Arty Kitkat
Kiddo I think you are right. There is something oddly soothing about all the picking and scratching. I cut my fingers sometimes and I get the oddest sense of satisfaction like all is well in the world because I've made my fingers bleed. Its very odd but it does come from stress. The brain is a very strange organ :/
Posts by Arty Kitkat
I'm so glad your appointment went well. I think people can get really scared of mental illness. I see it a lot at work where parents have backed right off when their child has become ill. I think because they can't see it they either don't see it as real or they get so freaked out and can't deal with it. Its as if they're scared to get too close in case they fuck up and the person kills themselves. I know thats hard but it happens with terminal illnesses too, people back away because they think they won't be able to cope when it gets tough so they cut to the chase. Its such a shame though as people with mental illnesses aren't made of glass and everyone is different and the best way to help the person suffering is to be there.
Kiddo I think you'll make a great adovate. You're tough and v smart and you know that more than anything people need to be heard. x
Okay I've worked out the pairs the best I can. Unfortunately it was a little tricky to work out as we were so far spread out so I hope everyones okay with what I came up with :/
Amymaybe - Secret Squirrel
Arty Kitkat - Charming Junkie
Suzi P - Nina
Intoyourarms - Fien
Xranax - Yuki E
Melissa K - Tracy C
Next thing to do is to fish around in your old t-shirt tops (can be vest top, long or short sleeved t) and find one that fits but you don't wear it anymore and don't mind someone else refashioning it for you.
Done this? Okay, now contact your partner and find out their likes/dislikes etc and send your t-shirt to your partner.
When you recieve your partners t-shirt you then have a couple of months to refashion it anyway you wish so long as it is still wearable in some form or another. I'll leave the exact details of that up to peoples imagination. When you have done your refashioning you then send it back to your partner (who originally sent it to you).
Any questions please let me know.
Also if those who haven't messaged me with their address could get me their addresses that would be great too 
No problem last day was yesterday so I've added you to my list. I'm just working out the partners as we speak
I get the edges of psychotic symptoms with my depression and it can be horrible and so scary. Mine is probably caused by sleep deprivation as this seems to make these worse. I actually believed when my psychiatrist wanted to change my meds that it was to 'test me' to see if I'd really kill myself. It all started to escalate and I thought I'd been 'blacklisted' and that nobody at my local community mental health team was allowed to talk to me. I couldn't phone anyone because I believed that they would look me up on the computer and see that I was bad and just try and get me off the phone. Thankfully things did eventually get sorted out. I've also had some horrendous images in my head of all these obscure ways to harm myself and they get so strong that they feel like premonitions and I feel like they are inevitable and out of my control.
Lakesha are you in the US? If so do you have anything like the hearing voices network. We have a hearing voices group where I work (I work in mental health too and have done for years) and its entirely run by clients and they say that the support they receive from each other is invaluable. They also don't just support each other with voices but with any of the psychotic symptoms that they experience.
thats an idea. I might start bringing a bottle around with me at work too. One of my work colleagues does that and it seems to help her remember
You could use them for storage for things like beads or buttons or sequins.
The swaps are advertised on the swaps board. You probably need to try the Newbie swap first as a lot of people are asking people to do this first so that they hopefully get a good experience and its Sugar's way of trying to iron out some of the issues with people disappearing mid swap.
Basically the idea is you sign up to the swap that you like the look of. The person organising it will then assign partners. You then need to make contact with your assigned partner to exchange addresses and share interests and likes and dislikes (as this can guide what your partner makes you). You then agree a send out day if this hasn't been prearranged by the organiser. You parcel up your swap bits and bobs and post to your partner. They should be doing the same for you so hopefully a week or two later you will get a parcel arriving for you of cool hand crafted bits and bobs made just for you.
The swaps are great fun so do take a look at the board. I'm cool with newbies joining my t-shirt refashion swap but I am asking people to mail me their address so that I have a master list to refer to. It also helps me partner people off as this swap will work best if people are partnered off with people who live reasonably close. It also cuts down on some of the postage costs too.
Sew Magazine are doing a deal on their website where you can sign up for 3 months for £3. Its an amazing deal as the magazine is normally a couple of quid plus you always get a pattern free too and thats normally worth about a tenner.
Go to this website - http://www.sewmag.co.uk/
I love the swaps. The board has been great - like you said sharing worries or observations with like minded people and I am constantly amazed by peoples generosity when offering advice to solving a problem. I also love the projects too as they keep me inspired and posting stuff can be good for the confidence
When I was much younger I made a bra for my barbie doll. I figured she needed proper underwear!
I usually sew by hand and I find it calming. For years I used to get a bit over excited and rush things but since I've really got into reading I've managed to calm my enthusiasm and enjoy the fact that it takes a while to do. Also when I rush it, it only comes unpicked later on and never looks as good. I also love the satisfaction that comes with using something you've made from scratch. I recently posted a pick of the bag I made for myself for work and I love using it. Also you can tweak it later on if you like.
Thats okay. Glad to hear your okay. I've got one thing to finish on the animal swap so I can send out for Monday. mail me your new address and I'll get those bits out to you
Cool I shall add you to my list
Don't worry Kira - I'm probably going to send out Monday too. I'm looking forward to this. I may have gone a little overboard but I'm sure this won't be a problem