# What's your "mental illness" forte?



## Jurgen (Aug 3, 2013)

It's sadly unfortunate, statistically speaking, on how many members log on this website daily assuming they are suffering from a very serious mental disorder in the absence of a diagnosis from a professional who has acquired a real understanding through years of training on mental disorders. Indeed, it seems foolish for one who is experiencing these distortions of the mind to in turn come to a place where they are only speaking with countless others who have only self-diagnosed. I've done it myself. I am one of you.

So what's my point? That I'm a hypocrite? No.

My biggest issue with mental illness has been believing I actually have something wrong with me. When we sense there is something wrong with us, a perceived danger to our mind, we fall into this vicious cycle of attempting to analyze and scrutinize what we have.

For me it started with DP, then it spiraled from visual snow, chronic anxiety, possible schizophrenia, out of body experiences, bi-polar disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic abuse, codependency, helplessness, solipsism, the list can go on.

I have become an expert on all of these subjects. And here's the best part. In the time you spend analyzing these things, what you supposedly have, you are forgetting one main thing.

You are literally living in your head and you are ignoring what's around you.

So here's my advice to you, coming from a fellow sufferer, who has honestly acquired a collective understanding on almost everything you can possibly imagine:

Stop living in your head. Enjoy the world.

Whatever seems to be lacking that prevents you from enjoying life, work on these obstacles. It is more productive solving problems that are actually relevant in your real life than the ones in your head from self-diagnosing and perpetual ruminating. It does not need to be a relentless effort of trying to figure out what is wrong with you. After a while, doesn't it become frustrating trying to defeat yourself?

Aren't you tired of fighting with yourself?

Forgive yourself and let go. This is my advice to you.

My brother and sisters, I send these words from the very depth of my being. I can only hope for any of you reading this, you will understand I only mean well for you all. Where your stomach churns everyday from the sadness of constantly trying to figure out what's wrong with you and with this life, I have wallowed in the despair of it all. Do not become like me. Please allow my words to heal you. You are all perfect.

"I overcame myself, the sufferer; I carried my own ashes to the mountains; I invented a brighter flame for myself. And behold, then this ghost fled from me."


----------



## Guest (Jun 8, 2014)

Yeah, part of me wants to stop posting here, it's not like it's helping me recover lol


----------



## Riah (Feb 17, 2014)

I was "diagnosed" by first a counsellor, then a therapist, and finally truly diagnosed with DP by a psychiatrist in the hospital.

I almost think it's easier for me, because when I was diagnosed I could say, "Okay, I know what's happening now. Now I can move forward and recover."

I can see why it would be harder for self diagnosed people (especially ones with hypochondrial tendencies) to recover or "get over" it. Because, where does the self diagnosing end? It adds more worrying, which worsens symptoms, which leads to more self diagnosing, and so forth.


----------



## Pyrite (Mar 25, 2014)

Riah said:


> I was "diagnosed" by first a counsellor, then a therapist, and finally truly diagnosed with DP by a psychiatrist in the hospital.
> 
> I almost think it's easier for me, because when I was diagnosed I could say, "Okay, I know what's happening now. Now I can move forward and recover."
> 
> I can see why it would be harder for self diagnosed people (especially ones with hypochondrial tendencies) to recover or "get over" it. Because, where does the self diagnosing end? It adds more worrying, which worsens symptoms, which leads to more self diagnosing, and so forth.


A lot of people have a hard time getting a DP/DR diagnoses from a professional. I tried 3 different people and none them even mentioned it. At a point I felt like my self diagnoses was accurate enough, and I'm pretty sure I would have been diagnosed with schizophrenia before DP/DR. All they really do to diagnose DP/DR is have you list out the symptoms and then match it up with something in a book, which is exactly what I did.


----------

