It's helped me tremendously to see people put what's wrong with them in their signature. And most especially on the Anxiety and Depression boards ... because, us newer folks, may not know that the person is dealing with more than just Anxiety.
In other words, that Anxiety or Depression is not their sole problem. They may be here from one of the critically-physically ill boards and have a totally different reason to have A/P or Depression than your average person.
We can't treat all depression and anxiety folks the same, when they are dealing with physical illnesses besides. But us new folks don't know the folks their posting to also has some horrible physical illness that their dealing with.
Even high-blood pressure could affect 'moods'.
So I think it's helpful, to more fully know what else the person is dealing with physically ... or even mentally for that matter, right in their signatures.
What I don't know is a good idea, is putting "what your meds are" in the signature, because that could lead to folks thinking that the same will work for them.
I know how badly I want to find a cure for Lyme and CFS, (etc), so I'd be inclined to look at their meds with hope and they may not be the best for me.
I hope I'm not out of bounds for sharing this. It's just that I've experienced myself and have seen others post to A/P and Depression folks, without knowing the physical illnesses that go along with and may be even causing their A/P or depression.
I just thought it may help all to help all better.
'Thank you' for the Forum.
God Bless Healing Well and all the people on it !
obs ann
Post Edited By Moderator (CheerDad (Randy)) : 1/19/2006 12:53:34 PM (GMT-7)
Hi Ann, Your suggestion has a lot of merit and while I have visited other sites like the Cardiovascular, Parkinson's and MS site you do see that people have their medications and diagnoses listed more often than Anxiety or Depression.
Personally, I have debated on doing this, I have a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. Am going through the process of getting the diagnosis of of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) a Parkinson's type disease. Autonomic Failure. And am on 16 different medications that some of them change on a pretty regular basis. So for me I would have to update it often. However, it would help to know what people are dealing with on a daily basis.
Oh elisha, Now you see, I didn't know all of that about your Medical condition, even though I browse as many of the boards on here as I can.
That is my point exactly.
And after I posted this and the other on the A/P board, I realised, it's not just for us who are new, but for those who are yet to come, who may post on the depression board or A/P board FIRST, and here we're giving suggestions, but we have no idea that they're struggling with a physical illness, that can not only affect their moods, but also be situational because of the dilema these illnesses put our lives into.
Some folks have signed right on to the depression board and later we find out the poor folks have some awful physical illness.
Thank you so much for replying with your MS update and I hope maybe you could put it in your Signature, because when folks come on here, I notice that you mostly try to uplift folks ... and when most people see someone with a disease like yours, trying to uplift 'them' , when all they have is maybe a temporary depression ... that alone would help them to see a "Survivor".
Big cyber Hugs to you elisha. I'll pray even more now for you, now that I know.
Dear CheerDad, Thank you very much for that. And thank you for your contributions on this Depression Board.
I 'battle' depression, and I like your your attitude, considering your health problems.
I refuse to "give into it", but seeing how it's both organice brain syndrome, encephalopathy and "situational" from being homebound now ... it can pop up at any time on it's own.
I had my first organic depression this last fall. I didn't know what on earth had hit me. I was only relieved when the Dr. Dx.ed it as OBS.
Then I knew what I was dealing with. I cocooned during that time, but friends from the CFS support group kept calling and sending cards, demanding almost that I respond.
So at 53, I experienced my first real-live depression that wasn't just situational anymore. Phew. It was definitely a "different" experience.
Now, every day I have to "choose" not to go there. It tries to come back, everyday, but I watch my thought life and learned the triggers, etc.. and know that it's time to get distracted (for a lack of a better word).
I suppose it's just helped to keep my mind on others. That seems to help me the most. Though it's always lerking latently, I don't want to ever go to that cocoon stage again.
Thank you again for being there for us all and helping to fix this title. We do "help" each other, but I guess we need to "understand" each other better in order to possibly help.