Posts by Eric Gray2

Any notes?

Paul Thomas81 said:I’m not really one for rehashing the past, but I ended up in the foster care system. Honestly, those foster parents did a hell of a job drilling into me this idea that I’m completely useless and incapable of doing anything right.

Look, listen—this isn't just some minor thing you should brush off. You don't have to dive into the details here if you aren't comfortable, but maybe it’s worth looking for an "exit strategy" from whatever environment is dragging you down. I don't know the specifics of your situation or how things stand legally, but you're an adult now. No one should have to put up with that kind of treatment.
On a different note, I honestly think picking up a sport could do wonders for your mindset and your self-esteem. The catch is that the activity isn't going to just find you—and boxing (or whatever else you might try) won't train itself. You’re the one who has to take that first step.

What exactly went down two years ago?

Honestly, for someone with your track record—having posted so much and spent so many years hanging out on this forum—it’s pretty wild that you don't realize clones don't usually go around trolling people so publicly. Usually, they just report things to the moderators and stay under the radar. My gut feeling is that you actually know how this works and you were just looking to stir up a little drama, so there you have it.

Jesse Lopez83 said:Does my age really matter right now—or should we be focusing on how to actually resolve this situation?

Look, if what you’re describing is a case of domestic violence—which sounds like what this girl is going through—that’s something handled by the police and the Department of Social Services. Those same agencies step in if a minor runs away from home without parental consent, too.

Your age isn't really the core issue here, though I am curious to know how old you actually are this time around. 🙂

cosmicwalker21 said:We have cell phones, too. 😬

Back then, people were even more clueless. 🤔

But in all seriousness: this whole debate about internet slang is honestly ancient—it doesn't make much sense to keep arguing over posts that are 15 years old, but I think the issue is actually hitting harder with the younger generations (kids born in 2005 are basically growing up with smartphones and social media already baked into their lives—let that sink in 😬) so the topic still feels relevant.

The whole zombie thing. 🙏 I mean, back in 2005—did we even have cell phones at all? 😳

just as if not

Wait, what?

Are you talking about physical touch in general—like hugging friends or family, or even just getting your hair done at a salon—or are you specifically referring to sexual touch?
Some people are simply asexual and/or aromantic; it’s just one valid way to exist in this world. Even if someone doesn't explicitly identify that way, they might still fall into that category based on how they experience things.

It might be worth looking into—maybe with some professional guidance—whether that discomfort with touch stems from any kind of childhood trauma or past abuse.

"Dealing" with it would definitely involve working on your assertiveness and learning how to set firm boundaries; I mean, you really have every right to question things when you're in those kinds of situations or relationships.

It’s entirely possible that external stressors are cranking up the symptoms—or even weirder, the medication might be reacting strangely with something else he's taking, maybe even alcohol? I'm wondering, how would your dad react if you both went to see the doctor together? If I'm reading the situation right, he's being cooperative. Sometimes you just have to fine-tune the therapy—it would honestly be ideal to get those adjustments made sooner rather than later, before he hits a full-blown episode.

Regarding that last point, I know you all probably felt such a massive sense of relief when you finally got him to cooperate and accept treatment, but please don't let that feeling paralyze you mentally. You are doing everything within your power (though maybe someone else here can chime in with a more practical suggestion). You're there to support him, and it's honestly counterproductive—not to mention exhausting—to drive yourself crazy over a problem that might just be a "bump in the road." Just head to the doctor; once that's done, everyone will be able to think more clearly and hopefully sleep a lot better at night.

Since you've been banned due to racking up enough warnings for trolling and being disrespectful—and because I couldn't get a DM to you about the partial ban before the administration finalized everything—I wanted to make sure this was clear. Your partial ban was officially announced here. Given that your behavior hasn't actually changed over the last six months, we’ve decided to restrict your access to the psychology subforum entirely. This decision comes as a direct result of you constantly picking fights, attacking other members, dragging drama from different parts of the site into here, and disrespecting the moderation team—all things you've been warned about multiple times. If you want to hang out with those specific users, you'll have to find another platform for the time being. Best,

I feel terrible that you all have to go through this together—and look, I don’t want to scare anyone—but when you hear stories about psychosis, they all tend to sound so similar that I can only truly hope your experience turns out to be the exception. People already struggle enough just accepting a diagnosis like diabetes, where you suddenly have to obsess over every bite you take and stay on top of medication, but schizophrenia carries such a heavy stigma; it's even harder to swallow. It’s completely understandable why people react this way, but unfortunately, it often leads to this cycle of denying the diagnosis or refusing meds, which just means cognitive functions and brain health take a hit every single time symptoms flare up again.
One thing that crosses my mind is trying to play along with those delusions—sort of walking right alongside them—just to build enough rapport to get him to actually show up for an appointment, but honestly, that is incredibly tricky and it can backfire on you in a heartbeat.

Thomas Price12 said:Hey everyone,
A close loved one was hospitalized back in October, and after about a month, they were finally discharged with a prescription. Everything seemed to be going great at first—the meds pretty much wiped out all the symptoms (we're talking paranoia, auditory hallucinations, feeling like people are plotting against them, or thinking someone is breaking into the house when nobody is there, etc.). But over the last month, they've been stopping the medication, and now all those symptoms are rushing right back. They’re flat-out refusing to take anything now. They won't really say why they stopped, but from what I can gather, they just feel "happier" without them, or maybe they felt too drowsy and unmotivated while on them. I've tried talking, but nothing seems to work. They're convinced everyone is out to get them... honestly, I'm lost. What should I do? How can I help convince them to get back on their meds? If this keeps up, they're going to lose their job—they don't even want to take medical leave, they just want to quit because they think they're fine and everyone at work is just being shady. Does anyone know if there's any way to reach someone in this state and get them to start their treatment again???

That is incredibly tough. Honestly, it’s more likely that they’ll end up needing to go through another round of—maybe even involuntary?—hospitalization. The real kicker with psychosis and schizophrenia is that once the person starts feeling better (thanks to the meds), they genuinely believe they don't need them anymore—because, well, they feel fine—and they just can't wrap their head around the fact that they feel good *because* of the medication. From there, the idea of taking meds actually becomes part of the symptoms themselves—they start thinking they're being poisoned or something similar. I’d suggest reaching out to their psychiatrist to see what options are available right now.
edit: yeah, or even their primary care doctor back home.

edit2: Long-term, it would definitely be a good idea to find a steady support group or some kind of community organization—somewhere they can engage with people facing similar diagnoses to help motivate one another to stick to their treatment plan. But that’s really an option for once they’ve moved past the acute phase.

Sam Wright21 said:I actually reached out to Chuck earlier to ask for a week-long ban; I desperately needed some kind of digital rehab. I swear, this will be the only post I make today. 😬

It’s more than just wasting time scrolling through this forum; it’s the endless cycle of falling for every piece of digital clickbait that crosses my screen. The end result is always the same: a completely fractured attention span, a total lack of focus, and a workflow that moves at a snail's pace where nothing actually gets accomplished or even finished. It’s much easier to sit here and vent on a message board than it is to actually face those looming responsibilities and deal with them head-on.

I find myself in agreement; that is certainly a significant issue.

This is actually a really solid observation—there are plenty of users here who reach out to the mods via DM or public posts asking for a ban for a certain number of days or months. They’ll say things like, "I have a massive project at work," or "I'm finishing my thesis and need to physically stop myself from hanging out here." Basically, they recognize the pattern in their own lives.

Bold—you're hitting right on what I was getting at. Even if someone comes on here and writes, "I have a problem, I'm addicted to this forum," they are still—well, they're still on the forum. 😬 And then we all just sit around engaging in academic-sounding chatter, which doesn't actually do anything to enable or fix an addiction. 😬

You know, Nausi, I see a real issue here. How do you even begin to suggest—let alone explain—to someone that they’ve become addicted to the internet or this specific community? My worry is that people in that headspace become incredibly uncritical about their own dependency. They spend so much time swapping reality for the digital world that the web stops being a tool for information and just becomes... everything else. They’ve poured so much time and so many resources into it that actually confronting them feels almost impossible. Not to mention, they get so deeply invested that they care more about *who* is typing than what is actually being said—they end up fighting imaginary battles or chasing perceived agendas, which makes reaching them nearly impossible. We can debate it all we want here, but honestly? This is the kind of thing that has to be handled in the real world.

Compensation—I actually knew that word! 🤦 🤣

briskpuma6 said:That is a massive rabbit hole, Carl Rivera43, though admittedly a fascinating one—perhaps I'll dive into it with a more substantial post over the weekend. For now, here are just a few observations regarding my perspective on what constitutes a true death in the broader sense:
- grinding away at the exact same job for your entire career;
- being with the same partner for your whole life;
- adhering strictly to a rigid moral code for decades;
- spending every Sunday in church and other similar institutions for a lifetime;
- and so on.
The common denominator:
Doing the exact same things day in and day out for a lifetime.
That is the death of the soul.

-

Let's move that to another thread.

Off-topic here, but this is such a great discussion. 👍
Personally, I notice these cycles in myself—periods where things I read on here hit me harder than usual, or maybe not at all—and when I feel like it’s starting to mess with my head, I just step back. And honestly? When I see someone who is constantly, obsessively present on a forum like this, it really makes me wonder about the actual quality of their life and their real-world relationships.

edit: I also think a forum can act as a sort of substitute for something else... a placeholder for reality. For instance, if I’m on here bragging about my perfect marriage, my amazing relationship, my incredible cooking skills, or how much of a stellar parent I am (okay, I'm exaggerating 🙂 ), it somehow tricks me into feeling like a better spouse, partner, cook, or parent in real life. Which, obviously, isn't true. 😬 It feels a bit like those people who decide they're finally going on a strict diet, but then immediately go out and eat a whole pizza to "reward" themselves for making such a good decision. 😁

Harold Rogers6 said:Hey there.
My old man has this habit of eating straight out of the pot. It’s like, he walks into the kitchen, stands right by the stove, opens up whatever nutritious thing happens to be simmering, and acts like he’s the only soul living in the house. He just scoops it out, stuffs it in his mouth, and slams the lid back on...
And then he leaves the spoon sitting right in there—if that even matters at all...😉
...
I’m feeling pretty burnt out from dealing with all the psychological stuff that's been hitting me over the last seven or eight years, so I suppose I'm looking for some perspective from someone who's actually sane.
...
Talking to him about any of this just isn't an option. 😵

Just move. 🤷

I mean, look—we can sit here all day complaining about how much of a disaster this situation is, sharing our own stories, or venting about everyone's different personalities and attitudes, but if you can't actually talk to him, then what? What's the point? You got some magic solution? I honestly don't know what you're even hoping to get out of this thread.