Candy,

I'm sorry you've been ill for so long and that your jobs are exhausting.

When I read this post from you I was immediately reminded of a previous post of yours last time you popped in. The reason both posts seemed similar to me was the 'nobody cares/nobody noticed' tone to them.

It is rotten that you are feeling so alone or uncared for. One of the hardest things with a community like this is learning how to ask to get our needs met in a healthy manner.

It is especially difficult when we're depressed, ill, overly tired, and over worked to ask for what we need from others.

This thread by Myzen was very eye opening to me to read and has a lot of good input from all the posters participating. Rejection Sensitivity Don't be put off by the first post thinking it isn't applicable. The discussion flows and there are some very helpful things for those of us who deal with depression or other disease/disorder. I found a lot of helpful reminders for myself for my own sensitivities about rejection like when I haven't heard from someone I was hoping or expecting to hear from.

I've learned to be very direct with people now about what I can't handle online and often that is staying in touch. My own energies wax and wane and I never have a sense of when they'll go either way. I cannot commit to certain things that I would like to based on my knowing my limits and that my limits often do not work well with other peoples expectations. By being direct or blunt in some cases I have been able to ask for my needs specifically. They often are not met........but at least I know I asked as honestly and directly and without any other expectation the possibility of a yes answer. Hearing no was hard but in time I've realized that I'm not here to please everyone nor is the world here to cater to me. I've got to make my own mojo of support and healthy boundaries.

Here's to you creating a better network of support and clearly asking for your exact needs!! You deserve to have your needs met. The world can't predict what those needs are until you tell 'em precisely. Oh! it also matters who you ask as some people are not appropriate for us. Hence the lack of phone calls or silence from someone you may have been there for. Sometimes we misjudge a person and think they are a good friend but when push comes to shove they show an inability to reciprocate. That is a good way of checking boundaries and examining just what drew you to that person in the first place. It helps to cut the energy vampires and non reciprocal friends out of your life as your needs are NOT being met by those types.

Consider yerself noticed