Despite all these heavy circumstances, your biggest hurdle is actually your own self-confidence. You aren't to blame for any of this. You are putting in the work. Stop being so incredibly hard on yourself; if you don't, it will become your greatest obstacle in life. You need to learn how to be kind to yourself... to stand up and fight for yourself.
Get those suicidal thoughts out of your head—the idea that everything is your fault and that the world would be better off without you. If these thoughts are frequent, please consider seeing a psychologist.
Never give up on painting or anything else you love. It’s difficult to make it in that field (I'm in a similar profession), but it isn't impossible, and there are plenty of success stories out there for those willing to put in the sweat and effort.
I know how difficult it can be to explain to your parents that they are wrong, but if it's more important to you to earn some money just to get them off your back, try working as a server. Once you help them out with a bit of cash, they might change their tune.
Hang in there. I know your situation is terrible, but believe me, things can improve with a little effort and some self-belief.
Joshua Garcia5 said:A close friend of mine told me the exact same thing after she lost her mother to leukemia.
She mentioned how some of her closest friends just stopped calling altogether. Then, weeks later, they'd resurface with the excuse that they "didn't know what to say" and felt awkward reaching out. It really does make you feel like an alien; instead of getting support, you end up being isolated. I honestly don't get it. Cancer isn't contagious and it isn't something to be ashamed of. It's hard to believe so many people can't do better than falling back on those tired, hollow clichés.
I went through an accelerated version of this story myself. My father was hospitalized, we got the diagnosis, and it was a tumor that had already metastasized everywhere. He passed away two weeks later.
Perhaps one acquaintance of mine had the most appropriate reaction: "I know this is hard; if there is anything at all I can do to help, please let me know."
As for other friends, it was a mix of everything—some offered pats on the back, while others subjected me to endless questioning: what happened, how did it happen, why them? There were suggestions on who to call or treatment options to pursue. And then, there were those who simply sat there in the silence, through the tears, regardless of what I was doing.
I hadn't even fully processed the gravity of the diagnosis by the time my father died. Even after the death, very few people can actually bear to watch you suffer. For me, watching my younger brother struggle with it is even harder than dealing with my own pain.
With some people, you see this blank expression, as if they lack the capacity to even think about such things, let alone help someone through them or listen to them. Others just try to hug you, make you laugh, or distract you.
To the author: tell the people who actually matter in your life not to comfort you that way. Tell them that specific phrase bothers you. Ask them to just sit in silence with you, or cry with you, or whatever. As for everyone else, you don't even have to tell them what's going on; you need to save your energy for helping your mother and yourself. Hang in there. 🙂
I gave it a shot... I find I can write a bit more clearly this way than I can with my right hand, though it still feels completely unnatural. I can manage with my right, it’s just slower and the handwriting is admittedly a mess.
I can't speak for the rest of the left-wing crowd, but I'm literally clenching my fist while typing this. I'll attempt to write this way, though I doubt they could even manage it.
Demant Richard Morris43; we're more prone to injuries simply because everything is designed for the right-handed majority. Because of that, lefties supposedly live ten years less on average. (I’m not entirely sure how they calculated that figure)
I haven't found any specific left-wing intelligence study; that link everyone keeps posting just claims a huge number of lefties have achieved great things.
The reality is our thinking is less analytical and more divergent, which might ultimately lead to more creative solutions. Or we just get lost in the divergence. 🤣
It's a fact that being left-handed is a result of right-hemisphere dominance.
Are we generally clumsier? Maybe. It's probably because most things aren't built for us.
Left-handedness is much more common in males, and there are studies suggesting it's a result of higher testosterone levels affecting the embryo.
The rest is just prejudice, prejudice, and more prejudice.
And I am allergic to it. Especially when you end up at a university that happens to have a slightly higher percentage of lefties than others, only to have a TA lecture you on how "lefties are completely handicapped."
Personally, I started drawing very early; I've always been driven artistically... but the only technique that actually clicked for me was pencil. I haven't tried much else, and a lot of other mediums just contribute to smudging everything we work on.
There is no "correct" way for a lefty to write from left to right, since you're always dragging your hand over what you just wrote. I often draw from right to left just to avoid the mess.
Math came easy to me. I have no issues with spatial awareness. Emotional intelligence, social interactions, clumsiness... it's a nightmare. I consider myself more complicated than most. And different.
But then again, everyone loves to think they're special... the question is how special we actually are.
That little test above; As a lefty, I can't move faster than 250 ms...
Jacob Foster11 said:If you actually knew how to use that information, everything would be crystal clear to you. Now that you have the specific term, just plug it into Google and find your answer.
Henry Williams said:Honestly, women aren't complicated at all. That's probably one of the biggest myths ever created. I seriously don't see why people think women are such a massive headache. It's actually the exact opposite. It feels like you guys are just focusing on some really shallow, silly nonsense.
Listen, someone could honestly eat you alive for an insult like that...
Fine, let's play along. Men think about nothing but sex and football... Women think about nothing but shopping and makeup...
If we’re going to generalize like that... then we’re all equally shallow.
Canada. I voted for a one-week stay, though honestly, three months might not be a bad idea either. Actually, if I end up liking it during that timeframe, maybe staying permanently wouldn't be such a bad move. 😁
I am curious about the psychology behind it—what actually goes on in their heads? Is it true they really do focus on just a handful of things in life? I'm also particularly interested in how they behave in the bedroom. To be honest, that is what I am truly curious about.
I honestly have no idea where this modern brand of instant psychology came from—this nonsense like Quote : The Secret that claims you can manifest anything just by wishing for it. Either people are completely misinterpreting these philosophies, or they're just delusional. Anyone with half a brain should see how absurd this logic is. How is anything supposed to materialize through sheer desire alone? For instance, I can sit here and wish for a mansion, a Ferrari, a yacht, and everything else under the sun. I can wish and wish and wish until I'm blue in the face, but poof—suddenly it all appears? Yeah, right. Even a toddler understands that's not how the world works.
On the flip side, it is undeniably true that a positive mindset can help you reach a goal. It’s vital to visualize what you want, believe it’s achievable, and put in every ounce of effort required to actually make it happen. That means putting in the work, trying, testing, and staying persistent even when it feels like you're drifting further away from your target. You have to maintain that belief, especially when things get tough. You don't just sit there, lounge around, believe, wish, and wait. Because that certainly leads nowhere.
Thanks, Caterina, I'll give that a shot... Personally, I am a huge proponent of natural remedies; they actually work, and you don't have to rely on pills quite as much. 😁
I just started a second, stronger antibiotic, and honestly, after two days, I can already feel an improvement. Maybe this will finally settle down. My sinuses are still frequently congested and my head aches, but it isn't nearly as bad as before. Plus, the fever has finally broken. I use saline spray constantly, regardless of whether my sinuses feel inflamed or not, and steam inhalation helps too. I really need to be more careful and keep my immune system at its peak; this past month has been pure misery, and I certainly don't want a repeat performance. My doctor also insists that I spend time by the ocean, which truly does wonders for me.
This is an excellent thread. I’ve picked up a lot of useful information here, though I honestly doubt any of this offers a permanent fix for sinus issues. I was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis about ten years ago. Things actually improved significantly over the last five years because I spent so much time at the beach, which truly made a difference. I went from suffering through twenty flare-ups a year down to just a few.
Well, I didn't make it to the coast last year, and since mid-January, my sinus nightmare has returned in full force. It started with a massive period of stress that tanked my immune system. After attending a party, I came home and everything just fell apart—I couldn't breathe. I’ve never experienced anything like it before, so I panicked, which obviously only made things worse. My thirteen-year-old brother, who deals with severe allergies himself, kept trying to calm me down, telling me it would pass. By the second day, the congestion was so bad I ended up in the ER. They had me taking Claritin, which helped slightly, but nothing lasted. A week later, I saw my doctor, who prescribed antibiotics. I finished them yesterday, and guess what? I’m right back where I started. Congested sinuses, constant drainage, sneezing, post-nasal drip... at least it hasn't moved to my bronchi yet, or I'd be suffocating.
It looks like I’ll have to go through allergy testing all over again. Up until now, I only had very mild allergies to feathers and dust. I haven't had a CT scan, so I don't know if I have a deviated septum, though it's a possibility given my father's history with sinus cysts. On top of that, both my mother and brother are extreme allergy sufferers. At this point, I don't even know what to do anymore. I've been fighting this non-stop for twenty days straight... steam inhalations, Tylenol for the congestion, Claritin, antibiotics... absolutely nothing is working. 😢
That seems like the most straightforward approach to me... just head over to a decent clinic in Ann Arbor, get a full blood panel done, and test those thyroid hormone levels. Then I can take all that data straight to my doctor. My only question is, do I actually need a referral for that? And does anyone happen to know what the damage will be? Like, what's the going rate for a CBC plus thyroid hormones?
Exactly, I just need to run the searches first. I'm waiting on my doctor to get back to me... then we'll see. The worst part is the uncertainty—not knowing what is actually happening or how to deal with it... or if it's even bothering you yet.
Thanks for the input... Ashley Hughes98, I’m not exactly suffering from insomnia. On average, I manage to get at least ten hours of sleep two nights a week, and about six hours on the others. I even take naps in the afternoon sometimes, so I don't think there is any actual sleep disorder going on here... Low blood pressure and iron deficiency. It is entirely possible that my blood pressure is low and my iron levels are off, so I am going to get that checked out immediately.... And Paul Chase12, what exactly are the symptoms of thyroid issues? A friend suggested I get my thyroid checked as well because she deals with those problems, and we noticed our symptoms are quite similar...
Well, there goes my peace of mind, right alongside that stabbing pain in my head... It’s highly unlikely I have HIV, but then again, you can never be absolutely certain... I am not a vegetarian. I tried it once, but I had to quit because the anemia was just too brutal. I completely overhauled my diet specifically to combat this exhaustion; I eat healthy, prioritize vitamins, stay balanced, and avoid sweets and all those other toxic temptations. I also exercise—running, cycling—precisely to fix this issue. But so far? Nothing. It isn't a lack of sleep. Granted, I don't sleep much, but that’s just my rhythm. I'm a night owl, and six hours is usually plenty to feel fully rested. Of course, that’s only when I'm feeling normal. Right now, I don't feel rested whether I get six hours or ten....
Lately, I’ve been struggling with constant exhaustion. Usually, I wake up feeling absolutely drained; today was so bad I actually had to crawl back into bed because I simply didn't have the energy to function like a normal person... and even now, I'm struggling to think, focus, or get anything done...
This has been going on for a while. On top of that, I occasionally deal with low blood pressure—nothing extreme, though it used to be much lower in the past—which leaves me feeling dizzy. Then there’s the headache that kicks in specifically on these "exhaustion days." It can drag on for a week or two... it starts at the same time every single day, and my only options are to take a pill or sleep it off until it stops...
What really spooked me, though, is that alongside my standard migraines, I’ve started experiencing these sharp pains lately. It feels like something is stabbing me right in the head. Sometimes it’s the same spot, sometimes it moves around... just an incredibly sharp, sudden, and intense pain that vanishes just as quickly...
Since nothing is improving, I've decided to see my doctor this week. However, I’ve dealt with similar issues before; I've had stretches where migraines and dizziness were constant... Back then, my doctor wanted me to go through every test imaginable, from neurology and orthopedics to spinal exams and seeing an ophthalmologist... I went through most of those appointments, and naturally, nothing was resolved... The only thing I haven't done yet is a CT scan...
I would truly appreciate it if someone could at least point me in the right direction regarding what this might be...
I have such an irregular cycle that I honestly don't even know where I fit into this poll... It’s constant chaos. Sometimes it’s consistently late by five or six days, then suddenly it shifts back, and then two months later, it arrives two or three days early. But it always shows up eventually; my actual cycle length fluctuates somewhere between 26 and 33 days. The sheer irregularity of it all is incredibly frustrating, especially since I deal with pretty intense pain during both ovulation and my period.
Alright, thanks. I’ll definitely get on that. I was just wondering if anyone here had any personal experiences or advice to share—I’m always open to hearing them.
To be honest, I don't really trust my OBGYN right now because of this... She claims Diane is typically only prescribed for dermatological issues, which is why she's hesitant. And frankly, I agree they seem a bit too harsh, so I'm definitely second-guessing the idea.
