[SophiaG]

Just curious.

You can post anything in response to that question.

[Open Eyes]

Thats a good question Sophia.
Personally I have learned more about my PTSD and that I am not alone in my personal struggles. I had never done anything like this before anywhere, no chatting or facebook or twitter. I never had the time to do anything like this, was dawn til late at night in my life so not much time for myself.

I have been learning how to let some things out about myself. I never really seemed to be able to do that. I am not really sure yet how I feel about it. It can be hard to expose oneself like this, while we are all protected in anonymity, we still put ourselves out there in a very intimate way, even if it is just our minds.

I have been inspired by different people that try really hard and work at life inspite of some real difficult lives outside PC. And I really enjoy how many here reach out and even in doing that they learn how to reach out and they also feel better about doing that. And I have learned about different disorders and how they effect people and what means to these people. It makes me see people outside PC differently now, I was always a very empathetic person but I am even more so now. I am more tolerant outside PC because I have been given the chance to hear how people really struggle. Often outside PC people hide that and often they just dont socialize. And more than ever I will never speak poorly of someone who might choose to hide in their home and struggle to make eye contact or might seem unfriendly. I know now that there is most likely a real struggle behind that person.

Madisgram just posted an article about how some of our personal struggles are our gifts and even talents that we may not see. I can see that in the different people I have met so far in PC. And I don't always know what color skin a person has here or what place they live in or even what real conditions they live in, and I can see that it really doesn't matter, and I have always felt that way anyway, an expensive car or big house or a display of materialistic things never made the person for me.

And even though I haven't met some people in here in person, I have grown attached to some of them, even the ones that present me with some challenges as those often help me learn too.

And I have also learned that having a support group like this can be really helpful in so many ways. While it is nice to have a therapist to guide and help, it is nice to have a place to also try to use what I have learned and also I learn from others that are doing the same and making progress.

LOL, I can sit here in my night gown, no one cares. I can be covered in hay and my house can be a mess, nobody cares.

And I can look at how I interact and I can read it back and think about it and what it means. And I can even see my good days verses my bad days and how that effects what I express here.

It is like a living journal where you can write things down and suddenly there is a response.

I probably could write more. But thats my first thoughts for now.

Open Eyes

[sugahorse1]

I've learnt that there are people who care. I've learnt a lot of theory about meds and my condition.
And I've been pushed to analyse myself beyond what I would normally feel comfortable with. This has extended me

I have learned a lot, both from the posted articles and from my fellow posters. And, I've received a lot of support that I was not getting elsewhere. PC is a great resource of collective knowledge.

[venusss]

I learned that there are more types of caring than sweetness and hugs and that sometimes opening a new perspective, or even tough love can help on the long run.

I met people who pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me open up. And introduced me to many great thoughts and things.

I learned that i will never be universally loved. I learned that being polarizing may be often better than if people kinda like you, but don't really care for you, because you are sweet but forgetable.

I have learned that there are many ways of looking at the things I experience.Beyond just my limited perspective.

I have learned that I am among so many others trying to find a way to thrive.....I am not alone in that.

I have learned that people can reach out to me in compassion with no other agenda than to support,direct,and comfort me in times of desperation,even though they have no vested interest.

I have learned that some people are so stuck in their own mind-set that they are incapable of opening to possibilities.Some thing I myself am guilty of.

I have learned much of the cause and effect of my original damage,and have thus been supplied with the tools to structure some changes.

I have learned that what was happening in my house was not right.That there was something I could do about it.

I have learned that I can't 'fix' everyone.

[unaluna]

I have learned teamwork. I have learned that there are a lot of people in the world that like the same stuff I do (i have often felt alone IRL) and think much the same way I do (hope i'm not insulting anybody here!) and that seem to appreciate me, and today, it seemed to go to another level, where reaching out and just being really honest, even about something seemingly trivial, really made a connection that touched both people, because I was really touched by the replies. I am going to dream that the MLB MVP will say, I'm going to psychocentral, THEN i'm going to disneyworld!

[venusss]

I just have to wonder what the "agenda" would be. I think we all are here to meet like minded people. Not just by our diagnostic label, but by other experience and personal outlook. Imho, hanging out with people only based on their DSM label cannot be satisfactory...

[gma45]

I have learned that it is alright to be me! And I am not alone in wanting this world we live in to be a better place! Also validation can come from within, but it is nice to be around people that are positive and kind and generous with their praises! I also have learned that there is good reason to still have hope! Thank you PC people!

[pachyderm]

I've learned that I have a tendency to want people to be perfect. At least one person, somewhere. I have not run across that person.

[unaluna]

(cough, cough!)

[hahalebou]

I've learned that when things go wrong, I have somewhere to go where people will listen and remind me that I am important...we all are.

[kindachaotic]

Originally Posted by hankster

(cough, cough!)

explain...?

[unaluna]

Cough! Cough!

Originally Posted by kindachaotic

explain...?

Originally Posted by pachyderm

i've learned that i have a tendency to want people to be perfect. At least one person, somewhere. I have not run across that person. :d

ah-hem! Ah-hank!

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by hankster

Cough! Cough!



ah-hem! Ah-hank!

Explain!

[unaluna]

You guys are so mean! okay, we are online, so you can't see I am the Venus de Hankster, the image of perfection. I just have a slight COUGH!

[pachyderm]

OK, you are the exception.

(Cough)

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by pachyderm

OK, you are the exception.

(Cough)

LOL you're gonna make me crack my marble

Hilarious ......... LOL you're gonna make me crack my marble

[venusss]

obviously, I am the person with agenda. By next may half of PC will go to Eurovision in Azerbaizdan and after the final they will go hang around the oil fields to discuss Kafka and how his meaning relates to this campy and commercial attempt to multiculturalism.



of course next step is that everybody has a package of body glitter in their bags.

[Caretaker Leo]

Ah, I have learned that there are so many personalities in the world.

There are so many others who struggle to try to find the "normal" button.

Perhaps only 10% of the population of the world is "normal." The rest of us are set on cold or high heat...

Ain't it great to belong to a majority somewhere (PC)?

[Willcat]

Alto I'm a n00b here at PC, as the poster above me pointed out, its good to be around my people.

[Wysteria]

I think I've had a freedom that I can't experience IRL to just relax and be myself. Noone can judge me by the way I look, and I can just relate and experience and be with people just like me. That is very exhilerating. I have experienced such acceptance and a wealth of collective knowledge that cannot be found locally or even regionally. I can read posts that are pertinent and get so many different viewpoints from the trenches...from people just like me that are really going through these situations! I can talk to a beautiful soul in the Middle East as readily as someone hurting in the next state or a funny wise old soul in Europe. I learn from, am inspired by, and cherish theses experiences, conversations and advice from each and every one.

I am NOT alone, and I am not lonely in my dis-ease... IRL I live behind my walls and no one knows me...but here at PC there are people that know more about how I feel about life than my own family. I feel safely cherished and am learning how to appreciate those parts of me that they do... I can be physically safe and emotionally vulnerable to the degree that I feel comfortable, and that is truly liberating for one living in seclusion. My T will teach me how to apply these lessons in the real world.
I am learning life in all it's forms and mysteries and complexities and painful realities...it's all about connection in the end, right?

(((Wysteria)))

[unaluna]

Beautifully put, Wysteria. Oh, I think Doc John has tricked us! By setting the rules of discourse as "offering (or asking for) support", we have been giving each other unconditional positive regard! And don't it feel good? Or as Dr Phil would say, PC is our "soft place to land", as what one's home and family should be. But I was thinking the other day, I kinda like knowing now I have "plans" for my birthday and the holidays - with my closest friends around the world.