This reminded me of something. So I’ve been in a terribly severe depressive episode in the past less than a year, and I often eat junk food and sweets as a coping mechanism, and now my dentist says that I have multiple decay activity happening with my teeth, and that I need to stop eating lollipops right now. Now that I’ve lost another way to cope. Life is hard. ... View more

Hey @Blurryphaced, It's definitely not just you. I've felt like this or something similar to this for many years now, and I can tell you you're definitely not alone. For me, when I'm not comfortable to bring up something with my reular GP and therapist, I talk to a random counsellor on KHL and I bookan appointment with another GP that I do not regular see. Knowing that they don't know me and will probably never see me again gives me peace of mind. This might not work for you, but just letting you know that you're in good company here! ... View more

Hi @Tiny_leaf  Virtual hug from me Sorry I haven't been on the forum for ages - I was battling through my own depressive episodes as well. For me personally, the best thing that has worked for me is to be patient with myself. Knowing that there are going to be bad days and not blaming myself for lying in bed all day, struggling to eat or shower etc..  What do you think would work for you? Lots of love, Whimer ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04 I’d love to help you if I can.    I know that I haven’t been active for a while because I myself have been quite severely depressed and so I am undergoing intensive treatment.    But I’ve been thinking about you and I hope that we can go through this together  ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    So great to hear that your mum’s been supportive   You’ve been through tough times and I’ll just let you know that I believe in you! Please don’t give up as we are all here for you :) ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    I've been thinking of you! Sorry if I haven't been active for a while....  I myself have been struggling quite a bit with depression and sleeping problems so I might not be able to log onto the forum every day.   Just wanting to let you know that I resonate so well with what you've said regarding not wanting to work on mental health problems with people who know you well - I never talk to people close to me about my mental struggles. When I talk to KHL, I usually talk to a different person each time. And I don't have a regular GP either, I'll just talk to a different person each time. It makes me feel better knowing that people would never judge me on how I behaved previously.   Plus, I would never tell my parents anything about my depression or any other mental health problems... sometimes being in a family can mean less respect from those closest to me. I know very clearly that I couldn't change the way my parents think or behave towards me. I guess the most important thing for me is to know that my parents are not me, no matter how close our relationship has been, and it's totally normal for them to not agree with me on most of the things... and that's okay.   I hope you're well, and I'm happy to chat with you regarding anything     ... View more

Hey @MB95    It's great to hear from you! Sorry that it took me a while to reply as I myself struggle quite a bit with depression and sleep problems so I might not be able to log on to the forums every day.   Great to hear that you are feeling a lot better and that your psychologist has weekly check-ins with you. For me, it helps just to think about that I will be speaking to a mental health professional soon. When I am feeling very bad, I would try to collect my thoughts and formulate a coherent narrative on what happened to me, as I imagine discussing this with my psychologist during our next session. Even though we may not end up discussing it, I guess the fact of knowing that I will receive help is calming for me to some extent.   It's also great to hear that you've been keeping contact with your friends via zoom! I personally found social connections super important, though it might not be helpful in curing my depression, it is definitely helpful in just 'keeping my head above water' as it prevents things from getting worse.   Please let me know how you've been, and I'd love to hear from you!   ... View more

Good to hear :) @Bananatime04  ... View more

Hey @gmusicj    Just checking in with you. How've you been feeling?   ... View more

Hey @MB95    My name is Whimer (not my real name haha) and I am new builder on RO forum so I might not have read through your entire thread...but I am interested in hearing from you as in how you've been!   I personally have experienced a similar issue with my psychologist. When I had my second session with him he told me that the third session would be in a month. So now I still haven't had my third session, but I've emailed him to let him know that I needed help.   As for the feeling of loneliness, I personally found connecting with friends on social media quite useful as it makes me feel less lonely. It might not work for you though. What do you think might make you feel less lonely?   ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    I haven't been active on the forum for a while. How've you been? ... View more

@Bananatime04 Eddie’s so adorable!!   Don’t worry about that and you shouldn’t be driving at such a young age either😂   I hope Eddie makes you feel a bit happier!! ... View more

@Bananatime04 I see... I just thought you were driving as you wrote that in your post   It’s good that your are bringing Eddie with you!    And I am 18 ... View more

@Bananatime04Thats is such a long drive... if you’re able to, take a break every one or two hours and get some fresh air.    Is there anyone else who could drive for you just to allow some time for you to feel better?   I’m okay today, thanks for asking ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    How are you feeling right now?   I hope you’ve had the chance to take a bit of rest so you could restore a little bit of calmness ... View more

I see @Bananatime04    Try holding onto something really tightly and see if it would make you feel a bit more stable and secure?   When I got scared on a swaying boat (many years ago), I think what I did was that I stared at the objects that are very very far away from me so that they look almost static. This really helped ease the tension in my body.    Hope you'll be fine very soon ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    Try a few very very deep breaths and see if it works for you. It worked very well for me when I was overwhelming anxious. It didn't necessarily calm my mind down but it definitely calmed my brain down a little bit.   Any reasons why you are panicking? Or if you happen to have any meditation apps on your phone, such as smiling mind and headspace, even just try a one-minute meditation session and see if it helps.   I hope you will be feeling a bit calmer very soon.   ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    Thanks for your summary :)   It could be so difficult for you to leave Eddie... especially he’s been so close to you. And along with that you’re moving to a new place and relocation is one of the most stressful life events that people would find. I wish your journey with relocating will just be relatively smooth with your parents moving with you...   For me, one of the biggest things that’s been helpful was that I would think of the positive things that would come with my relocation to another country. For example, I used to argue with my parents in a daily basis, but since my relocation and the physical distance between my parents and I, we have all taken the time to reflect on our last relationships, and we’ve all taken a step back to appreciate the precious time that my parents and I will see each other. And now, after almost six years of my relocation, we’ve all become more tolerant towards each other.    What would you think might work for you?     ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    It's so nice to hear from you I am a new builder on this forum so nice to meet you :) and no wonder you haven't seen me around before. By the way, Whimer is definitely not my real name hahahaha just to confirm that I am anonymous.   And yes, everyone's experiences are unique and different from others. We all have different life experiences and different personalities that lead to different ways of thinking... and I definitely agree with you when you say no one understands you or knows the feeling of your struggle. I guess what I was saying was that are a lot of people out there who struggle with the broader depression and self-hate, but it's true that we all struggle in different ways. And no two people are the same.   I see you mentioned KHL, and I myself talk to KHL on a regular basis as well. Most of the time I found them helpful. And I am glad that you were happy with your call!   So tonight you will be leaving the state and saying goodbye to your family - I can't imagine how difficult this would be for you. And it's totally okay and reasonable to freak out... Would you mind sharing a little bit more on this?   If you would like, I could share a little bit of my experience on leaving my family when I was 13. It was definitely not an easy thing, even till this day when I've been living away from my parents for almost six years... I still wouldn't say that I've got used to this. But I would say that it is a precious and unique life experience for me, to be away from my parents at such an early age... it taught me so much that I wouldn't be able to learn otherwise. That said, it was indeed a very difficult experience psychologically to me as well.   And if you don't feel like you are close to recovery, even though other people say you're getting stronger, even though you've tried numerous strategies and none of them worked, that is okay... And it's also okay to believe that you will never get better. As long as you are staying safe, then it's okay to not be okay.   Thank you for your post and I enjoyed chatting with you     ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    My name is Whimer, and I hope you are feeling a little bit better since your original post about two weeks ago.   Please, don't be sorry for the rant - getting things out of our mind could actually make us feel much better.   Please allow me to share a little bit of my experience. I've suffered from depression for almost a year now, during which I've experienced every single symptom of depression - to different extents though. Self-loathing and self hate is something that I have struggled with, and will be continue to struggle with, for every single day. So just to let you know, that there are people like you out there who feel your pain. You are not alone and you will never be alone in this.   For social media, I personally block those friends who constantly show off their achievements, just to make myself less anxious. And I think we'll all agree that social media can sometimes be the root cause of anxiety resulting from endless comparison between ourselves and others...   I've recently been watching videos on Medcircle, which is a platform where mental health professionals educate people on mental health issues. And there is a quote that I absolutely loved, by Dr Sue Varma, that goes, "We compare our insides to other people's outsides."   This is such a powerful quote that resonated with me so deeply. And I would like to share it with you   Let me know how you are doing today, and I'll always be happy to chat!   Whimer ... View more

Today I practiced self care through journaling. When there are thoughts that are circulating in my mind, I would actively listen to them and note them down - in this way I acknowledge my thoughts and am letting them know that they are valid, even though they might be bothering me in some way. ... View more