www.depressionalliance.org
Here you can share your story of mental illness, or read about others.

I hope this is helpful for some people, I hate the concept of 'sharing the burden' personally....but sometimes these things need to be done. In my experience, feeling isolated, lonely, and in pain only worsens the situation. So whatever your issue, whether it be medication, therapy, somniac issues, OCD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self harm, suicide. There are so many people here going through the same thing.

Feel free to PM me if you want a more personal chat, or add my hotmail (it's hiding in my profile)

It's depression awareness week from the 18th April, and cheesy as it may sound, I read it on a website, mental illness affects one in four people, ignorance affects everyone.

Scroll to see replies

that's a really good idea :smile:
Dont think I have any myself, 'cept social anxiety which is an actual phobia (see http://www.socialphobia.org/ ) but I'm sure lots of people have daily problems they'd like advice and support for.
Reply 2
http://www.hyperguide.co.uk/mha/

If anyone's interested in that...
Reply 3
Another branch of mental health - Eating disorders

www.somethingfishy.org <--- the forums are excellent for understanding what sufferers go through

www.nationaleatingdisorders.org <--- the info pages are good

I'll add a few more when I remember them if people are interested. Eating disorders are so misunderstood so you really should look at these before jumping to conclusions.
Just found a good site about self harm and eating disorders....with a good forum...seems very understanding and supportive....nice to know your not the only one

www.recoveryourlife.com

You can also order beads to represent different aspects of self harm...just bought a Depression / Eating disorders (red and blue) beaded one. :smile:
aw what a great idea. It should be a sticky.
I PMed lessthanthree to see if she would sticky it...apparently not though :frown:
annabellewalter
I PMed lessthanthree to see if she would sticky it...apparently not though :frown:

lessthanthree is a meany, she deletes my threads :frown:
I love her, but I haven't seen her around in a while :frown:
Reply 9
Just thought i would say that this thread is a really good idea. I've suffered from depression and even tried to commit suicide in the past. It makes it so much harder when people are ignorant and so casual about saying things like "if you think you've got problems you should see my life" etc etc.
Reply 10
http://www.edauk.com/ - the eating disorders association uk site.

this is a good idea. im an anorexic, been thru depression, paranoia and ive got anxiety disorders. i get re-diagnosed in may.
Reply 11
This is a very good idea :biggrin: unfortunately I can't really add to it at the moment.
Reply 12
annabellewalter
From cruising around this website, it doesn't take long to realise how many people suffer from mental illness. I thought I would start a thread to address some of the questions about mental illness, and to provide an area where people who suffer from such problems can talk to likewise people. This isn't about a particular mental illness, but they often come together, so I thought it might be cool to have a thread. Even just to share useful links and advice.

Feel free to PM me if you want a more personal chat, or add my hotmail (it's hiding in my profile)

It's depression awareness week from the 18th April, and cheesy as it may sound, I read it on a website, mental illness affects one in four people, ignorance affects everyone.


Thank you, this is a fantastic idea, exactly what I was looking for! I'm sooo depressed. :frown:
This thread is great. I never knew that many of my friends suffer / have suffered from mental illness to some extent until recently, and from reading others' posts on TSR...it's actually a bit of a comfort to know you're not the odd one who has such a problem. Having people here supporting each other is vital for recovery, and I guess it's also nice to clear up a few common misunderstandings around here.

I suffer from Depression, which has also led to Eating Disorder. I guess the first sign was in April 2003 during SARS. Since then i've been through Binge Eating, Bulemia (a few times), Anorexia, and from last Sept to Jan my Binging was so bad that my mom found out and took me to a psychiatrist in Feb. I'm on an SSRI (Seritonin Re-Uptake Inhibitor) and an Anorexant (to control my appetite) and it's been working very well for me. I've lost about 1/2 the weight i gained from my binging and having much better control over my own emotions. My appointments with my shrink are less frequent, and I won't have to see her for another 5-6 weeks.

Depression is something that runs in my family. I have 2 aunts, a few cousins & and uncle who have depression; my brother is showing mild signs of it; and my mom's depression is worsening, but she refuses to see my shrink and the centre she insists on going to has her on a 3 month waiting list. And my dad actually has mental illness too though he doesn't admit / realise...but instead of depression, he's on the other end of the scale. He can be extremely scary.

Here are 2 sites I'd recommend.

http://www.pale-reflections.com/

This focuses more on eating disorders. I find this site very informative.

http://www.mic.ki.se/Diseases/F03.html#F03.700.300

This is a great site on mental disorders, and also has many links to other related sites on each disorder.

Let's all support & help each other, because we all need it.
I hope whoever here is suffereing from mental disorder of any kind recovers soon. :smile:
yay its a sticky :smile:
Here is a really good site for support for anyone affected by OCD or related disorders such as BDD, trichotillomania, Tourettes syndrome and Compulsive skin picking.

http://www.ocduk.org/. It also has some great discussion forums, very up to date and supportive. Def. worth a look :smile: .

I am an ocd sufferer and have found OCD-UK to be really helpful!!:smile:
This is really a question aimed at self-harmers; when you get urges to cut - do you itch? I manage to resist my urges.....but I scratch my arms so much to try and get rid of the urge. I have found myself doing it in public and stuff, and everybody thinks I am mad.
Reply 17
I bludgeon myself with my fists; although the subsequent lack of visible bruising just makes me more depressed.

A vicious cycle, indeed. :rolleyes:
i've always had the bad habits of biting my nails and lips. but then...a lot of times i can't stop myself from biting my nails till they start bleeding and stuff. and my lips...i always keep on biting / use my nails to tear off the tissue on top of my own lower lips till it bleeds...sometimes i even keep on doing it even though it's already bleeding. it's painful...but sometimes i just can't stop myself and occassionally i actually like the pain and keep doing it.
Reply 19
No not really, I just scratched most of the skin off my arms anyway if I didn't have anything else.