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The pain runs very deep..and dark
notsurewhy
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
I am seeing a therapist and am on antidepressants. I am going to the YMCA to exercise several times a week and I am trying to get out to socialize during the week as well. I just have lost so many people close to me to death..including pets, that I am having a hard time coping with it all and at times it hurts so badly, as if I can't handle the pain. Have you ever hurt so badly that you felt you couldn't cope? I am coping...but only on the outside. On the inside it hurts so bad. The only one who I can talk to about this is the therapist. I am not that close to others where I can just start talking about my inner feelings about this...because I don't even know them yet. Is that true? That you have to know someone really well before you can tell them you are in deep, deep pain? I read online where someone once opened up to someone they didn't even know and told them everything and they said it felt great. Thanks for listening.
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There are no actual rules for this. The main risk of sharing your pain with someone you don't know very well is that you don't know how they'll react. That tends to be more of a concern with people who are already in your social circle, but only you can decide how much (if at all) you're worried about what reaction you'll get. Sharing with a stranger has the benefit of anonymity, plus there's no pressure on either of you to follow up if all you want is for someone to listen.
I have been in deep emotional pain, but I was lucky enough to have friends and family who were willing to listen when I was ready to talk. YMMV, but I've found that sharing with people other than my therapist feels incredibly validating in a way that therapy doesn't. Not that therapy isn't useful - it's been very helpful for me! - but it's another tool in the box for dealing with pain.
Mental and emotional health have been a tricky topic on these forums, because sometimes people post things that are clearly above our pay grade. But if all you need is for someone to listen and commiserate, that should be ok. @Ceres?
There is also a thread in Social Entropy++ where people post and commiserate about family stress, including deaths, if you feel like that could be helpful. Don't feel like you need to read the whole thing to participate. (Relevant: :bro: (": bro :" without the spaces) is often used as an expression of sympathy on these forums, as in, "That sucks, bro.")
As always, if you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline if you are in the US, or find a hotline here if you are outside the US.
And I actually find it more comforting to talk to compassionate strangers about it. There are certain social expectations and obligations that come from your family and friends, and there's a history there. It feels like you are burdening them with yourself, no matter how much this isn't true. If the person listening to you is receptive and compassionate, than it does not matter how well you know them. This may not be true for you, but I found it to be true for me.
So yeah, maybe give it a try?