Successes & Failures...

Hello, all. I haven't been around for a long time, thanks to recuperating after my ileostomy op in May and trying to build some kind of life for myself! It's been a long hard road & I'm not even sure it has an end, if I'm honest! Anyway, I've been trying to deal with my Internet addiction which reared its ugly head again soon after my op as I wasn't really well enough to go out - I spent all day on social media! However, I've tried to get some "real life" stuff going now I'm not chained to the bathroom in quite the same way as I was before my op - I've joined a couple of local history societies and gone back to church.

Two weeks ago I left Facebook (again!) after it triggered a panic attack (it was just so overwhelming!) and I've got a feeling that Twitter is going the same way. I just can't cope with all the info on there, and I never know who I'm really dealing with either.

I have a suspicion that social media has impaired my ability to socialise in real life - I'm an Avoidant so I don't find it easy anyway, but when I started going out & about again I felt terribly anxious and self-conscious - for ages I'd just been dealing with people from behind a screen & all I had to go on were their words!

So, I'm still spending too much time online but I'm trying to work out where my life is going - I sure as heck don't want to spend the rest of it on a keyboard...

Welcome back LDD !

I've been thinking of you and hoping you were doing well ! Internet and social media are such a huge part of all our lives these days . The key is finding balance and it sounds like you're inserting some great , healthy activities into your life . It's baby steps , really , and not always as simple as succeed or fail .

I hope your operation has made some improvements to your life - it sounds like you're doing much better than you were before . It's good to hear from you again .

NewSunRising wrote:Welcome back LDD !

I've been thinking of you and hoping you were doing well ! Internet and social media are such a huge part of all our lives these days . The key is finding balance and it sounds like you're inserting some great , healthy activities into your life . It's baby steps , really , and not always as simple as succeed or fail .

I hope your operation has made some improvements to your life - it sounds like you're doing much better than you were before . It's good to hear from you again .

Thanks NSR! Much appreciated - I apologise for my long silence, but I've almost been having to rebuild and rediscover myself. The op has made definite improvements, although I was a bit of a wreck for quite a while! I can get out & about & mix with people more which is great - although I do get "peopled out" quite quickly and need time to withdraw!

The way I feel at the moment, I won't be going back on Facebook for a long, long time!

No need for apologies my friend - our health and well-being comes first , no matter how long it takes .

I also get peopled-out fairly quickly . In my twenties and thirties I had a lot of friend groups - school , work , hobby groups - I was always in the middle of a gang of folks doing something .

Where I live now , I am very much a loner , with maybe 2 or 3 friends that I see a couple times a month . I like it this way BUT.... when I go back to my hometown , I almost feel mobbed by the friends who want to see me while I'm in town . Usually someone throws a party and we all meet there . Lol , not that I'm all that special , but they have all stayed in the same place while I've flown off into the wild blue yonder . I guess I'm kind of a novelty - she's The One Who Lives Abroad !

I'm sure you can relate to the thought of " Too...many...voices ! " And it's hard because I do love them dearly . Just not all at once .

Anyway , I'm glad things are looking up for you . I wish you a joyful Holiday Season !

NewSunRising wrote:No need for apologies my friend - our health and well-being comes first , no matter how long it takes .

I also get peopled-out fairly quickly . In my twenties and thirties I had a lot of friend groups - school , work , hobby groups - I was always in the middle of a gang of folks doing something .

Where I live now , I am very much a loner , with maybe 2 or 3 friends that I see a couple times a month . I like it this way BUT.... when I go back to my hometown , I almost feel mobbed by the friends who want to see me while I'm in town . Usually someone throws a party and we all meet there . Lol , not that I'm all that special , but they have all stayed in the same place while I've flown off into the wild blue yonder . I guess I'm kind of a novelty - she's The One Who Lives Abroad !

I'm sure you can relate to the thought of " Too...many...voices ! " And it's hard because I do love them dearly . Just not all at once .

Anyway , I'm glad things are looking up for you . I wish you a joyful Holiday Season !

Thanks so much, NSR! I know what you mean buy "too many voices" - that's part of my problem with social media - I'm not very good at filtering them out & it feels like I'm being shouted at 24/7! I do have a few close friends though & I do make an effort to keep in touch!

I wish you all the joy of the season too!