(Source: nurse-on-duty, via my-lupus-state-of-mind)
ALEXANDRA HEATHER FOSS
Our culture is not nurturing. We ask each other, “How are you doing?” but we do not really want to know. We do not really want that person to say anything other than “fine,” because that would mean we would have to listen, to really care, something that most of us have not even done with ourselves. We want form responses, people who check all the right boxes, who say all the right things, whether they mean them or not. A r?m?or a culture puffed up with lies, that is what we want. And as a result, we have a “fine” culture that is everything but fine. Medicated smiles, robotic responses, whole lifetimes that pass under the guise of “fine” when all we really want is for someone to ask and care.
“How are you?”
“How am I?”
We want nourishment, not only for our bodies but for our souls. That is what we need to flourish, to feel less anxious. Environments that are safe, loving, relationships that are honest and nurturing. Nobody wants to fight, not really. We are taught to fight ourselves and others, we are taught to be defensive and aggressive, so that we may survive another day. But it seems it should be different.
4apessimistimprettyoptimistic:
Since I have my real nails again I’ve gone back to using my nails for skin picking. I suck. OCD sucks. Dermatillomania sucks.
(Source: my-lupus-state-of-mind)
hey tumblings. this is a bit off-topic in terms of autoimmune and chronic illnesses, but in viewing healing and health as a holistic process, I’m just go ahead because these things all connect in the end.
(slight trigger warning: anxiety, OCD and self-harm via dermotillomania)
I think I’ve mentioned it before here, but just in case - I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder since I was in 4th grade. however, all of the visualizations and therapy sessions were directed towards mental healing and emotional balance.
nobody ever looked at my bitten up and ragged fingers, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized my compulsive nail biting, cuticle biting, skin picking/itching isn’t me just being crazy or bad at breaking habits. it’s a real thing! nobody ever told me! persephone has a great article on wolf-biting, and it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who can’t “just stop!”. I’m trying to read and figure a bit out on my own for now (I don’t see my shrinky shrink till september at school) and was wondering if anyone else has struggled with/has advice to a fellow anxious chronic chick?
