YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hello.

Things are going well for me, and I had a nice dinner, and got some fresh air at sunset today.

Still, part of me is lonely today.

I am making good choices in life, but I still have some hurts.

Thank you for the opportunity to use my words.

Hello Brother and Friend, Oak;

Can you describe the loneliness?

You sound lonely.

I feel recognition.

You don't have to stop making good choices just because your loneliness won't go away.

I feel lonely because no one will kiss my teddy bear.

I feel lonely because I want to run away from my mom but I can't because I'll get lost.

I feel lonely because I'm hungry and I can't get food for myself.

Most of my feelings of loneliness belong to a small child. Their simplicity and intensity doesn't get resolved by the good choices I'm making in the present.

The paradox is this. The more I put those feelings where they belong, irrational but still present, in the present, the more energy I get back for the adult making new good choices in the present.

The absolute response for my feelings of loneliness is not to say, I need to meet someone; it's, with complete sincerity, and gravity, "I need my Blanky."

You can make good choices like an adult, have feelings of loneliness that might feel like they might undo that adultness, without one destabilizing the other.

Thank you for your posts.

I read, and appreciate, them both.

I hope you'll forgive me for not replying: I wanted to, but the hurt is still too fresh.

I hope to reply soon, and am glad I used my words (I am only as sick as my secrets).