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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 25, 2015, at 10:11:57
Sometimes i wonder how my life would be if i reached remission after all these years.
Id still be behind everyone else!
Posted by Tomatheus on May 25, 2015, at 12:53:26
In reply to Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done!, posted by Lamdage22 on May 25, 2015, at 10:11:57
Lamdage,
You are, of course, right that being put out of commission, so to speak, by mental illness symptoms or even some of the effects of the medications we take can leave us needing to "catch up" with everyone else when we start to recover from what ails us. A lot of what we do in life is, in a sense, built upon what we've done previously, and so if a person is left unable to work for, say, five years, then that person is going to be five years behind his or her peers as far as experiences with both work and life are concerned. Additionally, the stigma that's attached to mental afflictions probably makes it even more difficult for someone with a mental affliction (relative to someone with a health condition that's not "mental" in nature) to resume living something resembling a normal life after recovery. So, let there be no doubt that having a mental affliction affects our lives in ways beyond the immediate discomfort and impairment that our symptoms cause.
Unfortunately, we can't change the fact that battling a serious mental affliction can leave us in many ways behind our non-afflicted peers who were busy building their lives when we were struggling to stay sane and to function. And while I think that this fact must be acknowledged, I think that once we acknowledge that there's some damage that's been done that we ought to focus on changing what we can change in our lives. Life is undoubtedly unfair, and we may not be able to create the kind of change that we'd like to, but I'd be willing to bet that the opportunities exist for probably all of us to create some kind of positive change. And I think that focusing on the ways in which we can change our surroundings for the better is essential to moving forward, no matter how far behind in life we may find ourselves.
Tomatheus
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 26, 2015, at 4:18:41
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done! » Lamdage22, posted by Tomatheus on May 25, 2015, at 12:53:26
I cant build a damn thing. I just get by day to day fulfilling the tasks as good as i can.
Posted by Tomatheus on May 26, 2015, at 13:00:10
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done!, posted by Lamdage22 on May 26, 2015, at 4:18:41
> I cant build a damn thing. I just get by day to day fulfilling the tasks as good as i can.
>
>I think it's true that sometimes the best we can do despite our best efforts is to just "get by." And even though it may not seem like anything is getting accomplished by just "getting by," doing what you're doing is better than not getting by. Although I'm in favor of looking for opportunities to change things for the better whenever such opportunities present themselves, I will recognize that there are times when the opportunities for positive change seem to be limited. But I think that the opportunities for positive change are almost always there, even if they're limited, and even if they only lead to minimal change. Small changes may not seem like much, but I think they're better than nothing.
Tomatheus
Posted by SLS on May 26, 2015, at 14:37:02
In reply to Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done!, posted by Lamdage22 on May 25, 2015, at 10:11:57
> Sometimes i wonder how my life would be if i reached remission after all these years.
>
> Id still be behind everyone else!I know how you feel, and there is much truth in your conclusions. However, once you respond well to treatment, you will most likely progress quickly in your recovery and be very happy with your new engagement in life. Mental illness leaves a huge amount of damage in its wake that one needs to address. However, your interpretation of your past and your outlook for the future will improve dramatically. Because of this, I doubt you will find the need to "catch up" with everyone else. You might, instead, find fulfillment in choosing your own path in life, and not get stuck comparing yourself to others.
- Scott
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 26, 2015, at 14:59:45
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done! » Lamdage22, posted by SLS on May 26, 2015, at 14:37:02
Maybe you are right.
I guess no one of us would take mental health for granted for one second if in remission after what we have been through.
Posted by SLS on May 26, 2015, at 18:26:51
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done!, posted by Lamdage22 on May 26, 2015, at 14:59:45
> Maybe you are right.
>
> I guess no one of us would take mental health for granted for one second if in remission after what we have been through.That's a good way of putting it.
- Scott
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 27, 2015, at 13:55:22
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done! » Lamdage22, posted by SLS on May 26, 2015, at 18:26:51
Well i am not doing that bad. Picking hobbys and friendships back up. It sure needs humility.
But its fun and it brings some much needed validation.
Posted by Lamdage22 on May 27, 2015, at 14:24:46
In reply to Re: Even if i would reach remission. Damage been done!, posted by Lamdage22 on May 27, 2015, at 13:55:22
Maybe a large part of my suffering was in fact homesickness.
Or i just figured it out now.
I been to the gym 5 times now. I am not picking up where i stopped though. Thats where humility comes in.
This is the end of the thread.
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