[brackenbeard]

what's stopping you from doing what you want to do in life?

stress. symptoms. change. motivation. the fear of other people. what other people think of you. new places. sleeping over. money. money. no car. physical pain. worrying about what's going to happen if I do this. worrying about what's going to happen if I do that. sleeping all day. watching tv for forever it seems. can't be around people. can't go to the store.

we can't live like this.
we can, but at what cost.
one life, one chance, one opportunity.

I believe we can do anything we set our mind too.

I want to skateboard well. I want to write a screenplay. I want to have as much fun and be as alive as I possibly can be. what do you want to do? what's stopping you? and what can I do to move closer to feeling alive? because that's where life is. because that's where you go to find joy.

[Travelinglady]

I agree that we should do the best we can not to keep our mental illness from keeping us from doing what we can in live--and from getting the enjoyment out of it.

[nanettetron]

I have a stigma and sometimes I am ashamed.

We live, we love, we try, we are scrutinized. Living with a mental disability, Not fun.

So many people, so many judges, Who gets bossed, the mentally ill.

We have dreams and desires, pain and wants just like most people.
I wish the best and something creative and positive to bring each person to His or
Hers highest postive level of accomplishment. God can help and maybe there are
a few chosen people who are loving enough to reach out and touch someone.
Love someone today.
I have a dream of getting a book of poetry published . My family also needs a car
and I feel like people are prejudiced against me when I work. People talk about me.
Good things are possible with God. My advise to you is to not be scared and try to
do something , anything you like worthwhile. I collect stamps and I also collect coins to have fun. I want very much to give something back to this wonderful world we live in. We are children of the most high God.

So to the person feeling low , or defeated, Love and try , work hard at doing something good that you like and try to love God, He is just and moral and I will pray blessings on you.

Your friend,

Nanette T.

[yellowted]

I see the label 'mental health ' asI find I fluctuate between seing the 'mental health' label as something i wished never exhisetd as it does affect the treatment i should be getting for my physical disabilities which totally infuriates me, and the green light to let your hair down, and just be yourself, in my case a joker and whenever anyone tells me i am crazy i simply reply ' I'm certified hey ho' or 'i'm certified, what's your excuse'with a shrug of my shoulders and a big grin! not much can be said about that!

I am trying my best to keep my mental illness under control with medication and therapy. I want to become a teacher and I wont let anything get in the way of that. Not even my voices!

[DirtyDog04]

I think it's best to take a balanced approach to fears. It seems like it's good to go out and do something even if you don't want to. Doing something, even if it doesn't make me feel good, tends to make me feel better. It also gives me practice. For example, I often fear being around people because I always assume they are scrutinizing me in their head. But sometimes being around them and interacting loosens that tension, and leaves me more prepared for future encounters. Socializing is often work for me, but my only chance of succeeding is if I try.

The reason I mention balance is because I have thrown my self into the deep end several times and had a hard time getting out. That is to say I try to force myself to do something and end up loosing control of my thoughts and emotions. That's when I start breaking things.

I hope I'm not missing the point of this thread. In any case, cheers to medications.

[philbee]

i have had schizoaffective and OCD for the majority of my life. i feel uncomfortable talking about them except on PC and my wife, who also has psychiatric disorders. it makes me nervous telling people about them who don't know me, i don't know why. i am glad i have a good support system here in southwest virginia.

[krzyk101]

Yes I am mentally ill and schizoaffective and have been now for more years of my life than I have not been. I am struggling daily with trying to find some sort of balance or beginning to socialize even if it has to be online now in my life, my physical illnesses outnumber my Mental Illnesses but am trying to cope with both mental which has been part of me longer than the physical and I do not leave the apartment much except to go get food and soda and other things maybe every other day I have to leave the apartment every day or I will not be able to go out at all. I never in all my life ever thought that I would be as alone as I am now in my life and I struggle so bad with the mental illness and what to say and do and even to be able to recognize my feelings. I feel mostly alone in the world I have no friends but I once did and am going to try to connect with people here and use this resource and am saving to get a new computer and am hoping to do better and live at least 10 more years if not longer, I am thankful to God and glad that he is with me. I see a lot of good reply's here and a lot of positive people been away for too long and hope to connect with and make some new friends here. thank you if you read this and I read yours.

[DePressMe]

There are a lot of things I'd like to do...some things are too hard because of my illness so I prioritize them--I do what what I can depending on how I feel--I push myself but not too hard--I stay within my comfort zone most of the time but occasionally I'll stick my little toe out to see if I can go a little farther than I'm use to...I don't know...I guess I do the things that don't make my illness worse but also keep me feeling alive...take care, D.

[Frokly]

the only thing that is preventing me from getting what i want in life... and just dropping everything to go and get it... is this emotional, psychological, and physiological bondage i have with my illness... if i leave i can't pay for my meds and i will have withdrawals and rot somewhere on the streets, if i stay i have to sit for my diploma then get a degree... which i know is a waste of time for someone like me... i don't need a stupid diploma or degree i just need to get my life in order... and as off right now i can't pay for my medications since i'm not working... and if i work... my parents will abandon me at 24 years of age and i'll also have withdrawals...

so what do i do? sit for my diploma... and degree till i can escape this madhouse of which is occupied by a unit of people who are supposedly my family, of which i don't think they are... delusion wise... and also emotionally...

so what am i? confused, ungrateful, psychotic, selfish, or just plain right?