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Looking after ourselves

nashy
Senior Contributor

Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Hi everyone! Last night we had such an incredible response to our Topic Tuesday - Creating and Maintaining Social Connections, alongside our wonderful peer ambassador @jess_27 that we thought we would continue the conversation in a new thread here - Woohoo!

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Navigating through life with a mental illness can be super tricky at times, there are many ways in which our mental health can impact on our relationships and social connections both positively and adversely. Sometimes we don't want to engage with anyone at all..

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What do you think are the biggest challenges in creating and maintaining social connections?

 

What are your tips and tricks in balancing your own self-care whilst connecting with your family and friends?

 

@eth @outlander @greenpea @Mazarita @Zoe7 @Shaz51 @Adge @BlueBay @Teej @frog @Former-Member what are your thoughts :)?

29 REPLIES 29

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Hi @nashy I think for me it’s boundaries. I struggle with that. 

Self care tips snd tricks:

1. have a break from the forum

2. meditate

3. listen to music 

4. go out in garden 

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Thanks @nashy for starting this thread Smiley Very Happy Last nights discussion was a great one - I know I got a lot out of it.

 

Boundaries is a really good one @BlueBay. Putting in place those boundaries and following through with them is the hardest obstacle I feel ...but they are super important to both build and maintain connections of any form whether it be family, friends or aquaintances - and that also goes for both online and off line connections.

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

 

@BlueBay Spot on I hear you with that one. Boundaries can be very tricky to manage, especially if we're naturally empathic people. I think it's great you have these self-care strategies to turn to Heart 

 

So glad you so much out of last night's Topic Tuesday @Zoe7 :D!

 

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Heyyyyy @nashy, thanks for starting this thread Smiley Very HappyHeart

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Hello @nashy, @Zoe7, @BlueBay, @greenpea

I find it is hard , I do not have any friendship outside the forum

My husband has depression , anxiety , inherited depression . Bipolar11 which my friends have all disappeared

I do keep in touch with family on facebook and messager

but my family do not fully understand but they keep in touch with me

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Hi @nashy and everyone, last night's Topic Tuesday was a good one, and really appreciate you putting it on for us. Glad this discussion has started too. Not able to respond much more than that just now, but wanted to post so I get notifications of any future posts here. Smiley Wink

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

I really appreciate Topic Tuesdays.

It's the one time that I feel I have a lot to offer.

I get a lot out of them, especially when it's a topic that I can relate to.

Maintaining healthy boundaries is really important, especially when coming from a family that had no healthy boundaries.

I'm still working on it, even after 30 years (& on being assertive too).

Adge

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

I don't have friendships outside in the real world. The thing is I prefer animals to people mostly and I tend to find people I like to hang out with online. Friendships in the real world require a level of commitment which I am not able to give at the moment anyway (I think due to my mi).

 

Hopefully that will change in the future...

Re: Creating and Maintaining Social Connections - Continued!

Thanks @nashy for the thread.

Personally when I was in my biggest pit of depression I lost contact with all my friends & social contacts. I would tell myself if I got all my household chores done then I could x,y & z catch up with a friend etc. Because I was chronically fatigued and lacked motivation it got to the point that I never got out.

Now my main priority each week (which is extremely selfish )is trying to go for a walk each day & I have 2 meet ups for an hour or 2 max with different social groups, which unless I’m sick I go, I have learned if there’s dishes still on the sink, washing not done after catching up with friends I always feel heaps better & get them done quicker when I come home.

In the beginning when I started going to my social groups I really struggled with anxiety & just wanted to vomit all morning, panic before I went, but I persisted & made some great connections 6 months down the track & I now look forward to it.

Starting from scratch with no friends or social connection was hard I looked at my local council & library web pages,  “what’s on this week” & church outreach programs It’s surprising how much stuff there is for free or gold coin donations.

I learned the hard way

(suffering from phycosis at my worst) my mental health is more important than anything else, If I don’t look after myself I can’t properly care for others.

Its still a daily uphill battle !!

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