Forum Recommendation

[DaveJ]

I'd like to be able to post about emotional issues, but I was wondering if there is someplace more private. I assume this forum gets indexed by Google or whatever and I've also been group flamed on the DU on a few occasions. So is there any place I can just talk and/or whine with semi like minded, good hearted, non judgmental people, that is safe?

Thanks!

[Tobin S.]

1. NAMI has a message board for people who want to talk about mental illnesses

Just do a search for them and you'll get there. We have a pretty good group here and I can only remember seeing a couple of flame wars in here since its inception in 2005.

Unless you give out too much indentifying information, you are pretty much anonymous here. Members can pick up on your user name and give you a hard time elsewhere on the board if they don't like you (I've never had that happen, btw), but no one here knows who you are in real life.

[DaveJ]

2. I'm not sure if I have mental illness or not

I'm sure I have mental illness to some degree in many ways, but not to the extent that I'm unable to function without meds. I just would like to talk about emotional issues.

My problem is that I'm unable to converse among others because my whole issue is not being a part (emotionally) of the normal world, in the sense that I have never had any kind of support network in real life, such as friends, family, and all the amenities that seemingly everyone else around me has, so it is difficult for me to speak with anyone. I tried so hard in the past, the first half of my life, and now realize that it's pointless, it never has and never will go anywhere. Since nobody really identifies, I guess that's an issue regardless of the forum.

[Tobin S.]

3. You express yourself very well through the written word

I know it's not the same as talking to someone and connecting with them in person, but it's a good start.

There could be several issues that you are dealing with or maybe just one big one. Have you ever looked into autism and Asperger's syndrome in particular? I don't know if you might have anything like that, but I do know that people can function in society at a relatively high level and still have autism. Your self-described inability to connect with people is what reminded me about that.

But we are here to support people who are experiencing despair or distress in some way. You don't have to be a total whack job like me to post here and seek support. :) I don't think you'll find anything but friendly voices in here. Also, this forum moves pretty slow. Check back daily on your posts here. It might float around near the top of the forum for a while and a week later someone will reply to it.

[DaveJ]

4. My fiancé thought I was autistic when we first met

However it's hard to tell because folks have also diagnosed me depression and schizophrenia. Autism is the latest one I guess. Seems to depend on my mood. I mean years ago, when I was talking to psychiatrists, they kept me for awhile and withheld cigarettes so I'm going through immense nicotine withdrawal and then they have the arrogance to diagnose me? Not to mention everything else I was going thru at that time, which they totally ignored. They said I would be unable to finish my Masters degree, which I did. If they could make such ludicrous statements then I would say they are simply wrong when it comes to me. And I'm not pissed off because I take offense at the diagnosis, but I take offense at their arrogance and the things they will do for a paycheck.

But anyway Yes I have been feeling very autistic, but I do not think I am. At least a professional so far has not investigated that. Never know though. My fiancé's aunt has Asperger's, btw, and she talks with her a lot.

It's not just a feeling of being disconnected, but actually being disconnected. Seemingly everyone else has friends, I don't. I have never had the opportunity to collect friends, and every time I tried, many times, I ended up getting rejected, ignored, or in several cases ripped off. I actually think that I am friendlier than other folks. But I look like a naive sucker because I'm nice, and eventually after years of being nice, I begin to see how other people are not nice, and I start to resent them. So I guess that's why I say it's too late. I'm in a bad spot emotionally. Based on years of experience I can't escape the effects of having a rough life. Only bad people would be my friends in the past, and nice people think there is something wrong with me.

I also tend to ramble on and bore people when I type, which can turn people off, understandably, so sorry for the long message. I'm not sure what to do. I guess I should have a goal or something.