Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Hi all,
I have been following threads on this forum for a couple of months now. Sometime I feel guilty about following your lives and not contributing myself. I am still finding my feet as to where to contribute.

However I wanted to say thank you to everyone who posts on here because I have learned so much in such a short amount of time. I guess the biggest change for me has been about taking more control and responsibility for my own mental health. I have also been soooo inspired by many of your thoughts and ideas. Another thing I have really enjoyed is the overall positivity on this forum both for others and for yourselves in pushing forward when things get difficult. The support you show each other is amazing.

I guess to introduce myself briefly my life has been different to many here. I have 4 children, 3 young adult and a teenager still at school. Life was fairly uncomplicated for me until about 5 years ago when I experienced something as trauma. Many people would have survived this ok but it undid me completely. Things that were lurking in the background for years came to a head. I currently have a diagnosis of a personality disorder I am still struggling to disclose with BPD traits, depression and anxiety. I have been stuck and struggling to move forward for a few years.

I think coming on here and reading your stories has been a good start to me moving forward. I have also read how much childhood trauma and abuse has taken its toll in your lives and I feel deeply sad that many of you have experienced this. This has not been part of my life. Again I want to thank everyone for your honesty and openness as it has helped me so much. 😊💜

[Sylvester]

Welcome Teej and thank you for your post and introduction.  Hopefully you will continue to benefit from contacting the Forum in the future.

Kind regards

[Sehnsucht]

Hugs.

[Former-Member]

Hi Teej, glad to have you. Thanks for all your positive comments. Apart from having the odd post being removed (accidentally breeching guidelines) or supersensitive people being easily offended, 8 too have found these forums a great help and comfort in times of crisis. I had plans to check out on my birthday in march - this was the inly place i came to about that & well, I'm still here.

I have same diagnosis as you, its tough but not impossible. Its the Emotional Disregularity i find hardest because people around me. I was just reading you don't have to have had abuse in your childhood, just not being emotionally validated, guided, acknowledged or comforted... can have the same impact on early personality development & emotions. There's a good BPD awareness link you can 'like' on facebook for updates.

I'm still learning to find my way around this site but getting there.

HAPPY CHATTING!

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member,
Thanks for the welcome. I'm glad you're still here and that you had a hard time in March. I get the to wanting to check out. I do almost weekly but am still here too. You're right, I have been able to work through with a therapist that lack of nurturance and validation are largely behind my lack of emotion regulation and BPD issues. It sucks. I tend to turn stuff inwards rather than explode outwards but the result is the same either way. Good luck😊

[Former-Member]

Oops @Former-Member I just retread what I wrote. I meant to say that I was sorry you had a hard time in March. Sorry for the mistake.

[BlueBay]

Hi @Former-Member

Welcome to the forum.  I found this forum only  few months ago and I am so happy I did!!!

I too suffer from BPD, depression, anxiety and childhood abuse.  My memories of the abuse only 'came out' 6 yrs ago when I was 44 yrs old.  To have these memories locked in my mind for such a long time was very traumatic.

But I have a fantastic therapist and a psych who sort of understands.  I have 3 children (24, 23, 20) all living at home still.  Also had my mother in law live with us for 20 yrs until February when we had to put her into aged care as she has dementia and live was very difficult and not helping my mental state.

There are so many amazing people on here who are so supportive and open and honest about their issues, whatever they are.

I have made 'freinds' on here.   Hope to chat again.

Take care

[Former-Member]

Thanks for the welcome @BlueBay. We seem to have some things in common down to the kelpie😊. I know you have been having a difficult time lately and I can't imagine how difficult it is with your relationship with your parents. I hope that one day you will be able to resolve this in which ever way brings you peace. I understand that this would be a hard road to travel. I think that we probably also share being in a similar place with come to terms with and working through our MI. Best wishes Teej

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member

Welcome to the forum. I only found this forum a month ago or so and it is already helping me. I find it a very supportive environment with people who just show so much will to live a good life.