Manic Panic

What’s am I?

The tightening of your chest.
The feeling that your heart is going to burst.
The shortness of breath.
The sweating.
The nausea.
The dizziness.
The numbness.

” I am a period of intense fear or discomfort, consisting of 4 or more symptoms, with an abrupt onset and peak of symptoms within 10 minutes “

You’ll avoid every possible situation that you believe will trigger me, due to the fear of having me visit again.

You’ll avoid the groceries.
You’ll avoid work.
You’ll avoid university.
You’ll avoid family functions.
You’ll avoid social gatherings.
You’ll avoid driving.
You’ll avoid walking.

Without help eventually.

You’ll avoid leaving the house, or even your room.

You won’t know I am coming.
You won’t know how long I am staying for.
You won’t know how to calm me down.
You won’t know how to stop me.

Without help eventually.

I will affect every aspect of your life.
I will ruin friendships.
I will ruin relationships.
I will leave you unemployed.
I  will leave you uneducated.

Although, I can be persuaded.

You can treat me.
You can help me.

You can eventually…

Destroy me.

First hand, Panic/Anxiety attacks are some of the hardest things to deal with.

Personally, I still have them.

I don’t know when they’re coming, I don’t know what triggers them.
But once every now and again they’re triggered.

However, they’re better.
They’re not as intense, nor do they linger for as long.

If I can do this, so can you.

I have done simple things such as cutting my caffeine intake and working out.
I have done extreme things such as taking medication and seeing psychologists.

Do what works for you .
Do what destroys your fears.

 

Compulsive Destruction

One. 

One Acronym. OCD.

Two. 

Two C’s. Common and Chronic.

Three. 

Three little letters. O.C.D.

Four. 

Four times I have checked the locks.

Five. 

Five Common Issues. Cleanliness/Order, Counting/Hoarding, Safety/Checking, Sexual Issues and Religious/Moral Issues.

Six. 

Six times I have washed my hands before food.

Seven. 

Seven types of Anxiety.

Eight. 

Eight times I have counted the candy bars left in the jar.

Nine. 

Nine Syllables. Ob-sess-ive Com-pul-sive Dis-or-der.

Ten. 

Ten minutes I have spent trying to figure out how to write this blog. Ten times I have re-started this blog.

OCD has apparently thought to be developed from a combination of both genetic and environmental factors.

The factors specific to OCD are:

• Biological Factors and
• Environmental/Learned Behaviours.

The Biological factors are related to the levels of serotonin in ones brain. Further studies are being conducted.

Environmental/Learned Factors include watching/learning the behaviours from parents or direct conditioning from this around you in adolescence.

There is treatment available, but it’s just that. Treatment.

OCD cannot be cured. It’s debilitating for some and minor for others.

OCD can come in many forms and vary in levels of strength. For some, it can be the need to have their pens straight on the desk. For others, the clothes in their wardrobe to be colour co-ordinated. Other more severe forms include washing hands multiple times, checking the locks on the doors several times before bed, counting the brush strokes when doing their hair. It can be debilitating. It is debilitating.

Much like other mental illnesses, you have to research. You have to know what you’re researching. They don’t make it easy to find.

It is almost as if the world is trying to cover up the fact that there are sufferers of OCD, GAD, PTSD and every other mental illness that people of all ages, ethnicities, religious groups etc can face everyday, at any given time.

You are not alone, close to 3% of Australians suffer from OCD in their lifetime, and around 2% in every 12 months.

Symptoms of OCD can begin from the age of 6 or 7, but tend to fully develop in adolescence, continuing well into adulthood.

It’s important that warriors like us shed light on the things that are important to us. It is important that we don’t let the world dim our spark, or try to hide the problems that we face everyday.

It’s important that you can understand what your OCD entails, and seek the appropriate assistance for OCD.

Please. Please don’t claim to have such an illness, that you don’t. Its compulsive destruction.

“no-one knows what its like, I have to do these things or something bad will happen”

I have OCD. But it does not have me.

Don’t let it have you too.

 

The Media’s Mind

I do not want to be a typical person reporting on such a negative subject and putting it all down to numbers, unfortunately the numbers do play a significant role in highlighting the importance of Suicide Awareness and Prevention.

The media however, do not actively report these statistics as it does not make for “interesting” content. The media as I see it would rather report the latest celebrity marriage breakdown – and when a celebrity does have a mental health issue highlighted, they are portrayed poorly by worldwide media producers.

To me, I do not particularly want to “Keep up” with the latest Kardashian Scandal, I couldn’t care less if they wore sweatpants to the studio or if they wore a bloody man-kini.  Why are we not broadcasting important issues?
Yes, I enjoy reality TV, but when I sit down to watch or read the news, I want the real issues presented to me – not the mind numbing stuff I watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Why did it take me 5 google pages of research to find appropriate contact numbers and assistance for those less fortunate than myself to get help?

Why? Because mainstream media is all about making money. Sex and Scandal sells.
Suicide and mental health don’t.
I get it, no-one wants to hear about a family who has unfortunately lost their child to suicide due to bullying. But maybe this information should be forced upon the broader Australian community.
Maybe, just maybe this information may educate someone enough to assist in saving a life?

One in five Australian’s between the ages of 18-85 suffer from some form of mental illness. These illnesses range from depressive disorders, to anxiety all the way to substance abuse.

Anxiety, Depression and Substance abuse are generally a ‘triple threat’. 45% of all Australian’s will suffer from at least one of these three disorders in their lifetime.

18-24 year old Australian’s are statistically the group most likely to develop the onset of a mental illness – suffering more than any other age group.

54% of people with mental illness are not actively seeking treatment, and this is usually due to not having access to the appropriate services – or they have been misdiagnosed, which is more common than you would expect.

Everyday, 6 Australians die by suicide, with a further 30 Australians attempting to take their own lives.

Scarily enough, Australian’s are more likely to die by Suicide than they are Skin Cancer.

One in Six attempts at suicide, are followed by another in less than a year – this is the most significant contributing factor to a completed suicide.

Men are at a greater risk of suicide, and are less likely to seek help, however 65,300 people every year attempt to take their own life with the majority being Women. All genders are at risk, yes ALL, Women, Men, Transgender, Non-Binary, Intersex – however you identify. If you suffer from a form of mental illness, there is a chance that you are at risk.

These issues are just not broadcasted enough. This information is broadly available online, IF you look for it. That is just not good enough. We as a community need to unite and communicate with one another about these issues – WE need to continue to actively contribute to the prevention of suicide and the education surrounding mental health.

There are so many organisations in this world, whether they be online, in person, paid or free that can assist with an array of mental health problems. The third party organisations listed below are equipped with 24/7 help services, both online, on the phone and some even in person. Most are free.
Not only are there third party organisations, but your family and friends are usually some of the best people to talk to about these problems you are facing.

It is super important to seek the help that you may or may not feel you need. Especially if you do not completely understand what it is that you are going through.

The easiest way to begin to heal, is to begin to understand the journey your mind is taking you on.

Lifeline Australia – 24/7
Phone: 13 11 14
Online: Yes (Chat)

Beyond Blue – 24/7
Phone: 1300 22 4636
Online: Yes (Chat and Email)

Kids Helpline
Phone: 1800 55 1800
Online: Yes (Chat and Email)

Mensline
Phone: 1300 78 99 78
Online: No

Suicide Call Back Service
Phone: 1300 659 467
Online: No

SANE Australia
Phone: 1800 18 7263
Online: Yes (Chat)

The information provided is not intended for use as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Source of statistics: Black Dog Institute – https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/