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Joined: June 07 2005
Location: In transition
Status: Offline
Points: 2807
Posted: October 13 2015 at 05:42
follow your CBT counceller, and you may want to look into mindfulness, which is in vogue now, but I came across it many years ago through reading Jon Kabat-Zinn and attending a mindfulness camp, and it has made a dramatic positive change to my life.
Joined: March 07 2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 13382
Posted: October 18 2015 at 11:59
Yeah quite a few times; only minor stuff. I've talked to a psychologist a couple of times and I'm going to try and stop completely (though being drunk doesn't help). A trained professional who listens can be quite refreshing so keep seeing your CBT counsellor or whoever might be able to help you. I know what it's like to hate yourself. I wish you the best, condor.
Joined: May 25 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 10970
Posted: October 18 2015 at 14:08
condor wrote:
My self-hatred has reached points when I've cut myself while shaving, and know that it wasn't a mistake due to the soullessness of life in capitalism where everything is commoditized. Being middle-class, I am particularly inpatient that the working-class seem never to move and despair that if this recession doesn't energize people into defending themselves with their own class war to defend themselves, nothing will.
You link your personal motives to politics? Now it's harder to not believe something is off the rails here. Class gap can be a b$%ch, but it's hardly a good reason to hurt yourself. In our time, especially in the country where I live, there are still opportunities for you to make something of yourself, starting off with something small and working your way up. As long as you have some kind of interest (no matter how frivolous it is), you should start looking for something that pays that is close to your interest. Here I'm just paraphrasing:
"It says in the Declaration of Independence that everyone has the right to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' It doesn't say 'Just be happy! ' It says: 'Pursue it.' It means that you should go out and find happiness, rent an apartment across the street from happiness, track its movements, see what time it comes, what time it leaves, and when the time is right, ... you finally take it!" - Christopher Titus.
Again, I'm just paraphrasing. Now, back to the topic.
Have I ever thought about hurting myself? Many times! Did I hurt myself in the past? Maybe, accidentally. On purpose? Once I tried to. But every time I thought about it, that thought was immediately crushed with "... Na-a-a-ah! Only melodramatic buffoons do that, right?. Can I at least act like a normal human being?" I'm no psychologist (nor have I played one on television), but your mind and body are your assets. So, use them to make a difference that matters to you.
Joined: May 25 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 10970
Posted: October 18 2015 at 14:11
dwill123 wrote:
To you guys who want to do harm to yourself here's a piece of advice, IT'S PILL TIME!!!
Yeah, ... "Side affects of poo-poo-prozine include diarrhea, nausea, constipation, miscarrying Satan's child in women over 40. Call your doctor if this piece of s$%t is right for you."
emigre80 wrote:
At the risk of sounding obvious, if the OP was serious, you should seek professional help. Depression can be addressed, even within the context of existential despair.
... which may be a problem since a lot of things in life are tied to that one valuable currency - $$$.
Joined: January 25 2015
Location: kentucky
Status: Offline
Points: 2223
Posted: October 18 2015 at 14:19
Dayvenkirq wrote:
You link your personal motives to politics? Now it's harder to not believe something is off the rails here. Class gap can be a b$%ch, but it's hardly a good reason to hurt yourself. In our time, especially in the country where I live, there are still opportunities for you to make something of yourself, starting off with something small and working your way up.
Actually, I think that the current state of the world is a very valid reason for depression, and advice that there are "opportunities for you to make something of yourself" overlooks the OP's cry of despair. He does not want to make something of himself, but rather to live in a better world for everyone.
I have a lot of empathy for that point of view, and it's hard not to look around and feel tremendous sadness, even to the point of feeling self-destructive, over the way the world is and our own powerlessness to change it. An admonition that it is still possible to cultivate your own garden ignores the sense of responsibility that many of us feel towards the state of other people's lives.
No offense meant, Dayvenkirk, I just think that you were answering a question that Condor wasn't asking.
Joined: May 25 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 10970
Posted: October 18 2015 at 14:26
emigre80 wrote:
Dayvenkirq wrote:
You link your personal motives to politics? Now it's harder to not believe something is off the rails here. Class gap can be a b$%ch, but it's hardly a good reason to hurt yourself. In our time, especially in the country where I live, there are still opportunities for you to make something of yourself, starting off with something small and working your way up.
Actually, I think that the current state of the world is a very valid reason for depression, and advice that there are "opportunities for you to make something of yourself" overlooks the OP's cry of despair. He does not want to make something of himself, but rather to live in a better world for everyone.
I have a lot of empathy for that point of view, and it's hard not to look around and feel tremendous sadness, even to the point of feeling self-destructive, over the way the world is and our own powerlessness to change it. An admonition that it is still possible to cultivate your own garden ignores the sense of responsibility that many of us feel towards the state of other people's lives.
No offense meant, Dayvenkirk, I just think that you were answering a question that Condor wasn't asking.
Perhaps we understood the problem differently. After all, the OP did tie the issues of the social landscape to his own condition.
emigre80 wrote:
An admonition that it is still possible to cultivate your own garden ignores the sense of responsibility that many of us feel towards the state of other people's lives.
Why can't a person do both: cultivate his own garden and do something about the things around?
Joined: January 25 2015
Location: kentucky
Status: Offline
Points: 2223
Posted: October 18 2015 at 14:37
Dayvenkirq wrote:
Perhaps we understood the problem differently. After all, the OP did tie the issues of the social landscape to his own condition.
He did, but what he didn't do was say "I'm despairing because I don't see any opportunities for myself in this world." Which is why I thought your advice was off the mark.
I do think we can do something for the world and cultivate our own garden, but again, that's not what he is depressed about.
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
Posted: October 19 2015 at 03:07
Blacksword wrote:
Do the right thing Condor, and seek help.
I've had mental health problems most of my adult life, although self harming has never been part of it, but one thing I've learnt is that people don't wanna know! You need to speak to someone whose job it is to listen. All the best.
Absolutely - I've battled depression to one extent or another for the last 20+ years, part of which during darkest moments considering suicide. You need to seek professional help & not (as Dean stated earlier) the well meant but ultimately ineffective feedback on a music forum.
Joined: August 26 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC
Status: Offline
Points: 328
Posted: October 19 2015 at 11:16
Social context/conditions are minimized these days in their contributions to mental health problems. Unbridled disconnectedness,rampant and increasing income inequality, poor or unstable employment. and often legitimate low hope for the future are huge contributors to mental health difficulties. Professional help is important and hopefully the professional validates legitimate concerns about the conditions of the world you live in.
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condor wrote:
' It says: 'Pursue it.' It means that you should go out and find happiness, rent an apartment across the street from happiness, track its movements, see what time it comes, what time it leaves, and when the time is right, ... you finally take it!" - Christopher Titus.
