Do You Like Yourself? Your Thoughts are Welcome!

[blondguy]

Hello Everybody and new posters especially:-)

I have had anxiety since 1983 and depression from 1997. There is always someone that says 'You have to Love Yourself' before recovery. When people are suffering from anxiety/depression this may be the last 'advice' they really need. This is only my experience when I am 'advised to love myself' to rebuild my life. I have heard the following from people that cant 'love themselves' which is fair enough as I am a person that cant either. Your thoughts will help me and others learn from your point of view. I can only be 'gentle' to myself to heal...not love.

• Why should I love myself if I dont in the first place?
• I am in a dark place, how can I love myself?
• I dont deserve to love myself
• I am depressed...How can I love myself?
• I have mega anxiety attacks..what is there to love about myself?
• I hate myself and what I stand for...why should I?
• I love my partner more...I will care about myself 'later'

When people have depression/anxiety/denial they dont need to be counseled with ' love yourself'. Thats a huge ask.

I dont need to climb Mt Everest by trying to love myself when I cant. It can be an unrealistic and even silly target to achieve having depression

I just prefer to be 'gentle' to myself. Same results and way less stress 🙂 Your thoughts/opinions are more than welcome

Thankyou so much

Paul

[quirkywords]

Dools

I think if we all took time to understand other people if it would help us to like ourselves more because we would feel others were making an effort to learn about us.
I think also we need to know that reading one article or knowing one friend with an illness does not make us an expert. One friend told me she knew all about bipolar because she had read one article and she knew me,!

I agree that to be willing to find out the whole picture of any health condition can be helpful .

Paul thank you for this thread and hope you are well.

[Doolhof]

Hi Quirky,

That is a good point you made. Just reading about a condition does not make us an expert in it and it certainly does not allow for each individual person's own experience with that situation or condition to be considered or understood.

I know from one day to the next my acceptance, understanding and recognition of my own mental health issues change drastically.

It doesn't help when there are so many different thoughts, ideas, strategies, suggestions and procedures recommended for assisting with mental health. Some appear contradictory. What works for one might not work for everyone, and certainly not in every situation. We need to find what assists us, be open to new ideas and to keep trying when we can.

Cheers form Dools

[blondguy]

Hi everyone and thankyou for being a part of the discussion too!

Hey Quirky...thankyou for your kind post and ongoing support...Been reasonably okay..just have some issues with my sister who is an antivaxxer who refuses to let our 91 year old mum get vaccinated...Im way off my own thread topic yet I still like myself despite the family problems..There is only so much I can do at this time..

Hey Dools....its always good to see you! It can be difficult when we have a 'tired mind'. You mentioned"......... 'What works for one might not work for everyone, and certainly not in every situation' That sounds nice except that frequent ongoing counselling does work well for most people.. It takes time.. determination and a strong desire to heal no matter how uncomfortable we feel in front of a counsellor or a GP.

I guess thats why there is a box of tissues on the little table between most people and their counsellor/GP

I hope everyone has a really good weekend!

my kind thoughts

Paul

[quirkywords]

Paul

Family problems can be difficult at times and I am glad you like yourself. This thread is so helpful to so many people and each time I browse here I learn something.

From my own experiences and others to find a counsellor one really connects with is important and sone find this more complex than others depending on location and availability .

[Guest_1584]

Unfortunately being male l find male counselors which l prefer , few and far between but for any guys here that need it and a bit stuck try mens line. They've been a huge help to me and you can call any time which l prefer later at night too so that's also very handy.

I dunno if it's a common theme though if your regional , but the other thing l find is they're all 30 or 40mins away if you do find someone and usually only do appointments through the day too . We've got no one locally so although l've been booked in a few times with others l've had to cancel every time as day times are usually a bit awkward and other things always come up. So it's usually back to mensline , poor souls they must be sick of me by now.

rx

[Guest_4593]

I really want to hurt myself. Don't know why I'm fighting through it

[mmMekitty]

Hi Guest_4093,

Please call for help, 000 if at immediate rist to yourself.

Or call 1300 22 4636 & speak to one of BB's counsellors who can help you through this crisis..

Please, wait to talk to someone before doing anything

mmMekitty.

[Sophie_M]

Hey Guest_4593

It sounds like youre really struggling. We're concerned about you and we have sent a private message to check in with you. 

We hope you know that there is always help available to you, whether it's from our professional mental health counsellors Beyond Blue (available 24/7/365 on 1300 22 4636) or our friends at Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467).
 
If you feel like acting on thoughts of self harm or suicide, then this is an emergency, and you should call 000 immediately.
 

[mmMekitty]

I've noticed a few posts, jus recently, about finding a counsellor/therapist. & then, while I was looking up about the new Omicron strain of COVID-19, I came across something else on ABC's website. I don't suppose this will turn up as an actual link, but here is where to find this article about the relationship between psychologist & patient:

https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/a-psychologist-on-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-therapy/100621926

I thought it was very good, & explains also wat people can expect, when with a Psychologist they fit with.

I suppose there is another thread this info really ought to be, but since some peeople were talking here, I hope it's okay to post this here.

*

Here's an idea: 😻Be friends with yourself! Think about & treat yourself as you would think & treat yor best friend.

I can talk - but can I walk?

mmMekitty

[missep123]

Hi everyone!

It's so nice to not feel alone in how I am feeling. It amazes me how we all go through our own 'invisible' internal battles. From the outside we may seem 'fine' but so many of us seem to have something we are battling internally. Sometimes I also get overwhelmed about different techniques! One thing I will try to do as a lot of you mentioned (and I really love) is to try to be friends with ourselves. I am going to try practicing that this week!