This forum is a great place. It fills gaps in our pursuit of mental well being, well enough to survive or fit into society or just feel better.
How much investigation do we need to accomplish to feel better?
A trap I fell into some years ago was to focus too often and too long on my mental issues. I began to fell my mental issues were a giant magnet and any spare time I’d gravitate towards the computer onto this forum or googling sites about bipolar, depression and medication. I’d mention to my visitors my mental health.
Eventually I wrote the following threads (use google)
Topic: Do you ramble on? A talker of mental illness all the time- beyondblue
Topic: do you talk too much about your problems?- beyondblue
It became obvious that the balance of getting on with life and my obsession with my mental state was out of whack, this is quite normal for a time. Acceptance of our ills isn’t easy. So how long should we centre our attention on mental illness to an overloaded level? That depends on the person, how serious their state is and their difficulty in dealing with it.
What I would consider is the effect of your daily life and your relationships by smothering yourself with too much of the one topic. Any topic, say an obsession with a hobby, work, sport, is not beneficial to your life as that balance is not only harmful to you but your relationships suffer, people see you as obsessed. We all know that feeling of being ill when socialising and we mention our medication and others turn away. We are also sensitive towards other people so we should limit our contact with the same faces because hurt isn’t far away whereas some find friendship in others with similar mental illnesses to an extreme. My suggestion is to just back off a little and spread your time and kindness.
This is all to do with balance and self preservation. Lets be wise as to the reasonable level of everything we do. Limit your worry, time on mental illness issues and not leave ourselves open to hurt by attaching ourselves to friendships beyond reasonable levels.
Finding a hobby or interest takes us to another world of smiles and fun. We can introduce variety in our lives. Over thinking how we think, who likes us and who doesn't, why, why, why, what if's, I wonder, maybe I'm bipolar, etc etc. Get the treatment, involve yourself with forums and regular GP visits but acknowledge that those actions are only part of your life. There is other living to do.
Tony WK
