Ask Someone with OCD, ADD, Recovered Eating Disorder, and growing up with a BPD mother

cashidy
cashidy Posts: 152 Member
edited November 15 in Chit-Chat
I saw a thread earlier similar to this and it was amazing. Since mental health is important, I have some time to kill, and no one knows me here, I would like to share answers to questions about some mental health issues I have battled in hopes it will help give people some insight to these disorders and maybe if you have them give you some insight into yourself or help.

I have graduated with my bachelor's degree in Psychology, so I do have some background and understanding with mental health beyond just my own experience.

Ask anything, mental health shouldn't be stigmatized so I don't mind sharing openly.

Only positivity please!

Replies

  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    edited February 2017
    MadMaxV8 wrote: »
    ABCDEFG

    HIJK Elmimmow P

    QRS

    TUV

    WX

    Y and Z

    Now I know my disorders and diseases. Won't you sing along with me. smiley_ladysinger.gif

    Great point! Just like having diabetes, a cold, heart disease, and other physical issues, mental diseases often come in pairs (co morbidity) because if one is not treated you are likely to get more. For example, untreated anxiety can lead to depression which can lead to coping with an eating disorder. Just like a broken leg can lead to exercising less can lead to weight gain can lead to obesity can lead to diabetes.

    Mental health diseases also are both environmental and genetic, meaning you can change your environment and often see recovery from the disorder. However, when a disease is also genetic or result of a chemical imbalance, changing the environment sometimes does not even help.

    For example, in my family where mental disorders are prevalent across all members, it is very likely that my children will have a mental health disorder even if I am a wonderful mother because of the genetic component, particularly with offspring of BPD parents, which studies show is very closely related to schizophrenia (which no one would argue is made up I think). In cases like this, it becomes important to consider medical treatment like Prosac or other drugs.

    Many studies show that many mental health disorders show a strong inheritable component.
  • EatingAndKnitting
    EatingAndKnitting Posts: 531 Member
    Bipolar I with pyschotic features, PTSD from prolonged exposure to emotional abuse, some OCD, and ADHD (untreated for now).

    I don't have a psych degree, but I'll answer questions too. I was hospitalized last year for a mixed bipolar disorder, then diagnosed with PTSD and successfully treated for several issues with EMDR (the closest thing to magic that Muggles have, I swear).
  • ZodFit
    ZodFit Posts: 394 Member
    cashidy wrote: »
    I saw a thread earlier similar to this and it was amazing. Since mental health is important, I have some time to kill, and no one knows me here, I would like to share answers to questions about some mental health issues I have battled in hopes it will help give people some insight to these disorders and maybe if you have them give you some insight into yourself or help.

    I have graduated with my bachelor's degree in Psychology, so I do have some background and understanding with mental health beyond just my own experience.

    Ask anything, mental health shouldn't be stigmatized so I don't mind sharing openly.

    Only positivity please!

    What steps did you take to recover from overeating disorder? Hope all is well
  • ZodFit
    ZodFit Posts: 394 Member
    Yeah I think that mindset change is huge mixed with habit...and habits are the hardest to change
    Good on you!
  • kschwab0203
    kschwab0203 Posts: 610 Member
    My mother is diagnosed with BPD with psychotic features and Borderline Personality Disorder. Mental illness is no fun. I try to understand her but I can't. It's been quite difficult through out my life. There is a part of me that thinks that she doesn't even try to help herself, but then I remind myself that may be really believes that she is. I could go on and on with this topic.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    Adhd over here, wouldn't change it for the world!
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    138shades wrote: »
    It's great that you "want" to help but as you stated that you are an undergrad you would have no liability coverage in educating others or giving advice on mental illness or treatment. So becareful in what you do and say.

    I am sharing my experience and answering questions about my own experience and what I have learned in school, not counseling.
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    kschwab0203 wrote: »
    My mother is diagnosed with BPD with psychotic features and Borderline Personality Disorder. Mental illness is no fun. I try to understand her but I can't. It's been quite difficult through out my life. There is a part of me that thinks that she doesn't even try to help herself, but then I remind myself that may be really believes that she is. I could go on and on with this topic.

    I am so sorry to hear that, and hope you are on a journey healing from her. My mother has BPD and it is very hard to reconcile the fact they are mentally ill with the fact they are hurting you. I also wonder how much of it is "her fault". At the end of the day, I have decided it doesn't matter, that if someone is hurting me it is my right to cut them out of my life. In the end, that is what I have had to do with my mother. Other than an occasional phone call, I do not see her because her behavior is too damaging.

    There are amazing books on BPD and mothers that have really helped me. I would look into those, and feel free to write me! It isn't often I meet someone who survived a BPD mother maybe we can talk.
  • kschwab0203
    kschwab0203 Posts: 610 Member
    cashidy wrote: »
    kschwab0203 wrote: »
    My mother is diagnosed with BPD with psychotic features and Borderline Personality Disorder. Mental illness is no fun. I try to understand her but I can't. It's been quite difficult through out my life. There is a part of me that thinks that she doesn't even try to help herself, but then I remind myself that may be really believes that she is. I could go on and on with this topic.

    I am so sorry to hear that, and hope you are on a journey healing from her. My mother has BPD and it is very hard to reconcile the fact they are mentally ill with the fact they are hurting you. I also wonder how much of it is "her fault". At the end of the day, I have decided it doesn't matter, that if someone is hurting me it is my right to cut them out of my life. In the end, that is what I have had to do with my mother. Other than an occasional phone call, I do not see her because her behavior is too damaging.

    There are amazing books on BPD and mothers that have really helped me. I would look into those, and feel free to write me! It isn't often I meet someone who survived a BPD mother maybe we can talk.

    I have cut her out of my life a couple of times. In the end, it didn't really solve much as far as diminishing the chaos that comes with her because she would do anything she could to get my attention and stir up other problems with the family. I decided a few years ago that since she is the only mother I have and I do love her that it was best to try and bury the hatchet as much as I could for the sake of family harmony.

    I have to keep some distance though.
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  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    happimess1 wrote: »
    My therapist told me i had Emotional deprivation disorder shortly before i stopped seeing her. There is not much info about it online i think nor could i find any book on that subject. If you know of any book or site specific to EDD, i'd be happy to take a look. Also, any other book you found helpful regarding emotional eating besides the moon book you mentioned above?

    I would look at this because that is not a disorder that is included in the official book of disorders most psychologists recognize. This mentions it could be another term for a different disorder. http://www.healthieryou.com/mhexpert/exp1082503b.html

    Here are some ED books I read and felt were helpful:
    http://dranitajohnston.com/eating-light-moon

    https://www.amazon.com/Gaining-Truth-About-Eating-Disorders/dp/0446694827/ref=pd_sim_14_35?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZPTE0HHAM8KJ8DPSFCRJ

    https://www.amazon.com/Wasted-Updated-Memoir-Anorexia-Bulimia/dp/0062327038/ref=pd_sim_14_13?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XQGVGQJEBA1KVXZJDQNV


    https://www.amazon.com/Women-Food-God-Unexpected-Everything/dp/1416543082/ref=pd_sim_14_67?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XQGVGQJEBA1KVXZJDQNV

    https://www.amazon.com/When-Food-Love-Exploring-Relationship/dp/0452268184/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485983238&sr=1-4&keywords=geneen+roth

  • GeorgiePie88
    GeorgiePie88 Posts: 54 Member
    I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder when I was 15, but there have been times since then where I felt my anxiety manefested in different ways. I have a long history of disordered eating, but kept this relatively quiet as I was always normal weight (and overweight at times) and felt that people/doctors wouldn't believe me if I told them :/

    I find that going back to calorie-counting has triggered a bit of my disordered eating thoughts, so I need to be extremely careful not to undereat my calorie limit or obsess too much over the numbers. How do you cope with maintaining a diet plan without going crazy?
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  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
    GeorgiePie88 wrote: »
    I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder when I was 15, but there have been times since then where I felt my anxiety manefested in different ways. I have a long history of disordered eating, but kept this relatively quiet as I was always normal weight (and overweight at times) and felt that people/doctors wouldn't believe me if I told them :/

    I find that going back to calorie-counting has triggered a bit of my disordered eating thoughts, so I need to be extremely careful not to undereat my calorie limit or obsess too much over the numbers. How do you cope with maintaining a diet plan without going crazy?

    To do this, I limit how often I weigh myself and I let myself eat anything as long as it is under my calorie goal. I also make it a point to have days I do not calorie count but only eat till I am full. I focus on health and strength and not numbers.

    I get what you mean! It definitely sometimes makes me start to fall back into ED habits. But the more I say "I am already beautiful, I am working on health, weight does not equal worth" the more I am able to be healthy and not obsessive with it.

    I am sorry to hear about your anxiety, but I really encourage you to look up some counselors with good reviews and see one. They really are so helpful. There are tons of people with anxiety that manifests itself in different ways, and support groups are also amazing.

    Something I found amazing for anxiety and other issues is TalkLife at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bearpty.talklife&hl=en

    You can vent and share your feelings and get advice without the fear of anyone knowing you or judging you, so it helps me a lot to post when I am upset. Then it is out of my system and I can move on.
  • GeorgiePie88
    GeorgiePie88 Posts: 54 Member
    edited February 2017
    cashidy wrote: »
    To do this, I limit how often I weigh myself and I let myself eat anything as long as it is under my calorie goal. I also make it a point to have days I do not calorie count but only eat till I am full. I focus on health and strength and not numbers.

    I get what you mean! It definitely sometimes makes me start to fall back into ED habits. But the more I say "I am already beautiful, I am working on health, weight does not equal worth" the more I am able to be healthy and not obsessive with it.

    I am sorry to hear about your anxiety, but I really encourage you to look up some counselors with good reviews and see one. They really are so helpful. There are tons of people with anxiety that manifests itself in different ways, and support groups are also amazing.

    Something I found amazing for anxiety and other issues is TalkLife at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bearpty.talklife&hl=en

    You can vent and share your feelings and get advice without the fear of anyone knowing you or judging you, so it helps me a lot to post when I am upset. Then it is out of my system and I can move on.

    Thanks so much for the helpful words :)
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