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can you succeed with a mental illness


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I know people who have achieved great things,businesses etc and I know how committed they have been to get that far and also how much self belief they have. 

And I also know a guy who has BI-polar and is constantly in and out of hospital,surely the second guy is never going to achieve what the first guy did? 

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Guest OCDhavenobrain

I think so. But I mean: there are no guarantees, what you are doing today will be the results you get in the future. Just thinking that it will be ok is not a way out. Maybe you could think about other ways of doing things - changing the way you behave

Edited by OCDhavenobrain
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2 hours ago, bruces said:

Can you achieve the things healthy minded people achieve in out situation? 

I read somewhere that people with mental illness will always underachieve is this true? 

People with mental illness can achieve greatness just as anyone else can. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying and it’s just a myth that is propagated to make you believe that mentally ill people are weak and subhuman. But, just look around you. Some of the people here are some of the strongest people I’ve met. We fight an unforgiving illness - it is just one that isn’t easily seen. 

Some examples of mentally ill people who achieved greatness

John Forbes Nash (Schizophenic and Nobel Prize Winner for Game Theory)

James Spader (OCD and celebrated actor)

Abraham Lincoln (US President and Depression)

Brian Wilson (Beach Boy and Bipolar disorder)

JK Rowling (Author and depression)

There are many others of course  

 

 

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40 minutes ago, BigDave said:

People with mental illness can achieve greatness just as anyone else can. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying and it’s just a myth that is propagated to make you believe that mentally ill people are weak and subhuman. But, just look around you. Some of the people here are some of the strongest people I’ve met. We fight an unforgiving illness - it is just one that isn’t easily seen. 

Some examples of mentally ill people who achieved greatness

John Forbes Nash (Schizophenic and Nobel Prize Winner for Game Theory)

James Spader (OCD and celebrated actor)

Abraham Lincoln (US President and Depression)

Brian Wilson (Beach Boy and Bipolar disorder)

JK Rowling (Author and depression)

There are many others of course  

 

 

Yes an unforgiving illness and sadly a battle that can't be won,sadly that's bound to have an effect on your prospects. 

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Maybe needing to "know" isn't the answer or solution.  Maybe trying without guarantee's is a better plan.  Your plan/solution certainly isn't working so maybe a re-think and change of plan would be better.

Have you seen your GP yet to try and formulate a better, more effective plan for yourself?

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So you said bruces. But why believe her?  I am not sure that I do. In fact I don't. 

You have a few types of negative distorted thinking including existentialism, depression plus OCD - from what I can see. 

Snap, so have I had - other than the existentialism. 

Never stopped me making big achievements. Why?  Because my attitude wouldn't let it. And I do NOT believe in defeat. 

A former chairman of mine had quite bad dyslexia. Did it hold him back?  You guessed it - nope. 

A colleague suddenly went profoundly deaf. Did he have to give up his executive job?  Nope. He didn't acknowledge the deafness, and got along nicely with his hearing aids - as I do now.

When are you going to accept that when you change your defeat bias, and start doing what has been suggested, your present and future can be a whole lot better? 

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I know I don't have the worst hand in the world but I'm in a position where I have too much too handle,the mental issues coupled with unexplained chest and leg pains are proving too much for me and sleep is getting harder and harder.

on the face of it I should have a good life but I'm actually not getting any quality of life,but I'm sure there are many people the same. 

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Your last thread ended with the question why therapy had not worked in the past whether it was the quality of the therapist, the approach ofthe therapist, your willingness or capacity to engage with therapy and suchlike. There was no reply. As Caramoole asks: have you seen your GP yet? You reply with what one therapist said.

Edited by Angst
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I know it’s hard Bruce but I think it is important to see your doctor again. Are you on any medication? Maybe your medication isn’t as effective as it should be and you need to change. Your one therapist who gave you such a wildly pessimistic prognosis doesn’t sound very good or realistic. In my experience, that isn’t how therapy works and all they can do for us is provide you with the tools and guidance you need and then it’s up to you to beat this bully who is ruining your life. I know drive is hard but you need to speak with your GP. I am sure they would give you some useful opinion. 

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OK you have other issues than OCD. 

But I have always been of the mindset that OCD sufferers MAY possibly also be compulsive worries and suffer from additional negative thinking distortions and these also, if they do exist, need to be addressed. 

But I have never taken the view that, whatever our issues, we cannot make progress on at least some of those fronts. 

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I have more issues than OCD. Mental, physical and environmental. Given your unexplained chest and leg pains even more reason to see your GP. Start with seeing your GP!

The most famous British psychiatrist in the existential vein is RD Laing. His first book is reckoned to be the best The Divided Self - a study in the existentialism of sanity and madness. His work was heavily influenced by Sartre. Laing and his colleague, Cooper,  translated and used Sartre’s ideas. They provided the first condensed translation of Sartre’s Critique of Dialectical Reason. I personally find the early Laing illuminating but would not follow his and his followers treatment regime.  But I am sure that Laing would ask -what do you mean by success? And say context was all. Existentialists tend to be very active and are engaged with their projects.

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22 minutes ago, bruces said:

I don't know where to start! 

Bruce, the people here have given you plenty of suggestions as to where to start. The first stop would be your GP. I know it’s hard but you need to push yourself to do something positive or you will stay in this space. We can certainly provide you with suggestions but my understanding here is that people are predominantly sufferers or ex sufferers so you need to book a GP appointment as a starting point. You NEED to get medical support. We can offer tips and such but you also have to be willing to try them. At the moment, you seem to be in a very negative place but you have to understand that you can’t beat this unless you try. 

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