Hello!: I just want to say a hello to... - Mental Health Sup...

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Hello!

20 Replies

I just want to say a hello to all the people who are using the site now but whose names I do not recognise and lives I know nothing about. I used the website very frequently for many months but have seldom written recently and find most of the people who write now seem new to me even though it's clear that many of you have been writing here for a while. I was very deeply depressed throughout last year and during the winter months but am going through a much better spell at the moment and so am not writing. I read what you have written but find myself not wanting to get too involved - perhaps from fear of getting sucked back into my own feelings too much!

To those who do know me and who I know and remember, a hello to you all too and hugs and love.

Suex

20 Replies

Hi Sue yes I remember some of your posts last year. I'm really pleased you are feeling much better.

Lots of hugs to you xx janet

in reply to

Oh Janet, I am sorry not to remember your name at all when you do remember mine! Thanks for replying and your good wishes. x

Binky1 profile image
Binky1

Hello Sue and nice to meet you

I'm glad that you are having brighter days than you did before

I am a relative newbie here just having discovered the forum a few weeks ago, I have been welcomed with open arms and am so thankful to the kind people here :)

I am 53 & mum to 3 lovely children

I grew up with an alcoholic father who physically & emotionally abused me. I then went onto marry a controlling bully of a man & am recently divorced

I suffered anxiety and a phobia as a child due to fear of my father & this has haunted me most of my life

I had postnatal depression after all 3 of my kids which was a truly horrendous time for me

I have good days and very very low days like most people on here but I am so relieved to be in contact with all the lovely people here ... it truly is a lifeline where I know I won't be judged & can be myself

I appreciate you saying hello & I hope you continue to stay well

Best Wishes

Lesley x

in reply toBinky1

Hi Lesley

Thank you for telling me so much about yourself, that sounds like a difficult time you have had. I know from my experience of working with people who had a similar childhood to your own how the anxiety that remains can be crippling after growing up with violence and alcoholic parents so you have done well to manage to leave your ex-husband. Life cannot be easy for you, but the website is a good place to express your feelings and we have each had difficulties that led to our depression.

I'm 63 and retired. My childhood was overtly good so I didn't understand why I felt out of touch with people throughout my early life - people felt they knew me but I felt they didn't. As a result of lengthy therapy I was able to reconnect with my emotions about a lack of emotional interaction with my mother and a controlling father who treated me as an extension of himself so I had no one to be with and was therefore unable to 'be' me. When I was 11 and told my father I hated him and to go away he did. I became convinced I was a bad person but felt confused as I knew I wasn't bad. I became highly anxious in case people would see how bad I really was. I was then sexually abused by an uncle and had a breakdown for 3 years but nobody noticed so I learned to emotionally look after myself. I didn't trust anyone with my feelings until when I was 40 I met a particular therapist who I hoped would be trustworthy and was - my life began. There's a lot more to my story, but I now know I am as healthy as most people and just needed to feel loved. I went back to studying, did a degree, taught psychology, then became a psychotherapist, did another degree and am now a freelance artist but lost motivation to produce art after a fall a few years ago though I am gradually picking up. I am married to a lovely man who has renal failure and hearing loss and have two gorgeous adult children from a previous marriage. That's my brief history!

I hope you find the website helpful and with help you manage to find a happier and non-abusive relationship in the future as it's always better to share life with someone.

Suex

Binky1 profile image
Binky1 in reply to

Thankyou Sue & yes I am still looking for my elusive Mr Right .. I live in hope :)

I can identify so much with emotionally looking after yourself as I've done that all my life as a means of survival, when I wear my heart on my sleeve I get hurt so now I am hardened in order to not get hurt again. But at the end of the day I can only appear tough for so long & then my true personality shows through ... and that's someone with a big heart. It's a juggling act and exhausting at times

You have achieved so much and well done for that. Its terrible to hear of the abuse you endured just awful

That's good you are starting to pick up your art again as that will be therapeutic I would imagine :)

Best wishes

Lesley x

in reply toBinky1

Hi Lesley,

Yes, it will be good to paint again, I have just booked to spend a few hours with a watercolour teacher as I've never learned to use that kind of paint.

Don't harden, that's always sad I think. I have done the opposite and allowed myself to be totally who I am whilst accepting if someone hurts me then that is sad about them. I have found by doing that but at the same time using my intuition about people and what they are like I have found some less difficult relationships though they are still not perfect of course!

Take care, Suex

Binky1 profile image
Binky1 in reply to

Thankyou Sue I will definitely take that advice on board as I don't like being hardened I really don't, it's an exterior I wear like a suit of armour

I don't like feeling vulnerable, I feel very threatened by it

Ooh your water colours sound beautiful. I can't draw a straight line haha but my 2 girls are fab artists, my 19yr old is studying Fine Art & Design at college, beautiful work :)

Take care & catch up again soon

Lesley x

Photogeek profile image
Photogeek in reply toBinky1

Hi Lesley you feel like an old (young) friend by now , will talk tomorrow

And hope your ok, I. Am glad you joined our merry crew.

Hannah x

Binky1 profile image
Binky1 in reply toPhotogeek

Aww thankyou Hannah that's lovely

I'm very happy to have joined the merry crew and wish I had found you all sooner but better late than never

Here's to a happier future for all of us

Lesley x

jules2105 profile image
jules2105

Hi Sue

Always nice to great some good news. Good to hear that you are having a better time :-)

Jules x

in reply tojules2105

Thanks Jules, I don't know you but that's kind of you! Suex

Suzie40 profile image
Suzie40

Hey Sue, nice post. I know what you mean about not posting so much when you feel ok. For me it's not the fear of being sucked back in, but rather that other people's situations are more needy of people's attention than mine. People on here have been a tremendous support to me, especially last year when I was going through a very bad spell. I log in when I can now, to try and be as kind to people on here as they always are to me x

in reply toSuzie40

Hi Lucy, good to hear from you. I find it an effort still to prevent myself from being depressed but whenever I do write then I do get some lovely responses, it's just that sometimes I feel despair about things feeling as if they don't change - though actually they do! I'm sure you will know what I mean by that. Suexx

Photogeek profile image
Photogeek

Hi Sue

That's a really nice post.Yes it is hard to remember all the names at

Times, I myself tend to answer rather than Post as I am coping ok with

My life and enjoying doing my stuff, I think I am a forgiving person but the other

Night I was watching TV and my brother was on a political debate show as he is

Politics. It felt so strange to look at him and realise I haven't seen him for two years.

I moves into my apartment here 3 years ago and invited him loads of time. He has

Never visited med and now I have given up asking him. His office is 10 mins from me,

But he lives outside Dublin.

I felt sad but accept that you can choose your friends but not your family. But it's

Hard when I hear him on the Radio or TV.

Bug hugs to everyone too

Hannah

in reply toPhotogeek

Yes, I tend to answer rather than post too, and when answering I respond to the content but often don't even take in the name of the person at all!

Oh that's sad about your brother! I don't see my sister either, I went to visit last year and realised there is no way we can ever have a mutually understanding conversation so have let go of the hope now. It surprised me how much I enjoyed hearing her voice, how it brought back feelings of having been a child, the familiarity. I would love it if we could have a good relationship, but as you say we can't choose family and each person responds to experiences in their own way. It must be strange for you to hear your brother and yet not have contact with him, it is sad.

Hugs to you too Hannah, you always say kind and sensible things to people who write on here.

Suexx

Sue I am so glad you are feeling better in yourself and I agree don't let yourself be sucked back down, that wouldn't do you or any of us any good. You have always helped me enormously here and I have learnt a lot from your great insight and advice. Love ya :d xxx

in reply to

Aah thanks, that's really kind of you. I can't imagine that een though I know it must be true because people tell me it is, strange how the identity we develop as children is so hard to change... xx

ThemysciraDrive profile image
ThemysciraDrive

Hi Sue,

Glad things are good for you. I think that's the case for a few of the "regulars" who have been here a while - we're feeling better at the moment so we don't post so much.

in reply toThemysciraDrive

Thanks for your good wishes, and yes, it must be the lovely (?) weather we're having! :(

Photogeek profile image
Photogeek in reply toThemysciraDrive

Hi Themys. Great to gear from you. New job , new girlfriend, oh she sounds fun. Themys any woman would be delighted to meet a

Caring and kind, intelligent young man. I hope it continues

To go well for you. It's great to be young, my advice is and you

Don't need it. Enjoy every moment, be yourself and have lots

Of fun and there is a line in a Pink Floyd song about not being afraid to show our weak sides . So don't be afraid to be vulnerable and open

And then she will know she can be open with you too.

Ah young love , Enjoy.

Hannah

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