Lived Experience Forum

[creative_writer]

@PinkFlamingo we don’t have many calls to go now with efriend, but it’s okay, I can restart SANE guided service again in July. Though will need to wait a bit.

The thoughts are very distracting. Didn’t make much progress on my essay today, I’m hoping tomorrow is a better day. I know SA is unfortunately very common, but it’s hard not to feel alone due to the taboo associated with it.

You make me laugh with the no blank stares 😂💖

[PinkFlamingo]

I am glad you have had an opportunity to engage with efriend @creative_writer 🙂 

its a great service, from what I have heard. 

Sounds good regarding restarting SANEs guided service in July, and I wondered if your efriend PSW is maybe willing to work on some planning with you, if you'd like that? .. just thinking a bit laterally - I hope you dont mind sweets 🙂 🌺

Yeah, those thoughts do get in the way, dont they? One thing Id like to kindly say, and that is: even with not making huge progress, you still managed to get some of your essay done, and that is a big 🙌 for achievement while moving through those thoughts. That is not easy, and you have managed to do that today, so I want to kindly remind you of what you have achieved, despite what is going on xx

The taboos around SA do very much create islands of all of us who live with, but here, youre amongst members who know that stigma, and do what we can to minimise it. Hopefully you can feel a bit like youre not alone here 🙂 

hehe! Im so glad to know you laughed! 👏😁

[creative_writer]

@PinkFlamingo I can talk to him about what I can do while I wait for guided service to restart. It is certainly a good device, also found the SANE guided service to be really helpful too.

On the plus I did get more done today than yesterday. Even though it wasn’t much. My mind has been very distracted today.

I wish there wasn’t so much stigma. Even MH is still very stigmatised. My parents did not allow me to seek support initially due to the stigma attached as a teen. It was out of love, but it would’ve helped to have gotten support sooner. I just hope I can heal from all the traumas. I feel conflict within me, I’ve considered unravelling more things in therapy but I don’t want to feel like I’m betraying my parents either. It’s hard

[PinkFlamingo]

That sounds good @creative_writer 🙂 💜

Yeah, thats still a good achievement, getting some work done today, even with the difficulty of feeling that emotional distraction.. I think youve done awesomely (coming from someone who sometimes battles with cptsd moments that take space in my days here and there) xx

I totally agree with you - I very much wish that stigma could evaporate like a puddle in sunshine too. Im sorry to hear the delay in accessing therapy was difficult and still poses its challenges.. however, I would like to gently and kindly pose a different perspective, if that is ok? Please feel free to let me know what you think 🙂 

.. I can totally understand your parents feeling like avoiding help meant avoiding stigma, however the flip side is that doing so can sometimes delay and exacerbate needs for support, thus shifting the stigma to a later time, where it might be more complex to navigate systems to get help. I know that not everyone thinks of this factor when looking at avoiding MH help, however it is one perspective that I think contributes to a 'pro' of seeking help sooner rather than later 💜

The other very valid point youve made is around feelings of betrayal of your parents if you discuss things in therapy, specifically, you feeling like youre betraying them. I wondered if you have thoughts about how this is affecting you - having a real effect - contrasted against the perception of betrayal? It's your therapy, and so the therapist is there for you, to help you start healing from pain. I wondered if there were ways of discussing what you need to work with in therapy, without causing those perceptions of betrayal, like if you dont use names, or change context, but still discuss situations? I know this may not be possible in all circumstances, however I thought Id gently mention some alternatives in case you find them helpful in some way 🙂

Please do feel free to say if they aren't helpful, too xx

[creative_writer]

@PinkFlamingo it is true cptsd is hard. Having bipolar is also hard too. Mood disorders and trauma feed off each other.

I can give it a thought. Not entirely sure how to change the context. I’ve seen my mum not well

[PinkFlamingo]

Yeah, I agree @creative_writer 💜

Thats really hard, having seen your mum not well, sweetheart xx

I was thinking if there might be a way to change context etc, then it might be an avenue to starting to explore your feelings and start some healing 🌺

I'll leave it with you, and we can always chat about it next time, if that sounds ok? Im off to go make some dinner, and do some readings for the evening..

I hope you feel alright, and you get some rest tonight, and Ill catch you next time 🤗

[creative_writer]

@PinkFlamingo I hope you rest up well tonight and dinner and readings go well 💕. See you next time

[PinkFlamingo]

thanks heaps @creative_writer 🤗💜

Catch you then xx

[Jynx]

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@creative_writer wrote:
@Jynx I definitely think there is an overlap. I personally score higher on ADHD screening tools, so does my sister. My attention span is pretty bad rn. My sister has wondered whether she is ASD herself. I think my ASDness is more prominent than ADHD traits. I hope you slept well last night 💖

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Wait have you got an ADHD dx too? I feel like we've spoken a lot about ASD but not as much about ADHD. Though with all the overlap, that would make total sense haha. Do you and your sister get along well? Is the ND stuff something you two chat about often?

Anyway, I was going to reply sooner, got super busy, then blanked, and now...here we are! With me about to log off 😅

Hope you're doing okay this evening, sending big huuuugs 🫂

[creative_writer]

@PinkFlamingo talk to you soon❤️🫂

@Jynx I actually don’t. I’m not even sure if I would fit the criteria since I’ve never been tested. I have seen ADHD screening tools both during my uni studies and online, I just relate a lot to those with ADHD. We do get along, probably because we are similar in a way (we are related after all), but we are also pretty different. We look different facial features and height wise.

I hope you rest up tonight 💖🫂