For those of you that have come to know me, you know that I’ve been a regular here for the past few months. I’ve been on this forum essentially every day. Whenever I’d log off I would see nothing under “last comment” except a long column of “Fugs”… or would that be Fugses?
If I’ve helped even one person then it’s all been worth it.
Even though I haven’t posted a lot about
my own struggles with anxiety, it’s been beneficial for me to be a part of this community. It’s helped to remind me that I’m not alone in this journey. It’s reminded me of how far I’ve come when I see someone describing their first panic attack and has motivated me to keep moving forward seeing others who are further along than I am. It’s reminded me that my fears, anxieties, and tendencies (like catastrophizing) are shared by so many others. I’ve also picked up a number of ideas along the way even if they weren’t directed at me personally.
That being said, I feel that I need to cut back on my presence here. While initially being an active member on this forum has been beneficial, lately it’s been having the reverse effect. Fortunately, I’m doing a lot better right now and hopefully things will only continue in that direction. But lately, reading about
things like fears of having a heart attack has been reminding me of the fears that I’ve been challenging and working hard to overcome. In other words, at this time the very site that used to remind me that I’m not alone has been feeding into my anxiety.
For that reason, I’ve decided to cut back on my presence here. I still plan on checking in and contributing, but just not nearly as frequently. Hopefully as I continue to improve I’ll be able to allow myself exposure to the fears of others without it feeding into my own, which would be to me another sign of growth. Before I end this post however, I wanted to offer a few words to some members in particular.
Camylou and
wearyRAsufferer, I want to thank for being bold enough to share your faith. Unfortunately many of us hold back in discussing this source of strength because of the objections of a vocal minority. Faith should never be offensive, but for many it is a source of strength and drive. Thank you for reminding me of this.
Justwannafeelgood... ah, don’t we all?! I’m very happy for you that you’ve found a place to share, where you can feel support and share support in return. I feel a certain tie to you, having welcomed you aboard and encouraging you to post a new thread that is now four pages long! It’s amazing how something as “simple” as Magnesium has done so much for you. I’m so happy you found it!
Dancinheart, you came about
around the same time as justwannafeelgood and I felt a similar connection with you. You’re a very strong person who has a great attitude. You’ve been through a lot and in a relatively short period of time made significant progress. As strong as you are today, you’ll only grow emotionally and mentally stronger with time. I’m sure that your relational experiences will also help you to help others over the course of your life.
Trn450, I hope school is going well and thank you for the medical knowledge you’ve shared with us, appreciably written in lay terms. Though studying may be extra challenging for you because of your anxiety, you’ll be that much better of a doctor once you begin to practice as you’ll understand your clients’ fears and anxieties better than many of your colleagues.
Debaser, although I don’t feel as though I know you as well I appreciate your input. You are clearly very knowledgeable and the information that you share typically comes across with a sense of legitimacy and authority. I’m not sure those are the best words, but I guess what I mean is that you don’t sound like you’re sharing simply an opinion, but rather that you really know your stuff.
Percycat, I can only imagine what your days are like. You need to eat to survive, but every meal seems like it causes more anxiety and more questions about
what’s safe. I’m sure there’s an explanation and I truly hope you find it sooner than later.
Wolflover, I don’t know that you’ll see this, but if you do I hope that you remember that you deserve better and that things can improve. You’re a strong person and through suffering will come greater strength.
Scaredy Cat, I have as much respect and admiration for you as I do for anyone on this site. You have generously shared of yourself and given of your time to help so many others. You have been a staple since I joined; a regular contributor always maintaining a positive and optimistic outlook. I hope you know how appreciated you are and don’t forget that the people on this site are here for you just as you’ve always been there for them (us).
Green Grove, although you’ve just recently returned I can already tell that you are and will continue to be a blessing to the many people who frequent this site.
Just_a_girl, I commend you for being proactive and taking care of your family during this difficult time. Painful challenges will enter all our lives, but it’s how we handle them that either builds our character or pulls us down.
Kitt, what can I say? Put simply, you are the glue that ties this community together. Were it not for you, this forum wouldn’t be the community that it is today. On behalf of the thousands of people you’ve replied to – thank you for being such a stable and consistent component of this community. BTW, when I first saw your screen name I thought, “There’s someone who thinks a lot of herself. Saint Kitt?!” An hour later I saw a magnet on our refrigerator from St. Kitt’s. lol – Now I’m even more impressed… it’s not everyone that has a country named after them!
I’d like to also acknowledge a few others that I’ve seen frequently around here including
Precious Gem, awty, Hibee, ylime, puttingontheplay, Raynebow, ROYGBIV, cln777, rmcconn85, Lululiya, fantha, Skysmommy, and
carlybob1.
I’m sure that I’ve left someone out and I apologize if that someone is you. Every person on this site is a valued member, for a community is only as strong as its weakest link. I wish you all the very best!!
P.S. If you’ve never seen this before, this is a short video that runs about
15 minutes and is called
Validation. It’s about
how much of a difference you can make by simply putting a smile on someone’s face and saying something nice. Hopefully this post has put a smile on a few faces…