[rlb6]

im only 15 and lately i have changed alot and i dont know whats wrong with me. i think i have obsessive compulsive disorder, i think ive had it for years but never been diagnosed with it, i learned to live with it for years but recently it has got worse. i dont think i have it that bad, but i think i have other things too. i think i maybe have depression because for the last 4 months ive been depressed basically everyday, but i dont know why because my life isnt even that bad, my parents treat me great and i get everything i want and i have a good boyfriend who is basically my best friend but i havent got as much friends as i used to and sometimes i think that my friends dont actually like me and i get worried that no1 wants me around and i think that id be better off dead because im worthless and i have nothing to look forward to because at school i cant concentrate (which goes into the attention deficit disorder thing) and i doubt ill ever get anywhere in life and the only person that really understands me is my boyfriend because he suffers from 2 mental illnesses, but i still cant talk to him about everything, i feel i cant talk to anyone about how i feel, my friends just think im attention seeking, but i dont want attention i just would like to know what is wrong with me. ive spoke to my mom about it but she doesnt really know much about mental disorders and she just thinks its because im a teenager and im growing up. at first i thought being depressed was part of being a teenager but ive been depressed so much lately, even when im having the best time of my life i am still not happy and i think that if i was dead things would be better for everyone else. im just confused and i dunno whats wrong with me. ive never seen a doctor or psychiatrist (spelling?) or anything like that to do with mental illnesses, and i didnt really know much about them until about 6 months ago, and i seriously have no one to talk to and im too scared to tell my mom i wanna see someone about this. i took some online tests on this site earlier for depression and add, i answered the questions truthfully and it said i should seek help but i just dont know what to do. the reason i think i have A.D.D is because i cant focus on one thing for long, unless it is interesting, but hardly anything interests me anymore. ive lost interest on everything and i just cant concentrate on anything anymore. i find it hard to do my work at school because i just dont want to think, i never do my homework because it involves thinking and when i think i get really confused and my mind starts to move slowly and i just get really weird and i cant focus properly for hours sometimes. i dont know if this is just a normal growing up thing though?? i just really need someone that knows about this to answer my questions because i cant talk to people i know about this. id be greatful if anyone could reply to this and let me know what they think.

mental illnesses have never been in my family before so i dont understand why i may have them? ive been told that they run through the family but i asked my mom and no one in my family has ever suffered from anything like this.

i also just wondered, if a couple that both suffer from mental illnesses have kids, is there a risk that the kids will get some kind of mental illness? thanks to anyone that reads this.

[Peanut61]

Hi Rib6, and Welcome!! Things seem so confusing sometimes, don't they? I'm not a doctor so I can't give you any concrete answers to your questions, but please don't think the worst just yet, OK? I think most teens go thru what you're going thru now - I know I did, and yes, sometimes it might be a bout of depression, but it may also be hormonal changes, so the best thing would be to talk it over with a school counselor or your primary doctor to begin with. And if it is depression, there are tons of things that will help - don't get too caught up in the 'mental illness' label, OK? The internet is a good thing, but sometimes reading descriptions of illnesses, any illness, can scare the willies out of a person, right? lol. So, hang in there, ok, and since not many people read this section, you may want to post in the future under the topic 'general' so that you get more replies, (even though this one was perfectly appropriate and correct. Take care. :-) Peanut

<font color=blue>HI FROM PEANUT </font color=blue>

[kvinneakt]

I think you are quite insightful. That is going to go a long way to finding out what makes you feel bad and getting better.

It sounds like you are going to have to let your parents be a bit bewildered by you and take the initiative to getting yourself help. I don't mean don't let them help, let them help, but perhaps you know better than they do what that help should be.

An easy first step would be your school counseller, IF, big IF, he/she is someone you trust and have confidence in and has the qualifications to provide psycho therapy. If he/she has your trust, but not qualified, ask if there is someone else available in the school system.

A little more trouble is to see if your parents have health insurance that covers psycho therapy. Get an appointment. Your first appointment is a "intake" appointment where you both get to know each other. You need to be sure of the trust and confidence factor. It is useless without it.

Don't be nervous or fearful of what you share. You have already had darn good practice with your first post here. I think most therapists would be delighted to have a new client who is so insightful and articulate. You might even print up your post to read to the therapist.

Finally, I don't think most teens have so many concerns as you do. I think you are very wise to be concerned about your own health and be seeking to strengthen it. There is no shame in having these problems.

I feel happy for you. I wish I had been smart enough to get help when I was your age.

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