Healing all parts of your life?

Thanks Bourbon. Conquered our social anxiety and the selective mutism has gotten a lot better which helps. Our biggest problem really is finding friends, not keeping them. Or at least real life friends. Any tips for that? Blogging has helped us a lot to meet people too but with all the name changes and having to move all the time to keep safe meant losing well.. everyone because we had to leave it all behind. Making new friends has proven a challenge thus far. How do others meet new people when you're not in for instance a working environment?

I'd say... you can meet people anywhere you're likely to see the same person a couple of times. Especially small groups are good for this. But um... houses of worship, neighbors, if you take any classes, if you join any clubs, if other people you know know other people, sometimes you can meet people that way.

Anyways, then you introduce yourself and go from there.

Is that what you meant?

It is, thank you

I'm looking into community groups and things like that where we can meet people Hopefully we find something

Just had a chat with our psych nurse and she goes "And you get your letter from x", which I have not. I asked her who this was and it turns out he's a psychiatrist that works in our area I told her I had no idea why this person would send me a letter and she said my first appointment with him would be written there. Thing is, no one has actually referred me there! My GP hasn't, my psych nurse hasn't, my old psychologist hasn't... So no one has any idea how he's come to set up an appointment with me. Either some part of me has done something none of us have any idea of (unlikely, especially as we know full well a psychiatrist is not really too appropriate for us) or someone's made some kind of mistake. I told her we would be happy to have our session with this man just to see what he's like and what comes of it. He might even be nice. Stranger things have happened, I guess

Anyone got any tips for what to expect? Never seen a Psychiatrist before

Psychiatrists that I have had experience off here in the UK are very medication-oriented. They see that as their input; over and above any psychological input. I've only ever seen a psychiatrist to do medication checks or talk about coming off medication/going on a new one. But that is just my experience.

As for making friends, I'm as clueless as you unfortunately. Aside from joining clubs and hobby groups I really don't know. I have been tempted at times to join a reading club because I love reading but as always my anxiety makes it feel impossible. I had ample opportunity to make friends when I started up my voluntary work but as always I missed out on it because I didn't have enough confidence to really push.

Also, we have just moved into a new building so getting to know the neighbours is another opportunity?

-B

Thanks Bourbon

Will see what comes of the appointment then Considering all I've ever taken in the field of such things has been 2 or 3 days of Zyprexa - which of course didn't have any effect in that short of time. That's it. Nothing more. So I'm guessing it's neither to give me meds nor take me off any, really. Will see though. I'm pretty anti-drugs for this body due to previous trauma but will keep an open mind to meeting him and see what he has to say at least

My SO isn't really comfortable making friends with our neighbours (because they are so close) so I can't do that. Been considering trying to make some contact with people in the neighborhood though

How are you with your move and all, if I may ask?

lifelongthing wrote:Will see though. I'm pretty anti-drugs for this body due to previous trauma but will keep an open mind to meeting him and see what he has to say at least

Absolutely. How bizarre though that no one has requested an appointment with him? Very strange!

lifelongthing wrote:How are you with your move and all, if I may ask?

Of course you may ask! I say we have "just" moved in, but actually it was a couple of months ago now. It has been great; definitely a much needed move but it has been hard sharing a flat with a guy, even if he is my best friend, and sometimes I've had to ask him to leave the house if we are all completely freaking out and that is the only way to calm everyone down! We are very lucky though to have such an understanding bestie. Things have definitely picked up quite a bit since coming here.

-B

Very bizarre

I've definitely noticed you're doing better since the move from reading your blog You're doing great work in healing and I'm so glad you have Cat to help you I'm glad your best friend is so understanding too. Having good support means so much in healing

Thanks so much And hey, may you be the first to know that Cat has "approved" us having the other therapist as a helping hand with the more technical sides of understanding what is going on with us Good news for us

That's great I'm so happy to hear it! Best of luck with working with her