Mental Illness

[Andrew, Jr.]

I have neurological disorders from a head injury since infancy. I am very slow. My biological family is ashamed of me because of this. All of my siblings are successful in my parents eyes. I am a disappointment. I can barely read and write, and am close to 50 yo. Instead of finding goodness in the qualities I have, they just find my faults.

Same goes with online people too. They have no clue as to what it is to walk in my shoes. I think if they could see me, and spend time with me, they would understand. I am harmless, and am a good person. I have never meant anything evil or nasty towards anyone. Ask Linus. I met him last month to smoke a cigar at Cross Street Cigar Shop then to Rope Walk for dinner. I had a ball!

What is in my mind never comes out. It is trapped. What you read and see, is just an ounce of my being.

[BellaOctober1]

This is going to sound twilight zone, but I have 2 sisters who both have severe personality disorders and have been diagnosed as bipolar.

Our Mother had severe problems, but back then there were too many labels cociety placed on women who asked for help, so she was never officially diagnosed. I am the oldest of us three sisters, and I can look back and easily say my mother had some major mental problems.

I heard about Glen Close and her sister through the media. She also has a site on Facebook. I take any opportunity I can to learn about Bipolar. I've had a real problem with patience, for both sisters, for any length of time, and I'd like to change that through understanding.

[Andrew, Jr.]

There are many famous celebrities who have mental illnesses. Let me list some:

President Abe Lincoln - Depression

Virginia Woolf - Depression

Lionel Aldridge - Greenbay Packers Player in the 60's and 70's & played in 2 Super Bowls - Paranoid Schizophrenia; Was homeless for over 2 years;

Ernest Hemmingway - Clinical Depression & Suicided

Sylvia Plath - Clinical Depression

Jimmy Piersall - Boston Red Socks player - Bipolar

Patty Duke - Manic Depression


Mental illness can happen to anyone at any time. And nobody is an island. As much as some would like to think this, it is not true.

[Apocalipstic]

I have struggled with clinical depression my whole life. Also, I have been diagnosed recently as having some neurological differences. Thank you for this thread Andrew!!

The holidays are always when I have the most difficult time. My routines are all disrupted and I have to deal with situations I would just rather avoid. Way more social interaction than I enjoy.

Thank you Kayden for saying that some people may not want to discuss.
I think its important for those of us who are past all that to come on out and talk about these difficult issues so it does not seem so scary. I wish when I was younger someone other than just poor Patty Duke would have spoken out

[Andrew, Jr.]

Apocalystic,

I have a head injury since infancy called tbi (traumatic brain injury = neurologist's term). That injury has lead to major neurological issues for me, and the after-effects including seizures, migrains, and depression. Nothing will ever change it. It is very isolating. What happens in real time is not what happens online. We spoke years ago about our situations, and we both know the pit of hell we are in. I have no other words to describe it other than that.

Have you seen any of the psa's Glen Close has done? They just bring tears to my eyes. I love them all. Look them up at...utube or whatever that site is that everyone goes too. One of the reasons Glen Close is participating in the psa's is because not too many celebrities are outting themselves in the mental illness areana. The stigma is too great (negative). It shouldn't be.

Love,
Andrew

[friskyfemme]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

I have neurological disorders from a head injury since infancy. I am very slow. My biological family is ashamed of me because of this. All of my siblings are successful in my parents eyes. I am a disappointment. I can barely read and write, and am close to 50 yo. Instead of finding goodness in the qualities I have, they just find my faults.

Same goes with online people too. They have no clue as to what it is to walk in my shoes. I think if they could see me, and spend time with me, they would understand. I am harmless, and am a good person. I have never meant anything evil or nasty towards anyone. Ask Linus. I met him last month to smoke a cigar at Cross Street Cigar Shop then to Rope Walk for dinner. I had a ball!

What is in my mind never comes out. It is trapped. What you read and see, is just an ounce of my being.

My dear Sir,

Those who judge or belittle you... do so because they, themselves feel inadequate. It is truly their own disability. My brother lives wih a tramatic brain injury. He is now 49. He went over a bridge in his car when he 25 yrs old. When he was in coma (6wks), the doctors told us he would be a 'vegetable'. All of his siblings agreed that he should be removed from 'life support'. However, our mother said she could not allow it . My brother
came out of coma after suffering 2 major strokes as well. He was paralyzed on his left side (dominant side), unable to speak, walk, eat, or even breathe on his own. I was appalled that my mother would allow him to continue living with all of this wrong. I, then witnessed a miracle. All of my family rallied together (untl then we hardly saw each other) to help my brother reach his full potential. We were with him everyday. After 18mons of therapy, my brother began walking, talking, eating and breathing on his own. Not only did he heal, but so did his family. We were the ones who faced our fears of our own mortality and limitations. It was my brother that gave this to us, not intentionally, but just by being in our lives. He is not the brother I knew before the accident . He struggles each day to walk, to express verbally what he needs or wants. He has outbursts of yelling, pounding, and hitting when he becomes frustrated or agitated. He can't control himself. His medication changes frequently, most works the opposite on him than it is suppose to. He has taught me compassion, love, and thankfulness for all I have. When he comes to the phone and struggles just to say 'hello' and laughs when I ssay 'hello' back, my heart smiles.

I hope that you can see that those who don't support you, don't feel good about themselves. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive them. Pray that they can heal. This world's peace and love comes from everyone's ability to have it and share it.