Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hugs @NatureLover , I'm glad you're feeling a little better after that awful night. I hope you can reconcile with your brother if that's what you want to do. Families can be complicated. It's good you'll catch up with your psychologist Friday, you wouldn't want to jeopardise 15 years of progress.

I got some stuff to the opshop today thinking it would clear the decks a little but there's still so much. I guess I'll look forward to getting the next batch together.

Thanks @Dimity . Am still not doing well.

Well done for taking stuff to the opp shop.

I managed to do a couple of loads of laundry yesterday.

Good luck with your tasks today...

Well done for keeping up with your laundry despite the vicissitudes @NatureLover . Did you have a rest day today?

Today I ventured out to do the bulk of my Xmas shopping. Next I'll have to wrap and post things, and decide what to suggest to my sister about meeting up. I'm tired and sore and feeling a bit defeated but tomorrow's another day.

Are you feeling up to working tomorrow? Best wishes for whatever you choose to do, and maybe you can push through this setback and give a positive report to your psychologist? Hoping it works out.

Hi @Dimity , well done for doing your Cmas shopping. What did you decide about meeting up with your sister?

On Weds I went out to the shops but didn't cope well with that. Yesterday I wasn't up to going to work. But I managed to get all the rubbish out and the bins up to the curb.

Not so sure the report to my psychologist today will be positive, due to the SI. However there have been a lot of insights from the Stream of Consciousness Writing, so that's positive. I don't know what she'll want to focus on.

I hope your day today is successful...

Hello @NatureLover I hope you had a better day and your psychologist was helpful. I had both my psychiatrist and osteopath today and having slept late to start with didn't get anything else done (bus trips and then doing the full set of exercises all took time.)

Im still thinking about Xmas but posted some gifts yesterday.

It's a peaceful evening here and the cat is beside me. I haven't any plans for the weekend except to be open to the zen of the everyday, and that feels okay.

Best wishes for tomorrow.

Hi @Dimity , yes, yesterday was a better day thanks. But my psychologist surprised me. She told me I was neurodivergent (I had no idea), and wants me to explore autism regarding myself. I have no trouble feeling or expressing empathy (unless grieving), but she said autistic people do both. I will investigate it over the next 5 weeks before my next appt with her.

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@Dimity wrote:

Hello @NatureLover I hope you had a better day and your psychologist was helpful. I had both my psychiatrist and osteopath today and having slept late to start with didn't get anything else done (bus trips and then doing the full set of exercises all took time.)

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That sounds like a big day to me. Well done. Your psychiatrist didn't make any more noises about possibly leaving?

And what did the osteopath say about your new lumbar diagnoses?

The work Christmas party is this evening but am not yet sure if I'll go. I said I would, but I'll see how I'm coping. Then there is a department Christmas party the following Friday...I'll see.

Today I really need to work on the house - not sure which bit, any bit at this stage would be good.

Nice to hear about your peaceful evening and zen plans 🙂💚

Housework and a Christmas party would make for a busy day. I hope it worked out @NatureLover .

I can imagine the possibility of ASD would be a game changer for you @NatureLover . I trust your psychologist can explain. Maybe it would put in perspective some of your difficulties and coping strategies. How do you feel at this unexpected news?

My psychiatrist was fine, it was my gp's words and actions that made me think he might be leaving. But he is probably close to retirement so it will come eventually. The osteopath had anticipated my diagnosis in recommending the MRI in the first place, so no surprises there. I'm finding the exercises she set quite onerous and painful but I'll give them time.

Today was very quiet. I pottered a little but will need to make more of an effort tomorrow.

If you went to the party I hope you enjoyed it and could put aside the week's worries.

Take care and have a good day tomorrow.

Thank you for your lovely message, your care and support, dear @Dimity ❤️ I really appreciate you.

I didn't do much housework and didn't go to the Christmas party. But I've been outside quite a bit this morning and it looks like a lovely sunny morning.

Ah yes, I remember now that it was your GP who expressed the possibility of your psychiatrist leaving. Am sorry your osteopath exercises are painful 😢 Are those exercises you do at home? When are you next seeing your osteopath?

I was shocked about the possibility of ASD and spent some time yesterday doing research. I was mainly shocked as I consider myself an empath, and am wondering what I can't see about myself. (I don't think anyone would call themself an empath, with all the pain that entails, without being one, but I could be wrong.)

I actually think that my psychologist's concerns can be explained by other things - my trauma, my OCD and also being an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person). My psychologist surprisingly classified HSP as being under Neurodivergent, which is possibly where she's coming from. I am certainly going to do more research and also ask her next month what her specific concerns are, more explicitly.

I hope that today you feel you have some energy, hope and motivation (and not too much physical pain) to tackle what you would like to. 💚 Also maybe to enjoy the sunshine.

@NatureLover I think you can have autism and be and empath. Maybe you are confusing it with ASPD? I used to blame my abusers toxic behavior on autism, what a mistake that was, because he was diagnosed as ASPD (psychopathy). I think a lot of behavioral problems are mistaken for autism when it should be classified as personality disorder.

Grace Tame is high functioning autistic, she is empathic etc. Look up Pot8um on Tiktok she seems empathic, has insight. She talks about her autism and adhd.

@NatureLover @Dimity @Snowie @Bow @Anastasia

wow this weekend was my busiest in a while, last week and week before I was so overwhelmed emotionally I didnt have the courage to step outside the backyard. It was overgrown. This week, started with weeding, then mowed lawn + weeding yesterday, then today had to remove the neighbours bloody bamboo that crawls, it has ruined the fence and now is growing in my yard. Dont know what to do with this. It was a lot of work to remove some. My green bin is full. I will have to find someone as my gardener was not interested in removing the roots which enable these buggers to spread. He said will need an arborist for the job.

I went and saw some friends today they were eating outside in a busy area. I do not eat at restaurants due to covid among other things. Some d**head walked past and cleared his throat aggressively at my masking, like he was offended by it. that is why I dont go out. I will be a hermit until the holiday season is over. this is so isolating for me dammit.