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Post by Missy R. on Oct 23, 2014 3:25:56 GMT -6
I thought I'd pose a question to all the people on this board, and I hope not to step on anyone's toes or say something offensive here, but I thought I'd ask. Are there any creators here who are not neurotypical and have some form of disability or mental illness or so on? This can range from anything to depression and anxiety to other forms of mental disorders. I figured that if I ask, it will encourage more people to open up because they have people to talk to.
For me, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when I was young. I forget how young I was exactly, but I went through most of my life in special programs and classes with people to help. I've talked to a few people who said they were on the autistic spectrum as well, so it's great to hear.
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Post by pilotobvious on Oct 23, 2014 13:23:05 GMT -6
Umm, I think I can throw something out here.
When I was younger, I technically showed symptoms of autistic behavior. I was never officially diagnosed, never even tested for it. I have no problems with any of that today, but when I was younger, I would never make eye contact. Not even with the camera. I also did weird things with my hands. I was also super quiet in general.
But I suppose you can connect that with the energy of being a young child. And being stubborn.
Aside from that, I have been struggling with depression for about four years, I think? Honestly, it's starting to get better for good. A lot of things are looking up for me. I used to be constantly feeling bad with a few good patches. Now I'm constantly feeling good with a few rough patches that friends help me get through. Things are looking so much better now than ever before.
This is slightly off topic, but if any of you are suffering from depression and need someone to listen to your thoughts/problems, I'm here for you. I don't judge. We've all been there and I am willing to help.
(But I'm curious to read other responses as well)
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Post by Melancholicdoves on Oct 23, 2014 15:26:52 GMT -6
When I was a kid I showed some signs of dyslexia, if that counts at all?? The signs were minimal though, never enough to get tested nor enough to cause serious learning issues. Though I still have to work extra hard to read out loud and triple-check myself on phone numbers and math problems because I always switch around the numbers in my head.
Other than that, I've struggled with depression and serious anxiety for around three years. The depression wasn't TOO serious, but my (still crippling)anxiety was pretty bad. The depression cleared up a lot after I finished high school and although some days are pretty bad, I gained a lot of body / self confidence over the summer so it helps a bunch with staying afloat and happy. 'u' As for the anxiety, I've recently arranged some ways to get a bit of help so I'm pretty positive it will get better soon.
As a slightly unrelated note I would like to point out that joining the fanime community and making "The Antagonist" helped my mental issues A LOT, receiving a lot of positive feedback and seeing people take interest in what I do is such a confidence booster-- so I'm very thankful to be in such a close community.
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Post by Miki Sayaka on Oct 23, 2014 16:03:12 GMT -6
Im a thing that exists.
Its great
(its not)
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Post by not u on Oct 23, 2014 20:45:33 GMT -6
I'm a bit hesitant to go into full details but I was diagnosed ~12 years ago with depression and general anxiety disorder and am still battling it. The depression has gotten better since I got a full time job which distracts my mind and pulls it out of that nasty depression spiral that it gets stuck in when I'm not busy (also the reason why I'm literally always drawing in my free time even if it's not something really productive). And honestly as sappy as it sounds, the fanime skype group really helped keep my mind distracted over the summer too. The job also was a major confidence boost because I have severe self esteem issues about myself as a person and my artwork/other skills.
The anxiety though actually has gotten a lot worse since I started university and started working jobs. I can't look at people's faces at all anymore, even sometimes when they're the closest people to me (I'll notice even with my best friends that I almost never look at their faces when talking), and eye contact is especially a no-no. I've been trying to force myself to look at people when talking to them but it's really, really hard. It's really embarrassing too, because people _notice_ that you never look at them.
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Post by pilotobvious on Oct 23, 2014 21:54:00 GMT -6
I didn't even consider anxiety when I wrote my comment.
I too suffer from extreme anxiety issues. I get really nervous over the simplest of things. I have to play out things in my head and think of what I'm going to say... even if I'm just ordering food.
And I still manage to fuck it up.
Like, the other day... I ordered chicken nuggets from Chick-Fil-A. I was going to say, "I'll have the 12 piece nugget meal with a lemonade."
Instead, I blurted out, "I'LL GET THE... 12 PIECE MUGGET NEAL... NUGGETS WITH LEMONADE."
Needless to say, I didn't get my fries. lololol
In general, public speaking gives me nightmares. I've taken meds for it. It's a miracle I got through my graduation speech... but I don't remember it at all. hahaha
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Post by Melancholicdoves on Oct 24, 2014 9:48:51 GMT -6
Yeah, I'm currently taking a mandatory public speaking class for my college and it's like the absolute worst thing ever. Even on days I know I don't have to speak / do anything but take notes I get really bad anxiety and end up always leaving the class like ~10 minutes early. Days I have to speak are sooooo bad. ALSO VERY MUCH THE SAME, I have to rehearse saying simple things like ordering food, making an appointment, or like even asking a question in class-- and yet I still manage to like screw it up and feel bad afterwards. Like the other day I think I wanted an Iced Mocha from McDonald's and ended up saying a mocha iced coffee and the dude was like "  ? mocha iced coffee we don't have that? " and it was the absolute worst lol Also I know what you're feeling Arenia. Working on fanime consumes a lot of my time and usually setting goals for myself to work towards and being busy in general doesn't give me much chance to feel down. Though being by myself with like little friend interaction (I had two best friends but they both moved out of state after high school) and doing nothing but drawing isn't really helping doing much but turning me into a hermit- but it's something I'll deal with later because I'm so okay with it right now. I've never had trouble looking at people sorta? I do notice that I subconsciously look at the top of their heads and not their actual face and look away when I start speaking. People have pointed it out before but I can't seem to fix it, it's programed in my head I guess. |
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Post by Elly on Oct 24, 2014 10:08:29 GMT -6
I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and mild depression at age 17, so about 5 years ago. I always felt something was wrong with me since I was younger but I gave up telling my parents because of the stigma against mental health. When it was finally time for me to apply for colleges, I was at wits end because I was ferreting pressure from all over to apply for colleges and was told to do careers that I really didn't want to do.
I get really extremely anxious in the classroom setting because it's hard when your class depends on your grade. I know that it's OK to be wrong, but I have this fear of saying the wrong thing or being wrong because I had a lot of pressure to be right and perfect all the time since I wwas a child. On Tuesday, I had an anxiety attack trying to present a case for my grad class and it was really emembarrassing and scary. I felt so vulnerable.
Also a lot of my anxiety attacks happen when I'm in full swing with my emotions, especially having an argument with someone. It was so hard to convince my boyfriend during the first couple of years about my condition and how it shouldn't be laughed. When i have my anxiety attacks, it feels as if your life is shortening right in front of you and you can't do anything about it because it feels like an out of body experience.
I've been off an on medication a lot and it feels as though its never going to work. So I try to find things to do to take my mind off of these times of anxiety. I'm glad that I got into fanime but then again, I still feel anxious because I am putting pressure on myself to do something when I have a gazillion other things to do. Also, I am really bad at this: comparing myself to others and their achievements when I'm sitting here doing nothing. Even though it sounds like sometimes in the chat I'm joking, I feel like curling into a ball every time I see some kind of activity I'm not doing for my fanime and I shouldn't have wasted my time going back to school.
//Yeah, just ignore the fact that I spoiled my whole life story to you guys. QuQ
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Post by Whirlwynd on Oct 24, 2014 20:10:37 GMT -6
I was in special ed all throughout middle school and high school but I was never clear on why, exactly. I was classified as Other Learning Disabled and that's all they would tell me. I do know that social situations absolutely terrified me. Up until I my mid teens I couldn't even order my own meals at a restaurant.
I just remember a lot of not understanding people or situations, and a lot of low confidence resulting. I didn't understand what was expected of me, socially or academically, or how my responses were typically interpreted by other people. Fortunately the special ed program and teachers were really good. I still have a little trouble now and then (phones still make me unreasonably nervous) but I was given a lot of great tools to deal with it and it's extremely rare that it interferes with my life now.
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Post by Nuciferyne on Oct 26, 2014 7:15:57 GMT -6
I have severe anxiety (General and Social disorders) and depression. When I was younger, after a few traumatic experiences, I was told by a therapist I was required to see that I also had PTSD. So in general I'm this big bundle of anxiety that just wants to help and love people but people also terrify me. ;w;
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nymmkirimoto
Apprentice Member
What the fuck am I doing.
Posts: 110 
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Post by nymmkirimoto on Jan 26, 2015 19:44:51 GMT -6
I used to be depressed and I used to have a lot of trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality (which still bites me in the ass A LOT, but I'm not sure if it really counts)
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ChibiGissy
Hella Cool Guy
Icon done by TenshiHanka/Otakrap
Posts: 1,115 
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Post by ChibiGissy on Jan 26, 2015 20:31:32 GMT -6
I have been diagnosed with Asperger's myself, and I think I was fully diagmosed with it during Middle School. Though, interesting fact, I never started talking until I was was 5 years old.
I had to go to special ED classes because of it and even going into the REALLY special ED class (Though, luckily I was able to go to some classes outside that class.)
Another thing is that I have anxiety and I panic a lot. I did installed empathy into my brain so what I usually do is that instead of blaming others.... I just usually blame myself. Even if the situation is clearly not my fault, I still blame myself. Heck, there are some cases where I just broke-down into tears because I either felt like I suck at everything or I screwed things up. (Mainly the latter.)
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