Intro courtesy of Artemis

Welcome to the couch, old and new! A place to hang out - sometimes you get immediate feedback, sometimes you don't.

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Shouting, "Cool Whip" tends to bring others out from between the cushions if you're feeling lonely.

This is a chatty thread. All are welcome. We're kind of psychologically oriented, sometimes. We try to be supportive. At times we discuss what that means.

It’s a place to plop down on the couch when you come home from work or wherever, or wake up in the middle of the night, or check in at lunch, rant a bit or not, and be among friends.

We advise you not to drink or drug and text your therapist ("t") - we speak from experience...

Sometimes the thread moves fast and you might get overlooked; sometimes it moves slowly and all you hear are crickets. Sometimes you get hugged or thanked pages later. So if it's a bigger question, you might want to start a new thread.

[mostlylurking]

Thanks BCM! And in answer to your question, echinacea and chamomile are both in the daisy family but apparently you can be allergic to one but not the other? I guess I'd be careful and try a little chamomile tea first.

[TrailRunner14]

BCM. Epsom salt soaks are extremely underrated. That is my go to when nothing else helps me. I add some essential oils to it, don't know if you are into them. I usually put frankincense and balance, which is a grounding blend from the company I buy from, and I soak for about 20 minutes or until it gets cool. The salt pulls out the toxins of the anxiety you are feeling and the meds. It really helps me.

Just wanted to share that with you. I hope you feel better!

[mostlylurking]

I second epsom salts! for a slightly different reason-- it's magnesium sulfate which you absorb through your skin, and it increases magnesium in your blood. That in turn acts as a muscle relaxant, lowers heart rate a bit and lowers blood pressure slightly, and relieves anxiety. It makes me quite sleepy and the only reason I don't use it more is that soaking your feet is kind of inconvenient. It helps though and the old style plain sort is dirt cheap.

T posted a photo of her parents' 31st wedding anniversary on her meant-for-public social media. I guess I'm envious. She said she comes from a loving, stable, nurturing family. I asked once if they were permissive parents (since mine are harsh and yet disengaged) and if she ever felt she lacked guidance. No, she felt very safe and secure.

Mine have been married 36 years and they were always a united front, including in the beatings dealt to my siblings and myself. -_-

I guess I'm bloody envious of her and wallowing in self-pity.

19 days SH free... if I make it to therapy day, it'd be 28 days...which would be a new record.

Are epsom salts some kind of bath salts? I guess those can be good for relaxation (if one has a bath tub).

Not much sleep last night and not much of an appetite today... lecturing in a few minutes' time so I have to step into Professional Crocus persona. (Which usually helps.)

Good luck, Crocus

I've just stepped out of my IT Project Manager persona. Glad I can sleep in at home this upcoming Saturday

[StressedMess]

Good morning couchies. Coffee? (((Crocus))) (((QM))) (((BCM))) and anyone else who needs hugs today.

[healed84]

I see t later this afternoon..its been a really crappy week and looking forward to unpacking it with t and just sitting in his office. And I am soooo scared he is going to cancel. Tempted to email him and ask him to tell me he will be in the office for sure today.

(((healed))) It's good to see you. I hope you'll have a helpful T session.

Coffee would be great. I still have a little left of some chocolate I got from a student last week. I have the BEST students

I think I have successfully managed to push the can of worms I opened in T yesterday slightly to one side for the moment. I know I have to deal with it, but I also have to deal with actual ongoing life... And to pick up some of what youse guys said on the previous couch: it is not so much that I'm scared that my words are offensive (this time) but that I take up space and demand support (which I don't, really, but it looks as if I do) at all, but especially when I'm not being even a little bit supportive to others. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[healed84]

Originally Posted by Crocus

(((healed))) It's good to see you. I hope you'll have a helpful T session.

Thank you!

Morning couchies! Thanks BCM for the new couch. Oh and I stole the intro to 125 from a couch somebody else made awhile back .

It's Friday! Nice payday for me today, I got my 3rd quarter bonus (finally!) and the extra pay from working last Friday which was a company holiday that we were required to work but got paid double time and a half for. Although I will forever grumble about the way 'they' figure taxes when you get a bonus/overtime, from what I understand they figure the taxes as if you make that much EVERY paycheck, so I end up losing a big chunk of my bonus to taxes. Sigh. But it's still extra money I guess, so I should keep my mouth shut. I think the government should allow every working person to choose one paycheck a year where they don't have to pay taxes. Wouldn't that be nice?!

Have a good day couchies and hugs to those who want 'em!

[atisketatasket]

I just found out the inventor of General Tso's chicken died a couple days ago.

I know what I'm having for dinner in his honor.

[ruh roh]

For trailrunner (carry over from last couch): there is a lot of strength in d id, considering the reason it develops is to deal with high stress/trauma. A skilled therapist can help find ways for your system to work well and even thrive. It's sloooow work. I'm glad you found someone to step forward and help with the call to your mom. That's wonderful.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by atisketatasket

I just found out the inventor of General Tso's chicken died a couple days ago.

I know what I'm having for dinner in his honor.

I can relate. I was in a state when the lady who invented Capn Crunch passed, past coupla years or so.

[Ellahmae]

My cousin

Possible trigger:

purposefully overdosed last night on heroin

. She's brain dead now and I'm struggling with it for several reasons. I don't understand why this is so confusing to me. I guess it's good I see T today.

[healed84]

Originally Posted by Ellahmae

My cousin

Possible trigger:

purposefully overdosed last night on heroin

. She's brain dead now and I'm struggling with it for several reasons. I don't understand why this is so confusing to me. I guess it's good I see T today.

So sorry to hear Ellahmae.. I hope your t can help you sort out your feelings.

Oh, Ellahmae

[TrailRunner14]

((( Ellahmae )))

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by Crocus

Coffee would be great. I still have a little left of some chocolate I got from a student last week. I have the BEST students

I think I have successfully managed to push the can of worms I opened in T yesterday slightly to one side for the moment. I know I have to deal with it, but I also have to deal with actual ongoing life... And to pick up some of what youse guys said on the previous couch: it is not so much that I'm scared that my words are offensive (this time) but that I take up space and demand support (which I don't, really, but it looks as if I do) at all, but especially when I'm not being even a little bit supportive to others. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Sipping on my coffee and reading your post. ((( Crocus )))

I feel like that sometimes too. When I'm in a hard place I feel really needy and like I'm a bother, then I feel like I'm being so self centered because I'm not being supportive to others here. I just can't find it in me, in those moments.

Then there are times that I'm not caught in places like that, and I have words, that I hope have been supportive. I know you have been supportive!

Maybe it just cycles around.

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by ruh roh

For trailrunner (carry over from last couch): there is a lot of strength in d id, considering the reason it develops is to deal with high stress/trauma. A skilled therapist can help find ways for your system to work well and even thrive. It's sloooow work. I'm glad you found someone to step forward and help with the call to your mom. That's wonderful.

Thank you!!

It is sloooow work! I think that is one thing that is so hard for me. My counselor keeps telling me that. "The slower you go, the more progress you make." It sounds counterproductive, but I'm truly learning it's true.

So as not to hijack granite's thread - I was not addressing you specifically, velcro (in fact your post whas not there when I started mine). And perhaps I'm overreacting. I was just posting what I wish that somebody could have posted in my defense a couple of years ago, when people were kicking my T to the curb because I mentioned his payment rules - I was completely unprepared for the attack, and nobody respected the fact that I said repeatedly that I think his rules are entirely fair. My opinion just didn't count. And so since then I can't post anything vaguely critical of my T, or anything that might perhaps be interpreted as criticism. Which is fine, just sometimes a little frustrating.

So, yeah, my own stuff completely, and probably not applicable to anyone else.