[ak9840]

Hi, everyone. I have these thoughts every once in a while that people don't believe me when I tell them my struggles (ADD, depression) and that I'm just looking for attention. Whether they are or not, I don't know, obviously, but I can't ever put these thoughts to rest. Wondering if anyone else feels the same way sometimes?

[Crazy Hitch]

I'm quite selective about who I disclose my MI to, so most don't know. Because I don't want to be judged by a label.

[gayleggg]

I do worry about that somewhat, even though, like Crazy Hitch, I don't tell many people about it. But sometimes I get the feeling from the ones I do tell that maybe they don't believe, but I usually feel too bad to care what they think. My husband and my doctor believe me so that is enough.

Yes, an experience I have.

In my past I was for a while a complainer. Life was difficult and I couldn't understand why. I think people grew tired of this and now give what I say little weight or value. I never sought pity or attention, rather I was desperate for some understanding . I'm sure some people think that as I now try to explain my past and current situation that I am merely seeking attention.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

I'm sure some people think that as I now try to explain my past and current situation that I am merely seeking attention.

Does a person "merely" seek attention? Or is it too distressing for some people to cope with the distress of the attention-seeker? Does it remind them of their own distress, and how they were made to feel unwelcome when they expressed it?

[avlady]

i found that people pity me more than anything, and they leave me to myself more, especially when i need them the most.

[MickeyCheeky]

Sorry that you feel like this I can relate. I have this big fear too... even though it's not really related to mental illness.. more about my problems, in general.

[Thunder Bow]

Many hide from their feelings, that why you get resistance.

[Unrigged64072835]

What people think of you is not your problem. You can't please everybody.

[MtnTime2896]

I've told very few people, but of the ones who I did tell I dealt with a bit of this. I shouldn't say a bit because a couple of those people I've told about my issues made it a point to drill, "Mind over matter" into my head and also described my situation as, "You're making this up and turning it into reality." It became so bad that I actually started to believe them. I was just convincing myself something was wrong with me and being overly emotional (which is interesting considering that I very rarely cry or allow myself to "feel" or deal with any emotion that comes into my mind). Then after my attempt and being sent to the hospital, one of them kept saying I was being over dramatic and a selfish wimp. He didn't listen until the doctor sat him down and told him something (to this day I don't know what he said). Ever since, that one person just stays quiet about it and doesn't bring it up. If it's already brought up by someone else, he makes it a point to say something discrediting the issue.
Because of this experience, I now have this (could be) false belief that everyone believes I'm making it all up. Hell, I still catch myself repeating what they've said in my head. It's a nightmare and probably the leading cause for my panic attacks and several melt downs. It's also one of the culprits behind why I've waited so long to seek help from a professional and won't commit to seeing one regularly. It's caused a lot of harm and a lot of distress.
I think that a good way to handle this sort of thing is to remind yourself that it is real to you and that's all that should matter. You deserve validation and sometimes you're going to be the only one willing to offer it.

The one person to whom I've really opened up lately raised both fists in triumph and joyfully sang, "I'm so glad I'm not your husband!", so from here on in i'm keeping my ******* mouth shut.

Some people have thought I was making it up and when I was highly delusional I felt I had control over my delusions and was to blame for them and in control of them. I was very wrong for the most part. I tell very few people and have just recently began being open about it all because my husband has been so encouraging and I believe him and I guess respect his opinion when he says my thinking is not normal. He is not doing it to harm me but because he has my best interests at heart I really believe. I have had times when I did not trust anybody and those were the toughest times of all.

[Cyllya]

I sometimes worry that people will think I'm making it up to use as some kind of excuse for being unproductive.

This is one of the reasons I mention my mental illnesses to a lot of people willy-nilly: I figure it helps if they learn about it in a case where it's not actively causing any problems they need to care about.

I tend to dislike attention (with some exception via the internet), and people who are acquainted with me tend to figure this out pretty fast. So I'm not too worried about people thinking my motivation is attention. If they did make that accusation, it'd be quite the fit of absurdity on their part.

[StarGazingFish]

i have quite obvious classic autism and a mild intellectual disability which affects my functioning quite strongly so i have to have significant support and live in 24hr care,so-i dont have issues where those conditions are concerned apart from when some people whove only ever worked in mental health think i could do a lot more than what i do which is very frustrating because i cannot do the things they say such as tying laces [my brain cannot process multiple steps because of being overloaded by information], writing [ive never been able to write because of the ID], putting on clothes independantly and personal care independantly.
i wish they could experience my life and see what its like.

now when it comes to my very severe anxiety-i REALLY struggle to get understood,because of my autism i physically or verbally cannot express my feelings so when im suffering from very severe anxiety and i say 'ive got severe anxiety,need lorazepam' they say 'really? its that bad? you dont look anxious'.
so i end up banging my head,biting myself and speed rocking and getting into a panic attack.
ive had my pyschiatrist tell me i didnt have a panic attack when i did because it lasted two hours and required paramedic support,i felt like thumping her, though to be fair shes full of BS and i feel like thumping her every time, shes so arrogant and doesnt listen.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by StarGazingFish

...i cannot do the things they say such as tying laces [my brain cannot process multiple steps because of being overloaded by information]...

Just this one thing: can't you get shoes with Velcro instead of shoelaces?