#mhastorm

[mental-health-advice]

(Heartless again) Thank you so much for answering my ask! It means a lot to me :) it's hard to not feel like a bad person but you're so understanding and it made me feel a little better.

Hey there!

You’re so very welcome. Relationships are super complicated, but can be a lot more manageable with communication. I hope your future relationships with people, be it friendships or romantic or not romantic are successful! Good luck! Live long and prosper!

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

Tag as 2204 ( part 1 ) I always think that people can read my mind and that my moms boyfriend or anyone that has stayed in my house has planted cameras everywhere except my bedroom which really scares me and makes me suspiciously look around for the cameras and I act differently when I think there's a camera by me. I also think that my mom or little sister ( who I love lots ) are going to stab me whenever I'm near them in the kitchen and it's almost like a can feel a knife going into my ribs...

2204 part 2 I feel really guilty for feeling this and have no reason what so ever to believe that they will hurt me but I get really scared and will limit how many times I will hug them and go near them in a day , just to be safe. I also hear loud alarm sounds or any other sound that make my ears hurt which no one else can hear. I know I'm rambling on about different problems but they all seem kind of similar and i thought it would be easier to send different tagged asks. Sorry to bother

Hey there!

You are not bothering us at all by sending in this ask. It’s a great step in moving forward with recovery and figuring out what is going on. And it sounds like you’re dealing with a lot, as well as a lot of confusion on why this is going on. Now, I am not a professional or trained psychologist of physicians, so I can not diagnose anything, but I could give some things that could help you to understand what is going on.

Starting with saying you think people can read your mind or are planting cameras which makes you anxious. Thoughts or beliefs that you are in danger or those around you. While they feel very real, these thoughts are generally irrational and often false. Often referred to as delusions, “false or erroneous beliefs that usually involve a misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences. Their content may include a variety of themes (e.g., persecutory, referential, somatic, religious, or grandiose). (x)” However, the physical feeling of being hurt, hearing alarms, and the other sounds you experience are both different types of hallucinations. Tactile and auditory hallucinations.

Now both of these symptoms can be found in numerous disorders, both psychological and physical. Because of this, seeking out help from a psychiatrist or a doctor would be best in order to start any treatment you may need. Through treatment you could possibly no longer have hallucinations, be better able to understand and control your delusions, and from there make a better connection with your family. It could help! In the mean time, there are some coping techniques that could help you. Both for delusions and hallucinations. I hope this has helped though! Remember, no matter the diagnosis, this doesn’t mean you’re crazy or insane. Live long and prosper!

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

So I suffer severe disassociation and the only way I can come back to earth is to inflict pain. I used to self harm in the past, and I'm scared it'll get worse. Any solutions that work in public as well? tag as dispain so I can find please. Thanks!

Hey there dear,

I think the main thing you could try focusing on is getting help from a therapist to try and resolve the cause of the dissociation. Be it from the past or any disorder, it could really help in finding a solution or an effective coping mechanism for you. 

However, in the mean time you could try some of the following techniques.

Physical sensations

Smells/Aromatherapy

Grounding stone (small heavy object)

Hand puzzles 

Fuzzy Keychain (textured items

Peppermint gum

Focusing

Photos (things to focus on)

Crossword/Sudoku/Word-Search

I-Spy games

Focusing on colors that calm you

Reminding yourself your location/time/date

Reading books (read words backwards as well to focus on the action of reading)

Describe your surroundings

Reorientation (more for private settings)

Verbally say your name, age, location, date, and what time it is.

Keep a watch on at all times

Name five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and then one thing you taste. 

Recall recent events, especially any positive ones.

Reaffirm details for yourself (”I am safe. I am here. I am...” statements)

There are many more techniques located here and here. They can be very helpful. Another helpful thing is to have a grounding box located in your room, as well as a small pocket sized bag with grounding items. Usually something small to hold and a perfume/essential oils vial that can help with grounding. I hope this helped! I wish you the best of luck! Live long and prosper!

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

I just found out my mom has been using pain pills for 3 years. It's devastated my family emotionally, but especially financially. My dad said we could be in a lot of debt and might have to move. She's in rehab right now. I'm rooting for her, but it really makes me upset when my relatives tell me that I should basically suck it up and think about her and not be mad. She quite possibly ruined our finances, and I'm not allowed to be upset? I don't know what to do. I feel so alone. - Hum

Hey there dear,

I’m really sorry that this has happened. You are absolutely allowed for feel mad, or upset, disappointed, worried, angry. What matters is what you do with these emotions. Attacking your mom, blaming her, while understandable is more destructive than constructive when someone is recovering from addiction. That doesn’t mean you can’t express these things to people who understand where you are coming from. However, family members may also be struggling with accepting what they have learned, or have had others who went through addiction and recovery. It is a very long process for some, short for others, but it’s still a process.

Main thing to focus on now is yourself, how you are coping, what you need to be okay with this information and new situation. If you need therapy, someone to talk to, seek it out, and it could really help deal with the emotions you are feeling now. Another thing that could help you, especially if talking to a therapist, is trying to understand addiction itself. While it is understandable to be mad, to be upset about her using your family’s money to buy pills, but addiction doesn’t have reason, it’s more like a disease, and I bet your mom does feel guilt about what she did. She may even share these things with you. Which is where support in recovery is really important for her. 

There are also support groups in which you could attend for children of parents with addiction. Even in her own program, there may be days for family members to attend, share their stories and emotions. If you wanted to attend this, it is an option with your mother and father’s consent. It could help you vent and be understood by your family while also helping your mom in recovery. You do not have to be alone though. Seeking out professional support can be a first step, support online as another, or support through group therapies for other people going through what you are going through. But you are not alone dear. You really really aren’t, and this will get easier. I wish you the best of luck. Live long and prosper.

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

Hey, did u guys receive an ask tagged smth along the lines of "notavampire233" recently? I sent it a few days ago but I can't remember exactly when and it's not on the taglist...

Hey there!

I’m currently working on the new tag list and did not see anything tagged with the word “vampire” in it at all, so I don’t believe it is in the ask box. Nor can I find that tag or other variations of that tag in the answered questions, so we may have never received it. I’m really sorry about that, tumblr can glitch a lot, especially on mobile devices. You could try resending and we can get to it as soon as we can! Again I’m really sorry that the ask didn’t go through. I hope we can still help you though! <3 Live long and prosper,

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

Did you get a submission talking about getting diagnosed with PTSD, I'm not sure what name I tagged it with, but I just want to make sure it got through.

Hey there!

So we have many asks/submissions involving PTSD. One with a focus of being diagnosed with PTSD as well as a dissociative disorder. However, there are asks tagged with “PTSD” located here. One of which is a submission tagged with the name Ellie which was answered fairly recently linked here. If any of the answered ones are yours then I hope that it is of help to you. If not, the closest to an ask involving being diagnosed involves DDNOS in the ask. If this is not yours then I’m very sorry but I don’t believe that we have your submission. Hopefully however it has been answered. Best of luck to you! Live long and prosper!

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

Hey. Sometimes, I can't convince myself that people actually exist. Like, it's a fake identity. Other times, I start questioning my personality or why I'm here. I'll think of myself in third person, as a character. What is this?

Hey there!

So, the term the could fit with what you are experiencing is depersonalization  or derealization. Or even both. 

Depersonalization symptoms include:

Feelings that you're an outside observer of your thoughts, feelings, your body or parts of your body, perhaps as if you were floating in air above yourself

Feeling like a robot or that you're not in control of your speech or movements

The sense that your body, legs or arms appear distorted, enlarged or shrunken, or that your head is wrapped in cotton

Emotional or physical numbness of your senses or responses to the world around you

A sense that your memories lack emotion, and that they may or may not be your own memories

While Derealization symptoms include:

Feelings of being alienated from or unfamiliar with your surroundings, perhaps like you're living in a movie

Feeling emotionally disconnected from people you care about, as if you were separated by a glass wall

Surroundings that appear distorted, blurry, colorless, two-dimensional or artificial, or a heightened awareness and clarity of your surroundings

Distortions in perception of time, such as recent events feeling like distant past

Distortions of distance and the size and shape of objects

Both of these can have a variety of causes ranging from high stress to trauma. While the occasional experience of these symptoms can be normal, when they become frequent or cause problems for you in daily life it could be in your interest to seek professional help. There are some grounding techniques that could help you stay grounded and more connected. Also, finding things that could be causing the distancing. Especially anything causing high stress, if there are any triggers, recent or past trauma, grief. I do highly suggest seeking any form of therapy to help cope and understand the cause of these symptoms. I hope that this has helped. I wish you the best of luck! Live long and prosper!

-Storm

[mental-health-advice]

help:( lately I have been having heart palpitations and chest pain.I do have a form of heartburn but I'm still convinced I have a major heart problem and Im going to have a heart attack and die.Last night I couldn't fall asleep till 5:30 AM bc I was terrified I would die in my sleep. my doctor listened to my heart and said it sounded perfectly healthy,but I wasn't convinced so I'm going to get an ekg soon.How can I stop worrying about this and go to sleep? Is this all in my head?I'm a 16 y/o f.

Hey there dear,

I think you are on the right tract in checking out all the physical causes of heart palpitations. Going to the doctor was a good choice, and seeking a second opinion as well is a good second step. If both come out well, then I would suggest checking possible anxiety or panic disorders that can mimic heart disorders. Especially any anxiety that have a basis in worrying about your physical health (hypochondria).

The reason I suggest anxiety disorder is because of anxiety’s effect on the body. It generally puts the body in a consistent fight-or-flight state which results in increased heart rate, stronger heart beat, as well as chest pain in severe cases. Panic attacks are similar to anxiety attacks in symptoms but have different causes. while an anxiety attack can come on when you start to worry about your health, a panic attack occurs out of nowhere. It’s like the physical version of an anxiety attack. 

Main thing to cope would finding calming techniques that work for you. Try to avoid stimulants like caffeine or too much sugar consumption. Also, if the ekg goes well, consider going into therapy and see if they have a solution for you or could provide treatment for what you are experiencing. Write times down that these symptoms come down, see if there is any patterns. If you find something that works, write it down so you can use it again at a future time. Finally, there are some sleeping techniques you could try as well. From meditation and relaxation techniques that help to clear your mind, calm down, and get to sleep without worry. I hope this has helped and that your physical and mental health will improve in the course of treatment. Live long and prosper!

-Storm