Quirky Jessi

Are you able to distance yourself from them any at all, Joycicle? If it's family you live with or are close to, then I understand not being able to separate yourself, but friends? Sounds like their drama needs to be stifled or they're not very good for you.

Ugh! Are you able to talk to her about that at all? If she even realizes that you were about to take a bath or something, then that sounds like she's not even trying to let you have any space. It might be funny that it always happens, but 3 years later, that's gotta be frustrating...

Well do you have any food/medication allergies or have you had any adverse experiences with them? Do you have any close friends/family members that struggle with those allergies? You may find that part of the phobia is simply linked to experience and the fear that it might happen to you, too (or happen again).

Oh yes, it is definitely a chick flick, lol. I think it fits some other genres, too, but as a tearjerker, it's for the women.

How do you go about finding quiet time away for yourself? Do you tell your family or friends that you need to be left alone? Do you just schedule time every day for it? Do you run off when you need it?

I found this article about the idea of "secondhand stress" and it reminded me of the thread here where we were talking about toxic friends. Give it a look: http://www.wikihow.com/Spot-and-Avoid-Secondhand-Stress

Having an official diagnosis is a great first step to getting better. I hope the medication really helps you.

*hugs* If there's anything we can do, you know where to find us. You obviously don't really know me, but I know there are a lot of other people here who probably know you better and would do anything for you. Best of luck.

Ugh, that's awful. I really hope you don't truly give up on socializing because of a bad apple. It sounds like they're toxic, as Gilly said, and that kind of drama is something nobody should have to deal with.

In addition to what everyone else has been saying, you should really pay attention to how much water you're drinking. Being dehydrated can cause a lot of issues. And if your diet overall isn't that great, then your body could be trying to compensate by sleeping more. It's exhausted. It doesn't have the right fuel to stay awake more and not be groggy.

Awww, it's been a really long time since I've seen the show. I used to love it....it's so ridiculous. Where are you seeing the reruns?

Honestly, yes, they are. You can see it writing and art alike. Look back at some of the most memorable artists of all time and if you dive into their history, you'll find that many of them had mental disorders that fueled their imaginations and artistic adventures.

I really love that this is a project suggestion from Crayola. <3 I can see it being great for kids, especially ones that are a little more sensitive or stressed than others. It could be pretty therapeutic for an adult, though, too. There's no reason we can't all make our own little worry warriors.

I don't think it's crazy at all. Maybe that's because I've been in the same position before and I don't really want to admit to being crazy? Heh. Mostly, though, I think college can be a rough time and if you don't actively want to change some things, then that's okay, too. You're obviously feeling the effects now and you want more friends, so how about making a conscious effort at the start of next year to make new friends and stick with it?

I enjoy it. I didn't start watching until a couple years ago and I went back through to watch a bunch of the old ones, start from the beginning of the new ones, and get caught up. I'm not obsessed like a lot of Doctor Who fans are, though. I have a friend who eats, sleeps, breathes Doctor Who, it seems, which is just far too much for me personally, but works for her.

*points at name* I am ALLLLL for accepting quirks. Embrace them. Love them. Be proud of them. I think if you're not able to do that, though, and that your compulsions and whatnot are making your life miserable, then those are the ones you need to work on changing. If some of your quirks can make you happy, though, and maybe they're just not "normal" like others might say, then so be it.

I wasn't sure exactly where to put this: http://www.wikihow.com/Convince-Your-Boss-That-Browsing-Online-Can-Boost-Productivity Convince your boss that it can boost your productivity...and you can end up getting some stress relief throughout your day. If you start getting anxious about a deadline or second guessing yourself like crazy on a project, then being able to use those few minutes here or there to browse (or check this forum!), might relax you enough without having a full-on meltdown at work....and without fear of getting in trouble for not working.

I love to cook. Actually, more specifically, I love to play with food. I like twisting things and turning them into new dishes or pieces of food art. I'm rather burned out for the time being and don't really feel like cooking, but when I'm in the mood for it, I can stay in the kitchen for hours!

I have a friend who made the mistake of watching one of the Final Destination movies several years back and still has issues because of it. He'll sometimes freak out because he imagines something and then goes out of his way to try to make sure it can't happen, even though he knows he's being irrational and obsessive.

Hmm. Okay, so let's suppose it's because of the ex connection. Any tips for how she's supposed to deal with that then? Could admitting and realizing that actually help her accept it and move on or is this one of those things that's likely to stick as a trigger for a really long time?

Lmao!! That's really awesome. And I'm not a big chick flick person. I've watched my fair share, but I can't actually think of a favorite offhand now. Hmm, I'm going to have to think on this...

Why's that? I guess there was a bit of a lull with the main storyline actually....they branched off quite a bit into side-stories. Could that be why?

So a friend of mine is really struggling right now. Things aren't going well for her at all and while most things are usually under control, she has some very specific triggers that she doesn't know how to handle. This is one of them: She has an old acquaintance that has never done anything wrong to her. She doesn't think she's a bad person, no bitter run-ins, nothing negative really attached, outside of her being friends with an ex-boyfriend, and even then, that's not a big deal apparently. But she can't handle being around her at all any more. The mere mention of her name, no matter what the reason, is enough to kill her entire day. Unfortunately, the person regularly crosses her path and pleasantries have to be exchanged both directly and indirectly when other friends mention the person. She confided in me with this info all at once with at least a dozen examples of times where it ruined her day, even though the person was completely innocent, hasn't done anything wrong, and is well-liked (both by other people and my friend apparently). Which leads me to the topic title....it's an innocent person that is acting as this awful trigger for her. Any advice on how to handle it? Does she just have to deal with it and hope it goes away? Should she somehow talk to the person directly to 'face' whatever it is....or ask her other friends to avoid mentioning the person?

Way to go! You should be really proud of yourself because we certainly are. It's always awesome to see people overcome their fears and anxiety and be able to have fun on top of it. <3

You might want to consider trying to cut back a little. To wean yourself off one of the showers, try using things outside the shower. For example, if you're at work, wash your hands and arms in the sink. Use a baby wipe on your arm pits and crotch area where you might be afraid of a smell coming from. Spritz a single spray of body splash into your hair (it'll hold the scent longer without being overpowering or smelling like you're trying to cover something). You'll feel clean and refreshed without having to go home to shower completely.