Working through the challenges of life

Without getting too much into detail because of the rarity of my condition, at the age of four I was mysteriously diagnosed with a rare irreversible ailment. I am in my mid twenties and it has followed me through grade school, adolescence and young adult hood. It causes chronic pain that can be very extreme on occasion, as well as anxiety and bouts of depression from dealing with it everyday. Anyone else have a similar situation?? If so, what are your coping methods and where do you get your support from??

I have bouts of pretty severe depression that started when I was sent away twice as a teenager to a cult that ended up getting shut down. After a few years of that, I lost everyone because no one understood what I went through and why I was so different. Needless to say I struggle with some anxiety around other people in certain situations, and I basically take klonopin when I need it, and I set goals for my future and bury myself in my work. My current goal is to finish my degree and become a psychologist. As far as I'm concerned, that's the only thing worth caring about right now. You have to set a life goal and dedicate yourself to it, or the depression and anxiety will swallow you up.

good for the both of you pushing on in life even though you have obstacles. you are stronger than most.

a glock loaded at all times and a tat thats on my wrist that says in case of emergency cut here.

Growing this past season helped take my mind off the everyday pain. One of the main reasons that I consume cannabis is to forget about my pain and situation. It's a sanity break for a short period.

BWG707 said:

Growing this past season helped take my mind off the everyday pain. One of the main reasons that I consume cannabis is to forget about my pain and situation. It's a sanity break for a short period.

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The process of growing it is more important than the consumption to cover and mask. Good luck with your ails, sometimes talking and/or shouting it out by yourself and emotionally letting go (let it out) can be a good thing. It helps to have a friend to just call and chat with after usually not related. Maybe this works maybe it doesn't for you, good luck though.

I've always been riddled with health problems. I don't want to go into much detail either because it's not something I love talking about, but when I was 11 years old, I was diagnosed with something that doctors basically said they'd never seen before and had no idea what to do about it. I also have Hashimoto's disease which affects everything... even with thyroid pills, I still have a ton of symptoms and gain weight very easily. I've dealt with depression and anxiety for years and currently take all sorts of medications for that, as well as my other various issues... I take 14 pills a day. I've struggled with self confidence issues my entire life and it just really gets to me sometimes because I've always been very health conscious... making sure to eat healthy and get plenty of exercise. Yet I'm still plagued with issues.

Honestly, the major thing that's kept me sane and happy has been my passion for horses. If I'm having a bad day, all I have to do is go see my horse, jump on his back and my mood suddenly changes. Sometimes I just need to get away from people... and the world in general.. so it's a sort of mental escape for me. I can't help but smile when I'm riding bareback at a full speed gallop... so much different than anything mechanical because you can feel the sheer power of the massive creature you're riding. Not that everyone would feel the same way, but basically I'm saying that having a true passion for something, anything, is a great way to escape from the shittiness you deal with on a daily basis.

Your interaction here will help in easing some tension, your garden will help and my advice would be to challenge yourself. I've found that it helps when I'm down deep in that well, to grab hold of something unknown and then learn as much as I can about it. That thing could be art, science or whatever floats your boat, become creative and your mind will make new pathways, ones not associated with pain, loss or loneliness.

I think we all have things to bare during our life time, some people suffer more than others, I think the way forward is to stay focused, I always think about the people that are worse off than me and I know their out their. I have come to the conclusion life was not meant to be easy, for some it doesn't matter what path you take your hardship just doesn't go away. Life seems to be full of pain and un happiness, I'm feeling a little negative myself today, but it will pass.

This is how I have come to realize things..

Things may be crap for ya right now... as they (I am sure) have been in the past.. you work thru the hard times to enjoy the good ones.. it's kinda like working mon-fri and having weekends off.. mon-fri suck the weekends are ok...

dealt with pain since about 1990.. over 5 op's on various parts of my body... chronic pain for the majority of this time.. I am no longer working... this was the hardest part of my issues so far to deal with.. not being able to do something I like to do.. hard for me to even hold a camera anymore..

in honesty.. I know there is not much I can do for my pain it is what it is and will be.. it sucks and puts me into depression mode once in awhile but not for more then a few hours at best.. getting to the point where even raising my arm to light a smoke hurts my shoulder now..

not much I can do about it so I just put my mind on other things learned to have a routine that doesn't involve too much time alone to think about the pain issues..


always found RIU to be a pretty decent support group myself..

i just too see4's advice and everytime im in the kitchen now i slap my wang off the kitchen counter, really makes you feel like a new man

silasraven said:

a glock loaded at all times and a tat thats on my wrist that says in case of emergency cut here.

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nifty, why a glock though. i know i like guns that fire every time. a glock does make a nice paper weight though.

get yourself a sig.. my p229 is a badass .40 .. i see so many piece of crap glocks at the range

Ever hear of a progressive brain injury? I got me one of those, and some Wilson's, just to make life interesting -- I feel yer pain, in a very real way.

The pain is the only thing that gets me, it'll drive you insane. I try to stay away from people when I'm in pain, because I am a raw nerve, and only can react in one way. Yeah, rarity is a bitch with disease, also. Soon we'll be able to openly discuss our injury and illness, and what we use (Medical Cannabis) to confront it. I've seen a lot of cases right here on this site that are proof positive that not only is Cannabis medically relevant, but even recreational use can have positive medical side effects. (Ex-cons with the violent rap sheets, you know what I mean...)

my big penis gets annoying when it wants to shift over to the left side of my leg from walking too fast and gets stuck -- causing it look like an awkward c-shape.

i then have to make it look like i'm tucking my shirt, when in reality, i have a different agenda going on.

srh88 said:

nifty, why a glock though. i know i like guns that fire every time. a glock does make a nice paper weight though.

get yourself a sig.. my p229 is a badass .40 .. i see so many piece of crap glocks at the range

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Tricked & slicked series 70, 1911.
Dead reliable and deadly accurate.

The best in personal protection for over 100 years !

for me? when i feel like im at my worst and i just cant fucking take it anymore (talking abotu when im struggling with my anxiety problems like i wanna go on the ferris wheel but cant)

I go somewhere alone like car or whatever cry , scream and fucking wail my little hearts content out.

and get the fuck back up and try again.
push, push push.

eventually i will fight so goddamn hard i will win the fucking war and i will be able to go into a goddamn store without having my heart race my palms sweat my thoughts race ect.
one day i will win.

sunni said:

one day i will win.

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Sounds like you already are winning.

I think back to how rough I've had it in the past and compare to my problems now and I feel better almost instantly. I may live in real bad pain everyday but its far less a burden to carry than what I was.

Gotta remember when your feeling like complete shit there's someone else out there who feels worse. Plus I don't feel we would get faced with the things we do, if we already didn't have what it takes to overcome it. Just find your North Star and always walk towards it. One day you will reach your destination.

Thanks all for the responses. I appreciate all of them even the put your penis on the counter ones. (It actually does provide temporary relief)

beuffer420 said:

I don't feel we would get faced with the things we do, if we already didn't have what it takes to overcome it. Just find your North Star and always walk towards it. One day you will reach your destination.

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Those are some honest and real words and that is very heart felt. Thank you.