Introduction Thread

[[.Strawberry Cheesecake.]]

Hello :]
My name is Claire and I'm a 17 year old psychology student from England. I have a general interest in psychology, and mental illness in particular.

I have never been formally diagnosed with any type of disorder, but from self-diagnosis I would say that I suffer from OCD, depression and anxiety. The OCD started at an early age and isn't as bad now, but still affects some of the things I do.

The anxiety started when I was in primary school, I wouldn't want to go in a lot of the time and this got much worse when I started secondary school. I'd cry or say I was ill to either miss school or get sent home. I missed much of year seven and was seen by the school psychiatrist on two occasions.

I do have various family problems, well mainly an abusive younger brother and so I end up depressed quite a lot of the time because of him. Things at home got really bad in year eleven when I was studying for my GCSE's and I missed a lot of school and my exam results suffered.

I'm now in my second year of college/6th form and haven't been turning up much due to just not wanting to be around people. This may sound kind of silly but I do have a fear of people that I don't know (the exception being the Internet in that you don't actually have to come into contact with people) and certain social situations- like having to go to college and be around people, or even a meal out with friends. It's usually vary rare that I leave the house, except when I feel like going to college, and even then I only go because I know if my attendance gets any worse I will be thrown out. My parents keep on at me to go and get a part-time job, not just for me to earn some money, but to get some experience of life. I would like to do that, but for some reason I just don't seem to be able to.

I'll add more if I think of anything.  

[[Kohta]]

hey, my name is chris.. im 13and I have alot of reasons for being here...
1. my friend was diagnosed with ADD
2. my oter friend was diagnosed with ADHD
3. I took an online test ant it came up that I had a high posability for having borderline disorder, avoidant disorder, and dependant disorder. sweatdrop well thats me in a nutshell (well as a nut anyways)  

[Memento Mortalis Es]

I'm Manhattan. I was one of the first people to join this group, but I took almost a year off from Gaia and only came back yesterday. My original introduction is still on the first page, but I think I'd like to reintroduce myself.

I was born with Asperger's Syndrome, but after years of help from a wonderful school I am now only Asperger's-like. I go to a mainstream high school, and I'm currently on Concerta for my ADHD and Risperdal for my OCD. Occasionally I take Ritalin boosters when I need to be out of the house after 6PM, but not when I have hip-hop class. I dance better in that class when I'm off my meds, and it exhausts me so that I'm not hyper.

I encourage everyone who self-diagnoses to get professionally diagnosed. That sentence was expressing a trait of mine in addition to making a reccommendation.

My main interest is linguistics, and I plan on majoring in it in college. If I don't minor in education, I'll probably minor in psychology.

Most of this post was typed with a kitten in my lap.  

[Black Ayesha]

Hi everyone...

I'm a little shy about writing here. I'm hoping to find a place I can come to to be with people who are not quite "normal", like me...

I'm 19, I live in the UK. I tried to kill myself a week ago, and ended up in hospital as a result. It looks like I'll finally be getting psychiatric help, but a lot of my friends have dumped me.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I get irrationally angry and violent, to the point of needing to be restrained; other days, like today, I'm depressed and have no energy, and just spend the days on the verge of tears; sometimes I can't stand physical contact, and I'm totally dependent on a friend to cook for me, as I am unable to do it myself. I don't really cut anymore... But I do bang my head on the wall a lot. I don't know why. I guess it feels like everything in my head is too loud. I'm scared to go out a lot of the time, because I'm scared of people, and the cars are too loud. I ended up failing high school, because of being too scared to sit in a classroom full of other kids..

I know I suffer from trichotillomania, which is a compulsive need to self harm by pulling out your hair. I have to wear a wig, because of it. I'm also obsessive-compulsive about hygiene; I have to wash my hands so many times a day, and I can't stand having dirt under my nails, things like that.

I have a severely abusive past. As a result, I have practically no confidence, and struggle with various eating disorders because I'm convinced I'm ugly and fat and no one loves me, really. I can't remember most of my childhood. Sometimes I get flashbacks... these really scare me...

At the moment, I feel like I don't know what to do. As I said, all my friends have pretty much disappeared. I've lost sight of my faith in God, my belief that someone up there's looking out for me, and I don't know anymore if I can believe things will get better for me.

And well, thats me.. lol. If you're going to reject me, it'd be nice to have it done before I try and join the guild..  

[Doctrix]

Black Ayesha

If you're going to reject me, it'd be nice to have it done before I try and join the guild..

Haven't had to reject anybody's application, yet! smile Welcome!  

[Black Ayesha]

Okies... thanks.. smile  

[Rauko_Kokuruim]

Hey, all. I've been rather inactive with this guild, though I believe I'm one of the older members, and just realized I haven't even posted an introduction.
Online, I go by Rauko, but other nicknames like Marg or Mark work, too. I've been diagnosed with ADD for about seven years by a professional. Like I mentioned in the diagnosis sticky, my I.Q. and musical ability (at least, when it comes to the violin) is considerably higher than normal, though at the cost of organization, focus, and short-term memory. A curse and a blessing, you could say.
There are occasions where I feel bipolar, though I'm pretty sure it's just mood swings and hormones. domokun I've found it's an uphill battle for those who have true ADHD (My mother, who has been wonderfully supportive about my ADHD, has poured hour after hour into researching ADHD. It really is being overdiagnosed, as only 5% of the world population truly has the "disease". Those with true ADHD have symptoms much more severe than many with pseudo- ADHD, a.k.a. just people who abuse the proper definition of the mental disease as an excuse for being lazy.), and I'm always willing to offer and/or receive help on the topic. Just shoot me a PM.
Anyways, I'm glad to have rediscovered this guild. It gives me a sense of comfort, knowing that I'm not the "only one with these problems". Thanks, guys. heart  

[daChaosKitty]

daChaosKitty or ck. is all I generally give on Gaia...>.>
I'm 25 years old. I was diagnosed with extreme AD/HD when I was very young...I couldn't get a nap when I was more than a few months old because if I did, I'd have been wired til 4 am. >.> My mother has been quoted by saying that I was 'never a particularly "happy" child.' Irony of ironies when we found out that I was also manic-depressive when I was 17. I likely should take medication, but I prefer my quirks without it. Particularly my mania. I likely have something else, but there are things that I refuse to tell psychologists about (and have never told them about), particularly the images that I get sometimes in my head (rather gruesome flashes of how I could accidentally kill people, or end up dying myself) with absolutely no conscious desire for them (and yet no revulsion in regards to them either), the unwillingness to undress with a television on or in front of pictures (of any sort) with the eyes showing, and the habit I have of seeing faces that occasionally move in things (like wallpaper and other things with patterns in them). Last I was tested, I have a highly above average IQ, tho this I think I blame on my art...since there's some kind of connection between creativity and intelligence...meh...I'm an artist...love drawing..and have more interests than ya can shake a stick at...tho at heart, ah try to be just a good ol' southern gal..^_~
I wanted to be a Psychologist, an Art Therapist or a Psychiatrist, however, I opted for law, like my older brother. He's a psychopath, as is his lover. My younger one also has an extreme case of AD/HD, tho nowhere near as bad as mine. ^_^'''
Think my mom might be ADD O.o...go figger...
OH! For anyone who believes in this kinda thing, I'm also a Highly Sensitive Person, more commonly known as an 'empath' in non-psychological areas.  

[chibiyoruko]

Hi, I'm Beth. I'm 19 and going to be 20 in March. I have hereditary OCD and a bit of ADHD (My brother has extreme ADHD, you can tell when he hasn't taken his meds.), both inherited from my father who inherited it from his father. While my dad and grandpa's OCD manifests itself as collecting and various paranoias (grandpa won't eat or drink anything with milk in it), mine comes out a bit more diverse as checking, repeditive actions, counting, and various others. My I.Q. the last time it was tested got a score of 135 and I have natural instrumental and language talents as well as a semi photographic memory. I'm currently not getting treatment for my OCD because I feel that it isn't interfering enough with my life that I would have to, though one of my grandmothers (I have 3!) thinks that I should get it checked out and get on meds for it.  

[Susue]

Hello, I'm Veronica and I'm 17 years old. I've been recently diagnosed with manic depression with symptoms of an anxiety disorder. I'm still caught up in the complete diagnosis/medicating process. Right now I'm on Lexipro and adjusting I guess. I was told I should have been brought in years ago, but my family life isn't that...involved with each other? I didn't need a pyschoanaylist to tell me that.
I'm going to college next year and am currently in high school/duel-enrollment in a community college.  

[cloud generator]

'Allo. I go by Charry or Kitty, and I'm 13.

I've been depressed since third grade, but I read somewhere that depression can be misdiagnosed as ADHD in children so I think I've always been depressed. I started Zoloft a few weeks ago, and it seems to be helping. I'm also transgender, and have undiagnosed dyslexia, so don't mind if I make stupid spelling mistakes.

I'm going to a hospital school for the rest of the school year for the "emotionally disturbed" because I missed so much school this year due to allergies, migraines, and depression, and according to the school it means that I have a "fear associated with school-related activities". Hah, yeah right. It's very interesting though, being with kids with mental disorders.
I've also got a large interest in psychology. I'm constantly studying people's reactions to things, and it's gotten to the point where I can (usually) predict exactly how someone is going to respond to something xd

 

[Agent_Starling]

You can call me by my username if you want. I like that. 3nodding
I am 14...almost 15 but that really doesn't matter.
Anywho, I was diagnosed with Selective Mutism when I was a lot younger...like really really young. I'm out of that completely now. I was on Prozac (eew) but I switched to Effexor XR because it was limiting my appetite. (yay food domokun ).
Throughout middle school I was treated as if I had ADD (eg. Extra time on things like on standardized tests...that I never used)... this is because my parents were convinced and because I didn't have a say in things... they told my psychiatrist I had ADD-esque symptoms. This was just recently proven wrong *dances*. I was right the whole time. The guy that did the testing sayd I was Dysthymic,,, which is mildly depressed. (Apparently it is because I put in answers such as: "At night I (fill in the blank)" and I said sleep. He was probably looking for a long poetic thing. He look for it in the most non-writing talented person)
I have a long story I shall attempt to spare you from by trying to shorten it quite a bit. I had this fight with this girl in middle school...she used ot be my friend. I was pretty depressed from then up until now. Every now and again I was suicidal. I found it strange that I wasn't constantly depressed and had my extreme ups and downs and such. Since that I have became infatuated with psychology, particularly those illnesses on the more severe side such as: Schizophrenia, Multiple/Split Personality disorder, etc. I came across Bi-polar disorder and thought that is a lot like how I feel. Ever since I have kept to no one's diagnosis but mine. Yesterday my mom told me after a really long time that depression runs in my family. That took a while, yes?

I told someone about my suicidal tendancies and it went all wrong. stare Since then, I just drop hints but people are too stubburn. Also, I don't trust anyone with that kind of information just put out there. I am really selective with who I tell things to.

Also, when I am really upset or something of the like, I get really bad headaches and sometimes have visions of killing people...something like a daydream.

The symptoms might be worse if I wasn't on the meds.

I also have semi-often insomnia...

I have a weird personality to say the least. If something bothers me I seldom say anything but it still lurks in the back of my mind. Eventually I let it all out...this is usually when my parents don't leave me alone and I get really pissed off and then comes the rage. Yesterday my friend said to me "You can't be goth- you're already cutesy." To me I'm both. Like mentioned before I wear what I feel like. Manic = I look like I just came from a rave. Depressive = I wear the stockpile of shirts I have from HotTopic.
The thing that bothers me the most is when people use words like "gay", "f**." or "dyke" as slang.... they have no idea what the words mean.

I'll save the rest of my psych. history for other threads.

Anywho,,, I enjoy the arts and things of the sort. I have a very strange taste in music ranging from Aqua and Gwen Stefani to Jack Off Jill and Rasputina.
I like movies and books...particularly psychological thrillers, Stephen King & Anne Rice & the Hannibal trilogy. & movies all the same...especially musicals and comedy. I also take a liking to Wicca and Renaissance Faires. xp

By the way, if anyone ever needs someone to talk to about anything you can always pm me or im me:::
aim: imaspecialagent
msn: xstar_no_starx09@hotmail.com

 

[Z3Ncat]

Hi, I'm Zen. I'm 21, going to school part time and working part time. I'm interested in psychology, but I probably won't persue it as a career field. Right now my major is Theater Arts - I've always loved the behind-the-scene work. When I was 13, my grandfather's death was the triggering event that led me to being diagnosed with depression. I've been on three or four different anti-depressants, and I'm probably going to switch again, because I'm having problems with what I'm on right now.
I've always had problems in school dating back to third grade - I can pinpoint that as the year when I stopped doing my homework, for reasons unknown. I have a genius-level intellect, according to all those tests they've given me, but I actually didn't get my highschool diploma until a year after graduation because I had failed too many classes and had to make up the credits. For a while they thought it was ADD - but the medication didn't do anything but piss me off because I couldn't be on it and use my inhaler, which meant I had to stop running cross country. When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I'm so high functioning even for an Aspy that I'm probably teetering right on the line between having AS and being NT. I don't doubt the diagnosis, though, since it fits me to a T. I've also been diagnosed with Executive Functioning Disorder as a possible explanation for my school problems, which continue to this day and are the reason why I'm not a full-time student and have only completed the equivalent of one semester when my hs classmates are in their junior years. Unfortunately, since EFD isn't a DSM-IV(r) recognized diagnosis, the diagnosis doesn't do me much good.  

[the dog trainer]

well my name is sean i am 15 i am depressed i also am slight bipolor i am interested in phycology i was thinking of going to school to be a shrink but i think it would be hard i help my friends and family get throgh there problems and i think that addes to my depresstion but i have been throgh hell lately i have gotten cheated on by the girl i was and still am in love with i moved this year to a town that hates me and i am for some odd reason retearting to my room alot i have i idea that i may be skiso but i don't fully understand what it is fully i need help and if i think i might have it after i understand what it is and find a new doctor i will go get tested well i traine dogs and i help pepole  

[Vertigo_Kiwi]

Hello to all.

My name is Kim, I'm 17 years old, and I'm diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. I am currently taking Lexapro, and that's about all I'm really doing about it. Unfortunately, this disorder has made it extremely difficult for me to do things. Not only that, but I've been around some very ignorant people. (such as that one teacher who made fun of my anxiety disorder in front of the class) There are times when I think I also have depression, but I'm too embarassed to tell anyone that.

Well, that's about it for me.