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Psychological Disorders and Mental Health (Private Voting)

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Contributor: Elaira Elaira
Psychological disorders impact every area of life, including relationships and sex, which cause and even deeper disruption in daily functioning. Sometimes it's hard to manage symptoms of the disorders which causes stress and internal turmoil.

Which of these disorders have you been diagnosed with or are fully convinced you have? How do you manage your symptoms? Have they become an issue in your love/sex life?

We're all supportive and accepting of others here, so it's safe to talk about it if you feel comfortable.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
63
Social Anxiety Disroder
47
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
31
Panic Disorder
32
ADHD
20
Asperger Syndrome
10
Eating Disorder
20
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
30
Major Depression
72
Bipolar Disorder
33
Borderline Personality Disorder
13
Disssociative Identity Disorder
4
Substance Abuse Disorders
6
Other
28
Total votes: 409 (120 voters)
Poll is closed
03/30/2012
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Contributor: js250 js250
I had a traumatic head injury that has caused permanent brain damage. Part of my issues are ADD and PTSD, I also get panic attacks occasionally from being in the accident.

For the ADD, I write reviews, set goals for reviews and make dang sure I meet them. This has really helped re-organize a few thought patterns for the better. The PTSD, I am going through counseling for and it is linked to my panic attacks which are getting fewer as I progress through the counseling. I have great days and bad days.

The depression I have had most of my life. I have to say the kindness and understanding from people here has really helped me with that issue. I have also been able to reach out to people and help with past experiences I have gone through. Helping others really lightens my depression and makes me feel useful and worthwhile.

In all honesty, the people here at EF has helped the most. I know that I am not alone, that others care, other people are working through their life's issues and all I need to do is post a thread asking for help and support and it is there from the caring people on here. Thank you!!!!! I have never met more caring, friendly and supportive people before--it is amazing how much that helps with metal issues and disorders.
03/30/2012
Contributor: js250 js250
Wow, I am the only one to comment, ummm....awkward.
03/31/2012
Contributor: catsin catsin
I've "been diagnosed" as Bipolar and then some (that's the only diagnoses that sticks thru providers). I believe psychiatry to be a load of BS and I'm able to handle "swings" now just by noticing my patterns of nutrition intake and exercise (without meds). I've come a LONG way, though, and will admit that at times I NEEDED those meds.

In my personal relationships, it has been a struggle. My off and on mate of four years used to use it as an excuse to treat me awful. "You're not medicated", she'd say, like I'm a rabid dog off meds. She'd say 'you're acting crazy" whenever I was passionate about a decision I had made or about an event that had occurred and often tried to get me to believe I was collecting my memories irrationally.

Yea, she's used it against me way too much for us to call our relationship healthy. But now that I know she was going through her own Gender Identity Disorder without being honest and upfront about it, it makes more sense why she made such an effort to keep me crazy.

Prior to that relationship, I had a male fiance who was incredibly supportive. I miss him terribly for how great he was towards me, but at the same time, him cutting me off was probably the best decision he ever made. It made me far more self-dependent and self-assured.

I'm currently living the single life (for the most part) and have decided to keep it that way unless something monumental changes. Being with a partner leaves me vulnerable to swings because I become easily dependent on that persons emotions and personal interactions with me. I was diagnosed at 16 while in a relationship and then continued to seek out and maintain relationships since that point until just recently.

I dealt with a great deal of emotional and even some physical abuse within those nine years. It seems worth putting up with when you're undergoing so much emotional discontent--just to have someone there for you that you feel cares. Yet after it all, I wish I would have attempted the single life more assuredly earlier. I'm thankful for now!
04/04/2012
Contributor: underHim underHim
I was diagnosed as ADD and depressed when I was younger (like 6) a little young to make those type of life altering decisions in my opinion. I was on Ritalin, welbutrin and a couple others that I can no longer remember. Never mind the fact I never remember once feeling depressed (unless the situation actually called for being upset). Admittedly I was a bit of a pain in the ass to my parents, and they did what they thought was best but around the age of 12 or 13 I flat out refused to take any more medication. I know other people need theirs and I am not saying that these diagnoses do not accurately apply to others, but I truly do not think they apply to me. I do tend to be a bit flighty and distractable but once I was off the medication I learned to deal with that on my own very quickly. Generally I function better if I am doing multiple things at once. Listening to music while doing any type of work really helps me focus for a much longer time on what I am doing. This used to apply to homework all the way through college and even now I find it is still true when I am doing house work of whatever. I think I was just a kid who had a mildly short attention span when something bores me and who liked to push limits so some idiot shrink decided to diagnose me with the hot term diagnoses assuming it would help me. I also tampered with bulemia on and off for a few years in my early teens, but never to a very serious extent.
04/04/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
OK, *sigh* Big breath.

I have had OCD, real OCD since I was at least 6 years old. I'm not a "washer" but I do have to do many daily things in a certain way, I do things over until it feels "right," I count, I tap, I worry... incessantly. Nearly every one with OCD also has generalized anxiety disorder and depression as well.

Case in point; today I had to leave the house and go to the pharmacy and the bank. A mundane task for most. A new level of anxiety and opportunity for OCD attacks for me. I had to find all my check I needed to deposit (I get anxiety attacks in banks, so I wait until have have a bunch of checks to go, I was depositing birthday checks from my birthday in January and FOUR paychecks.) I had to find one check I thought I lost, (minor anxiety attack there for about an hour and a half) found the check, then.... OMG, do the math. Then do it again. Then make sure everything is in the right place, check my math again. Then find the proper envelope, then fill out the forms.... you get the idea, only everything is done in perfect order. *SIGH*

Then I had to drive to the pharmacy (luckily, I knew where the prescription was) Hand it to the tech... then.... worry. "What if they don't fill it?" (There is no reason they wouldn't, but I worry.) "Why isn't my favorite pharmacist who gets me here today? OMG, is he sick? He wasn't looking well the last time I saw him. What if he's sick? He's such a nice guy, and his wife is a lovely lady, and he's got kids.. OMG, what if...." Finally, the prescriptions were filled, but usually I make them count the pills in front of me, but I didn't know the pharmacist today, so I was too scared to ask. I have to open the bags, to make sure they are the right meds and that the proper number of refills are there.

Then check out. (OMG. what if my credit cards gets declined? (No reason it would, what IF?) It goes through, but the amount looks, odd. No, its OK. They changed their receipt system. WHY do things have to change? It throws me off my game.

Then to the bank, dealing with...... numbers again, and worrying about my checks. What if she loses them? What if they don't get deposited (My G*d, she's making small talk while she does the math?) What if the don't go through? I make sure she puts them in the drawer and gives me an update and my balance and my receipts. I count my money twice. I find the right compartment in my purse for the receipts, no, doesn't feel right. I find an other compartment, OK. I look at my cash in my purse and I'm done. SWEET RELIEF! I'm ready for a nap... or a Xanax (which I make sure I NEVER have, because it would just be too easy to take them all the time. So, I always say no when my doctor suggests I take them.)

It not even noon yet. Would you like me to go through what it took to get me up, kids out the door, clean, dressed, made up, hair and out the door? I didn't think so.

Oddly, when I have to care for others, the damn shit nearly disappears. When I'm with patients, or when my kids are sick, or I'm in any way "working." The symptoms and anxiety are almost nil at work, I have to be strong and professional for my clients, so I am. However, in the days leading up to a new client, I am a basket case, until I meet her and it everything just clicks into place. Things just flow...

I don't understand it.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Elaira Elaira
I'm the Borderline Personality, Major Depression, ADHD, Moderate OCD type and my doctor seems to think there's some PTSD in there, too.

I'd talk about it more right now, but I'm dealing with some heavy things today.
04/04/2012
Contributor: ghalik ghalik
I have/have had at least 4 of those. I had pretty serious issues through adolescence but now that I'm an "adult" I'm very high functioning and have few problems. My biggest problem now is probably anxiety; anything not in my routine really shakes me up. It's more that I get *too* stressed when it's normal to get somewhat stressed, rather than getting randomly stressed at everyday things. I just have a problem with handling my stress I guess.
04/04/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Elaira
I'm the Borderline Personality, Major Depression, ADHD, Moderate OCD type and my doctor seems to think there's some PTSD in there, too.

I'd talk about it more right now, but I'm dealing with some heavy things today.
I hope you are feeling better soon and your load decreases.
04/04/2012
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Season Affected Disorder? I've had major bouts with depression in my life.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
I was diagnosed as bipolar at a very young age, early teens. Id have severe mania fits and had cut off all my hair or given myself a black eye without knowing why. A lot of instances like that. My house burned down when I was about 11. I suffer from bad pstd because of it. It happened while I was sleeping which lead to insomnia. My doctors kept trying to knock me out with pills of it but I refused, it makes me uneasy. It comes and goes. I also have a very high genetic disposition on both sides of my family for anxiety and severe depression. I have been treated on and off. I go through months where I am fine, but anyone who has gone through it themselves knows it always creeps back up on you. Ive been med free for a year and half now. Ive had a few small mild anxiety attacks but nothing even remotely close to my worst.

I will keep fighting the good fight. It also helps when you find the will to live. Out of the darkest hole you can find it.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
I've had an eating disorder for around 10 years or so. I've had anorexia, bulimia, and plain bingeing at different times of my life. I seem to just move back and forth between them depending on what's going on in my life. I work really hard to appear that I am eating "normally" to other people, but it's a lot of work to me to do that so I usually eat by myself. It definitely effects my sex life a lot. I find that when I am restricting or in a more "anorexic mindset" I tend to restrict everything pleasurable in my life including sex. When I am bingeing more, I usually have a very high sex drive.

I also have pretty bad social anxiety. It makes life pretty tough.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Zombirella Zombirella
I have anxiety issues and I have medication for it. I think mine is majorly due to having shitty self-esteem. I constantly worry about how other people perceive me and worrying that they only focus on my flaws (which is what I see most). I have trouble sleeping because I worry about stupid stuff. If something important or exciting is coming up I will drive myself crazy lots of times until the day. Sometimes I have a panic attack and I can't even say why, it just happens out of nowhere.....stress I suppose? I'm so glad college is over for me and I doubt I go back for my masters. I would go many nights before a test with no sleep. I was worried that no matter how hard I tried that I would fail (never did) or just be on edge if I turned in a paper waiting for the grade to be posted. It was like CONSTANT stress. I never felt that way in high school but for some reason I just thought failure was going to happen. It's been such a relief to be done and not have that anxiety in my life. But I'm sure something else will come along, like when I heal from foot surgery and try to get a job and other major life events. It's like part of me knows I'm being ridiculous but the other part just can't seem to get it and calm the hell down. I sometimes stress out about other people's problems if they come to me to talk about it and I care a great deal about them....if that makes sense?

I have depression but it isn't major. I hate that some people (like family) don't believe that this is a real thing and don't respect me or take it seriously and say mean/negative things to me about it. Thinking that I do it intentionally to myself and I can control it like a light switch.
I wish people like that could live one day in my place when it's a bad day and SEE what I feel and all that. Lord knows if I could just "stop it" I would?! Who the hell would choose to be depressed?! I'm sure everyone that has it would LOVE to "stop it"!
04/04/2012
Contributor: Sex Positivity Sex Positivity
I'm diagnosed with 9 of the above, but PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder each effect my life daily and severely. My PTSD is so awful that I have a service dog for it, to keep my grounded/stable in public situations, wake me up from nightmares, and help me manage flashbacks.

I have been in therapy and on medication since I was eight years old. PTSD came about when I was 14 after several sexual assaults, and I am only just now working on it openly and honestly. It all effects every aspect of my life.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Peggi Peggi
Aside from several of the above (yay me, I won some kind of disorder lottery!) I have something called IED which I've managed to have under control (sort of) but it runs in the family, and was the cause partially of me having to be given up for adoption.

I have panic attacks when I have an onset of IED, because I'm trying to control my anger and not become violent, and in doing so I cause myself to shut down. I'll have a panic attack and it's led to a couple of hospitalizations.

But, I have a sweet guy who knows how to handle me during my moments and knows just how to calm me down without much of an event taking place
04/05/2012
Contributor: Nora Nora
The public school that my nephews attend are trying to push diagnoses for both boys. The eldest they are trying to get "labeled" as having Aspberger's (or however it's spelled) and his brother with ADHD (and being color blind in two of the three spectrums)! This is, of course, because the school would get more money for kids labeled as "special needs".

Luckily, their pediatrician is a smart woman (she was my doctor from the time I was 10) and knows that this particular school system has been playing this "trick" for the past few years. With budgets being cut, they have figured out how to milk more money from the system.

That's the end of my rant...but I do caution about "allowing" anyone to label you or your kids with a disorder that isn't painfully clear to everyone around. In the case of my nephews, the oldest is just bored at school because he is beyond what they are teaching and his brother just doesn't like being told to "use the green crayon" to color grass in a picture!
04/05/2012
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
I don't feel like listing them all or explaining, but I have been diagnosed a few of those up there and have been getting care/treatment and medication for about 10 years now.
04/05/2012
Contributor: romstomp romstomp
Diagnosed with ADHD, Bi-Polar and general anxiety disorder, I also display very mild OCD symptoms. Have been on a wide and ever-changing list of meds for 20 years. Currently Focalin XR, and Lamictal. I also take the supplement NAC. I have been an insomniac since I was 12, and rarely do I get more than 5-6 hours sleep a night (most times 3-4 hours). Last couple of years Doctor has had me on small dose of ambien nightly, but still have a hard time sleeping and I really don't want to up the Ambien dose.
04/05/2012
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
OK, *sigh* Big breath.

I have had OCD, real OCD since I was at least 6 years old. I'm not a "washer" but I do have to do many daily things in a certain way, I do things over until it feels "right," I count, I tap, I ... more
Wow, that's like reading my own thoughts! It's extremely tiring having OCD and pretty much everyone who doesn't have it can never really understand what we must do just to function. I find that frustrating cause they don't understand why you do or behave a particular way. Some people just think I'm a total fruit cake with some things I do.

Changes are some of the worse things that can happen to me. Like the changes that I woke up to on here. I can't click where I use to, to get to certain pages ...
I hate getting use to new things.
04/05/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Elaira
Psychological disorders impact every area of life, including relationships and sex, which cause and even deeper disruption in daily functioning. Sometimes it's hard to manage symptoms of the disorders which causes stress and internal ... more
I have been formally diagnosed as having generalized anxiety, social anxiety, PTSD, panic disorder, major depression and mild OCD. I am in therapy for these problems and so far am managing to see real results with just talk therapy.
Both my sex life and my regular life are improving in leaps and bounds.
04/05/2012
Contributor: deltalima deltalima
Quote:
Originally posted by Elaira
Psychological disorders impact every area of life, including relationships and sex, which cause and even deeper disruption in daily functioning. Sometimes it's hard to manage symptoms of the disorders which causes stress and internal ... more
I've just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I'm freaking out. Don't know what to do.
04/13/2012
Contributor: meezerosity meezerosity
I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. These have made a huge impact on my sex life. I haven't had a partner in 3 years because of it.
04/14/2012
Contributor: SecretToyLover2 SecretToyLover2
I had a borderline personality disorder after a rape. It took years of therapy and the support of my husband but I have overcome it fully.
04/14/2012
Contributor: Miss Anonymous Miss Anonymous
diagnosed with...

Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disroder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Major Depression
Adult ADD


The one I feel effect my life the most would have to be the PTSD. Mine was caused by sexual abuse as a child. Before seeing a doctor and admitting what happend to me. I didn't think I was effected by it. Now, I see I was WAYYYYYYY wrong. The PTSD makes sex really hard at times. I have NOT fully over come it. It's a work in progess, but it is getting better.I just wish I would have took these steps earlier in my life. The PTSD also created a Sexual dyfunction....So that would have to be the worst.
04/14/2012
Contributor: Hallmar82 Hallmar82
I voted for both my wife and myself. I have chronic daily pain which affects my mood and behavior, and it keeps me from enjoying myself more and being more intimate or open in our relationship. My wife has obsessive-compulsive disorder, manic-depressive disorder, and suffers from panic attacks too. I can't speak for her directly but it does affect our relationship at times.
04/14/2012
Contributor: Thomas90 Thomas90
I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (along with some others) but i find that is the worst one which hinders my sex life. It gets me so paranoid and self conscious its unreal.
05/11/2012
Contributor: starryeyedangel starryeyedangel
I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, major depression and bipolar disorder. I am in therapy to try to work through my anxiety problems, but was refused to be seen by my previous psychiatrist after I asked her for information about the medicines she wanted me to be on, she got offended when I asked her why she wouldn’t answer my questions.
05/11/2012
Contributor: sexykiss sexykiss
i dont have any of these buy my gf does and she does not have a sex drive at all sometimes i feel like im forcing her because shes not in the mood, and then i look back and im like what is wrong with me am i not attractive
06/04/2012
Contributor: pasdechat pasdechat
I have OCD, and take medication for it. Mine isn't really severe, but since most of my tics involve cleanliness, it's definitely had an effect on my sex life--e.g. I'm really unhappy if I can't shower and change the sheets after sex. More broadly speaking, I spent a lot of time just afraid of relationships, because I was convinced that no one could accept me as I am :/
06/07/2012
Contributor: lecanis lecanis
I've been diagnosed with PTSD and social anxiety. The biggest barrier for me sexually is the PTSD: the sexual acts which are likely to trigger memories of abuse and assault for me are ones that are considered fairly vanilla. As a result, I've got a lot of "kinkier" interests, and often partners think it's awesome until they realize how much they miss what they consider 'normal sex'.

I've been in therapy for years, but it's something I'm still struggling with. The social anxiety makes it even more complicated, because it can make it difficult for me to find partners in the first place, whether I'm looking for a real relationship or just a sexual partner. I basically just do my best to be upfront about my issues and be sure that anyone involved with me knows what they're getting into.
06/19/2012