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GabbertronCasual Contributor
Hi everyone.
I don't want to start out sounding morbid, but I've been battling D&A issues for three decades, been medicated for several complex mental health issues on and off (mostly on) for approximately 27 years.
Id really appreciate speaking with people that truly understand, not just have empathy.
In response to: Feeling a bit lost.
RiverSealModerator
Hey @Gabbertron, welcome to the Forums and thank you for sharing your experiences with the community!
Sounds like you are really resilient and brave with dealing with D&A for so long. It's courageous to be vulnerable with your peers here and I'm sure everyone with value your contribution.
There are a few great spaces that you might like to check out on the Fourms like introducing yourself here https://saneforums.org/messages/1149480#reply-1149480 and taking a look at this recent discussion https://saneforums.org/messages/1632870#reply-1884897.
I encourage you to continue to reach out to the community as I believe your peers with have some insights to share!
Take care
RiverSeal
In response to: Re: Feeling a bit lost.
GabbertronCasual Contributor
Thank you very much, I appreciate the support. I was concerned bringing up the D&A issues being that this platform is for mental health. But both are completely intertwined for me. Multiple traumas begot D&A, turned into self medication
In response to: Feeling a bit lost.
Me43yoFContributor
@Gabbertron
Welcome to the forums. I am glad you reached out.
What you have written does not sound morbid to me. It sounds honest. Three decades of drug and alcohol issues, alongside complex mental health challenges and long periods of medication, is a lot for one person to carry. It makes sense that you would want to speak with people who understand from lived experience, not just people who can offer sympathy from the outside.
There is a big difference between being pitied and being understood. Feeling understood can help a person feel less alone, less judged and more able to take the next step. That need for acceptance is very human. It does not mean you are asking too much. It means you are looking for the kind of connection that can help you stay steady.
One useful way to look at it is that recovery is not one single cure or one neat finish line. It is something that has to be managed, one day at a time, with the right supports, honest self awareness and practical choices. After many years of battling, it can be easy to feel worn down by the history of it all. But history is not the same as destiny. The fact that you are here, naming what is going on and asking for real connection, is already a meaningful action.
You do not need to explain your whole life all at once to belong here. You can start where you are. Sometimes the first step is simply finding a place where you do not have to pretend things have been easy.
A few things may help while you settle in here:
Stay connected with your treating team and supports, especially around medication, alcohol or other drug use, and any changes in mood or safety.
Use the forum as one part of your support circle, where people can sit beside you in the hard parts without needing you to tidy the story up.
Be straight with yourself about what helps and what pulls you backwards. That can be uncomfortable, but it can also put more control back in your hands.
Take recovery in smaller pieces. A whole life can feel too big to fix, but one honest post, one safer choice, one appointment, one conversation and one day can be workable.
You deserve support that is practical, respectful and grounded in real understanding. I hope this space gives you some of that. You are not just a list of diagnoses or years lost to struggle. You are a person who has kept going, and that matters.
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Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
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