Hello All

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Hi! My name is Jenna and I've been dealing with depression, GAD (general anxiety disorder), an EDNOS (Eating Disorder not otherwise specified), and self harm for over two years. I'm only 17 so it's hard for people to take me seriously when they hear I am diagnosed with these things. The words "attention seeker" and "annoying" come up a lot.. Anyways, I am on Zoloft at the moment and I've gained over 30 pounds since I started the medication and I'm trying to become healthier. It's hard to not slip up and go back to my eating disorder habits but I'm trying my hardest. Mental Illness runs in my dad's side of the family, so he usually understands what I'm going through, but I still need more support. There's a Facebook group called Beyond Blue that has helped me a lot. If any of you would like to join it, let me know and I can add you (it's a closed group). Anyways, I really hope to find an active community here and I hope we can all help each other out. I'm very good about understanding and having compassion, so I'm here if anyone needs to talk about anything.
Well, that's about it. Thanks for including me in your group!

Replies

  • JULIEdance
    JULIEdance Posts: 139 Member
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    Hi Jenna, I would like to say you´re never too young and never too old to struggle with this kind of problems. I am "too old" for self harm and eating disorders - and here I am. The struggle is the same real no matter how old (or young) you are.
    I have only joined this group last week and I hope to find some support and understanding here, but it seems quiet here... Feel free to talk to me whenever you want!
  • teknosprite
    teknosprite Posts: 50 Member
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    Hi :) welcome ... It can be a bit quiet on here, I am new as well. I was first diagnosed and treated when I was about 13-14. Then it was between bipolar and depression, but over the years it has come to "double depression". Mainly chronic low grade depression (dysthymia) with bouts of major depression. So I'm always depressed :( some days worse then others. .. Thankfully I have not had a major episode in a long while. So maybe I just have dysthymia now. I am on good Meds and had a great doctor, but unfortunately he retired last year, and recently passed away. So now I have a dr smith and he's as generic as his name sounds.

    Anyway, mental illness can begin at any age and doesn't go away unfortunately, there is no "too old" or "too young" as we all know.

    I check this forum fairly often, esp if I know people are posting. :)
  • charliemarie923
    charliemarie923 Posts: 275 Member
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    Hi everyone. Im 24 now and have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and bulimia since the age of 17. My problems started at around age 12 when I began self harming and purging but my biggest issue was I tried to overdose at age 14 and yes the doctors all thought I wss too young to be depressed, because all this and crying myself to sleep every night wasnt enough. I was asked if I felt like a black cloud was following me and when I said no they determined that I was okay.that is my story. I have also suffered with eyelash pulling since the age of 7. Im so sorry to hear that ij this day and age people are still labelled as too young or old to suffer. Im glad youre on medication that should take the edge off it ihope.
  • Saratini76
    Saratini76 Posts: 115 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Hello! It's good to see some posts in the group (I hope I don't kill this one...I have a complex). I haven't been diagnosed as long as you, it took until my late 20s for anyone to truly see what I was going through. I am a master at hiding. I have depression, binge eating, anxiety, and PTSD. As a teenager, I did self harm (hair pulling, banging my head) and had days when I cried for over 24 hours. I attempted suicide once.

    I am glad you were diagnosed young, this gives you the opportunity to overcome it early and enjoy life as much as possible! Both weight loss and mental health are a journey, so remember there will be set-backs.

    Feel free to message me if you ever need to talk. So glad to see movement in this group!!

    <3
  • Crazycatladytracey
    Crazycatladytracey Posts: 46 Member
    edited January 2015
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    hi people. i am tracey and next month im 41. i have mixed state bipolar, very depressed at the moment (i was diagnosed three years ago but my pyschatrist says i could have had it from my teens). i got asthma and diabetes type 2 insulin dependant. i have ankylosing spondilitis (which makes me be in severe pain when walking. i have my good times and bad time. i have been ill over xmas with a viral infection and swollen glands. just stopped my fourth lt of antibiotics as i had bad side effects with them.
    . i had emergency surgery in feb 2013 and upto november last year i had lost 5 st. im going to make this year my year to loose some more weight.
  • BlackPup
    BlackPup Posts: 242 Member
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    Hi people, I have had bipolar 2 for half my life (I'm 36) but only diagnosed 10 years ago. I've got good meds and I'm relatively stable but I do get hungry from my meds.
    I'm currently 93.1 kg and my first goal is to get below 90