If I’d known then what I know now—I wouldn't have lowered my guard for a second. The secret to staying happy among the masses? Just view them as entertainment—a simple give-and-take arrangement while it lasts. Thinking you can actually offer someone your genuine self or some deep honesty is a total waste of time. Honestly, whoever manages to find a real friend is lucky; all I've ever met were business associates. Friendship is a sacrifice, just like love. But let's be real—human nature dictates people will always choose to sacrifice someone else rather than themselves. Brothers-in-arms—those are your true friends. Everything else is just business.
If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that you can’t outrun who you actually are. Trying to fake a persona just to earn some respect? It’s a losing game—you’ll feel like a fraud, and eventually, the mask slips and the real you bubbles up anyway. Take it to the extreme: you’ve got the "nice guy" who lets people walk all over him just to soothe their egos, and then you’ve got the jerk everyone is terrified of—people act better around him simply because they don't want to deal with the fallout. A few of those nice guys eventually snap and turn bitter, while most people just accept this dysfunctional cycle as the status quo. At the end of the day, it’s all driven by fear.
Be smart about it—instead of surrounding yourself with small-minded losers, find some high-quality people who actually value integrity.
It’s basically just the feeling that you finally hold more value than everyone else. That’s the foundation—the starting point—where actual skill and character really begin to take shape.
Not true!!! I’m actually incredibly good-looking—so much so that it lands me in all sorts of awkward situations more often than I’d like. How many times have I heard people shouting, "Look at that guy, he's absolutely killing it!" when I walk by? Women look at me like I'm just a piece of meat—and sure, I'm smart too, but apparently, nobody cares about that... I’ll walk into a Starbucks, say a simple "hello," and the barista is immediately like, "You think you're getting a free latte just because you're gorgeous? Not happening!"—and I haven't even ordered yet. There's plenty more to it, really; most days are just a constant struggle.
I didn't feel targeted, per se—it just struck me as wild that a doctor would actually ask something like "I'm curious, for those who used marijuana or other drugs that likely acted as a trigger for your condition, do you regret doing that now?"
It’s a bit like someone getting hit by a car and you asking them, "So, do you regret not looking both ways?" If you're trying to pull a Dr. House routine, fine—then I guess it makes sense.
Charles Patel said:So now you’re feeling targeted? 🙂
Look, depending on where we land for work, some of us aren't exactly dealing with patients facing mental health struggles on a daily basis. It all comes down to which hospital or clinic we happen to get placed in.
And if you think I just sit around reading textbooks and clinical manuals—yeah, I stay sharp. I also spend time reading through forums and other sites where people actually describe their problems and look for advice or help.
Charles Patel said:I drop in on this thread every now and then to learn from these "real-life examples," since I work in the medical field. 😉
Quick question: for anyone here who used marijuana or other drugs that likely acted as a trigger for your condition—do you actually regret doing it now?
What a nasty question—and what a joke to realize there might be someone behind it claiming to be a health professional.😢 No—anyone who dealt with a severe mental illness triggered by substance use is definitely not feeling "lucky," let alone proud of that phase of their youth.😍
So, you're in serious medicine and you're "educating" yourself via an online forum? Are you just handing out definitive diagnoses that marijuana or some other drug triggered someone's schizophrenia? We all know there's a correlation there—but posing as a "medical professional" while throwing around basic internet clichés without any actual depth or argument... Wtf?!
Amanda Gonzalez66 said:I agree with you. I think most people feel this exact same way. It isn't hypocritical. 🙂
Bob, women as a whole are directly responsible for the horrific torture of little animals all over the world—all just to feed their vanity, thinking makeup makes them prettier or perfume smells better. Or at least, that's what they think. We know the facts now, yet despite how many women have stopped wearing makeup or how many claim to buy "cruelty-free" products, nothing changes. They don't actually care; they just love scrolling through cute animal videos online because they're "sweet" and "adorable."😉
That’s just not a reality. If you actually had the urge to live like Tarzan, you wouldn't be looking for an exit strategy in the first place. What you're describing is basically the plot of Into The Wild.
edit: You should have just started a thread asking what people would do if they were stuck in a dead end—say, getting diagnosed with an inoperable tumor and told by doctors they've got maybe a year left at most.
Hold on a second—if you’ve already decided someone is sharp and actually knows their stuff, their word is naturally going to carry more weight than someone you don't trust. It's just basic bias; we tend to assume the smart ones are usually right. It’s true that people who constantly brag can be incredibly grating—usually because they're overcompensating for some deep-seated insecurity, or they feel like their peers aren't giving them enough credit as an expert, so they try to force the recognition themselves. Regarding what I said earlier—I wasn't suggesting that constantly bringing up your own identity is the same thing as "having a sense of self." There's a massive difference between being a pushover and actually having a backbone.
I think you might be missing the point—when people talk about "having a sense of self," they mean having a backbone, a clear perspective, and actually thinking for yourself. I definitely saw myself in the part about overusing "I" and "me"—it’s a habit of mine.
Google😁 I was actually thinking about this yesterday while walking through downtown—I have this little mental game where if two girls walk toward me and one is clearly the "stunning" type, I’ll intentionally make eye contact with the other one just to mess with the prettier girl's ego. 😁 Forget having a hot friend; sure, she might grab more attention at first glance, but it doesn't really matter. It's honestly just about how some women strategically play up a certain look to pull eyes their way—it isn't hard to do, and it doesn't carry much actual substance, even if most guys fall for it instantly.
Right, because every therapist apparently carries a magic wand that just erases trauma from existence—I guess that’s how successful they are these days. Why on earth would you assume anyone is actually capable of laying their deepest scars bare in front of a complete stranger? And why do you think so many survivors choose not to relive their trauma during a trial? Who are you to pass judgment? I'm done responding here; it's starting to feel like we're just trading blows at the expense of someone who's already struggling. Maybe it's best if we just wait for her—after all, this is her thread. Anyway, I sincerely hope you don't misinterpret my posts the way Rosey and FC Barcelona do—just go ahead and do whatever you think is best for you.
Here’s what she said: "Man, this has been eating me alive—I honestly thought I was the only one going through this and that it wasn't normal... but hearing you guys say it's actually common? It’s such a relief. I don't feel like such a freak anymore." See, just being able to write it all out is already acting as therapy for her. Look, I’m not trying to downplay anyone's trauma, regardless of the circumstances. I’m a sensitive guy myself—I've dealt with my own share of emotional rollercoasters, usually way more than was good for me—and nothing smart ever came from those moments. I'm just sharing my take.
You’re stripping context away so effectively you could probably land a job in news reporting. That "be happy" comment is particularly grating—honestly, I have no idea how you ended up moderating a psychology forum. So, I guess if someone gets jumped and ends up broken in an ER, or just takes a kick to the backside, it’s all the same thing, right? *facepalm*.
My point was simply to tell her I wasn't trying to dismiss her experience—even if, objectively speaking, it isn't that dire. You know, empathy and all that...
I probably would’ve just said she needed to vent a little—let her know things aren't actually that dire and she isn't some lunatic if this is weighing on her. As far as I'm concerned, if she feels like she needs professional help, she should go see a therapist. (I won't even touch the part about "us Americans," though I get what you were getting at.)
This topic is a bit messy—not that it’s about abuse—but don't take this the wrong way, though I find it slightly ridiculous that people are telling you to seek professional help. You aren't crazy, nor is it weird to feel awkward talking about this; but given the actual horrors and systemic abuse children face, I don't think these things should be lumped together. Don't get me wrong—I'm not trying to downplay what you went through—but I think you're overanalyzing this a bit too much. Digging into it won't actually solve anything; you didn't do anything wrong, so just stop carrying the weight of it. What Hide and Seek described is actual abuse—your situation isn't even in the same ballpark. Honestly, just be glad that wasn't your reality and let it go.
If your old man was an artist—specifically into that Americana folk art style—then there’s a better shot at it. 😁 It'll probably fade as you get older. Honestly, maybe being this way is better than just being realistic. 🙂
I’ve been chewing on this, and I think I finally nailed what’s actually happening here. You’re cursing God because that concept is hardwired into you as something massive—something foundational. Basically, when you hit peak rage, it becomes the fastest pressure valve for all that frustration—especially since you've lost the brakes on your faith and just given up. That resignation only fuels the urge to lash out. It’s like when someone pushes your buttons so hard that your only instinct is to cause maximum damage. Those kinds of curses sound terrible—they’re ugly—and honestly, that’s exactly where their power comes from. Growing up, back when I actually believed, hearing someone curse God used to genuinely nauseate me; now, I couldn't care less, and I doubt the habit will ever die. Look, if frustration is some invisible enemy, saying something like "damn it" is like giving it a polite slap with a white glove—but bringing God into it? That’s like taking a sledgehammer to its head.🙂
I’d love to get your take on this scenario. You’re out for a jog through the woods—just a regular Dogger move—and you pass two guys sitting on a bench. One of them shouts, "run Forrest run."
Would you consider that rude, offensive, or just... whatever?