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Post by hellslittleexile on Feb 6, 2016 12:53:33 GMT -6
my mental health definitely affects my practice way more than I would like. most days there really isn't anything I can do for Djehuty or Anupet other then spare them a passing thought, never mind making an offering of some sort. I have depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ASD, and have psychotic symptoms, primarily thought disorders. I also have violent overwhelming intrusive thoughts, and issues with executive function, and this doesn't even touch on my physical disabilities.
my gods help with this. Djehuty helps me keep on track with school and work, and Anupet helps me to take care of myself (both physically and emotionally) and to demand the care and attention that I need. but that doesn't fix things, it just makes living a little easier. I still don't have the energy to spare, after everything is said and done, to give them special attention back.
but part of my worship is to follow their guide. they ask of me simple things, and I carry them out in their name. they take care of me, and in return I offer them deferral and admiration. I don't think they are the type to say I'm not doing enough when I'm doing my best because my worship and offerings don't look like those who have fancy shrines and give daily bread and beer and water and hold feasts etc etc. I do everything I can and throw in a little extra whenever I have the presence of mind. they know I'm doing my best, even if sometimes I convince myself otherwise.
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Post by Allec on Feb 14, 2016 7:37:06 GMT -6
I'm so glad they can offer that aid to you, AC  And in return, that you can help them. |
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Des
Junior Member
Posts: 53
Pronouns: She, Her, Them, They
Religion: Personal
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Post by Des on Feb 16, 2016 9:20:24 GMT -6
So, I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder two years ago. I went through te long and hard process of finding medications that helped to control my symptoms, and while we found medications that worked, it was still very difficult to experience a full range of emotions on my part. I found that I could experience excitement and a brief bit of happiness, but I had difficulty experiencing emotions of love for family or even partners. I didn't really know what I was feeling at any given time. I found that it led to quite a bit of rash decisions, based off of fleeting emotions. Part of this was the disorders, and part of this was the medication making me feel 'muted' so to speak. I didn't really know what was going on with me, and I didn't really know who I was as a person. (For those who may remember me, it led to one religious belief after another being meshed with another, and another, until it was this puddle of bleh that made no sense. I'm sure it was quite annoying too... <.<)
So, my solution was to work VERY hard on my inner self through some intense therapy. I managed to get off all my medications, and still control my symptoms. It's really hard, but I think it's worth it. What my therapist has taught me, and her insight on my behaviors, has really helped me control myself better and get on a more stable ground. Some days I still feel like I'm treading through mudd, or drowning in my own emotions, but I'm able to get through it.
I don't see things anymore, like I used to. I don't know why, but I am grateful, and prepared for when it happens again. One thing I have found to be very helpful in controlling my anxieties, is to constantly remain prepared for every potential stressful event. Most of the times I do this by asking myself, "If x happens, how will I respond? How should I respond? What are the steps in order to solve x?" It really helps me be prepared for all possible outcomes. Also, when I'm caught by surprise, I find that making an immediate plan for how I will handle the event really helps me control my anxiety response.
Also, I've gotten back into swimming. (Used to swim freshman year in High School.) It really helps me control my overall stress levels, since it allows me to get my 'violent' emotions out by 'attacking' the water with every stroke. I have a lot of pent up anger, I'm finding, with all the events I've caused for both myself and others. I think the medication I was on made me more docile in my reactions, so I just shoved all my anger to the side and didn't properly process it. I'm paying for that now, with having to control my responses to other people. I wish I knew how to better process and let it out, but I think I need to get back into therapy again. (Really, the only reason I stopped is because insurance decided to stop paying for the appointments. :/)
Good news though, I found out my college has a team of licensed professionals offering free counseling to students, so I think I'll be taking advantage of that. Hopefully I mesh well with one of them. :D
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Post by Allec on Feb 16, 2016 16:46:54 GMT -6
YES to having plans helps with anxiety. I need to get better with that. I tend to just have one branch of a plan figured out, which helps me cope, but then someone throws something I didn't expect and it makes my anxiety go through the roof >< So I need a plan for not having a plan haha.
Also, my dad use to do the same thing with swimming--though he didn't really have any mental illnesses, just an anger issues. But swimming through water as though you are attacking it is exactly what he did, and it helped him too.
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Des
Junior Member
Posts: 53
Pronouns: She, Her, Them, They
Religion: Personal
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Post by Des on Feb 16, 2016 19:24:28 GMT -6
YES to having plans helps with anxiety. I need to get better with that. I tend to just have one branch of a plan figured out, which helps me cope, but then someone throws something I didn't expect and it makes my anxiety go through the roof >< So I need a plan for not having a plan haha. Also, my dad use to do the same thing with swimming--though he didn't really have any mental illnesses, just an anger issues. But swimming through water as though you are attacking it is exactly what he did, and it helped him too. One thing I do as practice, is when I'm alone or have down time, running through the events for the next day and imagining random scenarios. It helps A LOT. I used to think having a plan meant that I had to totally write everything down and be a micromanager, but I find it's easier to just prepare your mind with a possibility and ingrain it, so when that possibility happens, you remember what you planned on doing. Kind of like making a memory to call on, so to speak. |
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yellowdog
Newbie
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Religion: universalism
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Post by yellowdog on Aug 29, 2016 8:43:19 GMT -6
Have you tried of trying a diet from gluten and maybe casein for your symptoms? I read many articles about this online and they speak of something like 40% of people with mental health issues could be helped with a gluten free and/or casein free diet. I've done this too (I have what the doctors call psychosis, they come in phases but some symptoms were chronic) and my mental health improved fast. When I eat no things with gluten in them I am stable and peaceful, but when I eat it then quickly bad feelings come and anxiety and paranoid stuff. In the articles they said that gluten turns into gliadin peptids in the blood which can cause minimal but frequent small inflammations of the brain, and the allergy starts rather small and you do not notice much but after one or two years you can become very ill in the brain. Gluten is in nearly all flour based groceries and casein is in all dairy. I'm only gluten sensitive and don't know much about the casein problem but maybe it's different with you. Check it out, it's easy to go gluten free (aside of the fact that gluten is addictive which takes a few days to get rid of) and every bigger supermarket has gluten free bread, flour, cookies and pasta.
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Post by Allec on Sept 8, 2016 19:36:02 GMT -6
Have you tried of trying a diet from gluten and maybe casein for your symptoms? I read many articles about this online and they speak of something like 40% of people with mental health issues could be helped with a gluten free and/or casein free diet. I've done this too (I have what the doctors call psychosis, they come in phases but some symptoms were chronic) and my mental health improved fast. When I eat no things with gluten in them I am stable and peaceful, but when I eat it then quickly bad feelings come and anxiety and paranoid stuff. In the articles they said that gluten turns into gliadin peptids in the blood which can cause minimal but frequent small inflammations of the brain, and the allergy starts rather small and you do not notice much but after one or two years you can become very ill in the brain. Gluten is in nearly all flour based groceries and casein is in all dairy. I'm only gluten sensitive and don't know much about the casein problem but maybe it's different with you. Check it out, it's easy to go gluten free (aside of the fact that gluten is addictive which takes a few days to get rid of) and every bigger supermarket has gluten free bread, flour, cookies and pasta. Interesting suggestion yellowdog. I don't think that'd work out with me, as really only the right medication and re-wiring my thought process helped with my anxiety and depression -- not diet. (Plus I can't afford the gluten free substitutes out there for food.) Also, I imagine it won't work with a lot of people -- or else my psychiatrists and therapists would have brought it up at some point over the years. Though I'm very glad it helped with you. I imagine being gluten sensitive is a large reason it helped with you. |
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mitch245
Newbie
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Post by mitch245 on Sept 11, 2016 11:47:42 GMT -6
When it comes to 'home remedies' I feel it's always important to have a solid, unbiased person at our sides to help us understand how we are truly affected. There are many things that do help. Coffee helps me a ton! B12 too. Service dog too (yay service dogs!). But there is such a thing as placebo, and I think it becomes particularly powerful when you mix in trendy diets and the so called spiritual 'go clean' movements. There have been many times, in my own episodes, where I was unaware of how distorted my thinking was. So being able to gauge the effectiveness of a treatment is not always something I'm able to do. So my opinion is that if you're going to try ANY kind of home remedies in any kind of serious way, have someone else there to gauge it's effectiveness. Of course this has to be someone who knows and understands you well. Of course things work differently per person. But having experimented alot and watched people around me on and off their medication... I'm very suspicious of the alternative and 'spiritual' trends to 'cure' mental illness. Point final, I have seen it cure zero people who suffered a diagnosable and debilitating condition.
Another thing to keep in mind with home remedies - mental illness does have its own flux and 'seasons'. Sometimes you may be getting better, or worse, and its not because of anything you've done. It's the nature of the beast. So be careful and listen to those around you who know you well! But if you do find something that works, enjoy it!
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And in return, that you can help them. 
