Mental health and isolation

[Rupes79]

Hi All,

Has anyone else also found that mental health issues isolated them from friends and family? It’s like I just can’t explain where I am at and I don’t feel comfortable being in the presence of those I know best. 

It just all gets too hard sometimes and easier to isolate yourself than have to explain yourself. 

Thanks

[Juliet_84]

Hi Rupes79,

Firstly, I just wanted to give you a warm welcome to the forums 😊 Aside from anxiety and depression, I also have a chronic medical condition and I often find that all I want to do is isolate when I’m not feeling well. I think we can do it out of fear at times, fear that those closest to us won’t understand or will inadvertently say something wrong or hurtful when we are feeling at our most fragile. But then the downside is that we also have to deal with our struggles on our own and deprive those closest to us from being able to support us when we need. I also find that, even though seeing people is the last thing I feel like doing at the time, when I see people I often feel in a much better mood after I have seen them. Do you have a few people who you are closest to that you could start opening up to about your struggles?

[geoff]

Hello Rupes, absolutely, these feelings are what usually happens when you suddenly become ill with any type of MI.

You are frightened of what they may say to, trying to dismiss the reason why this has suddenly happened to you and keep telling you that there is nothing wrong, while you feel completely the opposite.

People don't want to know but please try not to stay isolated, make an appointment with your doctor, then they can begin the process of helping you.

I truly know how you are feeling and so very sorry, and know that if we stay to ourselves it can easily manifest to a worse condition and you will find out if any friends/family understand what you are going through.

Please keep in touch with us as many of us have been through exactly the same as you.

Geoff.

Life Member. 

[Rupes79]

Hi Juliet thanks for the kind words. I have people that would listen I just don’t want to make a big deal out of it and don’t want them constantly asking me how I am and getting worried when that doesn’t change which is what I know would happen. I think sometimes it’s easier to shut yourself off. 

[Petal22]

Hi Rupes79,

Im sorry you are feeling this way I understand it’s hard.

I have a lived experience of severe anxiety OCD this condition did try to make me isolate myself from the ones I loved but I made a decision that no matter what this condition was trying to make me do I would push back at it and do the opposite.

Please Rupes79 don’t shut yourself away I understand how difficult it is to bear all of this but go against it.

Talk to the ones you love and stay close to them.

[Juliet_84]

Hi Rupes79,

I totally get it but in my experience you can also approach it in a way so that the focus is not entirely on you or your struggles. For example, I catch up with a friend near me once a week for a walk. During that walk we cover a wide range of things, how we’re feeling, what we’ve been up to and we laugh so much, even about things that have bothered me and so after my walk I feel so much lighter. Or I catch up with another friend for the movies every few weeks, we hurriedly say how we’ve been and then watch a movie and go for a coffee afterwards where we talk about the movie and what we thought. In neither of those interactions do I particularly address my mental health but it greatly benefits from these interactions. Sometimes they ask me how I’m doing and if I don’t want to talk about it I deflect it with a “oh you know same old same old” and we move on to something else. All I am saying is  don’t underestimate the power of fresh air, mild exercise and a laugh - it doesn’t take a lot of commitment or motivation on your part but it never fails to put me in a better frame of mind. Funnily enough, despite this, I usually have to force myself to go depending on the day, but once I have I’m always glad I did it.