Poll: Mental disorders and you: Would you get rid of it if you could?

[theravensclaw]

i have several major depressive/anxiety disorders, mild OCPD and self injury syndrome. I'd love to be able to give up my meds but without them i cant function, but it has shown me who my true friends are, that i am actually a strong person and i find that different moods help with different creative endevours. so would i get rid of it completely? no. but would i get rid of these horrible meds i take? yes. self harm stuff also totally sucks ass. giving up smoking was easier than fighting that urge.

 

[boradis]

I selected the first answer.

I have ADHD; our brains work very differently from the brains of non-ADHD people. It would be impossible to remove it from me without completely altering who I am.

If that were NOT the case, I'd ditch it instantly.

This is all intensely personal since my experience with ADHD is different than yours, but let me ask you this: Do you take anything for it?

The reason I ask is that when I started treatment it took a while to find a combination of meds that worked (which is normal). But the weird thing to me was that I didn't even realize it was working until I read back through about a month's worth of entries in my diary and noticed something strange...

I'd never been able to keep a diary before.

On top of that a lot of the entries went like this:

"These drugs don't seem to be working either, will have to talk to the doctor about trying something else. On an unrelated note, I'm feeling very calm and focused again today. Must be that novel I'm reading, or that restaurant I've been eating at."

It *wasn't* "Invasion of the Personality Snatchers." It was like I had quietly turned into "Super Me," a me who could actually finish things I started. Things I *wanted* to finish, not just things I was told to do.

With the current state of medical science I can only dream of what it would be like to become "Super Me 2" and stay completely free of it, 24/7. The meds are only effective for 6 hours per dose, and even medicated I have more memory and focus problems than a regular person. But they give me a glimpse of an alternate self who is happier and more successful than I am.

So I guess my point is maybe you shouldn't attribute so much of your sense of self to a disorder in one of your organs, even if it is your brain. There's probably a lot more to you than that.

 

[KingofallCosmos]

story

Different for me. I would get rid of my Asperger's in a moment. It has caused nothing but ruin and grief my entire life. Getting picked on my entire life because I flail my arms? Not fun. Getting kicked out of the military for it. A LOT LESS FUN.

I get money from the government for it, because trying to hold a job is a nightmare. But I'd rather work a normal job, and live a normal life.

Getting my point across is another thing that gives me trouble sometimes..

To make it clear: I would too.

 

[boradis]

To be honest, thats like asking a paraplegic if he would like to walk.

Yes. I've known some who would emphatically say "no."

 

[Saulkar]

Would I get rid of the part of me that gives me angle thinking outside of the box, hell I over shoot that byotch! Hell to the no! Having Asperger`s syndrome has made my childhood a living hell but I stuck through it and have managed to carve myself a niche that I am fully dedicated to maintaining and developing. I love having Asperger`s except, except 75% of the rest of the day.

 

[tharglet]

I'm not sure. I have Asperger's, but whether I'd want to be without it or not.... don't know. T'would change me... but for better or worse it would be hard to say ^^

 

[littlealicewhite]

I have Asperger's Syndrome. I see no reason to be cured if there was a cure. I wouldn't be me without it.

 

[boradis]

The saddest part of mental illness, is that no one believes the severity of the pain that makes you want to stand in front of truck could possibly exist. Even after you stand in front of the truck.

Quoted for truth. I've felt that way and I don't even have depression.

The masses are deeply ignorant of what people like us actually live with, and how much of our suffering is caused by their assumptions.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

While there may be many benefits associated with "getting rid" of one's mental disorders, what of the disadvantages? Surely these mental disorders add to our species' genetic variability, safeguarding us from sudden catastrophic extinction. For all we know, Ulyaoth the Ancient and his interdimensional hordes may be preparing to feast on our collective bodies and souls as we speak. Surely having one blessed by Xel'lotath would only be a point in our favor?

 

[micky]

hell ya, i hate my anxiety even though ive pretty much gotten rid of it.

 

[Abedeus]

Yes.

The biggest BS is the "it's part of me" part.

Asthma is a part of my life and I'm trying to get rid of it. Same with allergies. I DONT WANT IT.

 

[boradis]

While there may be many benefits associated with "getting rid" of one's mental disorders, what of the disadvantages? Surely these mental disorders add to our species' genetic variability, safeguarding us from sudden catastrophic extinction. For all we know, Ulyaoth the Ancient and his interdimensional hordes may be preparing to feast on our collective bodies and souls as we speak.

And I'm sure that the one thing they're not prepared for is people who are disorganized, depressed, obsessed with cleaning, can't leave their homes, are unable to socialize with other humans, have wild mood swings, can't control their gross motor functions, or whatever else is in the DSM IV.

It'll be just like "War of the Worlds," except the aliens will die after exposure to some kid with Tourette's.

 

[boradis]

Yes.

The biggest BS is the "it's part of me" part.

Asthma is a part of my life and I'm trying to get rid of it. Same with allergies. I DONT WANT IT.

THANK YOU.

Ok, I'm leaving this thread now. I'm getting too worked up.

 

[Meatspinner]

I suffered from depression for 12-13 years which I have recently recovered from. It crippled me mentally, socially and academically. Why would I ever cherish that. Fuck I wish I had a button to erase that.
These reasons sound more like a fear of change than anything else

 

[Zeema]

I dont know Split personality's have been proven useful good mental challenge. Even the Sadist side is useful in a fight he wants to fight and he wont hold back

but i wouldn't fight if i was in a conflict he's like a personal guard

Paranoia well were all a little paranoid and plus my guard likes the paranoia keeps him on his heels

 

[Sarge034]

I have a little OCD, not even enough to be diognosed but I do have it. I use it to my advantage because it does not run my life.... but it does frustrate me when I don't see 100% compleation on my games. F*****g DLC...... but I'm good, out of my 70-80ish games I've only compleated 6 or 7 and I'm cool with that.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

While there may be many benefits associated with "getting rid" of one's mental disorders, what of the disadvantages? Surely these mental disorders add to our species' genetic variability, safeguarding us from sudden catastrophic extinction. For all we know, Ulyaoth the Ancient and his interdimensional hordes may be preparing to feast on our collective bodies and souls as we speak.

And I'm sure that the one thing they're not prepared for is people who are disorganized, depressed, obsessed with cleaning, can't leave their homes, are unable to socialize with other humans, have wild mood swings, can't control their gross motor functions, or whatever else is in the DSM IV.

It'll be just like "War of the Worlds," except the aliens will die after exposure to some kid with Tourette's.

What better bastions of humanity to repopulate our recently reclaimed world? Unless, of course, it turns out that the entire war and this subsequent discussion was solely in the mind of a young, autistic child staring into his snow globe before being called away to wash his hands.

 

[Macgyvercas]

No. Without Asperger's Syndrome, I'd be a completely different person with completely different thought processes.

This, verbatum. Same disorder, same opinion.

 

[GrimHeaper]

Easiest way to cure it is death, it cures everything,but death itself.
We can cure most of these from birth now... Though we have "urplayinz godz people"
running around and I suspect they have mental disorders themselves.