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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sabina on July 15, 2003, at 23:50:21
Between pain and mental fog from fibromyalgia, my med SE's and the problems that they're supposedly ;) treating, I barely have energy to even lurk properly! And I don't even have a job anymore (except for maid, cook, homemaker type stuff).
So I'd like to take a moment to give up massive respect to you guys for the strength to go beyond your own situations enough to communicate with and help so many people with your concern and kindness. Try to remember that the next time anyone (especially your own negative self talk) starts to get you down.
Hope this didn't sound too sappy, 'cause that so isn't my style. I just believe in credit given where it's due. It happens far too seldom in this world.
Posted by paxvox on July 16, 2003, at 18:28:04
In reply to You guys are really impressive., posted by Sabina on July 15, 2003, at 23:50:21
Stange how "relative anonymity" allows people to help others to whom they wouldn't say "boo" to if they met them on the street. I mean, how many of us talk anout our problems outloud to the other patients in the Pdoc waiting room? Hmmm? How many of us would not feel comfortable talking to the people we "chat" with and exchange information with here if we were sitting in a room together?
Is it just this anonymity that "allows" us to be more open and honest (for the most part, as we well know that there are posers here just "playing" for the fun of it)? This is indeed an interesting phenomenon I have found with discussion boards and chatrooms. If we were to see live-feed pictures of the people we were interacting with, I wonder how open we would be.
I find it a shame that we can't reach out to a person in obvious need we may see in the "world", yet are willing to proffer all the assistance in the world to someone that exists to us only in cyber-reality. Please don't take this as a put down of this site or the many, many helpful people who post here. It is more an observation. I wish somehow as a "people" we could be so open and concerned to those "real" people we come in contact with on a daily basis that we could be as helpful. "They kill 'em with their love, every day. They kill them with their love." Strange, that.
PAX
Posted by Sabina on July 17, 2003, at 12:25:15
In reply to Re: You guys are really impressive., posted by paxvox on July 16, 2003, at 18:28:04
>> I mean, how many of us talk about our problems outloud to the other patients in the Pdoc waiting room?
Odd you should say that, for just yesterday I was in my pdoc's waiting room. I was crying quietly* and the woman sitting across from me asked if I was okay. She then launched into her tale of woe and I knew more about her in four minutes than you can imagine. Just listening to her chatter helped to straighten me out a bit. I referred her to a great therapist (she didn't have one) and this site, expressing how it had been very good for my treatment to augment my support system both through therapy and online interaction. I feel that it was a quite mutually beneficial exchange which I greatly appreciated.
*I was upset because our insurance is billed differently for psychiatric care and there's a massive deductible to be met. My boyfriend (common law husband, shacked up, whatever you want to call it) wants me to get treatment and get better "no matter how much it costs" yet continues to make comments about how much it costs, how now he can't afford this or that new toy, etc. I had just put another $90 visit on his credit card, didn't feel I was "worth it" and became a little weepy.
Posted by Penny on July 17, 2003, at 12:39:46
In reply to Re: reaching out in the *real* world., posted by Sabina on July 17, 2003, at 12:25:15
It seems like I am always talking to someone or another about what's going on with me or with them - I was in Walmart and started talking to this woman about depression and medication and so on. Very random. Then, last night at Weight Watchers I started talking to another woman about depression and meds and how we've both been on so many things and how she feels like she will battle it the rest of her life, etc. etc.
I try, actually, to talk about it as much as I can (though not so much in the workplace) to educate people. I see it as sort of a mission and the ignorance involved with mental illness is something I'm very passionate about. In fact, I'm meeting with two women with UNC Hospitals on Aug 1 to discuss starting a depression support group there, as a volunteer lay facilitator.
Posted by gabbix2 on July 17, 2003, at 13:42:28
In reply to Re: reaching out in the *real* world., posted by Penny on July 17, 2003, at 12:39:46
I think in general its much easier for women to reach out to each other. I know I've had women ask me if I'm okay, in public, and I've always found it really touching.
In the workplace I've always found 'concern' to end up being a euphemism for gossip unfortunately.
This is the end of the thread.
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