650 posts shown.
Who monitors the monitor???
A certain film producer once tossed out this line regarding God:
God is God because He possesses a camera that keeps watch over Him twenty-four hours a day.
Let us attempt... hmmm... welllll... how shall I put this... you know... perhaps we could try to shut down that camera just a little bit?
Let us be serious and brief.
God is God because He is complete within Himself; He is omnipotent, yet desires nothing, possessing infinite abundances of which six are most fundamental.
1: No one is as wealthy as He is,
2. No one is as powerful as He is,
3: No one is as glorious as He is,
4. No one is as beautiful as He is,
5: No one is as knowledgeable as He is,
6: No one is as detached from everything as He is.
Or, simply stated, no one is as devoid of desire and greed as He is. He manifests these six attributes to the highest degree, and no one can rival Him in any single one. Of all these abundances, the most difficult to achieve is detachment.
Just consider how much we all crave wealth, for instance. Even if someone does not crave riches but instead pursues knowledge to earn an academic degree, it remains incredibly difficult for them to manifest that sixth abundance: detachment. For no matter how much one trains their ego (if they have trained it at all), they still yearn to stand out through those academic titles.
If you pay a man a meager wage while he works diligently, he will somehow scrape by and keep working. But if you strip away his—rightfully earned—recognition, he will eventually explode at you, and true hell will be unleashed.
Therefore, gentlemen, how could anyone possibly hope to control God, when He is so powerful, so unspeakably self-sufficient, so detached, and so void of desire? He has no need of our service. Everything with which we serve Him ultimately benefits us. There is simply no question of any kind of control, especially when one considers that sixth attribute.
Robert Reyes34 said:That part I bolded—this obvious emotional detachment you're talking about—was honestly the absolute best thing for me when I was on Lexapro. 👍 I was just so incredibly chill and centered! 😁
Man, if only I had been born with that kind of "emotional distance" built right in!!! 😍
Well then, what on earth do you take when everything just hits the fan?
I found my experience quite similar when I was on Lexapro for a while, though the side effects were simply too intense for me to bear; my jaw would lock up constantly, among other things.
mistycyclist61 said:Hey everyone, I could really use some advice here....
I just saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with anxiety and depression, specifically involving intrusive thoughts. She’s actually great—we spent nearly two hours just talking through everything that's been eating at me. She put me on 10 mg of Lexapro, starting with half a pill in the morning for the first six days, plus 2 mg of Ativan twice a day, eventually tapering down to once daily. Does anyone have experience with this antidepressant? To be honest, I’m terrified of pills, especially antidepressants, but I can't keep living like this.
If you've dealt with anything similar, please reach out. I'm pretty clueless when it comes to heavy medication...
Thanks 🙂
Please, do not let fear take hold of you! No! Absolutely not!
Thomas Howard93 said:It’s some kind of stabilizer, or something like that.
I don't personally draw a line between sedatives and stabilizers. Is it possible that I am mistaken in thinking that stabilizers act more powerfully than sedatives, yet remain less potent than antidepressants or antipsychotics?
Does anyone here possess more expertise on the matter who might enlighten me as to whether my understanding is flawed?
I am struggling to find the correct English term for "psychostabilizer." I have searched through several online dictionaries, yet the specific term remains elusive.
Thomas Howard93 said:It’s some kind of stabilizer, or something like that.
I don't personally draw a line between sedatives and stabilizers. I have always operated under the assumption that stabilizers possess a certain potency exceeding that of sedatives, yet they remain somewhat less intense than antidepressants or antipsychotics.
Does anyone here possess more clinical insight? I would be most grateful if someone could clarify whether my understanding is fundamentally flawed.
velvetsailor26 said:Does anyone actually know if Fevarin and Prozac are the exact same thing, or am I just tripping?
Faverin is chemically known as fluvoxamine.
Prozac is chemically classified as fluoxetine (assuming my memory serves me correctly). What would we call it if two medications were quite similar in nature, yet fundamentally distinct from one another?
In any case, I would suggest searching for "Faverin wiki" and "Prozac wiki." Be sure to set your Google search settings to English; you will certainly find much more detailed information that way.
Olivia Rivera77 said:Hey everyone!
So, here’s my current setup: I’m taking one Depakote Chrono (300mg) a day, plus three Prozacs (50mg each).
My diagnosis is anxiety. I’ve been wondering lately why I need to be on an anticonvulsant alongside my antidepressants. I know, I know—I really should just ask my doctor, but honestly, I keep forgetting because these meds actually work. I feel so much better that I haven't even given much thought to why the Depakote is even part of the equation...
If there's anyone here with some medical expertise who can shed some light on this, I’d really appreciate it.😍
I cannot say for certain why you have been prescribed those, but I once spent time taking Tegretol despite not being an epileptic. My diagnosis involved adjustment disorders and depressive syndrome. Thank God both have since been resolved.
In addition to the Tegretol, I was also using Ambien and Xanax.
I was truly drowning in those pills. Today, thank God, it has been a very, very long time since I have taken a single sedative. (knock on wood)
gentletiger20 said:Look, there’s really no point in dragging that stuff out into the open. What someone chooses to spend their money on is their own damn business. Honestly, most of those high-society types—you know the kind—probably don't even realize people know they use certain... substances. Or maybe they do, but only within their own little bubble of equally questionable characters, so it just feels normal to them. It's all just part of the club, I guess.
Back here in the States, though, if that kind of thing ever actually hits the headlines, people still treat it like some massive, unforgivable scandal.
I truly wonder, what kind of sleeping pills are our "top-tier" politicians actually popping? Is a cocktail consisting of two or three Sanvals, some Dormicum, Lexapro, and a tiny little zero-point-three enough to finally grant them even a few hours of rest?
Sophia King42 said:Can someone outline the different types of schizophrenia and how they're diagnosed? Thanks.
One could easily look this up online to gain a more systematic understanding of the subject. However, if I recall correctly, the primary classifications include:
Simple schizophrenia,
Hebephrenic schizophrenia—also known as disorganized schizophrenia,
Paranoid schizophrenia—characterized by the persistent belief that others are following or persecuting you,
Catatonic schizophrenia,
Microsoft—though this final category often aligns more closely with borderline functioning, where one isn't quite ill enough for a full diagnosis but still exhibits mild symptoms.
Nicholas Wells74 said:And that specific reality makes managing the course, the treatment, and the overall prognosis of the illness significantly more complicated.
... because since the patient is driven almost entirely by their emotions, can we truly guarantee the continuity, the consistency, and the steady adherence required for medication?
ironbison23 said:The doctors also pointed out to me that his exceptional intelligence acts as a double-edged sword; because of it, he has constructed such an incredibly profound and intricate inner world that it becomes nearly impossible to dismantle.
Could you perhaps elaborate a bit more on that observation? I have heard it suggested that highly intelligent individuals can actually be even more susceptible to manipulation than those who are less cognitively gifted. If that holds true, does it not mean that the medical professionals' primary task is simply to determine the precise dosage and the ideal cocktail of medications, waiting until the patient regains enough rationality to engage in psychotherapy? Once they apply methods of persuasion and deterrence to foster stability, won't those techniques only truly take hold once the acute psychotic state has been sufficiently dampened? Can a person ever truly be critical of their own delusions—for if they were, would they even be struggling with schizophrenia?—but when one is involuntarily hospitalized and medicated, isn't a rapid stabilization of psychosis inevitable? The true challenge lies in convincing the patient to remain compliant with their medication, to accept that involuntary treatment was necessary, and to understand that no one is to blame for the illness. Once an intelligent patient establishes even a modicum of trust with their psychiatrist, will they not eventually come to believe that there is no ill intent behind the care, and thus continue their prescribed regimen indefinitely?
In contrast, might we not see a situation where a less intelligent individual, being harder to manipulate, feels better after taking their medication at home and decides to stop altogether? Is it not true that those with lower cognitive engagement tend to follow their immediate, superficial moods and fleeting feelings rather than their long-term memory or logic? And does this fact not significantly complicate the entire course of treatment and the ultimate prognosis of the disease?
Roger Castillo4 said:Must the rest of us constantly walk on eggshells to accommodate him, or are we allowed to simply live our lives? Our entire family is under immense pressure, living in constant fear that any word we utter might trigger a massive, dramatic outburst. Is there truly any hope that he will one day become self-reflective and realize the mistakes he has made?
He is never going to reach that realization. Those struggling with schizophrenia often suffer from delusions of being watched or controlled by others, feeling as though their thoughts are being stolen or replaced, or hearing voices that feel entirely real. When those hallucinations take hold, they become his absolute reality. You can try to reason with him all you want, but how can anyone compete with the overwhelming grip of a hallucination upon a distorted consciousness?
Joshua Lewis9 said:Yeah, "A Beautiful Mind" is an awesome movie starring Russell Crowe... I finally wrapped my head around it the second time I watched it... it's a bit heavy to process at first.....🤣
Hey there, buddy... you've been totally MIA... what's going on with you? Even a supernova couldn't find you when you're hiding like this... I talked to Jack, and he said you haven't even checked in with him. You acting too cool for us now? Don't let the wild ones get you! Reach out... come back to us...🙏 🙏 👍
So, I've been taking Valerian for a few weeks now. The label says it helps with restlessness, tension, stress, and insomnia... it's not a bad supplement. I'm not trying to sell it or anything, but it works great... especially paired with 2 mg of Normabell. Yeah, just 2 mg... it's a solid combo. For me, the 2 mg of Normabell feels refreshing, while the Valerian really hits that relaxation spot. I've cut out alcohol completely—just sticking to water and juice. I try to avoid soda, too much Coke, and huge amounts of caffeine. Honestly, I feel like I'm constantly seeing things... but as long as I stay busy and focus on something positive, it stays away. Sometimes I hear things, though... just occasionally. I can't quite figure out why all this happens. My psychiatrist tells me, "Don't go back to your old ways... let's see how things are moving forward now." As I write this, it's like thoughts are traveling through the air to reach me. Sometimes my thoughts don't even feel like mine. Why would you let a thought spin around your brain like it's under a spell? Where is the solution to all this? A "spellbound" thought could be about anything... any random thing. Why do thoughts sometimes feel like they're stuck in a loop? Do you ever feel a sharp sting, like a needle prick, and you aren't even sure what happened? You know why? I was watching TV and reading about psychosis. I don't want to scare anyone, but there's something happening that I just can't wrap my head around... those "demon" hallucinations. They are incredibly hard to deal with. But if you have faith, you can endure it—if you're a fighter like me. It gets tough when you lose that faith, and those demon hallucinations are powerful... but there is always a way out. Whether it's talking to a priest or just fighting through it, someone eventually comes out a winner. Watch out, because those demon hallucinations are no joke... it's a real battle. Just something to think about... bye
What is the true nature of these sensations? Do you experience them as if someone or something is merely brushing against your skin, or does it feel more like a sharp pinching sensation? Furthermore, is this perceived contact limited strictly to your surface skin, or does it feel as though you are being touched or pinched from deep within your very being?
bluerider63 said:Even if he was killed, it’s just more proof that the European Union can't stomach anyone with even a hint of neo-fascist or far-right leanings, period.
Oooooo, if only they were actually consistent about it.
He was murdered, plain and simple! How could anyone possibly believe otherwise when the evidence is so overwhelming?
Maria Booth said:Yeah, right! Like the European Union and Russia would just shake hands, cut out the middleman in the gas trade, and pull off some blitzkrieg on Ukraine from two sides. They could just split Ukraine into West and East—kind of like how Germany used to be split—and boom, gas crisis solved. 😁
The concept doesn't sound half bad, provided we aren't overlooking one massive complication: a significant portion of the Russian Black Sea Fleet remains stationed right within Ukraine. If the Ukrainians were to mobilize that fleet alongside their own, wouldn't both sides find themselves in an incredibly precarious position? One must also never lose sight of the fact that Ukraine is a massive nation, both in its vast geographic scale and its substantial population.
rustycrane5 said:The invasion of Iraq was largely driven by the fact that they transitioned away from using the USD for their oil transactions. It seems that even Iran has made similar announcements regarding their intentions...
I find myself in complete agreement with that sentiment.
Jason Sanchez3 said:I’m going to keep things vague to protect everyone's privacy...
I’m honestly trying to wrap my head around one thing. What goes through someone's mind when they snap? Like, hurting their own dog, losing it on a highway because someone didn't use a blinker, being abusive to family unless they need something, and acting like everyone else is just trash...
The kicker is how they play the saint to everyone else. They act like the ultimate martyr, telling people how unappreciated they are—even though none of that "hard work" actually exists. They play the victim so convincingly that I'm pretty sure they even believe their own lies...
Since I'm basically part of this family, I see everything firsthand. It's pretty horrifying. Just a selfish, cold, spoiled monster who is genuinely convinced they're the only person who matters.
That individual is nothing more than an emotional vampire.
Brenda Lopez5 said:Look, I’ll concede the journalist is a big shot. But what you're saying about Bush—that is highly, highly debatable. Honestly, I can't speak authoritatively on things I don't fully grasp. People call Bush a tyrant. The media supposedly rails against him. But he holds the power. And those with power usually pull the strings of the media. If he really were a tyrant, why wouldn't he just shut down the negative press? In this specific instance, it almost seems like Bush is behaving like a gentleman. Even here in the States, the papers are criticizing him. Let's not be naive. Do you honestly believe our major news outlets aren't just following orders handed down from the U.S. Embassy?!🙏
The authorities must provide the public with a pressure valve for their emotions. It is one thing when the media critiques Bush or anyone of his ilk, but it is an entirely different matter when actual events unfold and when people are given concrete instructions on how to protect themselves from the steady erosion of civil liberties. Do not be afraid; in a few years, we won't even be allowed to speak critically of our leaders, and if this trajectory continues, democracy will be completely abolished within ten or fifteen years. We will face nothing less than an overt autocracy.
And yes... Bush is certainly deserving of all the contempt directed toward him, considering the immense loss of civilian life and the destruction of the Iraqi museum, which housed priceless treasures that were lost forever due to the barbaric act of bombing such a site. Everything that had been gathered over countless years, everything that had remained hidden in that land for hundreds and thousands of years, was wiped out in mere hours. Just look at the reality of it now.