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Diva news...


15 years ago 0 955 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Diva,
 
Sounds like you had such a nice day with your family!
 
Although it may be difficult to challenge the fears of having strangers in the house, it sounds like you were able to confront those thoughts and deal with them successfully. What a great feeling that must be! What made this time different from past experiences? Did you use any specific strategies that helped you manage?
 
These accomplishments should not be ignored! Perhaps try rewarding yourself for these advances?
 
Enjoy the rest of your weekend Diva!
Sarah, Health Educator
15 years ago 0 910 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
My hubby's friend came and knocked at the door to say hello. Guess what, I did not spontaneously combust!   Go figure! Irrational really is the best word for this! Well, off for a nap! 
15 years ago 0 910 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0

Thanks for the encouragement Ashley! And you have a great long weekend too!


Yesterday was a great day! I got up, got ready in my "artwork clothes" and went for brunch at my mom's. We had a great brunch with her, her husband and some of my nieces. Then, after lunch, we had an art project. We painted and made some valentine cards and had a lot of fun. Then I helped my mom with supper and my husband joined us for supper. After we went home and my husband watched movies with me all night! It was really nice! And I did not even need a nap all day!

Now, today I am tired but no matter. Thing that bugs me is that I realize that however far I have come with this anxiety and depression thing, there still is a lot of work to do... For example, at the moment, my husband has a friend from work over. As such, I am hiding in my bedroom? Why you might ask? BEcause since childhood I have had an irrational reaction to strangers in my house! Why? Not sure... So now, because of my own craziness, I have effectively cloistered myself in my room till said stranger departs from my home. My husband must think I am a loon. Well, then again this is nothing new to him. At moments like this I feel bad for him. Well, I feel bad for me too hahaha! I know this is crazy and irrational, I just can't help it! Well, that is not true. I guess I could get dressed and go out there and face the stranger in my house. But I frankly prefer not to. I am not sure why. I deal well enough with people outside my house, I just can't stand having them inside My house! Drives me crazy! I have trouble letting repair men in! And I need them! I think it just makes me feel invaded and unsafe. Oh I don't know...

Well since I am stuck in my room, I will finish up here and go for a nap! Later guys!
15 years ago 0 910 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hiya Wildcat,

Good advice, I will . Tomorrow I am having brunch and an art project with her and my nieces. My mom is great. I am very grateful.

Hey Ashley,

Thanks for the support. Lately I feel like I really need it. And yes, we are all in this together.

It is hard for me not to isolate myself sometimes. I feel so useless to others, like I am a burden. I feel like such a drag! So I just isolate myself to preserve others from myself. So I don't burden them. But that isn't very healthy for me is it? Is it just misplaced pride on my part? Sometimes I think it might be. I am pretty hard on myself and feel that if I have nothing to contribute I shouldn't ask for anything. But then I end up so alone and isolated, and at the worse times too, at the times where I need help the most! So I am trying to break the pattern and reach out at the moment even though I feel like pretending I am doing better then I am. I am trying to be honest about where I am at and not cut myself off from others. My mom says I am precious just because I am and that I am deserving just because I am. She says I am precious just because I was born to this world, that I don't have to be perfect to be loved. 

Sometimes I find it hard to believe. 

But  enough of that. I have a nice brunch tomorrow and it is time for me to go get my beauty sleep! 

Thanks again for all the support!
15 years ago 0 11218 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0

We are happy to be here for you Diva.  Please don't isolate yourself from us!  We like to see your posts, we are all in this together.

Sometimes it feels like its best to be alone but this can make things worse.  We all need to be supported and hey we are human.  Humans are social animals and need contact with others.  Try to keep in touch with your friends and loved ones, us included of course.
 
Have a great weekend!
 
 
Ashley, Health Educator
15 years ago 0 456 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
go give your mom a big teary hug and  and say thanks for taking care of her baby.
15 years ago 0 910 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hey WildCat!

Encore une fois merci pour la réponse! (Once again thanks for the reply). I appreciate your support.

I answered you in the other thread too. Been having a bit of a tough, breakdown day.

As for my AD I take it in the evening around 9 pm. Not sure if it makes me sleepy but it does not seem to stop me from sleeping well so I find it safer to take it in the evening. Good to know that being muddled and sleepy is normal lol thanks for that. I do think I am less anxious (I also suffer from anxiety disorders) since I take the AD but not sure if it is just a coincidence or therapy or what... But who cares, less anxious is good whatever the reason. Now I am hoping the ADs will help with the depression. Although I do believe CBT to be the key to getting better. But if the pills can give me a boost so I can do the CBT better I will take it! Thanks for reminding me of the sleepiness thing with the AD!

And yes, you are right, I need to do my thought challenging! Too true and thanks for the reminder!

As for my mom, well I had not seen it that way. What I know is that I enjoy her company and spending time with her does make me feel better. 

I am sorry if I worried you. Thanks for encouraging me to post. I do isolate myself when I am not feeling good. It may not be the best way to cope. The last month has been tough. 

As always, it is a pleasure to hear from you WildCat. And thank you for your support. You have no idea how much it meant to me to see your replies today. 
15 years ago 0 456 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
hi diva
do you take your AD in the morning or at night?   i have to take the effexor at night or spend the day asleep - one of the side effects!  Remember AD helps to slow down the brain (and digestion) so you can catch up with the thoughts ... so being muddied and sleepy is Normal !!!
 
It was my pharmacist who reminded me of this and suggested i take the stuff at night. 
 
As you being a whole bunch of negative things !!! well I want you to do a good long challenge of those negative thoughts young lady!  Your mom has not had the pleasure of your REGULAR company for a long time and now she can watch over you like any good mother hen!!!  And We were all worried about so any post is a pleasure to hear from you! 
 
 So take apart all those nasty I Feel like - should respond if i post- I would, I should, I... and enjoy today.   Even with the virus you have.  have a cup of tea and biscotti and worry about tomorrow when you wake up.
15 years ago 0 910 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi guys,

Thanks for your support and for asking about me. I really do appreciate it. I am sorry I fell off the face of the world again. 

I have gone to the doctor and they did a urine analysis and said I was ok. I am going to my doc in two weeks and since I still have pain once in a while I will have her check it out too. But I think all is well.

Up to now, the meds are not so bad. I have a few mild side effects but mostly I am no worse off. I do not know about benefits yet but then again I have not taken the meds for 4 weeks yet and they say it can take up to six weeks before I get the benefits. So, I am waiting to see. Well, I might have some benefits. I think I have been less anxious in the last week and a half or so. In the last two weeks I have taken less of my anxiety meds. So I might be getting that benefit, I am not sure yet. But it would be nice if the AD helped.

Lately I have been extremely exhausted. I get up, go to work, come home, nap, watch tv, sleep and I start all over again. I try to do some housework... I have not been taking my walks or doing my yoga. I sleep a lot. This makes me feel so lazy and guilty. My therapist and my husband tell me to just sleep and recuperate and stop being so hard on myself. But I can't help thinking that sleeping 12 hours a day is unproductive and lazy and undisciplined of me. I feel like I should do more and be better. I feel guilty and frustrated and like I am letting everyone one including myself. 

I have had to ask help from my mom. She has been helping me with my laundry and my dishes and shopping and admissions form writing. She also helps with class preparation for my work. I feel so guilty and stupid for needing help for all that. I know she does it willingly because she loves me. She says I am good company and she likes spending time with me and that I am one of the good things in her life. She is the best. But I feel guilty. I feel like I should be the one taking care of her, helping her. I feel like I am a bad daughter and a failure. I depend on my parents for so much. I am lucky to have such great parents. I just wish I was better for them.

I am sorry that I have not been posting. I am also sorry that I have come here and posted without answering all of your posts. 

That is why I have not been posting. I am so tired. I am exhausting. Sometimes I would like to come post here but I am too tired to answer all of you so I do not post at all. I feel like, if I have nothing to contribute, I should not post at all. That id why you have not heard from me, because I was so tired and could not contribute. 

My therapist says that is how I end up feeling alone and isolated. I do this in real life too. If I do not feel like I will contribute I just don't hang out with people. I don't like feeling like I am a burden. I like being able to help and support and contribute. It makes me feel good. 

I often feel that if I cannot help, I do not deserve help. So today, I decided to stop being isolated and post anyway, even if I am too tired to answer others. But I feel like a leech. I feel guilty.

I am going to go for a nap now. But I do want to say I believe in my heart that it will get better. I will be fine. Once I get over being so tired all will be well. My anxiety is under control and I have a good life. I am just exhausted and vulnerable feeling lately. But things get better, this too shall pass.
15 years ago 0 456 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
diva,
did you go ?  and?

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