Post your random thoughts/feelings etc

[Opaline]

Because of my grades I was offered the chance to interview for a special course that involves studying epidemics with faculty members all year and then on winter break, pending funding you travel to either India or South Africa to study there as well. Then you do an in-depth history study of whichever country you go to.

I find epidemics fascinating (anything health-related really) and I have never traveled outside of the USA, plus it would look great on my college resume. I'm thinking I should apply, no? I do not want to go to one of those countries, though. The other I don't know about but one of them... ehhhhhhh

 

[Opaline]

Not a fan of Pearl Jam but for some reason Sirens gets to me. Like that song a lot.

 

[S_Spartan]

If a man can conquer his fear of loneliness then he shall be free.

 

[Hoppy]

Loneliness.

 

[PerseverareJasmine]

Because of my grades I was offered the chance to interview for a special course that involves studying epidemics with faculty members all year and then on winter break, pending funding you travel to either India or South Africa to study there as well. Then you do an in-depth history study of whichever country you go to.

I find epidemics fascinating (anything health-related really) and I have never traveled outside of the USA, plus it would look great on my college resume. I'm thinking I should apply, no? I do not want to go to one of those countries, though. The other I don't know about but one of them... ehhhhhhh

That sounds like a really good opportunity . I don't think it'd hurt to apply.

 

[Opaline]

I began the Social Anxiety Institute's online therapy series today (because I can't afford to do the group program in California). One of the handouts says this, which is just too freaking true:

"If the demographic data are anywhere near right, for the vast majority of people, social anxiety disorder becomes a chronic, lifetime condition. They live and die with the disorder, never experiencing a day of rest or peace.

This disorder is one of the worst conditions a person can have, yet it is also one of the disorders that can be completely changed. People CAN and do get over social anxiety. Not many have heard this message and realized what this means for their life.

At some point, people begin getting accustomed to living with it. It seems like the easiest thing to do. The path of least resistance is to do nothing. They’ve been to many doctors and therapists before, and it’s never helped. So, they give up. This is a normal human reaction, but it’s very unfortunate because help is available, even if it is far and in between.

Still, it’s easier to do nothing – even if it means your entire life is ruined. People think they can always start therapy tomorrow or next week, so they’ll do it then. Or, they reason, maybe I’ll grow out of it, and figure this out on my own. They wait around thinking that in time that magically they’ll feel a little less anxious, they will have more money, they will get married, and
they’ll be farther along in life.

But social anxiety prevents most of that from ever happening.

Procrastinating about therapy sets many people’s progress back, and we should encourage them to get going because their entire life is at stake. The best time for anyone to start is now."

If you can, the best time to start therapy for your social anxiety is NOW. Not six months from now, not when you feel ready. Not by forcing yourself to talk to people at the store or making a fool of yourself in public. Not by taking pills or reading self-help books about positive affirmations.

Of course, I haven't actually done CBT yet, so I can't speak from experience, but the research is there and I am going to find out for myself, starting NOW.

 

[Ithior]

I'm doing these series of online courses that are one per month. I try to do them in 3 weeks and do other stuff in the 4th week, before the next course begins.
I was getting nervous because I took the whole month (4 weeks) to complete a course I had planned to complete in 3 weeks. I thought I would have no time to rest and work on my master's application and other side projects. Of course I would give top priority to the application but it would be hard to manage my time and I'd get pretty stressed out.
Well, today I just found out the course only begins next week, so I was pretty lucky to get this free week to land exactly where I needed it.

 

[AlienGeranium]

I
If you can, the best time to start therapy for your social anxiety is NOW. Not six months from now, not when you feel ready. Not by forcing yourself to talk to people at the store or making a fool of yourself in public. Not by taking pills or reading self-help books about positive affirmations.

Of course, I haven't actually done CBT yet, so I can't speak from experience, but the research is there and I am going to find out for myself, starting NOW.

I agree that that handout is very correct, and it is why so many people just live with it instead of seeking help. My only caveat is, in my experience, you have to be in the right mindset to go to therapy. Simply going once a week and expecting to get better magically because of is not how it works. A willingness and openness to change things about yourself and how you think is a must. I say this because I went to therapy twice - the first time was a total bust. I went because I felt like it was what I was "supposed" to do. I didn't really put my heart into it at all, and in the back of my head was thinking about how it was just going to be one more thing to cross of my list of things I tried so I could say "Hey, I went to therapy and still have problems. Woe is me, I am hopeless."

The second time I went was a lot more productive. I had already began to make a lot of positive changes in my life, and saw therapy as another tool to my progression. I gave me someone to tell those things I was ashamed and embarrassed about deep down, and getting them out in the open helped me get past them. I think how therapy helped me the most was by allowing me to get out everything I was feeling into the open instead of keeping dug deep inside, letting the irrationality of a lot of it keep me from living.

But I definitely agree about starting NOW, or plan a very specific time to get started. Even if it's not going to therapy right away, began making positive changes. Obviously that is one thing therapy helps with, it can be done on your own too. I wouldn't disregard things like online resources or self help books too quickly, if you do the research and have the right mentality those things can help you get on track and truly help. (Obviously just reading a random self help book and not understanding or applying it's concepts is not going to cure anyone). When I decided I wanted to change, to make myself better, I started with things that weren't directly related to SA at all. I scheduled my time better. I slept more. I ate better. I focused on learning and doing well in school. I spent time outside. I wrote journals and read books. And all this gave me the energy and confidence to, little by little, push my boundaries. Think about things in a way that were foreign to me and made me uncomfortable. Let my logic take over my anxiety in certain situations. Take small steps outside my comfort zone.

And that's what helped me get a lot better. I did that on my own, partially due to having ridiculous amounts of time on my hand and being very introspective and determined at the time. I'm pretty sure those are the types of changes therapy will help you make though.

 

[Opaline]

I agree that that handout is very correct, and it is why so many people just live with it instead of seeking help. My only caveat is, in my experience, you have to be in the right mindset to go to therapy. Simply going once a week and expecting to get better magically because of is not how it works. A willingness and openness to change things about yourself and how you think is a must. I say this because I went to therapy twice - the first time was a total bust. I went because I felt like it was what I was "supposed" to do. I didn't really put my heart into it at all, and in the back of my head was thinking about how it was just going to be one more thing to cross of my list of things I tried so I could say "Hey, I went to therapy and still have problems. Woe is me, I am hopeless."

The second time I went was a lot more productive. I had already began to make a lot of positive changes in my life, and saw therapy as another tool to my progression. I gave me someone to tell those things I was ashamed and embarrassed about deep down, and getting them out in the open helped me get past them. I think how therapy helped me the most was by allowing me to get out everything I was feeling into the open instead of keeping dug deep inside, letting the irrationality of a lot of it keep me from living.

But I definitely agree about starting NOW, or plan a very specific time to get started. Even if it's not going to therapy right away, began making positive changes. Obviously that is one thing therapy helps with, it can be done on your own too. I wouldn't disregard things like online resources or self help books too quickly, if you do the research and have the right mentality those things can help you get on track and truly help. (Obviously just reading a random self help book and not understanding or applying it's concepts is not going to cure anyone). When I decided I wanted to change, to make myself better, I started with things that weren't directly related to SA at all. I scheduled my time better. I slept more. I ate better. I focused on learning and doing well in school. I spent time outside. I wrote journals and read books. And all this gave me the energy and confidence to, little by little, push my boundaries. Think about things in a way that were foreign to me and made me uncomfortable. Let my logic take over my anxiety in certain situations. Take small steps outside my comfort zone.

And that's what helped me get a lot better. I did that on my own, partially due to having ridiculous amounts of time on my hand and being very introspective and determined at the time. I'm pretty sure those are the types of changes therapy will help you make though.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you're referring to talk therapy, which is generally ineffective in treating social anxiety. I'm talking about cognitive behavioral therapy which really only involves applying certain cognitive/behavioral/emotional strategies to change how you automatically/subconsciously react to certain situations that cause you anxiety. As you said though, a person does need to be motivated to get better because you have to be persistent or it will not work.

 

[PKMNMANIAC]

I am sat in my car, in the dark wondering how I am supposed to do this bird survey my boss told me to do at 6am when I can't see 10m in front of me since it's so dark.........

 

[AlienGeranium]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you're referring to talk therapy, which is generally ineffective in treating social anxiety. I'm talking about cognitive behavioral therapy which really only involves applying certain cognitive/behavioral/emotional strategies to change how you automatically/subconsciously react to certain situations that cause you anxiety. As you said though, a person does need to be motivated to get better because you have to be persistent or it will not work.

Well, I think it was technically CBT, but the talking aspects is what stood out to me I guess. I remember he had a sheet that we'd hold up and have it represent this and think like this to for that. And he'd have a third chair a lot and pretend it was a certain person or myself and...honestly I don't really remember those aspects. Maybe it wasn't even CBT, I'm questioning my memory now. Well even if most of my post was meaningless jibber jabber, the point I was trying to make is therapy involves you(the person going to therapy) doing a lot of the work, and the right mentality is needed for it to help.

 

[PugofCrydee]

I'll try the best I can to get rid of his cold so it's gone by morning. I'm pissed tht he gets sick when I hve to go somewhere or want to go out!

I can't lose out on this opportunity. I'm NOT gonna let that ****ing happen! That's why we're in this position now!

Umm who's cold?
You do realise you can't make a cold go away faster right? It just has to run it's course.

 

[Opaline]

Shakespeare is EVERYWHERE. I don't think I realized this until this year. I didn't realize how many of the references and sayings we make are based off his work. Never mind the stuff found in other literature that links back. As an English major you just keep seeing the references crop up again and again and again and again...

I guess this is obvious, or should be, but I hadn't realized it. And I like to point out the obvious anyway, because I'm weird.

 

[PugofCrydee]

Ah ok. You trying to jinx me?
I already want to move further south, this unusual Autumn heat and humidity is killing me. I see the weather in the news of the temperatures of where you are and I am so envious


Has someone said that to you? I often wonder what is emotionally "normal"?
Women have a stereotype of being over-emotional, and men have a stereotype of not being emotional enough.

Further south..yea sounds great actually. 33 here tomorrow :thumbdown:

No, no-one has said that to me Blue, but I know it.
In the last month I've had (no I'm not bragging or kidding nor do I have tickets on myself) 3 really nice women ...show their 'keen interest' in a possible relationship with me. I'd love to find that someone special again.

But for some reason I can't bring myself to do it. I don't feel good enough for them. I think they deserve much better and will find much better. So I make excuses, they sound like weak excuses and I think I have inadvertently given the impression to at least one of them (who happens to be someone I think is very good looking and such a nice person) the impression that they are not good enough for me! :kickingmyself:

I feel unworthy of them, I feel like I'm in no way good enough for anyone.
I am my own worst enemy.
How did I become this..

 

[PugofCrydee]

Shakespeare is EVERYWHERE. I don't think I realized this until this year. I didn't realize how many of the references and sayings we make are based off his work. Never mind the stuff found in other literature that links back. As an English major you just keep seeing the references crop up again and again and again and again...

I guess this is obvious, or should be, but I hadn't realized it. And I like to point out the obvious anyway, because I'm weird.

Haha I like weird :applause:

 

[Opaline]

Haha I like weird :applause:

Weird can be good

_______________________

I realize I'm spamming the crap out of this thread today but I'm procrastinating on writing an essay and every time I go back to my work my mind desperately looks for something else to focus on. HELP :crying:

I just wanted to say that today I noticed my grocery store has recently stocked three new brands of ice cream that are independent creameries and cost a fortune but look AMAZING. And one of them has GREEN TEA FLAVOR, which I have been waiting to come to grocery stores for centuries. I paid $6 for the damn thing and it doesn't taste nearly as good as the green tea ice cream from Asian restaurants, but still pretty good. It was also made here in Boston, which is pretty cool. I've never heard of the company before.

OKAY I NEED TO DO MY WORK. AAAARGH

 

[PugofCrydee]

I just wanted to say that today I noticed my grocery store has recently stocked three new brands of ice cream that are independent creameries and cost a fortune but look AMAZING. And one of them has GREEN TEA FLAVOR, which I have been waiting to come to grocery stores for centuries. I paid $6 for the damn thing and it doesn't taste nearly as good as the green tea ice cream from Asian restaurants, but still pretty good. It was also made here in Boston, which is pretty cool. I've never heard of the company before.

OKAY I NEED TO DO MY WORK. AAAARGH

Oooohh... green tea ice cream? I've never heard of that. sounds interesting though. as if I need another flavour ice cream flavour to try..

Thanks Opaline! mg:

 

[MollyBeGood]

I want to be a master gardener, spend all day among plants.

 

[Zaki]

If a bookstore never runs out of a certain book, does that mean that nobody reads it, or everybody reads it?

This has got me pondering the meaning of life.

#whatsreallyreal

 

[hoddesdon]

^ It depends on whether they are the same copies of the book: if they are, then no-one reads it; if no then they are constantly being sold, so much that the bookstore is aware of it and keeps on ordering new ones.