Is it terribly ignorant of me to think that ADHD is actually a crock of shit? Cuz I do. I hate the way we've come to rely on pills to treat mental conditions. What happened to drinking whiskey and smoking crack?

But srsly, there has to be a better way to combat mental illness right? I'm no expert of course, just my opinion.

Based on my own experience, I believe I may have had social anxiety up until I was around 20. The way I beat it was to throw myself in at the deep end. Which I did by working behind a bar and performing on stage. Both those things forced me to face it.

Honestly though, I sometimes wonder how much of it was just standard shyness which I grew out of, and how much could be attributed to an actual condition. I just know I've read the symptoms before, and it describes me 5 years ago to a tee. Is it something you're even supposed to be able to beat if it's a mental condition? I dunno.

Whilst working behind the bar, there was an ex social worker who worked with problem children. She once told me that she thought I could be on the autistic spectrum, and that I may also have ADHD (of course, I ended up arguing with her about whether the last one exists (: Cuz I know so much more than someone who is actually qualified)

I honestly don't think I'm afflicted with anything mental though, and no physical problems as far as I'm aware! I guess I drink too much and some people would call me a functioning alcoholic, but I just like a fucking drink. The recommended drinking limit is absurd anyway.

BTW that TMJ shit sounds horrible and I preferred not knowing that it existed, so thanks for that.

Lack of focus, motivation, and an inability to stay on one task without getting bored are more traits I would simply generally associate with people our age, rather than a mental condition.

vladykins @ 24/10/2017 9:24

My back hurts.

I've seen relatives completely out of action and drugged up on valium for weeks due to back pain. God I hope to avoid that

I remember in school I literally couldn't walk from one end of the classroom without feeling like all eyes were on me. I hated it when the teacher asked me questions. I was incapable of making phone calls, and talking to strangers was impossible.

In College I studied music, and when the time came for the end of year performance in front of a live crowd, I pulled out all the stops to get myself out of it, even thought it should have resulted in an automatic fail for the course. I had to see the college counselor over that actually (: I ended up getting talked into doing the performance in the end, but it took a lot of convincing, and I may have had a few whiskeys before hand to help me out. (The show wasn't good either, I was shaking horribly throughout and my guitar playing was shit)

One of the reasons I dropped out of Uni was that I couldn't stand a particular lesson I had to attend which involved speaking in a group. Probably a bigger factor than I'd like to admit in fact (still glad I dropped out tho).

Maybe I had a disorder, maybe not. I certainly didn't seem to share these problems with many other kids my age.

But I think of treating social anxieties in the same way I'd think of treating a phobia. You know, keep forcing yourself into situations which confront your fears, until it is gone. Repetition creates new pathways, breaks the old cycles and habits etc. It does appear to have worked with me, so I can vouch for it, at least in my experience.

But I appreciate that just because something worked for me, it doesn't necessarily mean it will work for everyone else. And it is entirely possible that if I had social anxiety, I didn't have it as bad as others.

I'm sure there are many varied causes for mental issues, and there ain't a catch all solution. Which I suppose was my point really. I do think there is a tendency for psychiatrists to rely on medication, and that they don't explore alternative solutions enough. Perhaps that's a massive assumption on my part.

I know a friend who was on meds for years and it didn't seem to do jack shit for him. Granted, I don't know if he kept to his schedule, and he was smoking weed too, despite the doctor telling him not to.

I'm not trying to be dismissive of mental illness in general btw! I'm just a bit skeptical of some conditions. Perhaps it's too many misdiagnoses that create that impression with me.

Ayyyy, I'm a cunt I know

'Quit being a pussy and deal with it' isn't quite what I was saying haha.

More that if you think you have a problem, there may be other options, and ones that don't involve medication.

Btw, just because an opinion is in the minority or controversial doesn't mean it is wrong. Not sure this is either tho

They had some questionable ideas about mental health 50 years ago, just sayin. Not comparing something like a lobotomy to taking pills, just that the consensus on what the best solution is is always changing.

Question for you guys, since this thread isn't just about mental health:

Is it healthy to drink every night?

Ahaha

Cool

I have about four double Whiskeys every night

But hey, I'm an optimist