I have a Mental Illness

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I do take meds, Prozac works the best for me, Zoloft when pregnant (pregnancy is a nightmare, but the baby is worth it!) My Catholic Counseler and my spiritual director are also huge helps, along with my sister, who is also afflicted with it. Oh, and my husband:o . I’m sure he’d love to see himself listed last, whoops!
I also have to tell you that you have a beautiful name. My birthday is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and I’ve always considered it for a little girl if I ever have one!
 
I do take meds, Prozac works the best for me, Zoloft when pregnant (pregnancy is a nightmare, but the baby is worth it!) My Catholic Counseler and my spiritual director are also huge helps, along with my sister, who is also afflicted with it. Oh, and my husband:o . I’m sure he’d love to see himself listed last, whoops!
I also have to tell you that you have a beautiful name. My birthday is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and I’ve always considered it for a little girl if I ever have one!
My third pregnancy was a nightmare too towards the end. I had to b put on meds because I was relapsing, paranoid and was not sleeping. It was all worth it when I got to hold her in my arms. She was a 7.11 lbs baby girl.

Only God knows how terrified I was while carrying her in my womb and had to take the medication. I was so afraid that it will affect my baby but I had no other choice but to take it.

I was so fortunate that she turned out healthy. God is great
 
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mslizzie:
My third pregnancy was a nightmare too towards the end. I had to b put on meds because I was relapsing, paranoid and was not sleeping. It was all worth it when I got to hold her in my arms. She was a 7.11 lbs baby girl.

Only God knows how terrified I was while carrying her in my womb and had to take the medication. I was so afraid that it will affect my baby but I had no other choice but to take it.

I was so fortunate that she turned out healthy. God is great

I didn’t sleep for two weeks straight, I mean not at all, and when you’re 12 weeks pregnant and sick, it makes you feel like you’re going crazy! They started me on the Zoloft at 13 weeks. They also let me take Vistoril, for future reference for you. It’s a mild antihistamine that’s been around for about 40 years and they know it’s pregnancy category B. It makes you sleep and calms you down. I would actually rather take that than Xanax, to be honest. It is soooooo scary to take things while you’re pregnant. THe guilt you feel is amazing. Even the doctor telling me that they knew for sure that it would hurt the baby to have me in the physical condition I was in b/c of the anxiety and the meds were probably not going to didn’t help. I knew I had a good doctor and that he had a strong faith in God (not Catholic, but strongly pro-life and will not prescribe the pill), so I had to tell myself that God had led me to him and to trust him. My baby is healthy too, but it is so hard…
 
Carmel,

I also have to tell you that you have a beautiful name. My birthday is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and I’ve always considered it for a little girl if I ever have one!
I was suppose to be born on July 16th, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, but arrived six days early. So I was baptized on July 16th. My father gave me my name. He was a third-order Carmelite.

I didn’t know you could take medication while you are pregnant. It is too late for me now probably to become pregnant, but everyone always told me that if I was to become pregnant I would have to go off my meds and they didn’t want me to do that. Even priests and my very Catholic therapist told me that too. I guess they didn’t have all the facts.

I’m so sorry I didn’t have any children; I’ve always thought it would get my mind off myself and onto them and maybe I would be better. I don’t know. Silly thoughts, aren’t they. Maybe just wishful.

I’m feeling a little down today because of losing my job. The woman who “wants” me to do transcription from home which would be great for me, hasn’t called yet. I had such a bad last two weeks – paranoid and hearing people’s thoughts – that I’m not prepared for tonight’s class (I’m taking medical terminology if I haven’t mentioned it before to get the job to work from home). I see my therapist today; I suppose that should help. But my symptoms have cleared up quite a bit and I was able to enjoy Easter Sunday Mass. I hope you guys are feeling well today.

Carmel
 
I was suppose to be born on July 16th, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, but arrived six days early. So I was baptized on July 16th. My father gave me my name. He was a third-order Carmelite.

I didn’t know you could take medication while you are pregnant. It is too late for me now probably to become pregnant, but everyone always told me that if I was to become pregnant I would have to go off my meds and they didn’t want me to do that. Even priests and my very Catholic therapist told me that too. I guess they didn’t have all the facts.

I’m so sorry I didn’t have any children; I’ve always thought it would get my mind off myself and onto them and maybe I would be better. I don’t know. Silly thoughts, aren’t they. Maybe just wishful.

I’m feeling a little down today because of losing my job. The woman who “wants” me to do transcription from home which would be great for me, hasn’t called yet. I had such a bad last two weeks – paranoid and hearing people’s thoughts – that I’m not prepared for tonight’s class (I’m taking medical terminology if I haven’t mentioned it before to get the job to work from home). I see my therapist today; I suppose that should help. But my symptoms have cleared up quite a bit and I was able to enjoy Easter Sunday Mass. I hope you guys are feeling well today.

Carmel
They know different things now, but they’re, again, not absolutely sure. I think there’s just been more women on it when they were pregnant who have had healthy babies. The would always say to me “if the benefits outweigh the danger” or something like that.

I would say if you didn’t have kids yourself, your suffering has done MUCH to help many out there. So consider yourself to have had some part in them 🙂
 
Thank you, Bookgirl. I asked my doctor yesterday about taking medications while pregnant. He said it depended on the medication, but I probably couldn’t take antipsychotics. And because he says I am more schizo than affective, it probably wouldn’t work out for me. But it’s too late anyway.
 
Thank you, Bookgirl. I asked my doctor yesterday about taking medications while pregnant. He said it depended on the medication, but I probably couldn’t take antipsychotics. And because he says I am more schizo than affective, it probably wouldn’t work out for me. But it’s too late anyway.
I’m not sure which medications are antipsychotics, but I take an SSRI, which there are about three that are considered safe if absolutely needed. Being a parent is wonderful when it’s your vocation, but it takes absolutely nothing away from you if it’s not, just trust that God knows what’s best!
 
I just want to thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. I got the transcriptionist job yesterday! The woman finally called and took me to lunch and hired me. I will be working from home which is what my doctor wants for me as I still have days where I have symptoms.

I have to tell you this is God’s presence and grace in my life right now. In the past couple of months, I had asked Him to find me a medical transcription job when He thought it was the right time and I got it just two weeks after losing my other job! He is so amazing that it is so hard for me to describe how much I want to praise Him for all the wonderful things He does for me. Don’t you feel like that sometimes? I know you do, Bookgirl, because of your motto: Joy isn’t the absence of suffering but really is the presence of God!

I’ve been regularly taking my medications and feel much better – more stable. The only side effect I get from the Geodon is extreme sleepiness. My doctor said I should take it with food because it works better (the bottle says it too), but I haven’t been taking it until I get home on Wednesday night at 8pm from class and have been having symptoms. So last night I took it with dinner and got to class and had to leave 30 minutes into it because I was too sleepy almost to drive. That’s not going to work very well for Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing I only have about 5 more weeks of school. If I get the chance to take any more classes, I will have to take morning or afternoon.

How are youguys doing? I imagine you are very busy with your children and all. 🙂

Carmel
 
You should stay in very close contact with a priest who understands mental illness. Fr. Benedict Groeschel is a psychologist, for example, and while he’s probably too busy to help you, there are undoubtably other priests like him. Ask your priest if he could find out if there is anybody in the diocese who is qualified to be your spiritual director. At the same time, be very sure to stay in psychiatric treatment. Hopefully, your psychiatrist will be sympathetic to religion and understand how important it is to you.

God is absolutely with you, no matter what. Depend upon doctors to treat your illness, and upon God to save your soul.
 
Thank you for the advice, Hopeful. Due to the shortage of priests it is hard to get a priest for a spiritual director in my area, but my confessor is considering it. He is a very caring sort and no doubt would be a good spiritual director for me.

I do have a very faithful good Catholic psychologist that I go to who helps me quite a bit in dealing with living with this illness. He is also my reality check. My psychiatrist is Muslim, but I don’t know if she is a practicing Muslim or not. She knows my Catholicism is very important to me. And truly cares whether I get better or not.

I think so far I am in good hands. Before each encounter with any one of them I pray that Our Lord is right there guiding the doctor or priest in dealing with me. He is always faithful to do that if I ask him.
 
Carmel,

Congrats on the job! I DO feel that about God, usually right after He brings me out of an episode of my illness and I almost always even thank Him for the episode, just to have that feeling!!
 
ml,

I only have time for a quick reply, but please know that your post has put you in my prayers and that your perseverance has inspired me.

Also, to put it succinctly, if you were in Hell, you would never feel the consolation of our Lord.
 
ml,

I only have time for a quick reply, but please know that your post has put you in my prayers and that your perseverance has inspired me.

Also, to put it succinctly, if you were in Hell, you would never feel the consolation of our Lord.
Thank you so much. You brought a smile on my face. Take care and God bless always.
 
It was only last year (July), that I found the Lord. I called on Him during the most difficult stages of my pregnancy. I almost fell into severe depression and psychosis that time and was almost hospitalized. But fortunately, with God’s grace, I was able to go into full term and I had delivered a healthy baby girl.

I am currently taking medications for my illness and there are still times when I would be paranoid about certain things. It is like a roller coaster ride as far as my emotions are concerned.

Each day, I pray to God that I am hoping that He will heal me of my illness. It has not happened and I am not losing hope.

!
There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God! Nothing!

I have a mental illness also. There is no place you and I can go where God is not there with us. There is no state of mind that will keep Him from being with us. As tough as it is to live with a dysfunctional brain, God is there to love and support us. Unfortunately, there are times when it is hard to feel this.

When I am overwhelmed by these thoughts and feelings I invite the Lord to be with me there. I say, “Lord, feel this feeling with me. I offer it to You. It is all I have to give right now. I offer all to you.”

This can be an incredible benefit for the Mystical Body of Christ. When Jesus was in the Garden of Olives suffering his Agony–he knew what mental illness and mental suffering are. He knows what we go through day in and day out.

I take medication, too. So far I have found medication to help me. I also have received therapy in the past and I would not hesitate to go again if I needed to.

Sometimes the side affects of the medication can bring added suffering. Offer all to Jesus.

Another huge help for me spiritually is Total Consecration to Our Blessed Mother. It is such a consolation. I feel a heavy burden of guilt and anxiety lifted knowing that Mary will take my feeble attempts and offer them to Jesus. Mary is another person who knew great mental anguish.

Please take comfort in the knowledge that God loves you deeply. You are very close to the Heart of Jesus. Keep up the good work you are doing with your family.
 
Please take comfort in the knowledge that God loves you deeply. You are very close to the Heart of Jesus. Keep up the good work you are doing with your family.
Thank you for the encouragement. God bless!
 
I want to thank everyone who has replied and for all the words of encouragement. I will surely take each of your words and will continue having an enormous faith in the Lord.

Just want to share to all of you that there was a time in my life (during my paranoia and delusions) that I strongly felt that I WAS ALREADY IN THE PLACE PF TORMENT, HELL THAT IS, AND THAT I AM NO LONGER ALIVE AND THIS IS ALREADY LIFE AFTER DEATH.

This is a very frightening thought and I am not sure why I have fallen on this belief. Whenever I had this thought, it will agonize me day and night, even during sleep.

My psychiatrist told me that this was one of the delusions and paranoia I am suffering from. He actually increased my medications when I told him about this hell thing.

I even thought that I was already the DEVIL and has been put by the Lord in HELL for my past mistakes. I just had the strongest feeling at that time that I didn’t survive my 1st suicide attempts (overdosed on sleeping pills).

I guess what triggered me to believe that I was in Hell, was after reading Saint Maria Faustina’s vision of hell. I let myself believe that I am already on that place of eternal punishment.

Once in awhile I would call my therapist and I will have reality checks. There are still times that I would feel that way.

Please bear with me. I know this sounds really crazy but believe it or not, I had felt this way. I don’t like to feel that way but I just couldn’t control my emotion at times.

I may sound pathetic at the moment, but can someone please assure me that I am really not in that place of everlasting punishment and that I still have a chance to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

I apologize for the bizaare thoughts.

Sincerely,

Liz
Hi,

I also have been given the schizoaffective diagnosis, and I too thought that I had fallen into Hell without knowing how I got there, just as St. Faustina described seeing souls falling into Hell and not knowing how they got there. It was a pretty scary experience but my meds are helping me stay in reality. I pray you stay on your meds and that you always get the treatment you need from good doctors. I have been blessed to have good doctors.
 
FlowerofGod,

Do you still believe that you are in hell? Or the medications have helped you not to think about that?

When were you diagnosed?

It is a very scary thought and until now I still think about it at times.

Hope you’ll reply to my message soon.

God bless
 
i think the people with these types of illnesses, even people on drugs who become so terrified that they think they are in hell, are living some of their purgatory here.

in a way, maybe you are blessed to endure such a cross for Christ, which means for the sake of the rest of us. i can’t imagine anything worse than hell, so getting to the point that you believe you may be in it, must be given some kind of credit, no? give it to Christ and your reward will be great in heaven! 😃
 
FlowerofGod,

Do you still believe that you are in hell? Or the medications have helped you not to think about that?

When were you diagnosed?

It is a very scary thought and until now I still think about it at times.

Hope you’ll reply to my message soon.

God bless
I was diagnosed last year after 2 episodes that were 9 months apart. I thought I was healed for 9 months and then I had the 2nd one. I do not still think I am in hell. My meds are working to keep me in reality. I do however believe that I might have been cursed by an occult practicioner that worked at the same clinic where I worked prior to my first episode. But my grandmother had the same illness starting in her 40’s, and I am 42. There’s also some question as to whether this could be a generational curse because my father and grandfather were both Masons – my dad being a 32nd degree Mason. Whatever it is, I am now praying for deliverance with a Catholic lay woman who is trained to pray for deliverance. I also pray the Rosary daily with my mother. Sister Lucia of Fatima said that there is so much efficacy given in the prayer of the Rosary, that there is nothing that cannot be resolved by prayer of the Rosary. So keep entrusting yourself and your loved ones to Mary through the Rosary. And pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm daily as well. Also ask God to increase your trust in Him.
 
i just glanced at a book talking about healing the family tree. it talks about how God saying He would condemn those to the 3rd generation or something, and how it’s possible to pray and ask God to heal your family. made me think about genetics and hereditary diseases and such…
 
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