[Fuzzybear]

I was diagnosed as avoidant by a therapist..
I dipped into a book which if I recall correctly said something like people with this disorder sometimes appear hostile and prickly to pre empt rejection... I don’t know. Maybe this is me

My depression has been worse lately, anhedonia is worse, anxiety is worse... and a big event is coming up ...

I feel like crawling under a rock in my cave, anywhere “safe” ... but nowhere feels safe

I reread the last sentence and read it to myself

“In my cage”

I do feel like I’m in a cage. It hurts. I keep trying to get out of the cage .. what can I say without beating myself up further

Words have always been hard...

They still are

[Thirty shades]

Labels are maybe little help for us....

I can empathise a lot with you Fuzzy.

No safe rock or cages to hide.
Life seems a big challenge right now.
Even the occasional thing that is good cannot bring joy.

Some how I don't think it is possible for things to get worse
But they will.
I cannot take the pain any more.

We are never alone in our gloom

Big hugs to you dear bear

[Rohag]

"Three doctors; five opinions"?

How carefully did that professional consider the diagnosis? Was is a "practical" diagnosis that justified his or her time with you and generated a bureaucratically necessary billing code?

A cave is natural. A cage is artificial. A cave has an opening. A cage has a barred door.

((((((( Fuzzybear )))))))

[mountainstream]

[little turtle]

for fuzzy and us.....my dsm is in the trash can...
avoidant my ???you know what....

[CepheidVariable]

..........

[Humpty Dumpty]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I was diagnosed as avoidant by a therapist..........

....I feel like crawling under a rock in my cave, anywhere “safe” ... but nowhere feels safe

I reread the last sentence and read it to myself

“In my cage”

I do feel like I’m in a cage. It hurts. I keep trying to get out of the cage .. what can I say without beating myself up further

Words have always been hard...

They still are

My first question to you dear fuzzy is......
Is that really so bad? I am not implying anything. Only you can answer that. I have been "diagnosed" as a loner. I'm fine with that. I know some dont like it though. So that's what I mean by "is it so bad?"

Getting the proper words to come out has always been hard for me as well. I know how I feel. I know what I want to say, but I don't know how to say it.

[Humpty Dumpty]

Sorry if i made that too much about me. I'm just trying to relate the best I can.

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I was diagnosed as avoidant by a therapist..
I dipped into a book which if I recall correctly said something like people with this disorder sometimes appear hostile and prickly to pre empt rejection... I don’t know. Maybe this is me

My depression has been worse lately, anhedonia is worse, anxiety is worse... and a big event is coming up ...

I feel like crawling under a rock in my cave, anywhere “safe” ... but nowhere feels safe

I reread the last sentence and read it to myself

“In my cage”

I do feel like I’m in a cage. It hurts. I keep trying to get out of the cage .. what can I say without beating myself up further

Words have always been hard...

They still are

According to PsychCentral, this is the description and symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder:

Avoidant Personality Disorder

It does not include any kind of hostility or prickliness. Basically it is a desire to have interpersonal relationships but a fear so strong of the rejection or other pain those relationships can bring, the person ends up pushing away any opportunity for an interpersonal relationship .. as well as focuses on all the ways they find themselves to be inadequate and typically don't see much reason for people to like them - while finding a lot of good in other people. That's boiling it way down and reading the link will likely be better, but I don't see anything truly negative in the description.. rather it sounds more like a self-defeating type of thing - where you consistently beat yourself up for most everything .. and praise others ... yearn for friendships but convince yourself you are undeserving or they simply will not work, etc.

*hugs*

If you don't mind sharing - what is causing you to feel you are in a cage?

[zapatoes]

Originally Posted by Crypts_Of_The_Mind

According to PsychCentral, this is the description and symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder:

Avoidant Personality Disorder

It does not include any kind of hostility or prickliness. Basically it is a desire to have interpersonal relationships but a fear so strong of the rejection or other pain those relationships can bring, the person ends up pushing away any opportunity for an interpersonal relationship .. as well as focuses on all the ways they find themselves to be inadequate and typically don't see much reason for people to like them - while finding a lot of good in other people. That's boiling it way down and reading the link will likely be better, but I don't see anything truly negative in the description.. rather it sounds more like a self-defeating type of thing - where you consistently beat yourself up for most everything .. and praise others ... yearn for friendships but convince yourself you are undeserving or they simply will not work, etc.

*hugs*

If you don't mind sharing - what is causing you to feel you are in a cage?

This sounds like me sometimes, but I more am afraid of romantic involvement and of getting hurt. I do have avoidant tendencies sometimes.

Good luck Fuzzybear, hope you feel better and don’t have the diagnosis, but if you do, hope it gets better.