ANSWERS: 7
  • Just that,explain what you think you might have,ask to see a doctor who can diagnose your condition and,if you are ill,educate them as to the illness.
  • We've spoken before on this one, and yours is one of the hardest illnesses to explain to those not familiar with it. The best way is to go see a professional, doctor, or whatever is available to you and get a diagnoses, have the professional explain it to your parents. Good luck.
  • You shouldnt have to be the tell your parents, they should have noticed your lack of progress and look for signs that something is different,then take you to a doctor to get diagnosed.
  • It is helpful to have information on hand when you tell them. Mental illness is often misunderstood and can be scary to others. It unfortunately carries a stigma and people have preconceived ideas about what a diagnosis means. I was diagnosed with clinical depression and the first thing my mother said when I told her was "what are we going to tell your father". Not the response I had hoped for. There was and is a lot of guilt felt by my dad because mental health issues run rampant on his side of the family. Both of my parents tend to view me as being overly fragile. It has been a bit of a rocky road with them and still is at times, but they now have a much better understanding of what I go through and do their best to support me. Get as much info as you can (through the internet, doctors, mental health clinics) and give them some time to educate themselves. It may take some time for them to come to terms with things - it is hard for a parent to see their child go through the pain of mental illness. It is best though to be as honest as possible with them. Best of luck!
  • If you're an adult, you should probably get diagnosed by a health professional before telling your parents; there's no need to worry them unnecessarily. However, I'm guessing that you're a minor. If you're closer to one parent than the other, find a time when you're alone, just chatting, and then casually bring it up in conversation. Open with something like: "Hey, I've been meaning to tell you something" or "I could really use your advice on something." Then, tell them how you've been feeling - whatever you're experiencing that leads you to believe you may have a mental illness. Something like, "Sometimes I get so anxious, I can't think clearly and just want to run away." Or, "I can't even remember what it's like to feel happy. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this." Then propose a solution. Something like, "I know that a lot of people feel this way and there are things I could do to make it better. Can we make an appointment for me to see a doctor?" Focus on the fact that mental illness is common and most of all, TREATABLE. Stay positive. Good Luck! :-)
  • Don't tell them "I think I have a mental illness" instead tell them how you are feeling - from other answers on here I am guessing that you think you are bipolar; describe to your parents how you are feeling, what your symptoms are and, if possible, show them a leaflet or an internet article about bipolar - highlighting the similarities. Tell them you want to go see a doctor to get checked out - ask them for help with how you are feeling and hopefully you won't have to say that you think it is a mental illness; just scared that it is strikingly similar to bipolar - let the doctor decide what and how to tell them. Good luck.
  • I just straight up told my mom, "I need to go to a psychologist, something isn't right". She told me I was normal, and that I was just a teenager and blah blah blah. I had to get old enough to go myself. Taking Celexa now, used to take paxil

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy