Experts: Complaining vs mental illness?

[DaveJ]

Ok, so often I like to complain. Ever since I was a teenager I complained about sociological issues, and nobody, including my parents, wanted to listen to me, because my complaining addresses points that are so fine that they are difficult to refute, simply because they are hard to follow. And for some reason, few people are polite enough just to nod their heads, and perhaps add a point, or ask a question, which is all I really expect.

Is that what some people use therapy for? Just as a place to sound off?? I've found absolutely nobody wants to listen to me, so is it appropriate to pay someone to listen to me spout off?

It would be easy to reflect a point back on me, and for someone to say that my perception of the world is somehow related to a flaw of mine. I'm sure that's true but I'd also expect the actual point(s) I make to be acknowledged.

On a side note, I like conversing with people who complain. Is this a personality issue, maybe, where 3% of people can intellectually process a certain mode of discourse? Maybe I just have a bigger brain that is less sensitive. I literally cannot find a hat that fits, no joke, so maybe my brain can absorb more shock than most. Or maybe it's more that I've led a harsh life so listening to someone complain is nothing. I don't know. :)

[postatomic]

1. Complaining. Venting. Ranting. Can all be good things

You are able to verbally express your feelings. I can't speak for everyone but Therapy is usually intended to help people learn how to express their feelings or address far deeper issues than just being someone who complains.

Now, I will complain about my meds. How they have completely re-wired my brain. How I can't have sex now. How I sweat for no reason. I will complain how I'm addicted to Xanax. I will complain about my Therapy and Therapist. I will complain how our insurance doesn't look at Mental Health seriously and I can't afford the cost of a Therapist.

I am a major depression and severe suicidal ideation person. I can't say that to friends. I can't tell friends about my very serious attempt at killing myself. I can tell a Therapist. I guess I can complain about not having a day go by that I don't think about suicide. I can complain how no one can help me.

Like I said, I can't and don't speak for everyone. But complaining doesn't fall into any Mental Health category that I'm aware of unless you are manic. Have you ever met a manic person? I'd invite you to spend just 24 hours in a psych ward. You'd learn volumes.

Cheers.
:-)

[DaveJ]

3. I'm not that distant from your situation

Most of what you mentioned I can identify with from experience. The difference is that I disagreed with their diagnoses and decided to go it alone. I was in a psych ward for 10 days, unjustly imo, but that's what I get for talking openly to a psychiatrist without holding back. That experience taught me to hold back. I don't want to be locked up again or live life on meds. I was told I had 'slight' depression so maybe that's why the pain I feel is tolerable. But honestly, I still think it is environmental. I think that if people were more evolved, I would be a much happier from moment to moment. (I've since learned pretty much to expect the worse from everyone and eventually that is always what I get)

Most the people in the psych ward seemed pretty much normal, but that was a long time ago. I think there was some screaming, but overall I felt more comfortable with the people in it, than the people running it. So I guess I don't totally understand. I know, people with serious mental illnesses are obvious, people who cannot go to a job every day, speak or write normally, etc, they need our help. But to me, half the people around me now seem to be as deranged as anyone there.

[postatomic]

5. Sorry. I thought I was addressing 'Complaining' & Therapy

I did so without knowing you or your background. I got the sense that you felt it was okay for you to complain because it was just part of your personality. I need to learn how to twitter-ize my replies.

If you feel that there is some trigger in your persona that causes you to complain then Therapy might be good. I don't know.

My reply gave me a chance to rant so I guess it's all good. I'm glad you have the strength to go it on your own. And yes, I'm with you on the whole environmental thing. To a certain point. It's difficult to change the people around you so you find ways to deal with them. Or you avoid them.

[HereSince1628]

2. Exterior dimensions of the crankcase are only loosely associated with horsepower;

I suspect hat size and intellectual capacity have a similar relationship.

[DaveJ]

4. Well at least you can put a hat on, I imagine...

It's bad enough having a slow lumbering brain, but then never being able to put a hat on. Have you ever worn a baseball cap? I wonder what it's like. I don't know what it's like to be normal.