LONG TERM SUPPORT PEER GROUP

[1113]

Hi all,

I haven't formally meet anyone yet.

I was going to go through ever thread to introduce my self but instead came up with this peer group thread.

"a group of people, usually of similar age, background, and social status, with whom a person associates and who are likely to influence the person's beliefs and behavior."

Seeing as we are all in the same thread area I think that makes us suitable for peer status.

A place to get to know each other in a safe calm environment.

It would be preferable if poster are from the "long term support over the journey" but I won't object to others posting.

Please chat............I'll leave it open.

Peace

Matt.

[1113]

My name is Matt.

My life is a continuous battle which I am getting really good at.

I am a chef and funnily enough my interests are everything else in the world too.

I have an extremely opened mind and can relate to anyone at different levels.

I may come across as a bit distant or distracted sometimes but this is because of my perspective on life.

Some things in the environment really pev me off. I have learnt that emotions are just that "eemotional"

I have found a zen state of life to be perfect for me.

Thats a bit about me

Peace

Matt

[1113]

Its 6am. I feel like death on toast as per usual.

Im just about to start my 1.5hr meditation walk.

Some of my best think comes from this. I filter thoughts continuously while meditating and walking. Profound wisdom is found there. Sometimes No wisdom comes at all I really enjoy this part of my day.

The rest is a mix of bluh and fluh. Walking is my peace.

Anyone else have any cool mindfulness stuff.

Peace

[White_Rose]

Hello Matt

We have crossed paths a couple of times. You words of hope and encouragement to others are great.

I think we accrue wisdom as we grow older although we do not always recognise it until circumstances pop out the appropriate file. Meditation is part of this "getting of wisdom" for me though I have been rather slack about it just lately. What is the phrase "repair your roof when the sun is shining, before it rains". Neglecting this has not helped me manage my current difficulties, but I am trying a bit of catch up.

A friend of mine takes frequent walks and says he finds himself meditating as he walks and saying his mantra. While walking is good both as exercise and mindfulness, it's not a favourite activity of mine. I like to sit outside on my patio and read, drink coffee, meditate and watch the birds. I commented before that no matter what I start with I invariably end up just sitting and allowing the peace to settle in my soul.

I also have a wide variety of interests.

I love your philosophy that emotions are just emotions. I agree in theory but find it very hard to put into practice. My emotions cause me a great pain at times, hence the meditation and repairing your roof.

MAry

[Guest_9809]

Morning Matt. What a super idea! You have had your thinking cap on again havent you? Anyway good on you. I can see that you have been very busy this morning already.

Thanks also for your brief introduction. Of course if any one of us wants to know more about you then we will be able to turn to your thread, also located in the Long Term Support section.

Some people here already know me, but I will give a bit of a personal intro. I am in my 50's, a heterosexual female, married - first time for me, second for my husband. I am a wife, step-mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter, and Mum to my little dog. I was in the ACT for some time for work, but now live in NSW.

Recently diagnosed with ptsd, of which I have been suffering from for a number of years. Never occurred to me that I could have it. Like many, you tend to dismiss it, unless you are an emergency worker or in the military.

I tend to be a loner. Not really anti-social, but just not comfortable in a crowd, or among strangers. So I have few friends. My domestic situation exacerbates that. Definitely an introverted personality, who finds social interaction highly exhausting.

I have worked since the day I left school - full time until about 4 years ago and part time since then. Typically in accounting, clerical and rural-interest roles. I have recently resigned from my current job, and just waiting for my replacement to be found before finishing. This will be a new thing for me, exciting in a way, but also a little daunting.

What will I do in my free time? Well ... I already do volunteer work in the aged care industry, which I enjoy. I will definitely continue that. I've always loved reading, so will welcome the extra time available to do more. I have also recently started to do poetry and art, something my psych has encouraged me to do. If you'd known me at school you would know what a big undertaking this is - totally lacking any skills in the artistic and musical fields. I've started writing, also as per psych advice - anything just to get thoughts out of my head. I hope to have more time to start on a regular exercise program at a gym in town. They have a pilates class but at present it clashes with one of my work days. And more regular walks with my dog. Once I finish work I will have no excuses! (-:

Soon I expect to start some ptsd therapy with my psych, so that may stall things for a bit, although I hope not.

Anyway hello everyone.

Taurus xx

[1113]

Hi mary,

I would like to say welcome. But I dont want to own this thread. So hello back.

I think that mindfulness however you choose is excellent. ☺

Peace is indeed great.

My walk was really good today. It took me awhile to find my center. I feel to much frustration.

I am eating rock Mellon and cashews plus i drunk 1.2 ltr of water. Although I don't sleep the best yet and i wake feeling crap after my walk i feel alive. I do this 3 times a day and its helping me beyond recognition.

I wake in the early morning have breakie and my meds plus sups and 1ltr of water then walk.

I do hope more people feel the courage to join this support group. It might take awhile but if it remains friendly and non judgemental it should be great for community feel.

The only classification is "long term support".

Do you feel this to be acceptable?

Peace

Matt

[Lost_Girl]

Hi Matt and Mary and Taurus,

I think this is a great idea Matt. Mary has been a wonderful support to me at my most troubled times and Taurus while fairly new here has made a huge impact to supporting people including some dear friends I have made on here.

I had an ice skating accident in Aug 2014 where I broke my shoulder in 3 places. After it healed I developed a chronic muscle tension headache and some neck/back issues. I have been hopping around specialists since then some with more success than others. At my lowest point I became depressed. I had to trial a lot of ADs to find one that worked, pain meds too. The medication mix left me in an extremely dopey shaky mess, unable to function much at all.

Skip forward, with the help of a new medical team I am now off all meds. I am regaining my condition and able to be physically active in short amounts. I am pacing myself. I still have a headache 24x7 but it is a little better than when on the meds and I am certainly more active. Onwards and upwards.

My time is now largely taken up by tasks assigned by my OT. These include walking, group exercise which I start this week, reading, arts and crafts, light housework and I am being forced to be social. Before all this happened I loved being social but I find it really hard now. I feel like I am super quiet when out with people and I find it hard to break the silence.

The original cause of my headache has changed. I now have Central Sensitisation which means my central nervous system and brain are not processing pain correctly. I still have a way to go.

I have a very supportive husband, though he forgets at times how hard this is for me because I "look ok". I have 3 beautiful kids, 11, 7 and 4. The youngest is not yet in school.

I haven't worked since Dec 2015. My OT plan has me looking at return to work at the end of March. I am very nervous about it because although I am more active I still have a headache 24x7 which affects my concentration and ability to do tasks that require brain power.

I am a Business Analyst/Process Specialist in a global role in an IT company. My Manager is in the UK which makes things complicated too.

That's my story. Here I am, trying to learn to "fit in" again 🙂

I have met some of the kindest people I know here on BB.

Carol x

[1113]

Hi all,

Nice profile picture Taurus. Thats the spirit. Own it like a trophy. Nice.

Carol,

Your home environment sounds like bliss only you have the chronic pain to deal with. Have you tried any alternate medicine or therapy? I'm a bit of a hippie that way.

----------------​------------I need to learn to converse😊

Today has been pretty good so far. Had a swim. My boy is back at school soon. Freedom. This past school holiday has been a rough sea. But I managed to surf long enough. I wont go back and talk about it. Buried it deep for now. To many other responsibilities for that.

I've never really fitted in anywhere. Always had/have friends but only the ones left are the ones who have been through Traumatic times together. Those friends you keep forever. Sometimes seeing them brings up memories. I tend to keep to myself.

I'm not sure what to do with myself. I get involved in anything I feel right. Don't have any real limitations. So I don’t fit in any where. Tend to freak people out.

The best way to know me would be to read my thread.

My depression is bizarre to say the least. I can't even remember why, at times. A massive episode can leave me unable to function at all. For some time. I am getting better with them but doesn't stop them anyway.

I think thats enough for now.........peace

[Guest_9809]

Thanks Matt, glad you like my newly displayed profile picture. I am trying to convince myself that its the way I feel about myself. Ie Proud, Tough, Strong and Determined.

I think I can wear the Determined bit, but have a way to go with the other 3 bits. Anyway the reason its there is to remind me of what I am striving for. Although its not where I am now, it does represent where I want to be. I found it on a PTSD website, and thought it very appropriate.

Yes Matt I know you have had a difficult Christmas holiday period, so it must be a welcome relief to have your son back to school next week. Hopefully things settle down to a normal routine quickly. I really admire what you have been able to do, despite your recent setback - inspirational.

I'm glad you've been able to maintain friendships with others, even though this can be difficult given that you share some bad times. Thats the negative side of it. But the positive side is that they have a great understanding of who you are, where you've been and where you are now.

Why would you freak people out, I wonder? Yes I've read your thread, and you are a very different person to me. But you dont freak me out. In fact I am somewhat drawn to your personality if anything. Like I want to know more, and to know what makes you tick. I too keep very much to myself, and talk little in public, other than when I have no choice. And yet, I have no problems with the written word. Grrr .. my frequent typos on the forums annoy me no end! Perhaps thats a bit of my OCD coming through?

Depression ... yep, thats a new thing to me hitting me only over the past 5 months or so. I have contended with severe anxiety for many years, to the extent that its become like a constant companion. Depression only came about due to a few issues I had to deal with Sep/Oct last year. Though appropriate for me to go into detail here about the specific issues, but it is fair to say that the depression has stuck with me like glue ever since. My psych has told me its expected that someone with PTSD will lapse into periods of depression. Happy to hear Matt that you are getting better at coping with, and getting through, these episodes.

I'll finish by asking if anybody ever writes handwritten letters any more? Research shows that writing letters boosts our mood, happiness and satisfaction, and counts as a form of mindfulness. To do a good letter, we need to be free of distractions. So go grab a pen and paper.

Taurus xx

[1113]

Hi Taurus

No..... I haven't hand written a letter for a while. Paper gives me a rash. I'm super allergic. Thats what I told the teachers anyway.

I am good at art like ceramics, cooking ...but no fine point motor skills. Strangely enough I cannot focus on fine point. Very small detail, drawing, writing(messy) etc hard for me to do. Large hand manipulation art... yes. I used to enjoy the wheel (ceramic) studied that at school. I owned one about 10 years ago.

I like spray painting.....restoration. House painting. I can fix anything on the farm, around the house. I am a farmer too. Raised that way. Enjoy gardening, my grandmother said I had a green thumb. I can understand plants very easily. I had a massive vegetable garden but lost interest when i started my own business.

I can build computers from scratch and have a high understanding of technology. Did a cert 3 in IT. I cannot sit for that long in a day. Always have to be on the move. So I stoppeed doing that. My interpersonal skills aren't great.

I like philosophy and i find it feeding my mind.......info going back to ancient Egyptian times. This is informing me of old techniques, mindfulness etc. . I find inspiration for philosophy in everything I see.

Did you know a depression reference is in the bible.....book of jobs. Google it. Cool read.

I freak myself out......lol.

Its super hot today, the sun has a sting in it. No clouds and tomorrow will be even hotter. I went for a walk which drained the energy right out of me. I could feel my skin dehydrating.

Consistent Anxiety will hurt the brain. To much stress on the brain will injury it, then it needs time to recover. Its a muscle.....it strains. Only you can't rub deep heat into it. Lol.

Ok.... depression. Not for here.

Your writing is proud, tough, strong and determined. You write good. I wouldn't worry about mistakes. I don't think it matters. I can see your anxiety in your words sometimes. I'm feeling quite slow atm.

Do you do any work? Or are you working and foruming at the same time?............hahahaha i sound like a boss.

I wounder if anymore people will post here. We might have to start recruiting. Lol. I feel like I'm talking to much about myself.

✌

Matt.