After I became a nervous wreck, absolutely nothing could help me ease the pain except for alcohol. Smoking pot would make me VERY paranoid and it would turn my whole world upside down every time I smoked. It just made me think too much and I would analyze everthing in my life and I would always come to the conclusion that I am doing everything wrong and that something is terrible wrong with me and my life.

Since I started getting all scared every time I smoked pot, I stopped smoking pot for good. But the problem now is that a lot of those thoughts that I got when I would get high have stuck with me and I still think about them a lot even though I don’t smoke anymore. Almost everything I do makes me sad and I get this feeling that I’m totally "behind" in life. For example, I will just be sitting in my garage smoking a cigarette and listening to the radio. I will look around the garage and start thinking about how pathetic I am since I am hanging out all by myself in my dirty little garage. This has been going on for a few years and makes me want to cry every single time. I feel like I’m insane or something.

What is wrong with me? What should I do? I don’t have much money and have no medical insurance so please try to suggest some alternatives to expensive medical treatment.

What is wrong is that you lost your grip on reality which is caused by the brain alterations smoking pot gives, if we go back 6 years ago we see that pot is being used to connect to the outside world, but what it really did was the opposite, it made your world collapse and you’ve retreated into your inner world as a result of it. Because you aren’t confident you’ve got extreme nervous when entering highschool and couldn’t make friends as the result of your fears. So here is my advice:

Do not let your actions speak of irrational and absurd fear, what is needed in life is not fear, nothing can grow from that. Cast off your fear! Look forward! Go forward! Never stand still. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die. Fear is a prison with open doors, the person inside of it is a prisoner because he’s afraid of what lies beyond that door, even if its pain that awaits you behind that door, you have to realise the natural substance of life in its continuation sense , life goes on, this is why you always need to keep on making decisions even in the worst of times, even if they are the worst decisions, you have to move forward, of course you try to steer away from bad situations and try to make the best decisions, but you have to come to the realisation that you can’t keep standing still with your life. You need to start learning how to communicate with other people.

You know the whole thing with communicating to people is caring, the moment you stop caring what they think of you , is the moment you can start talking to them.

My best advice is to just download winamp and listen to comedy central for 1 hour strictly a day, that way you will learn that talking to people can be a wonderfull experience, and not a torturing experience.

Great answer, I really liked the way you explained it. I would like to mention that I have begun to make changes in my life and it definitely feels like I’m moving in the right direction. I’ve ditched that circle of bad people and am working on finding some supportive and positive people to be friends with. I also watch a lot of comedy central already so I know what you mean by that….it does help. Confidence is definitely a key factor here; if I had it, I would go out and meet people easily, but it is difficult to build confidence and consistently keep it since I’ve been up and down with my confidence over the last few years.

Pot is a very interesting drug. Some people smoke it all the time and claim they love it, but some people claim the same negative things about it that I have stated.

Are there any other ideas? I would like some more input from others as this is still kind of a big problem for me.
Don’t wait in life for a wake up call, make the most of it, because you might not get a second chance.

If you are in a rut and stuck with your life, you need to give it a swing in a new and positive direction by carving a new path with your own power.

Do not expect leperchauns to appear and solve your issues, do not wait, be the dictator of your own life and take the situation in your own hands.

There are only three directions in life, down where death lies, stay where you are and go in circles, or up where an improved life lies ahead, the first 2 are worthless and lead to nowhere, this is important because it means you can set the course of your life, to the only direction that is valuable ,namely upwards towards into progress. It doesn’t matter from there on wether you win or lose in life, you simply keep on following the positive course, that way you can ALWAYS be confident no matter what happens, because you know that going for gold in your life is the only right way to live.

If change was just a thought, then anyone could do it. But reality is that you can’t just sit around feeling miserable for yourself and the situation you are in while being punched in the face by the reality of life. Those thoughts of change, can’t become real if you just sit around feeling sorry for yourself, if you want to change then why would you stay in a state of paralyzation? If that happens it means you do not want to change, you are simply waiting for the world and people to change around you as you see fit, therefore

Without walking, there’s no way to move forward, you’ll just end up waiting.

it really doesn’t matter how fucking smart you are if you aren’t willing to work you ass you’re still going to be stuck in the same place.

Awesome, you didn’t even finish reading his post and just focussed on the pot. More nonsense

Related posts:

1. Is it wrong for me to not go out with a girl based on her looks alone? I worked at McDonalds up til a month ago when...
2. I feel depressed and brainless.. any hope for me? Once again I’m feeling depressed and down about myself. I...
3. New Girl, We’re kinda in Love, But She Might NOT Feel the Same. v. Hints, Help! I’ve been going out with this girl from work for...

.

Related posts:

1. psychiatrist or psychologist basically the past few years i have been in a...
2. I hate myself im not who i think i should be. i feel...
3. Need some help finding a therapist/physchiatrist. I don’t know if I have adult ADD or what,...

I use this analogy often…. If you break your leg, and the bone is sticking clear out of your skin…. would you wanna fix the leg, or only take pain meds so you don’t feel the pain? Obviously…. you fix whats causing the pain, not the pain itself. Pain is a symptom of a problem. Fix the problem, not the symptom. My 2 cents for what it’s worth.

There is no max out. They put a person on "cocktails"…several meds at time once the one pill routine doesn’t work anymore.

There is no max out?…. mmmk….. So, why would they need an additional pill if you cannot max out on one pill? Hmm… maybe to avoid the debilitating side effects of getting off the first pill?
Only as an absolute last resort, im in the same row as 2500 , a problem remains to be a problem till the end of time until you fix it,

problem solving > problem suppressors.
You’re just going to get a bunch of comments from people who aren’t qualified to talk about medication.

Unfortunately depending on the context of illness, we’re not always in control of our thoughts.

The best thing a person using medications for mental health can do is also enter therapy and visit their doctor regularly to work on improving mental health.

As far as people living well, that isn’t really the truth. The quality of life was much more difficult, the lifespan shorter, and pain and suffering related to mental health was taboo to discuss socially.

Medications will always have a place, but until therapy becomes more socially acceptable, and easier to aquire, people will turn to medications which are often cheaper to pay for with medical insurance than therapy. More insurance companies cover medications over therapy, and on average medications are cheaper than the standard 70-120 hourly fee for therapy, which must be continued for weeks, months or even years to improve certain mental health conditions.

Some medications must be increased over time, and so do not. For example I’m on Wellbutrin, but I’m also on Ativan. I use both in a chronic fashion, thus I’ve been on them for years.

The Wellbutrin doesn’t change, but the Ativan does. The body adapts over years to the Ativan, and eventually you reach a point where you have no choice but to begin going backwards to slowly get off it, then another medications must be used eventually.

Another important aspect of your analogy is that should a person break their leg, pain medications should in-fact be given to suppress symptoms in order to attempt to improve the person’s quality of life, while surgical, or manipulative techniques are used to stabilize, and aid the correct healing of the injury.

Thus, therapy in conjunction with medical care, as well as medication intervention are often just as important in some mental health cases as is pain medication to a physical injury.

The issue is quality of life, not attempting to mask symptoms, but people are often unaware of their options and what they should do because care providers often assume the patient should just know this logical sequence of care. The best care providers hold your hand when dealing with sending you to specialists and communicating in simple terms what they’re attempting to do to help you.

If you decide to not do your homework and you just go out and buy the first car you see, it’s hit or miss. You might buy a Honday Accord and end up with solid reliable transportation, or you might buy a 1986 Lebaron and end up breaking down constantly. It’s always your fault and your responsibility for the consequence of choosing or accepting to see bad doctors, even if you don’t know your options.

I seems unfair. I’ve been there. However that’s moving way offtopic, so getting back to the main point. Medications have their place for mental health, and in other cases they should not be used immediately.

I’ll quote myself metallic. Yeah, maybe the "pain meds" are OK while you’re having your "leg" fixed, but to me, the drugs in question for the OP are being used as a "magic pill" not something to help while he goes to therapy or counseling.
He hasn’t explained any other treatment he’s been on, so I haven’t assumed.

i agree with this, but i think there are some rare cases where its needed, but doctors just give this stuff out like its candy.
I’m not in any way qualified to speak intelligently on the matter, but in my experience I’ve found that it’s not always the best way to go. I live with someone that takes a big drug cocktail for this sort of thing daily and from what I can see it does him no good. I’ve known him for a good 8 years now too so I know what he was like before. He sleeps until its dark out every day and when he actually is awake he just sits in front of his computer until he goes back to sleep.

Related posts:

1. Questions about anti-depressants(anonymous thread) Due to events that have happened within the last 3...
2. PSA: Effexxor Xr is the worst anti-depressant ever created If it is suggested to you, REFUSE. Once it comes...
3. prozac problems been on 10mg for like 3 years now i’ve been...

Who are you, who do you think you should be, and where are the differences?

What do you mean?

why do they get awkward around you? Do you have any specific instances?

what kinds of things do you have in common with those people?

what used to be so much easier?
What have you become?
Why do you hate yourself?

What do you want to change to? Why?

quiet. even around good friends i find it hard to find interesting topics to talk about or things to do. I feel like a douchebag a lot because I act like one.

Confident and outgoing. I am confident. I really feel like I have the abilities and the know-how to carry on conversations and grow relationships. I used to do it all no problem, but now theres something in the way.

the way i present myself and the way people judge me based on that presentation is miles away from who i feel like in my head. When I listen to other people’s conversations, i am right there with them…but then when I try to talk it usually comes out wrong or I stutter or something and nobody can ever see through that.

I hate myself because I’ve become a douchebag. I wouldn’t want to hang out with me if I was someone else. My friends hang out with me because they know who I really am, but I just keep slipping away from that and even my best friendships are becoming hollow.
start being who you really want to be or just die. you can believe in reincarnation or afterlife all you want. but the fact remains, you cannot prove that either of those exist or not. so think of this life as your only chance, and just become what you want to be.

I feel the same way sometimes. There are a number of people who I think would really enjoy my company if only I could force myself to be the person that I know I am inside. There are a few people who I have really been able to open up to and let them get to know the real me but I have run most of them off too.
I just have felt stuck in this rut all my life and don’t know how to get out.

thats my whole fucking problem mod edit: show some love , i CANT.

To really learn some confidence you need to see a therapist. Get it free through the county or on a sliding scale without insurance based on your income. Just be honest with them. OT is not your only chance of coming out of this funk. Start running/walking in very public areas, it helped me. Some day you might just meet someone.
i dont like the idea of a therapist, but i appreciate your suggestion

The new you will thank the old you. Its better than religion and completely non-religious.

You seem to be only pushing away all the advice that everyone has put up here. You need to try SOMETHING. Just start doing something. Feel like you need to get in better shape? Well, go ahead and hit the gym everyday. Feel like meeting some more people? Join a club for something you enjoy doing already or hell, join a club that does something you’ve never done before. The big thing is to keep active and constantly move forward, don’t just wallow in your depressed state. I know it might seem like none of this will help you out, but trust me, it WILL help. You just need to start living life again instead of sitting around and thinking about how horrible your life is. Get a positive attitude going and just start attacking things. Don’t think about how horrible you are or whatever, go forward and live. Each time one of those old thoughts enters your head, just start doing something else. Stop pushing people away and learn to lighten up a bit instead of being really serious all the time.

Now I can say all of this to you, but YOU are the only one who can actually take my or anyone else’s advice. You don’t really have anything to lose, so why not just try SOMETHING?

Of course, you might also have deeper mental issues that the Asylum can’t fully deal with. You might need medication, but we can’t tell you if you do or do not. If our advice doesn’t help you, I beg you, seek out professional help.
Its not just up to you to carry a conversation. Comfortable conversation among people is facilitated by proper body language from all sides. I can be the life of the party if I feel good body language coming from others. I need to feel that they like me and are interested in what I have to say. The next day I can be in a group that doesn’t like me quite as much, and I might have a hard time getting a word in edgewise. I could probably find ways to myself more likeable to more people, because I am distrusting of people I don’t know and usually come off as an asshole. But quite simply, some people just won’t like you no matter what you do.

Go to a therapist. He will help you realize what is going on beneath the surface and why you are feeling like this, and what you need to do to correct it. And learn about body language and power. I’m willing to bet you’re pretty low on the totem pole as far as social power in those groups. This is why you are being ignored and people don’t respect you enough to give you the right body language. Subconsiouly you feel it, and you feel like its all your fault (it partially is, but you can correct your end with therapy and learning). Learn about what you communicate to other people by the way you behave and how it influences how they behave towards you.

A lot of the negative body language that you are reacting to might also be entirely in your head, based on bad experiences as a childhood or being a bit too self centered. A therapist can seperate fact from fiction and help you realize what is really going on around you and react to it appropriately in a way that will make people respect you. As long as you are unsure of your reality, people simply cannot respect or trust you because you can’t even trust your own perception.
Do you do any sports or any hobbies which are worthwhile?

I find sports take my mind off things brilliantly and come with goals and if your passionate enough its something to talk about.

There really is no such things as "should" be, but rather who do you choose to be in this moment of now, and the next moment which follows? Who do you look up to that has overcome adversity or accomplished character qualities you’d like to acquire?

When you stay stumbling are you saying that you attempt to behave in a certain manner and you find yourself falling short of your expectation of what you should have done? Again, "should" is not an appropriate word. We can’t become anything unless we accept where we currently are. If you pull out a map and try to get somewhere, you can’t go anywhere in particular unless you first find when you are first.

Don’t be so arrogant as to assume responsibility for 100% of the relationship. There are two people, you and the other person. You’re only responsible for 50%, let the other person be responsible for their share. So this in-fact means you aren’t "at fault." Again, you used the word "should" — this word is not good, it’s right up there with "can’t, have to, I want." You need to understand that you aren’t obligated by anything but your own expectations and that’s not being fair to yourself. Having things in common with people doesn’t mean you’re ready to interact with them. You have to first take care of yourself and get my mental frame-work in place so you know who you are, what you believe in and stand for, and that you have a strong internal frame of reference aka Character. Are you honest? Compassionate? Loyal? Loving? Kind? Giving? — figure out which qualities you have and or want, and act in ways that are conducive to fulfilling these. This will help you become the you that you will choose.

Yesterday is dead and over, and the past is gone but something might be found to take it’s place, if you’re willing to listen to the advice I’m giving you. I’ve done some pretty awful things in my life that I’m ashamed of, things that are cruel, evil, violent, disgusting — but I don’t hate myself, I’ve forgiven myself. I forgave myself because I didn’t know, I was ignorant and couldn’t comprehend what was going on. I took responsibility though, and I paid the prices — but now I look at myself, and I’m a certain asset to the human race.

Tell me why you really hate yourself.

I’m going to recommend a book to you. You can ignore it, or give it a chance. If I was you, I’d take the latter. Conversations With God, Book 1 by Walsch. See, you keep trying to do something that you shouldn’t be doing. Don’t "try" to change. Change is inevitable, it happens without conscious intent, it’s apart of the process of life. Trying to do something is a waste of your time, but rather instead of "trying" start "choosing" — this means actually acting in ways that are going to get you from where you are (point A) to where you would like to go (point B). Change occurs as a result of living now, being present, accepting it — even when it’s really painful or tragic. I’ve seen so much pain and suffering in my life, and I can tell you, no one else is going to drop a better revelation.

If you find that you can’t do these things, or that you’re not ready to do them, they don’t "try" — simply do when you are compelled from within, not out of obligation because you "have to, or should" — let your heart (for lack of a better word) inform you of when it’s time to advance.

Also, if you need further help beyond this, if you feel you’re suffering is too advanced, don’t be afraid to see your doctor, and to consider a counselor. You may need some assistance if it’s extreme, or if you have any other health problem.

I hope you feel better man, and come here anytime, we’re here to help.

Do you behave that way because you want attention, to feel included? Do you find yourself acting that way because you’re fearful that if you’re more subdued, quiet and reserved, that people won’t like, respect or want to be around you?

The reality is, it’s perfectly ok to be quiet, and to be yourself, even if who you currently are isn’t all that interesting or likeable. You must begin somewhere, and everything grows and develops in this world. Nothing begins with mastery. Why expect yourself to run, when you haven’t yet learned how to walk? I use this analogy to express your primitive understanding of yourself and your character. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s not bad to be young, naive, inexperienced, and growing. It’s only damaging when you try to bypasse it, or try to label it as wrong instead of letting yourself grow and evolve. This includes socially too, and internally.

Yes, you’re in the way. You’re not present, you’re not being what you simply are. You’re "trying" to fit a sqaure peg in a round hole. You may wish to act confident and outgoing, but that isn’t who you are right now.

Welcome to the planet, welcome to being human. It’s true, who we are inside is often not the message we convey to others, and that’s ok, because who people perceive us to be is based off their own notions, expectations and feelings about who they think we are or should be.

You are what you are. A stone is a stone, a tree a tree, and you, are simply you for now. Be glad you even have the opportunity to grow and to change, else you couldn’t experience anything at all without that relative context.

You’re terrified of what they might say, or what they might think — probably more so the first, because then you’re left to your own devices to run over and over it in your head. "Did she think I was stupid? Did I say something wrong? Maybe I was babbling or talking too much, was my topic of conversation lame?" You’re so wrapped up in what others think, that you literally become paralyzed and no longer think about what "you" think. What you think is truth, it is where you are at this time — don’t be afraid to be that. You have to have a conviction and to stand behind something, and what better than who you are as you are?

I get the impression you’re also suffering from depression. I’ve already covered most of this, but I think the more you call yourself a douche bag the more you’ll act like one. It’s time to change your choice of words if what you would like to accomplish is growing. Don’t try, just choose it if that is who you are. The words we use inside our minds and how we present ourselves to others plays a massive role in how we really act and what we think and feel. Start showing yourself respect. You deserve to be here as much as the rest of us, otherwise you wouldn’t have been here at all.

No one does, but let me give you some good information incase you do choose at some time to go to one. First, therapists are trained in different ways, but the general outcome is they have extensive knowledge on theory of human behavior, understanding the basic dysfunctions and complexities of conscious human thought. These people have studied, and then treated countless patients, sometimes thousands. In those experiences of treating patients, it becomes very clear what the vast majority of human beings need, want, and how they become ill in various psychiatric or psychological ways.

A therapist can’t "fix" you, rather than play a role as being objective, seeing your world from the outside looking in, and when you reflect your world out by talking to them, they are able to see hang-ups, irrational beliefs, as well as areas in which the unconscious mind is "protecting" the individual from rapidly integrating too much information too quick. When people try to change fast — they fail. Changing requires a "choice" to do it, not try it, and when you choose, you gradually begin to learn about who you are from someone outside you who has not conflict of interest in regards to your life. They have nothing to gain by telling you the truth about what they see. A lot of people deny the truth that therapists share, only to later realize it was true.

You must also realize therapists don’t go into that profession to make money, as most make very little even though they seem to charge a lot. Most therapists accept medical insurance, and that insurance only pays a portion, sometimes as little as 20 dollars or 40 dollars for your session. Then there is the fact that most therapists use sliding scales, often working practically for free, because they don’t like the thought of turning a way a patient in need who isn’t financial capable.

Then you get the fat cats, those who "can" afford the session at full cost, who then bitch and complain about a 90 dollar fee. Don’t they realize they’re paying for extensive knowledge and experience learned from both a long term educational institution, as well as ongoing study — and on top of all that, the experience the counselor has from having worked with many other cases? These people have to make a living, they’re not trying to just rip people off. They have to make up for free cases and lost funds from insurance companies! That’s why their regular fees are so high in general. With insurance though, you shouldn’t pay much if anything.

Therapists make mistakes, they evolve and grow from there very first session. The lessons learned and mistakes made gradually end up turning them into very efficient and effective people, who not only care about their patients, but sincerely want to tell you the truth.

So do you still not like the idea of having someone objective with all this skill and who has worked with people just like you and been able to help them?

This is the "general" therapist we’re talking about. You’ll run into some bad ones if not careful, and so I’ve laid out a ground work for patients who want to find a good one. I’ll liste it below:

Related posts:

1. I truly hate my life and I really do not know what to do Im at that point again where things keep getting so...
2. Hate my job I’ve never had a job I hated. I’ve always at...
3. do you Hate anybody? I do! I don’t understand why people always stop themselves...

perfect timing that i filed divorce about 30 days ago, and was in process of securing financing for buying a house to live in. so:

1) no house for me
2) still divorced and lonely

fuck, i just now this moment realized what was keeping me going… was work. going there m-f has really been keeping my mind off the exwife (and step son), while weekends have been killer sitting here by myself.

fuck fuckity fuck fuck.

i just hope i can find something soon before the severance package (3 months) ends. ive already got an appointment with a headhunter on thursday. these people have called me like 3 times a year for the past 5 years, and ive always politely declined, that i was happy where i was. hopefully, they will still be able to come thru with something for me.

wish me luck!
Sorry about that man. Your def right about work keeping your head off things. My only advice is stay as active as you can and spend time with friends.
that sucks, been there done that. Good luck finding another job, just stay busy and hit the pavement as they say.
Fuck dude, so sorry to hear Got the "heads up- you’re probably gonna get laid off soon" speech today too. Good luck out there big guy.
man, like my entire adult life, ive been like han solo or something… a never ending supply of luck. ironic that it all tumbles down at once. on top of what i mentioned above, was that i took a 401k loan for $9000 just a few days ago. on the 15th of this month, i was going to pay off the entirety of my credit card debt, so that i would only have a house payment and (what i call static bills… power, cell phone, student loan… bill that never change and are always there and not for something i bought or consumed).

thankfully, the 15th didnt get here yet, and i still had the 9000. i called fidelity and scheduled the payoff, and its on its way back to them now.

it all just keeps getting better and better!

i WISH i could have had one of those. i took my 401k loan because i felt as stable as possible at my job… and i also just wasted about a 3 weeks of my realtor’s time.

sorry to hear this man….when it rains it pours huh?

The good news is 8 years sure shows that you’ll stick with a company even when things aren’t going well or when people are being laid off. That speaks very well of your character. Someone will surely pick you up soon. Have faith and stay positive!!
they don’t call it rock bottom for nothing. ;] believe me, i understand how you feel.

you know the best thing about being at rock bottom? there’s only one place to go: the TOP!

believe me! stay positive and one day, things will all just… click. i can speak through experience
The good news is that you ONLY waisted 3 weeks of your Realtors time and didn’t sign any papers you couldn’t get easily out of.
The good news is that you didn’t spend any of the 9K and it was as simple as sending it back to the bank.

The timing could have been worse.

I can’t speak for you, but in my life I often need a good swift kick in the ass to get me to do things that I should have been doing.
You won’t be out of work forever. Immediatly times will be tough. No doubt about it this will be a summer that will be harder then most.
But 2 years from now you will have a different job, you will have new friends and you will be making more money.
You will look back at this and be glad it happened.
i just hope i can find a full time job before at least the final week of july, as my apartment lease ends on the 31st (and realistically, it needs to be by the 1st or 2nd week of july, since apts are rarely ready or available in just 3-5 days). i have to move out of here anyway, and logically, id like it to be in the vicinity of wherever i’ll hopefully land a job. so ive got about a 5 week critical window before i have to activate one of the many offers from friends to come stay with them a while. props to my friends… they have really been there for me thru this entire messy 5 weeks.

thanks for all the encouraging replies guys and gals, i do really appreciate them.

Oh FUCK. That sucks a big wad.

Really though, maybe this is the launching point for something great?

hehe, yes, this would be the appropriate time!
Well you know what they say, when misery comes, it all comes at once.

Hold on ,even tho its hard
well that sucks. Sorry to hear that. It happens to everyone sooner or later and it was jsut your turn. I;ve had 5-6 companies go out of business on me. lol

I was working for a steamship line in Jacksonville Florida a few years ago. I and the office manager were not on friendly terms. She was nasty woman, a drunk, a coke freak and extremely lazy. I was busting my tail because I loved my job. It was more of a hobby then work. Well since she was the sales manager and office manager she was the manager of the office and since she came from Charleston SC where the regional offices were she had connections.

I was about ready to quit, but I decided to stick it out and find another job first. So I just renewed my lease on my apartment. Walked in to a my yearly evaluations ashoertly after that and this dingbat trashed the hell out of me.

I had never missed a day nor had I ever been late and often worked Saturday mornings on my own time for 3-4 hours. She called my attendance average. I was pissed She very rearelty came to work until 11 am and themn left at 230 and thit the bars. So I told her where to stick her evaluation and that was pretty much the end of the job. I sent a scathing letter to the regional managment and to the president of the company. I opissed them all off. LOl.

I looked for work for three months – nothing! It was Christmas and the New Year and everything was dead and it was hard because I ahd moved there from another town and didn’t have that many connections.

Then I broke my leg in two places, dislocated my ankle and shattered it. Had to have surgery and bolt everything back together. I had no medical insurance so I was stuck with the bill. All the while this witch would call me and cheer that I was hurt and out of work

Then after months of therapy I walked into a place and was hired. I effectively doubled my salary, had full benefits, was put in charge of two departments and had a number of people working for me.

The best part of the deal was I got to pull all the work my new employer gave my former company away. I love dooing that. Then I hired some of their people away and effectively dismantled their operation for several months. I was having a blast and enjoyed every minute of it. They would hire a new employee in the office and if they were any good I would hire them away. Got five peole that way.

So you see, hang in there and believe it or not that proverbial "other door" does open. And you will be better off in the end. Just remember as soon as you begin your new job start quietly looking for your next job and a move up the ladder.

No such thing as employee loyalty any longer and employers have no loyalty toward their employees. In fact I have noticed when times or rough the best workers are let go while those who were slackers were kept around. Life is sometimes ironic.

So good luck. hang in there and you’ll come out on top.
was it idearc by chance? look into some consulting companies in the area, they are growing if you are in IT

you sound like a solid guy who just had a spat of bad luck in a short period of time.

assuming you had a good (professional) job with a good set of transferrable skills, you’ll do ok. just keep your head up.

my aunt got laid off right after 9/11 from her bank in nyc. had a new job in a week despite the financial sector recession then. you’ll be ok my man.
Oh man that sucks. Yeah, a lot of people I know are getting outed by their jobs. But I’m sure you’ll be able to find a job soon. Any news from the other people yet? Hopefully they still have a spot open for you. if not, I’m sure there will be other opportunities waiting for you. You sound like a well committed guy when it comes to your work and I’m sure companies like to see that in the people who they are looking to hire.
What’s your area of expertise if you don’t mind my asking?
go sell hybrid cars while you wait for a job in your field.

UNIX (of all types), and datacenter disaster preparation and recovery.

I was actually feeling really really bad yesterday, truthfully i was fighting back the full on tears. everything that i truly loved or desired in life, has systematically been denied to me in very quick succession. all this despite i had a visit with a recruiter yestereday morning, and i could see his excitement over my UNIX background, and i was just decucing that he had never actually met someone to give their UNIX skills test to. i killed this 53 minute test in 9 minutes, and scored siginificantly higher than their national average. and then after i got home from that, it wasnt long before someone cold-called me from my resume on monster, asking of me about the same skills. reguardless of how things were looking up, i just couldnt shake how every solid thing in my life, down to even what i felt was my own foundation, just crumbled to pieces totally out of my control.

i spent the night over at a friends house, drank some beers and ate cheese tacos and later chinese take out… i was just telling him all this shit thats happened to me, about all these things that i truly love in life and how they have quickly been denied. i was telling him, that when i was a deeply spritual man, there was always the reality that when God wants to really get your attention, he will break you down, as absolutly low as you can go, before rebuilding you back up again, completely new. that absolutly must be whats happening to me. maybe this is my calling to start going back to church again, like when i was younger.

ha, i just realized im living a pretty fair modern version of the book of job.

Related posts:

1. Fuck College… I have only been in one serious relationship that started...
2. fuck fuck fuck!!!!!!!!!!! where to begin… one of my family members just blew...
3. Abuse as a child v. gonna fuck me in the head? I can’t believe I’m even posting this, no one knows...

wow man, i feel for ya – i type alot at my current job also. i guess after you do the therapy and all just maybe look for another job that isnt so demanding on your hands (typing) dont be miserable because of your job, you have a long long life ahead of you, last thing you need is to really screw up your hands because of work. its work, im sure you have other talents and you shouldn’t have a problem finding another job. do you live alone or with a SO? married? if so talk to em and see wats up.

Im married and he is being really supportive of everything, helping out around the house more as I am under orders to lift less and things like that. My son starts preschool in the fall, and at that point I will be getting a job outside the home (I work from home now, as I dont like daycare). So I am sure things will work out, it will just be rough. I would cross my fingers, but it hurts, lol. Damn why is that funny to me? ah, prescription drugs.
yes, im sure everything will work out for the best, it may be a bit rough but hang in there and keep your head up!

good luck with everything!
I had some joint pains and Glucosamine(available at almost every drugstore) alievated my problems. i can give you a good exersise too, prayer lol, if you put your hands flat against eachother in prayer mode _| |_ 90 degrees on a regular basis , you can improve your relationship with God and exersise your hands in the same time
if it is carpal tunnel and you have the surgery, it is highly successful and if you do therapy before and after, even better

dont’ stress so much about the carpal tunnel. if it’s arthritis, that sucks it’s pain is ongoing and usually treated with meds

That is actually one of the excercises my dr gave me, and I will be getting some others when I start PT on Thursday. And trust me, Ive been raising my little Jewish voice.

Thank you!

Yes, Ive heard the success rate of the surgery is super high, so I am hoping on that. If its the other, well, I will make the most of it. Gotta do what you gotta do, right?

Thank you guys. Its nice to be able to talk abot it with someone aside from my husband. I dont want to wear him out on hearing it all, you know?

The ultram theyve given me does work for the bad pain. I worry though because its addictive. So I take as little as possible to take the edge off.
I started physical therapy today and guess what? My prospective regarding full healing with PT is a 2. Poor. A 1 is None, 4 is Excellent. What this pretty much means is that even after going to PT twice a week, after 4-6 weeks of therapy it is doubtful I will have any less pain, or any more mobility in my right hand. As I shift tasks from my right to my left hand, it is likely that the left will progress faster than it currently has been.

i was diagnosed with carpal tunnel at the age of 21. Never had surgery, even though at the time, my entire right hand and half my left hand was permanently numb.

Sleep with your wrists straight (maybe get a wrist support) and try seeing a chiropractor. Mine helps immensely. While I occasionally get wrist pains, by and far, provided I sleep with a straight wrist, I never hurt or go numb

I do the wrist supports, and I sleep with my hands on a pillow to keep them in a good position, but it hasnt seemed to help so far. I will see if my insurance will cover the chiropractor, I had been thinking of that.

Thank you

A pillow might not be so good. For the first month, I found laying on my side with my arm laying flat on the bed, with my hand on the side worked best. I never even actually used wrist supports. The idea is to have the least amount of stress on your wrist, so you want uniform pressure across it, and no bends.

Also try gripping your arm below the wrist (so that your wrist and hand are free to move) and rotate your hand in a circle, both ways, open-handed (don’t close into a fist). If your hand gripping the arm is making it difficult, move it lower so there’s freedom of movement of the wrist.

If you’re anything like me, it’ll be a lot of painful popping, but it’ll feel better afterwards.

also, for whatever reason, the medical community doesn’t seem to recognize the benefits of chiropractors. While I can’t say I buy into everything some chiropractors claim to be able to do, I can say they can definitely help, especially with joint problems.

If you get a good one, they should be able to handle just about every bone in your body. Make sure to check into their credentials (should be hanging in their office), and see if they had to actually do a fair degree of schooling to get it. Mine had a BSc in Chemistry before she went to school for chiros

I sleep in the same position you mentioned, but ith the pillow next to me, as it lets my arm be raised, which helps the pain. does that make sense?

Oh I just tried the exercise you mentioned. OUCH!

Just looked it up, my insurance accepts ONE chiropractor in a 100 mile radius, who is not accepting new patients. Because I am an IC (independent contractor), no workmans comp to cover this, even if was proven to be caused from work.

I am still going to look into the chiros around here, and maybe talk to some friends who use one.

I think that chiropractors are beneficial.
It is just that there are these quaks out there that claim to be able to treat the flu by aligning your back.
Those guys make the good guys look bad.

I don’t have health coverage for a chiro here, and it’s still only about $35/visit. If that’s the same there, it’s worth it.

Also, the exercise hurts a lot, but how did it feel afterwards?

Mine’s excellent at what she does, but I still roll my eyes when I tell her I think I’m coming down with the flu and she says ‘oh I can help that!’

I guess I can concede it’s possible that an aligned back increases immune response, but that’s as far as I can go with it.

to be absolutely fair, I have never been to a chiropractor.
But I know people that have been – and they seem to have gotten real relief from it.
And knowing a bit about what a chiropractor is supposed to do I have no problems believing that certain things would be the logical work of a chiropractor. I am thinking, neck and back pain.

But then I hear them talking about curing diseases and stuff and it comes across to me like an podiatrist (foot doctor) claiming to be able to straighten your teeth.
It just doesn’t sound logical to me.

But hey, I have never tried it – for all I know they have a point.

Then I hear of these people claiming all chiro’s are quaks. Just sounds like the sort of thing that happens when a few bad people spoil things for all the good people.
About two years ago, the doctor told me I may have carpel tunnel.. He gave me a nice long wrist brace and told me to stop hanging out on the computer as much (I worked 40 hours a week typing, just like you).. Shorly after that, I moved to Colorado and have been seeing a chiropractor for low back pains.. After the first few visits of her adjusting, my wrist started feeling better. I mentioned it to her because I was actually amazed (I hadn’t told her I had wrist problems before because I didn’t think it was important) and she looked through all my previous adjustments.. Every week she was adjusting the same part in my shoulder, and then my arms, my elbow, and a bunch of bones in my wrist.

Just like what Ameter said, even if the insurance doesn’t cover it, try to find the money for it. Mine is $35/hr too.. Seems to be the "going" rate.

I still don’t know if I believe all the flu nonsense, but I went in there with some bad sinus issues (you know, the runny/stuffy nose/face you get after having a cold) and she used her "magical powers" and hit a few pressure points on the face which cleared up my sinuses right away.

my dad had me going to one chiro who never helped me at all. I stopped going eventually, and I’d spend years in constant pain. Eventually my mom recommended me one she’d been going to. I went there, she was much more professional, seemed much more sure of herself, was far more careful (and effective) with the neck adjustments, and I went from being in excruciating and constant pain to being virtually pain free every day.

So I can definitely assert that chiropractors, if they do their jobs well, can have a very positive effect. That said, there are a lot of claims which I have trouble believing.

in any event, while I wouldn’t go to one to cure me of the flu, going to one on a regular basis has a definite positive effect on my overall well-being

To be honest, I didnt notice much difference, but then I do hurt pretty badly today, so that could be part of it. I am still going to try it again though. I also have some other at home exercises that I was given to do.

I called the doctor to ask if she could recommend someone. She did, he is $40 an hour, but she wants me to go to PT for a couple of weeks at the least before I see one, So we are able to tell what is working and what is not. Actually makes sense.

I have been to one once before, about 8 years ago, for a headache that wouldnt go away. He made about three adjustments in my back and neck and it was gone. So I know that they can work.
Arthritis kinda sucks.. I have it in my knees and ankles really badly. It’s just a breakdown of the cartilage in the joints, it just happens to affect most people’s hands/wrists the most.

Older football players have a tough time getting out of bed since their joints are so wrecked.
Update!

Saw my doc for a follow up today, she is assigning 3 more weeks of PT, and we will be doing neck traction for the nerve she thinks is pinched.

Then, the week after its done I see the Orthopedic doc. He will do some treatment before we discuss surgery, if that is what he decides I need.

Meds are helping though which is nice, so Im not in pain all day. And they dont fuck me up, so luckily i dont feel stoned all the time.

so the PT hasn’t been a huge help then. Time to try a chiropractor?

MDs generally won’t ever recommend one, for some reason, they don’t like chiropractors
We are hoping the traction will help, and after I see the ortho, she is going to recommend me one, to try before surgery.

i was recently diagnosed with carpal tunnel — in both hands.

it was purely a result of a previous job i had. according to my dr., i should’ve filed for worker’s comp, but i did not.

i, too, was told that i needed surgery to correct the issue. however, i’m a little about going to that extreme. for starters, at the time of the diagnosis, i did not have medical insurance. i did not have all the follow-up tests to ensure that a) it was indeed carpal tunnel and b) that surgery would have a positive outcome. [the longer you wait, the more you hurt the nerve, and after so long, the damage is irreversible.]

so, before taking that next step, that’s what i would do. i’m not exactly fond of the recovery time for such a procedure either. from what i looked into, it’s about 6 weeks for each hand, and they don’t normally do both hands at the same time, for obvious reasons. one would definitely need a 24/7 caretaker, which in my case, is not feasible whatsoever.

i’m currently on medication. as far as i’m concerned, it’s helped tremendously! i am a self-proclaimed masochist, and before starting the meds, i couldn’t do a thing. my hands were constantly in pain , and i couldn’t ever get to sleep. since my jobs involve work with my hands [ whose job doesn't ], my hands would burn and get numb while working. it was absolutely impossible to bear.

i usually sleep with my wrist supports which help from my hands falling asleep.

edit: i also wanted to say that i am 26. i definitely feel your pain. at the time i was diagnosed, i was pretty upset about it.
Just wanted to give you all an update. I saw the orthopedist today. He confirmed the diagnosis of classic carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve entrapment, bilateral. I received a steroid injection in each wrist, hurt so bad that I fainted on the second one. Yuck!

Next step is to see if the steroid works. If it does, we are all good for the time being, though more than likely it will only help the carpal tunnel and not the other. I go back on Aug 28, for a check up, and more than likely will be getting a nerve conductivity test to see where the ulnar nerve is trapped. pray for me that it is in the arm and not the neck!

My right hand is numb at the moment, a side effect of the injection, and this should go away in a day or so. Taking me a while to type this. I am also having pain on that side as well, another side effect, and that may take longer to go away, and will get worse before it gets better.

Thats all folks!

Related posts:

1. I am really hurting right now Even after taking my pain medicine, I hurt so badly...
2. wtf am i supposed to do? girlfriends car accident my girlfriend is still dealing with retarded shit from her...
3. How happy are you? (honest answers only) Scale from -10 as the absolute bottom of hellfire, to...