Life is riddled with a procession of minor impediments

[Dandontdare]

Hope that treatment goes well for you Hawkmonger - you've taken the hardest step already. remember the rest of the group will be in the same boat - they'll be just as uncomfortable opening up in front of you.

[TordelBack]

*An oddly high proportion, actually, including myself. Must be something to do with introverted/creative types.

Strongest correlation is with exposure to Thrill Power.  Don't tell the Daily Mail: "Mucky Mag makes Mentlers".

[Charlie boy]

Tell you what, Hawkmonger, I have OCD ("genuine" OCD- not the complaint minor celebrities have of chuckling "I'm a bit OCD" or, as I vaguely remember Beckham once saying- his OCD means he can only have an equal number of Pepsi cans in his refrigerator at any given time. Hope Pepsi gave him the money he so desperately needed for that plug!) and have been forced onto 'the sick' because of it a few times over the years. Seriously, I'm on 50mgs of Clomipramine a day. My phone is full of pictures of things being turned off and/or securely locked so I can leave the home and sometimes, even that doesn't work and I'm stuck in. I rarely went into uni (luckily, all tutorial powerpoints were online and essays could be handed in as such) and a lot of the time, I can't work to a time schedule that doesn't fit the routine I've got myself into. Seriously, a night out with friends means they basically have to come and pick me up so they can assure me everything is sorted when we leave! It's worse when I have to travel a distance and my GP recently sorted out a psychiatrist for me to see (parents always figured I'd end up seeing one someday or another...) but unfortunately, it was too far away for my liking and I'm now waiting for another offer of somebody closer.
I'm guessing, like me, you're embarrassed of certain rituals you've got going to make yourself comfortable (and people getting onto these) and you're embarrassed about admitting the reasons to people. As Dandontdare pointed out, you're going to be with people who have the same complaint as you; somebody may even have a 'stronger' condition, so you've no reason to be anxious when, in the long run, this could be just what you need. But if you find yourself struggling to get into these meetings at any time for whatever reason, the doctor should surely be able to get you down for one-on-one sessions until you're able to go to groups- otherwise the doctor is essentially saying there's nothing they can do for you when they know full well there is. Bit of a lengthy message just to reach that point but all the best mate.

[Hawkmumbler]

Thank you everyone for the kind words and consolidation on the matter. The first session went swimmingly. I not know if it's churlish of me to say I was the least afflicted there but most of my room mates seemed to have been drug abusers and/ or alcoholics that seemed to have ran out of rope to climb so to speak. One poor chap spoke about how he lost his ego and will to care on an acid trip. Never having taken drugs I can't say I was empathetic but I could understand his position of hopelessness. It was interesting to learn though that my profile as a patient suffering from depression was out dated 2 years ago, and the feeling of misery I've had recently is just due to general social awkwardness normal of someone with my autism. Over all I'm glad I went even if it was just an early induction into the environment.

[TordelBack]

Good news Hawkmonger, although it does seem to be a group somewhat at odds with your specific issues.  Still, if you have to be a nutjob it doesn't hurt to be the McMurphy of the class - up to a point of course.   

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Hope it all goes well for you Hawkmonger. You are now on the first step and that must be the hardest step to take to take out of them all. I wish you all the best!

[Frank]

The first session went swimmingly. I not know if it's churlish of me to say I was the least afflicted there

I think that's part of the point of group therapy. Seeing your own problems and behaviour writ large - and seeing how others with bigger hurdles than yourself overcome them - makes you better able to understand them and makes you feel more positive about your own prospects. Dealing with people in regular life, it's easy to imagine that negotiating social situations and the world of work comes easy to others, and that you're some kind of freak - but most folk are just putting on a good front.

Well done for getting the help you need, Hawkmonger.

[TordelBack]

Dealing with people in regular life, it's easy to imagine that negotiating social situations and the world of work comes easy to others, and that you're some kind of freak - but most folk are just putting on a good front.

Amen, brother.

[Professor Bear]

An oddly high proportion, actually, including myself. Must be something to do with introverted/creative types.

Most boarders are Scottish or Irish - hence depression.

[Link Prime]

An oddly high proportion, actually, including myself. Must be something to do with introverted/creative types.

Most boarders are Scottish or Irish - hence depression.

Hence our favourite soundbite; http://youtu.be/hUVwR0rw5fk

On a serious note- good on you Hawk, hope it works out for you.

[I, Cosh]

An oddly high proportion, actually, including myself. Must be something to do with introverted/creative types.

Most boarders are Scottish or Irish - hence depression.

But I like feeling down. Isn't that what heritage means?

Seriously though, well played Hawkmonger.

[radiator]

Girlfriend working late, flat to myself, nothing pressig to do.... And my copy of GTAV is tantalisingly out of reach - gah!

[Dandontdare]

I stretched yesterday afternoon and twisted something in my back, near the top just inside the shoulder blade. After an uncomfortable night it's still bloody sore. Only hurts when I move though.

[JamesC]

Something happened on the way to work this morning that hasn't happened for ages.

I was walking to work very early this morning and there was hardly anyone around. I rushed to catch the Pelican Crossing which put me about 5 paces behind an attractive girl. We then seemed to be totally in sync and each time I went to cross a road or turn a corner, she would make the same move a nano-second before, which, in my mind, made it look like I was following her.
We were fast approaching a seldom used alley that I use as a short cut. I thought this would be my escape from the situation as this route is hardly used. So what does she do? Yep - straight down rapist alley.
I considered changing my route but didn't really see why I should as I'd done nothing wrong. I followed my usual route and bit the bullet. I'm pretty sure she was looking out of the corner of her eye and checking out if I was following her from the reflections in the windows. I just kept going and tried to look as innocent as possible - I thought if I slowed down or sped up it might freak her out! I kind of wished I'd changed my route after all.
Fortunately at the end of the alley she went in a different direction.
I hate situations like this. I was innocently walking to work and ended up in some sort of tactical situation where I had to try to act as non-rapist-like as possible.
I'm not normally this paranoid but I hate situations like this. Maybe it's all in my mind.   

[Dandontdare]

I never know what to do in that situation - walk more slowly? Speed up to overtake? Call out that you're not a rapist/mugger?

Once got picked up by a lone woman when hitch-hiking - she rolled down the window and asked "you're not a rapist or anything are you?". I replied "Well Monday to Friday I am actually, but you're lucky it's the weekend"