Who am I

[Mac1chick]

Does anyone know if depression/anxiety can change you as a person as in you don't feel the same person. like someone has wiped your personality away ?

[debs71]

Hi,

No, I don't personally think that it changes your BASIC personality - what kind of person you are deep inside, your thoughts, morals, character etc. but I do think that it messes with you so that those things can be disturbed or interrupted or inhibited.

As an example, I have never been the most confident or sociable person even when well, but I have gained confidence and sociability with age, but when my anxiety and panic is bad, I totally go inside myself, not mixing with others and often not leaving the house for days and days. I feel like me, but an unwell me.

As a person, I still feel the same, but anxiety has ruined me in a lot of ways, just because it interferes with my life, but as a person and character, I believe I'm the same.

It is an interesting question though.xxx:hugs:

[NoPoet]

It can FEEL like it has wiped the old you away, but this links to what I said the other night about seeing the world through new eyes. Anxiety and depression bring new and distressing experiences which can cause us to lose our confidence and our sense of security and stability. If you don't recognise who you are now, you eventually will do as certain positive thoughts and behavioural traits start coming back. I agree that we all have a core personality that is recognisably ours, but remember that we grow and change as life moves on so you will have new experiences and new skills to augment the ones you had before.

[Edie]

Depression in particular can make you feel very flat, and stop you enjoying the things you used to. Depression and anxiety can also change your behaviour and the way you react to things. But I don't think they actually change your basic personality.

[Tanner40]

Depression and anxiety can make me feel like a "flat" image of myself, or an "overhyped" version. My core values and character remain the same, but sometimes I don't recognize myself because I become timid or scared. I don't like to think of myself other than a strong person. Then I stope and realize that only a strong person could deal with this disease and continue, day after day, to try and beat it.

[Rennie1989]

It can change you if you let it.

I vowed to never let my mental health become a part of me. If I described my personality I'd say I'm motivated, devoted, kind, caring, have a sense of humour, analytic etc. When I'm depressed or anxious what ever traits I show are because of my illness, which is not me.