pls talk to me I need support

@Arizona and @Former-Member

Thank you for your followup message @Arizona . I was concerned that you might have been worried. Please don't be worried, we are really in a position to talk with each other until we know where to go from here.

I do hope that @Former-Member is still around, for the reasons that I have already mentioned. For my part, I was just really pleased that you had been able to keep @Former-Member company and you were able to connect with each other so well.

From another thread, I understand that @Daisydreamer is on tonight and may be able to contact @Former-Member by email or through this thread. Either way, it is a matter of having everyone feel comfortable with where we are at. Between now and then, let's keep the companionship that we have already established.

Thank you Both,

With My Very Best Wishes

HenryX

Hi @HenryX

I am completely fine to keep talking with @Former-Member . I hope I didn't freak everyone out by tagging @Daisydreamer . I just wanted to do the right thing by @Former-Member .

@Arizona

Hello Frida, you are fine. You made the right decision at the right time. My concerns are for you and @Former-Member .

Everything else will go smoothly. Please don't be worried. I will leave this space open for a while. Hopefully you will be able to keep your connection, however, I don't want you up all night worrying, please.

Best Wishes

HenryX

Hello @Arizona and @Former-Member

Hello Frida and grayclouds,

I have sent a note through to the moderator who will contact you, @Former-Member , and discuss what options are available for you. I do hope that you will find the options are appealling to you and will be of help. Special thanks to @Arizona for her help and support, and so pleased that you were both able to connect with your common interest in music.

The note that I sent is as follows:

"We have a member who needs support and would be best offered that support in an under 18's forum or other format. Would you please contact that member @graycloudsxrain by email or on the thread “Re: pls talk to me I need support” to offer assistance. @FridaKahlo has been able to establish a good rapport with @graycloudsxrain and is happy to continue contact till other arrangements can be made. Best Wishes, HenryX"

In this way we are all aware of the arrangements so far, so we continue to help each other in the ways that we can.

With My Best Wishes

HenryX

That's a good idea @HenryX . Thank you for looking out for everyone.

Hello @Arizona

Thank you for your acknowledging 'Support' for my last post. With your support was one also from Dockers6 (Moderator), so you can relax and feel that you have assisted @Former-Member in the best way that you could.

I can say it again, that you were able to provide grayclouds with very positive affirmation and support through your contact. It was really lovely to see the way that you both responded to each other. I believe that the contact would have been very special to grayclouds as I hope it has been for you also. Very very special.

I think that I may go off to bed now. Wherever you are, I hope that you will sleep especially well tonight.

With My Very Best Wishes

HenryX

Hi, being young is sometimes hard if you need to learn a lot of life skills quickly or things change too fast. I am middle aged finally! I t is easier now, but I had no support as a young person. I was lost and felt lonely too because I couldn't find people like me... Ie who didn't drink or smoke and we're vegetarian... Back then it was really rare. Now I have no desire to have friends except at work or by correspondence. Loneliness is not something I experience much... But I have a child... And that is my whole life. I am happy to support you too. Being young is beautiful but vulnerable. Lease take care of yourself and reach out for support when you need.

Being young is really difficult @Former-Member there is so much to know and such. It's not your fault that you aren't able to make sense of the world and your place in it yet, I dont' think I have done that and I'm quite old now.

I hope you can come back and talk to us to let us know how you're getting on.

Look after yourself as best you can and always remember you matter, there is always someone, whether you are aware of them or not, who cares about you and wants the best for you.

Hello @Swansong

and

@Former-Member, @Arizona , @Last-Lament , @Abner

I, like you @Swansong , remember seeking places in which I could feel safe and un-threatened when I was in my mid to late teens. Even in the late 60's and early 70's, there were occasional drop in centres and cafe type establishments, where a hot or cold drink and some light snacks were available, with a non-confrontational chat, if that's what was desired. Something similar to what this forum offers except that the food and drink is digital in this format. Such establishments were normally run by church groups, which were among the few providers of such services, and mostly had no strings attached.

Other than those establishments, which provided informal support, there was very little in the way of psychological support. In fact, I recently reflected, in another thread, that these same times were just at the end of “institutionalised treatment” - asylums. So the transition to community support was barely in its infancy.

I agree with your sentiments about the young being vulnerable, something that has not changed. I do know that there are far more avenues of support these days. I have also reflected on the fact that when support became available, I did not know how to seek it, and pride, influenced by stigma, meant that any such avenues and resources were coloured by suspicion. That perspective has changed in recent years, as I have noticed changes in the attitudes of individuals and communities, and the development of national strategies being implemented and their purpose and work becoming better recognised and respected.

Your comment

“Please take care of yourself, and please reach out for support when you need it.”,

I wholeheartedly agree with and endorse.

With Best Wishes

@HenryX

I too remember the times when drop-in centres were just about the only support we had, and even housing organisations catering to people with mental illness were viewed with little better than contempt.

I do understand that society is moving on at a snail's pace, but the advantage about not having had that support is that I've learnt to do without it, so from my point of view it's just an optional extra, and I get to do a lot of healing on my own terms and using my own strengths (I believe in using your own strengths to heal and recover from mental illness and stigma, and things such as "love thy neighbour" I simply say "Let thy neighbour love themself". Just love to leave to stigmatisers alone, they're a bad influence).

Having said that, I strongly advocate using our own strengths to heal, recover and live our lives, that's one of their most important purposes.