The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Mental Health, Depression, ADD Discussion Thread

Supa

Came for the $. Stayed for the Ice Cream.
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
May 27, 2015
967
2,795
32
Germany
Mental health?

Yes.

An awareness thread?

Mhm.

But... why?

I know. We‘re here to talk and discuss about entrepreneurship. The Fastlane. The Unscripted life.
Beneath all that, underlying like a red thread binding everything together, in my opinion, is one thing: value.

It‘s value, that we are trying to create. To build our entrepreneurial efforts upon.

So, what‘s valuable about an awareness thread on mental health?

Probably everyone suffering from a mental health disorder wants to just live a happy life. A happy life without the disorder(s).

What would be more valuable for this person, to lessen his or her symptoms? To alleviate the pain he or she is feeling within.

So, all right. What is this thread about?

It can‘t take away that inner pain. But maybe it can give people a little bit more insight into specific mental disorders.
To be able to get on a journey to alleviate that pain, to better understand the illness and/or to seek help, one needs to know about it first.

That‘s my goal with this thread.

Giving you insights, that may help you to better understand a mental disorder. If it‘s one that you may suffer from yourself, a loved one suffers from or if you‘re just interested in that topic.

So, yes. What I‘d like to do in this thread is to depict specific mental disorders. Not from a pure scientific perspective, but rather one that looks at it from the inside. Aswell as looking into resources to help someone who suffers from it.

Some of the disorders and illnesses I want to look at are depression, OCD and other anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, shizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

This is going to take some time and work, mostly in research and putting everything together.

Therefore I‘d like to make sure, such a thread is ok from an admin‘s perspective. @Vigilante

If it is, I plan to start on monday with the first post on OCD.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

jon.a

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
329%
Sep 29, 2012
4,306
14,175
Near San Diego
Yes
If we can discuss physical heath we can discuss mental heath.

Mental health?

Yes.

An awareness thread?

Mhm.

But... why?

I know. We‘re here to talk and discuss about entrepreneurship. The Fastlane. The Unscripted life.
Beneath all that, underlying like a red thread binding everything together, in my opinion, is one thing: value.

It‘s value, that we are trying to create. To build our entrepreneurial efforts upon.

So, what‘s valuable about an awareness thread on mental health?

Probably everyone suffering from a mental health disorder wants to just live a happy life. A happy life without the disorder(s).

What would be more valuable for this person, to lessen his or her symptoms? To alleviate the pain he or she is feeling within.

So, all right. What is this thread about?

It can‘t take away that inner pain. But maybe it can give people a little bit more insight into specific mental disorders.
To be able to get on a journey to alleviate that pain, to better understand the illness and/or to seek help, one needs to know about it first.

That‘s my goal with this thread.

Giving you insights, that may help you to better understand a mental disorder. If it‘s one that you may suffer from yourself, a loved one suffers from or if you‘re just interested in that topic.

So, yes. What I‘d like to do in this thread is to depict specific mental disorders. Not from a pure scientific perspective, but rather one that looks at it from the inside. Aswell as looking into resources to help someone who suffers from it.

Some of the disorders and illnesses I want to look at are depression, OCD and other anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, shizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

This is going to take some time and work, mostly in research and putting everything together.

Therefore I‘d like to make sure, such a thread is ok from an admin‘s perspective. @Vigilante

If it is, I plan to start on monday with the first post on OCD.
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
Mental health?

Yes.

An awareness thread?

Mhm.

But... why?

I know. We‘re here to talk and discuss about entrepreneurship. The Fastlane. The Unscripted life.
Beneath all that, underlying like a red thread binding everything together, in my opinion, is one thing: value.

It‘s value, that we are trying to create. To build our entrepreneurial efforts upon.

So, what‘s valuable about an awareness thread on mental health?

Probably everyone suffering from a mental health disorder wants to just live a happy life. A happy life without the disorder(s).

What would be more valuable for this person, to lessen his or her symptoms? To alleviate the pain he or she is feeling within.

So, all right. What is this thread about?

It can‘t take away that inner pain. But maybe it can give people a little bit more insight into specific mental disorders.
To be able to get on a journey to alleviate that pain, to better understand the illness and/or to seek help, one needs to know about it first.

That‘s my goal with this thread.

Giving you insights, that may help you to better understand a mental disorder. If it‘s one that you may suffer from yourself, a loved one suffers from or if you‘re just interested in that topic.

So, yes. What I‘d like to do in this thread is to depict specific mental disorders. Not from a pure scientific perspective, but rather one that looks at it from the inside. Aswell as looking into resources to help someone who suffers from it.

Some of the disorders and illnesses I want to look at are depression, OCD and other anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, shizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

This is going to take some time and work, mostly in research and putting everything together.

Therefore I‘d like to make sure, such a thread is ok from an admin‘s perspective. @Vigilante

If it is, I plan to start on monday with the first post on OCD.

Sure. Carry on.
 

MetalGear

Gold Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
258%
Jan 24, 2017
605
1,562
Narnia
I have a hard time turning my brain off.

There is usually one more task, one more thing to do, and once that is done there is always one more improvement I can make to x,y,z.

There is so much that I want to do.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Supa

Came for the $. Stayed for the Ice Cream.
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
May 27, 2015
967
2,795
32
Germany
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

How are we going to approach this post? As I said in the first post, we will look at the specific disorders from an inside-out perspective.

Therefore, we'll look at the following questions.
First what the specific disorder actually is. A definition in other words. A quick outside view of it.
Then we'll look at how that disorder actually feels like. What it is like, living with it. This will probably be the biggest part of every post, since it's what my goal with this thread is. To help you better understand it.
Then we'll go through the differen treatment options and to end the post, list further resources on that topic.

Let's jump right into it.


What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. It has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions.

  • Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in your mind. They can make you feel very anxious (although some people describe it as 'mental discomfort' rather than anxiety).
  • Compulsions are repetitive activities that you do to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsession. It could be something like repeatedly checking a door is locked, repeating a specific phrase in your head or checking how your body feels. (source)
Maybe you have heard someone say the phrase "I'm so OCD" or "that's so OCD" reffering to them being a little bit too tidy (like sorting their wardrobe by colors).

OCD, though, is not determined by things you like to do, or things that make you slightly uncomfortable (like turning the car radio to an even number or one that contains a 5).

The D in OCD is for disorder, meaning it causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning (source).


What does it feel like, living with OCD?

Imagine yourself being, let's say, 12 years old.
You're driving with your mother to an electronic shop. You're nervous. And for a good reason. You're about to get your first mobile phone.

Excited you stand by your mom during the whole process. Looking for the phone you've picked beforehand. Waiting in line.

You're 12, so of course the contract has to be in your mom's name.
She signs and everything and then, finally, handles you the box that contains your new and very first phone.

You look up to your mom, smiling, thankful, excited.
When suddenly a thought strucks you.

"Whew, everything worked, I got the phone. Now you can die, mom."

Your smile evaporates. You're horrified. Was that... was that your thought? Did you just... did you think that?

The whole drive back home the phone lays in your lap, while you stare out the window. You think. You analyze. You try to neutralize the thought.

You'd never think such a horrific thing. You love your mom! You'd never want to see her suffer, not to mention die.

You feel like this guilt will never go away.

But soon you'll realize, that you are having more thoughts like that. Not just those, that make you feel guilty. You also start to feel responsible.

What if you don't turn that light switch on and off until it... just feels right? Mom and dad are away at friends. They could have a car accident. Better turn it on and off one more time, and one more time, and one more... until it feels right.

Why are you having those thoughts? Those feelings?

You have no idea.

All you know is, that they are not normal. So, you can't be normal, right?

You know that they make no sense. No amount of turning that F*cking switch on and off will cause or prevent an accident.
But that rest of a doubt, that what if, holds you in its tight anxiety soaked grasp.
If you'd just turn that switch again. If you'd just explain to yourself one more time, why you'd never wish harm on your mother. All the pain inside, the anxiety, the uncertainty will go away.

So you turn it again. You explain in your mind how much you love your mom. And the anxiety, the worry, the uncertainty eases its grasp and you feel relieved.

Until it starts all over again.

That's quite a long, but still a little insight into two of the first intrusive thoughts I experienced as a child/teenager.

OCD varies widely from person to person. Usually attacking what's most important to one. The parents. The partner. Ones self-worth. Ones child. Ones morals. And so on.

To explore even a little bit of a wider range of experiences, let's have a look at how others, suffering from OCD, describe the disorder in their words.

OCD is not quirky or goofy. Being a germaphobe is just a small aspect of having the disorder; it affects things you wouldn't even think of. Shit like "Monk" portrays the disorder disingenuously.

What most don't realize is there is also an internal aspect of OCD that you can't see. It's terrifying sometimes.

Ever have a horrible intrusive thought enter your mind randomly? It's pretty normal, and most people brush it off. When you have OCD you can't do that. The intrusive thought goes on a loop in your head because your mind perceives it as a real threat. These thoughts can lead you to believe you are a horrible person, when you know you are not.
(source)

This...

Pure-O OCD (officially Primarily cognitive obsessive-compulsive disorder). A lot of people don't even really know it exists. Very few observable compulsions, most of it just takes place in your head.


I constantly have intrusive thoughts of severe self-harming. Doing dishes near a garbage disposal? Thoughts of jamming my hand into it and turning it on. Cutting vegetables? Slamming the knife down on my fingers. Mowing the lawn? Running the lawn mower purposefully over my feet.


It's exhausting. And people don't believe I have OCD, because I'm not constantly flipping light switches on and off, checking my door over and over, etc.
(source)

And this...

Mine was so hidden as a child that my parents never knew about it. Routines can look like quirks or fear when they’re contained to specific things. My intrusive thoughts will sometimes play the same one line of a song or a phrase over and over and over till I feel like screaming. But no one can truly understand that feeling unless they’ve had it. (source)

If you type "what does OCD feel like?" or "OCD experiences" into Google, Reddit, Quora, you'll get hundreds, probably thousands of personal experiences and descriptions of how it feels for the specific person writing about it.

Here is one, although fictional, quote from a Stephen King short story on OCD:

“I have seen many cases like N. during the five years I've been in practice. I sometimes picture these unfortunates as men and women being pecked to death by predatory birds. The birds are invisible - at least until a psychiatrist who is good, or lucky, or both, sprays them with his version of Luminol and shines the right light on them - but they are nevertheless very real. The wonder is that so many OCDs manage to live productive lives, just the same. They work, they eat (often not enough or too much, it's true), they go to movies, they make love to their girlfriends and boyfriends, their wives and husbands . . . and all the time those birds are there, clinging to them and pecking away little bits of flesh.” - Stephen King, N. a story from Just After Sunset (source)​

Okay, we looked at a basic understanding of what OCD actually is aswell as some personal perspectives on what it feels like to live with it.

I think this will give you quiete a good, even if still simple, understanding of this disorder.

Let's summarize it, before we move on:
An OCD cycle usually starts with an intrusive thought. It may be one of harming oneself or others. One of doubt (about your feelings for your partner, your sexual orientation, your morals, etc.) One of uncertainty ("did I really put the stove off?"). Or pretty much anything.
This thought, image, urge or feeling will cause anxiety, discomfort and/or a feeling of dread within the sufferer.
Though he or she knows, that it's illogicial, the sufferer will feel the need to do a compulsion (phsysical like touching something with your left hand if you touched it with your right before, or mental like counting, analzying a thought, trying to neutralize it) to alleviate the pain the anxiety creates within this person.
The complusion will indeed relieve him or her for a while. But only until the next intrusive thought comes. Basically making it worse and worse with every compulsion.

Alright. With all this in mind, let's move on to the next question.


What help is available for OCD?

We now know, that doing the compulsions will not relieve the sufferer from his or her anxiety and pain inside for long. Actually, the more one engages in compulsions, in other words, the more importance one gives his or her thoughts, the more confirmation this will be for the brain, that it's working the right way, when clearly it does not.

Somewhere I read the metaphor, that when you suffer from OCD it's like your brain's danger detectors are not working correctly.

Pretty much everybody gets those intrusive thoughts.
People without OCD will just shrug them off as thoughts. Basically, what they are.

With OCD, though, the brain detects those thoughts as a thread. Like a submarine sonar detecting fish swimming by as enemy submarines.

So, how can we treat this disorder? Or, is there treatment available at all?

While there is no cure to this day, OCD can be treated. And that pretty good.

It would blow up this post to go into the details of the available treatment forms, so let's just list them with the proper links for more information on them.

There is medication available for treating OCD, they treat only symptoms though, not the disorder itself.

While there's no cure for OCD, one can learn to live with it and alleviate his or her anxiety and pain.

Two approaches that are proven to be of tremendous help for sufferers are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in connection with Exposure and Response Therapy (ERP).

One comment on ERP...

To anyone with OCD reading this, there is a way out. Look up OCD exposure therapy. ... I was super sceptical because I've had OCD since I was a child and tried to get rid of it myself many times, but by God did it work. I haven't done any mental or physical rituals since January and I couldn't be happier.


In principal it sounds really simple. You know that feeling when the discomfort sets in and you have to complete a certain set of rituals? That's the alarm center in your brain telling you that something is off and the only way to get rid of the discomfort is to perform your ritual. The point of the therapy is to let the discomfort come to you and not perform your rituals until the alarm center calibrates and says to you, huh, nothing bad happened even though I didn't perform my ritual. ...
(source)

Further links on CBT and on ERP.

So, alright. I feel like this post is pretty long already, so we should probably wrap things up, even though it feels like there's a lot of things to say about OCD still.

Therefore, I'd like to point you into the direction of further resources, if you are interested in understanding this disorder.

More posts on what it feels like to suffer from OCD on Quora and on Reddit.

An AskReddit thread called: "I often sit by my window and think "I could get shot in the head right now by a sniper". Reddit, what odd thoughts do you have on a daily basis?"
Sounds kinda silly? Not for an OCD sufferer. It can be quiete eye opening to see what random and weird thoughts people not suffering from OCD are having, to get a better understanding of intrusive thoughts.

A forum dedicated to OCD and dealing with it: OCD Action.

This book here: The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide to Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (New Harbinger Self-help Workbooks)


Alright. I think that's it for this post.

I hope it is helpful for you. Either in dealing with this disorder yourself, knowing someone who does and wanting to better understand it. Or just out of curiosity on the subject.

The next post will be on PTSD.
 
Last edited:

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,079
169,498
Utah
The rash of suicides from successful people who definitely lived "Unscripted " (Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain) definitely indicates that mental health is a huge part of the "F" in the health/fitness realm of happiness. Again, when the fitness portion (fitness: physical and mental) of the 3Fs is bad, the rest doesn't really matter.

Money and fame did not give these folks the respite they needed.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Maxboost

Silver Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
214%
Apr 4, 2016
403
861
44
The rash of suicides from successful people who definitely lived "Unscripted " (Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain) definitely indicates that mental health is a huge part of the "F" in the health/fitness realm of happiness. Again, when the fitness portion (fitness: physical and mental) of the 3Fs is bad, the rest doesn't really matter.

Money and fame did not give these folks the respite they needed.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-tK_rIwoSQ


Scott Adams has a very well, thought out response for the suicide epidemic plaguing western society.

TL, DW: Lack of human interaction due to technology, lack of community, and a lack of spirituality due to an increase of secularism are all factors that are not talked about. Too much change has happened in the past 100 years and we, as humans have not been able to adapt.

Worth the watch
 

Supa

Came for the $. Stayed for the Ice Cream.
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
May 27, 2015
967
2,795
32
Germany
The rash of suicides from successful people who definitely lived "Unscripted " (Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain) definitely indicates that mental health is a huge part of the "F" in the health/fitness realm of happiness. Again, when the fitness portion (fitness: physical and mental) of the 3Fs is bad, the rest doesn't really matter.

Money and fame did not give these folks the respite they needed.

In my opinion it definitely belongs to the health/fitness F. Struggling with a mental illness can take away your happiness like a physical one can.

A lot of mental disorders and illnesses are also quiete invisible to an outsider, which a lot of chronic physical illnesses are, too. Like migraine or chrone‘s disease.

One the suicide subject, adding to the post about OCD:

OCD and Suicide
Although it has long been known that the risk of suicide is higher for people who are affected by mood disorders and schizophrenia, the relationship between anxiety disorders, such as OCD, and suicide has been less clear. However, recent studies suggest that people with OCD are 10 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Actively thinking about suicide (sometimes called suicidal ideation) also appears to be relatively common among people affected by OCD. (source)

Also something I wanted to add to the post on OCD, but forgot in the process of putting it together, and to end this post here on a more positive note:

Remember: obsessions are not a reflection of your personality. People with OCD are very unlikely to act on their thoughts because they find them so distressing and repugnant. There are no recorded cases of a person with OCD carrying out their obsession. (source)
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,079
169,498
Utah
TL, DW: Lack of human interaction due to technology, lack of community, and a lack of spirituality due to an increase of secularism are all factors that are not talked about. Too much change has happened in the past 100 years and we, as humans have not been able to adapt.

Agreed, thanks for the share.

Another celebrity that looks terribly pained is Angelina Jolie. She rarely smiles and the eyes show gloom.

In every public appearance I've seen of hers in the last 5 years, she looks terribly sad and fighting some kind of internal battle. I hope not. She's a very talented lady.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Maxboost

Silver Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
214%
Apr 4, 2016
403
861
44
Agreed, thanks for the share.

Another celebrity that looks terribly pained is Angelina Jolie. She rarely smiles and the eyes show gloom.

In every public appearance I've seen of hers in the last 5 years, she looks terribly sad and fighting some kind of internal battle. I hope not. She's a very talented lady.

welp...you were spot on....

Instead of Committing Suicide, Angelina Jolie Reportedly Once Hired a Hitman to Kill Her

tl;dr she hired a hit man to kill her so not to hurt her family....

For those too lazy to watch the Scott Adams video, suicidal people do not smile with their eyes, it may be an indication of masking the internal pain.....
 

CaptainAmerica

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
244%
Dec 27, 2015
261
637
52
Phoenix OR
A personal word about depression - it may be only a sign of something else, or it could be The Thing.

In my case (I just found this out 3 weeks ago), my depression was caused from a bad mix of genetic anomalies and allergies made worse by menopause. I can totally see how some women used to be locked up after 'the change'.

So, yeah - now I don't eat any grains, any grain-like things, any corn derivatives, or dairy. I stopped eating all that a year ago or more, but was still sick. Now, I ALSO take what is amounting to a magic pill that bypasses my broken process, so I can actually absorb nutrients. Which means I have to learn how to eat all over again, like an toddler.

BUT! I am not depressed. Not even close.

So my recommendation is - see a doctor. See a better doctor. Eliminate ALL other possibilities that could be causing depression.
 

socaldude

Saturn Sedan and PT Cruiser enthusiast.
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
212%
Jan 10, 2012
2,380
5,043
San Diego, CA
It's sad that in our society we treat mental illness different than say physical illness.

If your leg is broken people can clearly see and understand and give you break but if you are mentally ill somehow your are lazy, dumb or crazy.

If your mind is broken and you feel and behave dysfunctionally then obviously something is wrong.

And not to mention that our health system thinks a pill is the solution. If you stop taking prozac and you are depressed all over then was that really the solution?

I have found that non-judgmental awareness and writing about my self has helped me tremendously in keeping a healthy mind.

I have found that our minds operate very similarly to our body. A mental illness is basically a psychological infection that has grown out of control much how like a bacterial infection can overwhelm your body and potentially kill you. The same way our bodies immune system attacks the infection is the same way I think non-judgmental awareness is our mind's own immune system.

Cause think about it, this has to be true, what is our mind's equivalent of an immune system? How can we strengthen it?

Nobody is born wanting to kill themselves. Something changed in you. The same way nobody is born wanting to go to college and be an employee, school and your socialization changed you.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

Supa

Came for the $. Stayed for the Ice Cream.
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
May 27, 2015
967
2,795
32
Germany
It's sad that in our society we treat mental illness different than say physical illness.

If your leg is broken people can clearly see and understand and give you break but if you are mentally ill somehow your are lazy, dumb or crazy.

If your mind is broken and you feel and behave dysfunctionally then obviously something is wrong.

Can't tell you how many times my fiancée and I had this conversation about how others regard "invisible" illnesses, if mental or physical.

I mean, both of us don't like being too much in the spotlight, but still, it's quiete obvious how people react to visible vs. invisible illnesses.

My fiancée suffers from chrone's disease. Pretty much invisible for an outsider, yes, but pretty much everyone in our families knows of it. Still, you get those looks if we tell them that she can't eat too fatty because it worsens her illness. People still act kinda annoyed if she can't participate in some activity, because there are also side effects from her medication, causing back pains and a decreased immunity to sun rays.

So, tell your family why you don't want to go hiking with them, lol.

Some months ago she slipped in the shower and had to wear a leg splint and go on crutches.

Oh boy, the difference in other's attitude, once she had an visible illness for a while.

Same goes for a lot of mental illnesses.

Depression?
"Just smile and you'll feel better!"
"How about getting out of bed and just do something? Won't hurt you."
"You just don't want to work, don't you?"


OCD?
"Ha? Didn't know something was wrong. You're always so happy."

Borderline?
"Don't take it so seriously!"

PTSD?
"Come on. It's been 20 years now since that happened."
"Just try it. You'll see it's not that bad being in large crowds/loud places."


And on and on and on...
 

Supa

Came for the $. Stayed for the Ice Cream.
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
289%
May 27, 2015
967
2,795
32
Germany
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Alright. On to the next post.

We'll follow the same structure as in the last post. So basically we'll look at what PTSD is (an outside look at it), what it feels like living with it (an inside look) and treatment options aswell as further resources.

Let's start.


What is PTSD?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, or other threats on a person's life.
Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress to trauma-related cues, attempts to avoid trauma-related cues, alterations in how a person thinks and feels, and an increase in the fight-or-flight response.
These symptoms last for more than a month after the event.
Young children are less likely to show distress but instead may express their memories through play. A person with PTSD is at a higher risk for suicide and intentional self-harm.

Most people who have experienced a traumatic event will not develop PTSD. People who experience interpersonal trauma (for example rape or child abuse) are more likely to develop PTSD, as compared to people who experience non-assault based trauma such as accidents and natural disasters. (source)

Please note, that PTSD is a very personal disorder, meaning, that how it affects survivors of trauma differs from person to person.

There can also be differences in how it affects survivors, based on the type of trauma he or she had to endure.

Just for you to keep in mind, before we move on to the symptoms of PTSD.

The symptoms may include: (source)

Intrusive memories
  • Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
  • Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
  • Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event
  • Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event

Avoidance
  • Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
  • Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event

Negative changes in thinking and mood
  • Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world
  • Hopelessness about the future
  • Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
  • Difficulty maintaining close relationships
  • Feeling detached from family and friends
  • Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
  • Feeling emotionally numb

Changes in physical and emotional reactions (also called arousal symptoms)
  • Being easily startled or frightened
  • Always being on guard for danger
  • Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior
  • Overwhelming guilt or shame

For children 6 years old and younger, signs and symptoms may also include:
  • Re-enacting the traumatic event or aspects of the traumatic event through play
  • Frightening dreams that may or may not include aspects of the traumatic event

The list of symptoms already gives a quiet good understanding of the struggles, survivors of a trauma have to live with on a daily basis. It's still a pretty general and outside look at it, though.

So let's read what survivors of trauma, struggling with PTSD, say about it.


What does it feel like, living with PTSD?

It is probably impossible to understand what it feels like to live with PTSD and the trauma those suffering from it had to endure.

To try to get at least a bit of an understanding for the struggles those living with it have to live with on a daily basis, we can read their stories and how they describe PTSD in their own words.

“You know that feeling you get when someone jumps out and scares you and you are on high alert for a few minutes? That alertness never goes away for me.” — Holly M. (source)

“It’s difficult to explain. Sometimes it’s the feeling that something bad is right behind you. Every car door that shuts at night is something bad. It’s being afraid to go to sleep because you know the nightmares are waiting. No one can be trusted. I constantly feel like someone is behind me. It’s being so hyper-vigilant every minute, it’s exhausting. Certain places or a flash of something brings it all crashing back down on you. It’s feeling like every day you’re going to die, and sometimes wishing for death just to get away from the memories.” — Jennifer T. (source)

"Imagine you got onto a roller coaster and you cannot get off. It takes you where it wants you to go and you cannot stop the ride.

Now imagine a force that knows your absolute worst F*cking trauma in your life reenacts it for you with shocking accuracy and even more shocking visiceral impact. You relive your worst experience of your life. Not remember. Relive. You are no longer in your body, you mind floats away like a balloon and returns to the scene of the horroric event. You cannot simply return. You have to be coaxed back. You don't know how long you were gone when it's over. Maybe it was just 5 seconds? You don't know.

That's what PTSD is like. Thats what memory triggers do."
— Rav99 (source)

""Flashbacks" (or whatever you want to call them) aren't like a movie being replayed in front of your face. You're there again." — captainjayhab (source)

"C-PTSD here (rough childhood). Literally anything could be a trigger for me because I was stuck in hell for so long. Including, as I learned after having a child, nursery rhymes. Imagine tears streaming down your face while singing "Old MacDonald" to your kid and you're not sure why it makes you so sad and scared, but it does anyway. It sounds ridiculous on the outside to have this reaction to children's songs, but it is a very real reaction and feeling to me." — lnamorata (source), note: C-PTSD meaning complex-PTSD (more info)

"It feels like someone is always leaning on your back, you have this heavy weight you cannot shake off, it reminds you of what happened, how you were involved and fills your mind with doubts, you start to blame yourself and sometimes this weight swallows you, you feel hopeless, guilty, shameful and it's an emotionally breaking disorder. I have developed a lack of sympathy, I do not trust anyone, I can't trust anyone, my guard is always up and I feel so weak all of the time." — Katie Daley (source)

"... There’s a large part of me that’s behind strong steel walls that no one is allowed through. Always being in defense mode, I can’t focus on letting my walls down. ..." — Jay C. (source)

Now that we looked at some personal descriptions of what PTSD feels like to at least get some understanding of what it actually is like, living with it, let's have a look at possible treatments that can help trauma survivors.


What can be done to treat PTSD?

PTSD can be treated. The following treatments focus on helping the sufferer to process the traumatic experiences.

Trauma-focused Psychotherapies (source)
  • Prolonged Exposure (PE)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)


What Further Resources are there?

A forum for trauma survivors aswell as supporters (partners, parents, etc.): My PTSD Forum

On Treatments: PE, CPT, EMDR

The PTSD Cup Theory


Alright. That's it for this post.

I hope it shed some light on what life with this debilitating disorder is like for those suffering from it.

Of course, this post can only dive into the topic of PTSD a little. So, if you want to know more about it, using the further resources should bring you on a good start to learning about this disorder, may it be for yourself as a survivor of trauma, as a supporter of someone fighting with PTSD or just to inform you on it.
 

juba.hadjal

Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
116%
May 14, 2017
32
37
35
FR
Hello everyone, I wanted to talk about a tragic event occurred in France Yesterday, A doctor (orthopedist) committed suicide because of a lot of pressure. Burn Out.

The reason I am posting this is that a lot of parents especially third country parents are pushing their children to become doctors without knowing that they generally are not happy with their job and are subject to very long work hours and the lack of free time... Indentured time is a pin in the a$$.

Less than two weeks ago a young lady doctor of 34 years old did the same thing.

What do you guys think about that tragedy? and what do you have to say to people who want to become doctors?
 

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
What do you guys think about that tragedy? and what do you have to say to people who want to become doctors?
There's a lot of suicide lately, and this isn't just with doctors. This is has no status quo, social class, no barriers to race, age, ethnicity, culture, and is correlated with anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress, and other factors in one's daily life, past, present, and future. The environment, relationships, coping skills, lifestyle, there are various multi-variables involved.

There is high sensation seeking involved, high risk taking, being highly sensitive, emotions, thoughts, feelings. I've been around a few myself in my experience. I understand the complexity of it, and it's not simple to conquer with just a few words, explanations, and it's a foreign language to most people who have never been in low arousal and can't get themselves back up out of troubled waters in that exact moment when they decide to make such a definite choice. When one is in low arousal, they are focused on some traumatic event, tragic experience, or perhaps many over a long period of time.

When they focus on this event or past events, they magnify it by focusing on it so much. In the case with your doctors, they may be stressed, unsatisfied, not enough satisfaction out of their lives, but this is the surface factor, it is not the root cause. There are other factors unknown behind the scenes in their private lives. Usually one is reflecting on their failures and success in various relationships, how it has affected their life, how it has impacted their life, and they're usually tired of struggling, fighting, and worn out from battling with such thing as domestic violence which involves emotional, mental, financial, sexual, spiritual abuse in the environment long-term. There's some times child abuse.

The guilt, the shame, the blame, people not taking 100% responsibility for their actions in their lives. And it also depends on their personality type. Some people handle life better when they are emotionally objective, where others are more about emotional intimacy, bonding, connection, and so in relationships you have the opposition of emotional detachment versus emotional attachment, and the average person is not aware of finding balance in the middle. One is usually gravitating towards one end of the spectrum or the other, and can't understand what's the issue in society.

We've conditioned people in society to blame, shame, guilt, and suppress their emotions. We've taught them anxiety and stress is just something you ignore, suppress, and "Deal with it." And this becomes very destructive for many women and men in our society. There's only so long you can do this, before it backfires and the end result depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, and suicide. You will find professional people all the way up the scale find themselves in trouble, while also those at the bottom. This also has to do with choices, and the cause and effect of those choices.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

juba.hadjal

Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
116%
May 14, 2017
32
37
35
FR
When they focus on this event or past events, they magnify it by focusing on it so much. In the case with your doctors, they may be stressed, unsatisfied, not enough satisfaction out of their lives, but this is the surface factor, it is not the root cause. There are other factors unknown behind the scenes in their private lives. Usually one is reflecting on their failures and success in various relationships, how it has affected their life, how it has impacted their life, and they're usually tired of struggling, fighting, and worn out from battling with such thing as domestic violence which involves emotional, mental, financial, sexual, spiritual abuse in the environment long-term. There's some times child abuse.

I agree with you, there are too many things to deal with in our external lives. Your post is very valuable and you seem to know a lot about the topic.

Maybe the lack of purpose is also a reason for not being strong enough to handle difficulties.

Thank you for your reply :)
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
Hello everyone, I wanted to talk about a tragic event occurred in France Yesterday, A doctor (orthopedist) committed suicide because of a lot of pressure. Burn Out.

The reason I am posting this is that a lot of parents especially third country parents are pushing their children to become doctors without knowing that they generally are not happy with their job and are subject to very long work hours and the lack of free time... Indentured time is a pin in the a$$.

Less than two weeks ago a young lady doctor of 34 years old did the same thing.

What do you guys think about that tragedy? and what do you have to say to people who want to become doctors?

France has an extremely high suicide rate similar to the United States. Doctor or not, France has almost one death per hour, every hour, every day of every year from suicide. The issue in France is in no way limited to doctors.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,079
169,498
Utah
Doctor suicides in France merged with the mental health thread.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

juba.hadjal

Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
116%
May 14, 2017
32
37
35
FR
Doctor suicides in France merged with the mental health thread.
Thank you, MJ I didn't know how to move the thread to the appropriate one. By the way, it is very difficult to be a doctor in France, the institutions think about money and productivity and they forgot that being a doctor requires to be attentive and caring.

But of course, they also forgot to be accountable.
 

juba.hadjal

Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
116%
May 14, 2017
32
37
35
FR
France has an extremely high suicide rate similar to the United States. Doctor or not, France has almost one death per hour, every hour, every day of every year from suicide. The issue in France is in no way limited to doctors.
I am not really aware of the stats about suicide in France and the US but it is definitely alerting. It is a sign that Great countries have multiple problems that the news often don't talk about. I guess they prefer to talk about the Kardashian in the US and Nabila in France(Reality TV Star) instead of talking about more important things.
 

rollerskates

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
269%
Jan 10, 2017
391
1,053
Texas
Thank you for starting this thread. Even if you yourself aren't mentally ill, you can be impacted by a loved one.

Phones and other screen time are the worst thing for anyone with any disorder, especially with regards to social media. If you've got loved ones that you have any impact on, do what you can to keep them from becoming glued to their phone. Especially teenagers. Please. I know what I am talking about.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
France has an extremely high suicide rate similar to the United States. Doctor or not, France has almost one death per hour, every hour, every day of every year from suicide. The issue in France is in no way limited to doctors.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it's the 10th leading cause of death in America, and every 12 minutes if this is accurate information. This is sad. This is my "Why" and of course, studied all my life because back in 1993, two people close to me months apart passed away. And I just happen to have had relatives involved with the Mental Health Systems, and Substance Abuse/Addictions, and of course even though it's not spoken about, Generation X lost a portion of our generation to suicide from 1970-1995.

And I'm sure there was some of the Baby Boomers in this mix, because at the time it was the ending of the Vietnam War, Divorce, Separation, the "Revolution" of free drugs, alcohol, sex, the hippie cults, and we were the first generation to experience this on magnified level than previous generations. While some were lucky to have families that stayed together, this wasn't always healthy either. We're just seeing it being repeated at the present time, and of course, the addictive culture is expanded and magnified compared to our generation in different ways.

When it comes to Mental Disorders, this makes it 10 times more difficult to navigate depending on what the impairment may be. If you already have navigation issues, it's kind of like trying to fly a plane with a broken wing. I watched this movie back in one of my courses in college, but does talk about in great detail the issues of what happens with those withe severe depression, manic and bi-polar. The Bridge.

Warning: The movie gets kind of deep into things, so if you're triggered easily probably not a good idea to watch it. The objective of sharing the video is to bring awareness and education.
 

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
This should be promoted on social media to awareness of people dealing with mental disorders.
I promote this a lot, the mind games we like to play. I mean should all be educated. I'm not going to comment on it too much, but has a lot to do with some of the emotional and mental issues we're facing with the younger generation. I do promote stuff, but I'm one person, and hopefully there are other referees out there blowing the whistle besides me. The last few days, I'm rolling my eyes at this 100% freedom of the feminine movement, and it's getting to extreme. I've even been told I'm prejudice, discriminating, and demanded to stop standing up for the masculine, and stand up the leftist feminine movement. No Thanks, I'm not going to support some actions and behaviors that I know will cause emotional and mental pain to children and future generations. Some of these actions and behaviors are going to cause some psychological wounds for the children, and people like me have to advocate for them whether they like hearing it or not.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

sparechange

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
161%
Nov 11, 2016
2,804
4,502
Canada (Vancouver)
starts off young, my fb is filled with teens that publicly and proudly show themselves drinking bottles and ripping bongs or talk about other drug use, pills etc.

then they grow up with all these mental illnesses, maybe im wrong, most likely not (know lots of people that are crazy from drug use)

its always turned me away from drugs and drinking. everyone i know that is involved with those activities is generally ***** in the head.

staying away from booze, pills and other stuff & living a healthy life is very important.

the celebrity stories headlines on magazines always brighten up my day, seeing these high profile people abuse hard drugs and booze suffering 'depression' while they have a life that is a million times better than mine is entertaining.

staying away from the wrong people in life is another big key, having been surrounded by a lot of shitty people, good old spare change has been around hard drugs but ive always managed to say no. seeing the aftermath & effects of ''partying'' deals you a lifetime of consequences

whats the solution? starting with children and educating them on drug use properly, unfortunately our drug education programs in Canada are always laughed at by younger kids (elementary & high school)

so i think this is more of a parenting issue.
 

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
staying away from the wrong people in life is another big key, having been surrounded by a lot of shitty people, good old spare change has been around hard drugs but ive always managed to say no. seeing the aftermath & effects of ''partying'' deals you a lifetime of consequences
I agree. I tell this to people all the time online. Ha ha! I doesn't seem to sink in their heads. There more concerned with breaking out of the box. lol I've heard this phrase so much this week, it's getting kind of humorous. How about the new phrase "Collapse some boxes, and throw them in trash compactor." Otherwise, you're just putting yourself in one box, breaking out of it and fitting another box, and another box, and it kind of reminds of at Christmas time when people put the small box in another 10 larger boxes, and tell you to open it up and it takes forever. When they keep hanging out with the same mindset, they're really not 100% free. They are fooling themselves. Addiction is just not the way to success in anything in life. Until their mindset changes, they are just finding other people with the same issues.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top