Skip to main content
Forums Home
Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Special Events

Former-Member
Not applicable

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

My mental health worker helped me to make a list of warning signs adn what to do if i was going down hill... I've only experienced slight psychosis features once so not sure if this will help you but my warning signs are not getting enough/any sleep, missing or being late to appointments, avoiding friends/social commitments, suicidal ideation, self harm, feeling slow, not being able to concentrate on things, forgetting things, not wanting to take my medication, flat or numb feelings

LJ

 

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Askusanything.jpg

 

Happy Monday everyone!

Thanks to @Former-Member and @Former-Member for your responses last week. This week's question is:

I suffer with depression and anxiety and just recently I've been struggling with extreme feelings of inferiority and worthlessness. I have had to stop using my facebook account because I see all these beautiful and successful people who're ordinary and still amazing and I just feel like I am worth nothing.

I just feel like I'm a worthless human being. It's being chanted in my head whenever I try to do a piece of work or whenever I see another person. I've tried everything to drown out the voices, art therapy, mindfulness, everything except meds. I've even tried to better my self but that isn't doing anything but make me even more exhausted.

Has anyone else been in this situation? How did you deal with it? Will I be like this forever?

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

I think this is a common feeling, in that many of us feel this way and experience this situation.  Including me !  I am certainly sorry you are going through this, but please know you are not alone.

I think it's helpful, and I find it helpful to work through some of the following:-

1.  You are not worthless.  Number 1, you are absolutely NOT worthless.  You are very worthy as a human being so lets get that clear.

2.  We are all different, and our circumstances are different - so it's mindful not 'comparing' me to others when I read things and hear of how someone else is doing.

3.  depression and anxiety are responsible, in my personal belief, for us feeling and thinking this way or in believing we are worthless.  Illnesses tend to distort our thinking, beliefs and perceptions.

4.  Acknowledge all the things you are trying, because this shows you are doing something about it.  Trying even in the face of perceived failure is better than not trying at all.  Give yourself a little pat on the back.  The aim is to keep trying, and trying with support when we feel ourselves overwhelmed or lacking motivation.

5.  All these 'beautiful and successful people' we see on Facebook deal with their own situations.  We read the positive, but I assure you every person has non-beautiful and non-successful situations in life.

6.  When you're feeling worthless, you are, in my personal experience, only feeling the negative aspects of your day.  I have started doing a photo-diary (not everyday, but some days and its only started in the past week or so).  It has proven to me that there are beautiful things amongst my cloudy, miserable and mis-perceived view of a hopeless life (ie mine).  I look outside my back door in my overgrown, weed infested yard (my garden) that I haven't been able to do much with for years.  Yet in amongst that mess are flowering plants, bird life, beautiful sounds, bird nests with chicks, flourishing plants, and many other things that I don't notice. Food for thought. 🙂

So I have had to see beyond my mental illnesses and past my pain.  Mental illness is like putting blinkers on a horse, they distort the true vision of the world and give you a limited view.  Whilst we may have difficulty taking those blinkers off, we can turn our head and change the view.  We can and do adapt.

Congratulate yourself that you seek trying things like mindfulness, art therapy and the like.  I would also consider therapy (psychologist etc) to help you explore a wider range of possibilities, maybe even journalling regularly so you can diarise your feelings over time (a few weeks, a month or two).  A therapist can work through why you feel worthless and then target some strategies that work in with your illness/es, lifestyle, limitations (and we all have those!, I know I do), etc.  I like to think outside the box too, as I find that medications generally have not been successful - but some have helped - yet therapy is my best defence against my illnesses.  Re-training how I think has its advantages.

Whilst I understand stopping Facebook, it's also closing off possible positive interactions and support.  But this is a personal choice and only you can determine how long you stay off FB.  You can choose to not see some posts, scroll past them or to stay off for a week or so and see how you feel after that week.

I wish you well.  Keep trying, seek more support if that is helpful to you.  Maybe keep a diary and find all the wonderful things that you may not notice unless you look a bit closer.  Of course, log the not so wonderful things, do a pros and cons list.  What I thought was ALL negative, proved to be a bit of both negative and positive.

I wish you well, and take care.  Keep us updated of how you feel over the next week or so.

JJ.

 

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

I remember being in this situation in my final year of uni. I thought there was something wrong with me and kept persevering with my goals as I hoped this would be enough to keep above water. Eventually, though, I saw a GP and filled out some questionnaires. He said I had depression and showed me a chart with my usual and current moods.

I didn't want to take meds, but he said I would 'go back to how I used to be' and 'it's a small price for freedom'. I have to say now that I agree, the change was rapid and I got my health back. These days I wouldn't be functioning if not for a particular med, but everyone is different.

One last thing - don't pay too much attention to Facebook, it's the airbrushed version that people do and they struggle to keep up that posture.

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hello @BamBam

It's good to see you. I have mentioned your name in past posts; but, don't think I put your name down properly.

How are you? 

Your responce to this lovely person is in my mind, worthwhile.

I didn't want to take meds, but he said I would 'go back to how I used to be' and 'it's a small price for freedom'. I have to say now that I agree, the change was rapid and I got my health back. These days I wouldn't be functioning if not for a particular med, but everyone is different.

 

@BamBam would you write that you got to know yourself with the right medication and your life feels more.....worthwhile?

This lovely person writes about not taking meds but she/he turns herself/himself inside out caring for herself.

I know, not taking medication; I was a power person, an amazing mum, working....obsessively. I went to Uni and .....studied for my Graduate Diploma ....

But behind the scenes; I was so ...vulnerable. My Dad stole my home. I kept on meeting boyfriends who did not love me. Some very bad things happened. I would cry and lament most nights. 

But everyone has a different story. 

Do you think that your sadness has to do with medication or just.......doing the thing of compulsion...comparing yourself to others??

 

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hi @PeppiPatty. Without wanting to frighten the poor poster, in my case I think they stem from some childhood issues which have led to a deep melancholy. Again, everyone is different and mileage varies when it comes to psychotropic substances. I am thankful I don't have to suffer treatment-resistant depression like I did before finding the right pill.

I think it's very much a result of comparing yourself to not only others but to your idealised version of yourself. In fact, things have been going so well at TAFE this year I am thinking of giving it all up and becoming a poor artist 🙂 That would be a change from my usual self!

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

mmm

@BamBam now I remember why You have been on the back of my mind.

I went through the TAFE art courses for years. Then went to University. I've included my last picture I did. What is great about your message; is that while studying ART ...you decided to use medication. I personally find that really mature.

But like you write; Its a personal decision isnt it?? 1888606_806805399370052_1529238148_n.jpg

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

@JackJane  it feel like you need to say this over and over again to some people and you know, this person will hear you........

Your message is great...Great. Can I just.....write notes on your message??

1. Your not worthless.

2. We are all different.

3. illness tends to distort our feelings; anxiety and depression are real.

4.You are trying and give yourself a pat on the back.

5.Facebook people have to deal with real life. 

6. when you feel worthless; you are only sinking in the negative experiences of the day.

7. when your on FB, you are stopping yourself for other more positive interactions of the day.

8. And not seeing the beauty of the natural world around you.

9. Congrats for your past work on you. Good Luck.

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

Hello @PeppiPatty, @NikNik, @BamBam, @JackJane, @Former-Member, how is everyone ??

@JackJane, your message was great , thank you

Re: Ask Anything Monday!

I feel exactly the same. I feel as though life was so much easier before Facebook and I feel as though I have been hurt so much just by seeing particular posts and people. Before Facebook you couldn't torment yourself with stalking your ex and seeing what a great life they have now. The worst thing is, no one puts up the bad. I have been having a really hard time and my friend said to me the other day, 'but you always look so happy and have such a fun life on facebook'. But it's Facebook. We twist words and over analyse pictures and posts and crumble at the mention of someone else's success. Sorry, this might not be helpful but I just wanted you to know I feel exactly the same way. I feel like a failure and I know a lot of it has to do with what I see on social media. So, you're not alone.
Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

Further information:

  • Loading...

For urgent assistance