some kind of mental illness

[AmandaEcho]

I think that I have some kind of paranoia or anxiety, so your help will be appreciated. I am always worried about everything. I constantly think about people watching me through my windows. I get nervous or scared a lot and it makes me sweat. I am always looking over my shoulders thinking someone bad is there. I worry about people being able to read my mind. I say "I'm sorry" for things that dont matter all the time. There are other things that I can not remember at this time. I had depression for some time. I am 15. I have been noticing these possible symptoms for over a year now. So please help me figure out what is wrong.

[moodyme]

hi there.. what your going through is (anxiety) this is completely normal.. we all have anxiety some more than others.. and for different reasons.. some people feel anxious when on a car.. or.. social events.. school.. relationships..or extc..
  something that might help is to involve yourself more on a sport, social events, or any outdoor activity of your choice! if you have a certain religion you practice ask for strength and help to your god ;)


  best of luck and try to relax! (breath in and out)

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi! What you have is probably social anxiety. Please consult a psychologist who will analyze your fears and put you on therapy. With help you will soon be able to lead a normal life. Take care!

[ObiQuiet]

Hi there.  First of all, good for you for reaching out, that must have been a hard step.  I have a son who has significant mental health challenges, he is 14 now, and we have been dealing with this for a number of years.  I have my own struggles with anxiety disorder, and I also work in the community supporting parents whose children have mental health challenges, so I'm in a really good position to let you know...you are not alone in your struggles.  There are a lot of people out there - young and old - who have similar challenges, so there is no need for fear or shame with your experiences.  

It is really important that you reach out to some trusted adults now, and let them know your struggles.  There are all kinds of things that can help you feel better.  Maybe your parents, a school counsellor or teacher, if you are involved with a church maybe....but most importantly it sounds like it might be time to reach out to your family doctor.  It may feel really scary, but your doctor can start you on the path to fight back against these thoughts that are controlling or affecting a big part of your life.  

Where I live, the doctor would likely refer on to a psychologist or psychiatrist to really figure out what is happening.  From there, there are therapies that can really help you to help yourself, give you tools to fight back against those dark, scary thoughts.  I know that the struggle is real - and saying "its all in your head" is about the same as saying when someone is sick that "its all in your body".    

The two I've heard that are most effective for anxiety and/or depression are Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.  From what I know about CBT is that it is a fancy way of saying "what you THINK affects how you FEEL, and that affects how you ACT".  The therapy gives you tools to help you change those negative, scary, sad thoughts.  It is very hard to do this by yourself, so it is really important that you reach out for help to qualified people who can help you.  There are possibly medications that can help as well, but that therapy is really important, and a key piece for a lot of people.

It takes a lot of courage to be living through what you are going through.  You may not feel like this right now, but you are obviously strong and insightful, that is evident in what you wrote (and if you are anything like my son you are probably rolling your eyes right now at the compliment).  Take the next step to reach out to your support people around you, and go talk to your doctor.  It is going to be worth the effort, I promise you!!