Voices

Hello @BobP . Your story is amazing. Well done.

Best wishes, and I'll look forward to seeing you around the forums.

Dimity

Thanks @Dimity welcome aboard.

@BobP

@Dimity @maddison

Everyone requires a social network to satisfy the human need to be cared for, accepted, and emotionally supported, particularly in times of strength. Research has demonstrated that strong social support may significantly improve recovery from both physical and mental illnesses.

The social network of those that have a disability is most likely limited compared with an abled-bodied or handicapped person. Thus gathering disabled persons with a common interest, for example in created writing, music, acting, painting, etc. with like-minded persons, being guided by a mentor/teacher, would increase networking enormously. Thus giving that much-needed social support to improve recovery or to accept their disability and get on with life doing something creative and interesting.

@BobP

It should be noted that people with a psychiatric illness, cognitive impairment, and other disabilities may be on psychotropic and/or other medications that may have side effects. These major side effects of most psychotropic medications are:

• Drastic weight gains promote diabetes and heart disease.

• Sexual problems

• Restlessness

• Hyperness

• Irritability

• Tiredness

• Drowsiness

• Clouded thinking

• Memory problems

Environmental psychosocial stresses are intensified by these side-effects and can overwhelm the consumer and should be taken into consideration.

Interesting thoughts @BobP re mentored creative/social networks. It would be good if they were local, accessible, and inclusive.

What creative or artistic interests do you follow? I need to rediscover mine, they seem to be dead or dormant. I tried a music group a few months but it didn't work out

TW: details of accidents

@maddison @Tony @wordman and all others

Good morning, @Dimity my main interest in life is my writing. I also enjoy fishing. But above all, people are most important, all that we have are each other, and no one is an island unto themselves. We are truly never alone. The following accidents happened

I had an accident when I was 7 years old, firstly, I was in a cinema, it was 1949, not long after WW2. The theatre had old canvas seats, and big corrugated iron doors at the front side of the theatre for ventilation, it got hot those nights in Gladstone during summer. The doors were open and a boy was peeping through to see the movie. An usher came and closed the door squashing off part of his hand. A couple of boys seated beside me said lets blame Perry for this. I still remember to this day about the insentience.

Though moving on, about a week later, I was playing with some boys on a large crane that was beside the railway yards. We used to have turns at hanging onto the crane’s hook while one of us would turn the big gearwheel so that the hook would turn the crane’s hook around to give the boy a ride, it was a sort of merry-go-round ride. However, it was my time to push the crane’s gearwheel. The other boy fell from the hook and cried. I looked at him but felt my hand in pain. I looked at it to see the gearwheel was squashing my fingers – I pulled my hand out of the gearwheel, it was very painful. I ran home to Mum and said look mum – there was blood on the floor. Mum called out to dad who took me out side to the back yard. One of my fingers was hanging down so the ambo snipped it off. There was no microsurgery bank in 1949. I had lost three of my fingers from my right hand.

Every time I look at my hand it reminds me of those incidences the missing fingers.

@Dimity Hello Dimity. Thank you for your post. If you over the age of 50 you can join an organisation call U3A, university of the 3rd age. They provide a lot of courses from arts and crafts to excercise and many others. All you need to do is pay a $60 yearly membership. Most of the courses are available free of charge unless you require to buy materials for some of their arts and film nights that they have. Good luck. Look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Kind Regards

Wordman

@Dimity You are welcome to excersise your creative freedoms via this forum to myself. Google U3A in your municipality and U3A will appear. Good luck. I hope your age allows you to join the U3A. Let me know how you go.

Kind Regards

Wordman

Hello @BobP

Your story about your accident is powerful and painful. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for also sharing the list of side effects of meds and your own story.

I have been posting on this forum about the needs for creative outlets for people dealing with mental health issues for 7 years.

I also have music and literary interests experience and trainings but feeling pretty useless atm.

@wordman Think you muddled up @BobP and @Dimity

@Dimity Sorry the music group did not work out.

My music efforts at the church are not working out atm. Nothing personal but they are integrating 2 congregations with 2 music directors, and I am backing off. Not sure how many things to keep trying. But still here.

Hello @BobP @wordman @Appleblossom

You do write well and powerfully in sharing your experiences @BobP , there's potential there for a memoir or autobiography

@wordman yes U3A is an option but the local venues aren't very accessible by public transport - up to a 2hr trip each way given the poor connections - and I'm lacking in confidence. I'll ponder the 2023 offerings and likely taxi fares.

@Appleblossom it would be a loss to both you and your church if you discontinue your music - is there any room for subgroups like small ensembles and chamber groups? And the new director might be glad to have a deputy. It could also be good to pursue your literary leanings. I haven't written for a long time but want to surmount my eyesight challenges and read more. I discovered Mary Oliver this year so am treating myself to an anthology in the new year (already ordered) even though I have shelves groaning with unread titles.