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Living with MI and Making friends

Living with MI and Making friends

Do you find it hard to connect with others or have you lost friends due to having a MI? How do you broach this topic with new friends? How do you know when to open up? I read this insightful article by Michael Hedrick and would love to hear your thoughts about it.

Here's a snippet:

"I have a hard time making friends.

Getting to trust people well enough to call them a friend takes a lot of work. It’s especially hard when you are living with schizophrenia and think everyone is making fun of you.

Schizophrenia is the devil on your shoulder that keeps whispering in your ear and, no matter what you try, the little demon won’t stop. He hasn’t stopped in the almost nine years I’ve lived with the illness, and he’s not about to stop now. He’s just quieted down a bit. I’d call him my companion but that would imply a degree of friendship, and there’s no way in hell I’m the little devil’s friend." (For full article by Michael Hedrick, click here).

49 replies

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In response to: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

JT, the reason I said sorry was that over my life experience that is what I have found out but, it may not be the same for all.

Regards.

In response to: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

chemonro, yep, and I ended up being very rude. I did say thank you then walked out. Next time I went by myself and ended up being invited to a table with some great people, whom I did no know, and had one of the best times in years. I have, unfortunately, never seen them again. Just another piece of useless info for all.

Regards and a happy future sooner or later to all.

loopy

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

@alessandra yeah sometimes my kids pull the ol' I wish your pills would work and you weren't so cross, whereupon i have to explain that spitting green cordial on the floor to see how green it is will make any person cross!!

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

I have no friends. I sabotage them . people dont want to hear me, I can tell it's too much for them. My mental illness, depression and anxiety has defined me. I can't take this isolation.

In response to: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

@Allesandra1992. I've made few friends in the last 20 yrs. but those few have endured because there seems to be an un-conscious awareness that there are shared "life difficulties" that don't need to be explored but can, from time to time, be spoken about.
These are the ties that help.
Schultz

In response to: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Hey @WackyWorld, it is never too late to change the way we relate to the world. You can learn new ways to communicate that don't push people away, this Forum is a great place to start!

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Hi @WackyWorld ,

I really agree with @Alessandra1992 - these forums are a great place to start to get to know people. Believe me, you have friends here!!

Reminds me of a quote by Ghandi - "you must BE the change you wish to see in the world"

Keep coming on to these forums and talking to us - we care!

Hobbit.

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Hi WackyWorld. You may be living your life like it's a minute to midnight but really, with your understanding the sabotage thing ( and don't we all do that from time to time), it's more like the dawning of a new day-- early, dark, unclear, but still a new day.

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Isn't amazing, one day you are ok then some mongrel pulls the mat from under you, happened over the last couple odf adys, I just sit around and take medication and cry like a baby. I am sorry but I needed to say it to some one and who better than other MI sufferers, I know what I want to do but who wins ??? no one I am sorry to load you all up with my crap.

loopy

In response to: Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Re: Living with MI and Making friends

Hi @Loopy how's today looking?

Can I ask...what it is that you would like to do when you say, 'I know what I want to do, but no one wins?'

Fancy a natter?

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