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FTL Member Comments
For privacy purposes, all
usernames have been withheld
Tristine,
Thank you so much
for having this website! My guess is that you
have probably saved countless lives because of
it.
I just started
using this message board YESTERDAY. I was
completely at the end of my rope. I was so cut
off from human contact that my feelings of
worthlessness were running rampant. I know that
human connection is so important in recovery,
but I feel I've "used up" my family and friends
and don't rely on them anymore. So I've been
horribly alone for many, many months.
Desperate for a
better new year, my last-ditch effort yesterday
was to go on line in search of a chat room where
I can be open and honest and connect again.
That's when I found Find the Light.
The words of
encouragement I received from the members
regarding my first post were so powerful. I'm
not even exactly sure it's what they said. It
may have been the mere fact of being
acknowledged and validated. I know that each
member has their own issues, and to get
encouragement from someone who is also suffering
just means so much. I feel like a new person
today!
Now, don't get me
wrong. I'm not so naive to think that this is
the end-all cure. I know I have a lot of work to
do on my own, but it's an incredible start!
I also took the
opportunity to reply to a few other postings.
And I have to tell you...just making that human
contact was so uplifting. I was actually
thinking through a dilemma and trying to come up
with a positive and helpful solution...instead
of wallowing, like I've been doing for so long.
My favorite thing
is how pleasant and polite and POSITIVE everyone
is. I've been to so many places on the internet
where people are rude and disgusting. It was
depressing just reading the stuff. Everyone on
this site is so positive...even though they're
talking about very negative things.
You asked about
substance abuse and how the site has helped with
that. One of my goals for the coming year is to
stop drinking alone!!! I've been so depressed
and in so much pain, lately my answer has been
to kill it with alcohol...every night! There's
no reason to drink alone except to get drunk.
What a waste of a life! I'm going to try to have
more human contact in my life this year. No more
hiding at home and drinking to drown my
emotions. Now I know that I can talk about them
here, and people will listen. Plus, typing keeps
my hands busy so that it's harder to drink. ;)
Thank you again for
this wonderful gift. You have no idea how much
you've helped me in just one day!
________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
I am so glad to
have found this site! I think that you have
created an oasis of support in a desert of
emptiness. I don't know where I would be if it
weren't for all of you great people here who
have listened to me, and shared your experiences
and love without judgment. I feel safe here, and
I know that I will be heard when I need to
speak. Also, I am thankful that I can give my
support to others. It makes me feel needed, and
that is a powerful feeling for me. Thanks so
much Tristine!
________________________________________________________________
I am so glad I found this
site. I belonged to a different support group
before this (I won't name names), but it seemed
like all they wanted to talk about was politics
or religion. There was very little in the way of
support for me as a Bipolar.
This is a good,
decent site where good, decent people come
together to share information and to offer
support. I get a lot of support from the members
and yourself and it helps so much to know that I
am not in this alone.
And yes, I do feel
good when I can offer help to somebody else. In
a nutshell, this is by far the best group I have
ever belonged to. Very professionally ran too;
it breeds morality.
Thanks for letting
me voice my opinion.
________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
Once again thank
you for the site! You did a great job 
To xxxx I think you
put it wonderfully what we all get out of this
site, I'm glad that you have joined and looking
forward to hearing more from you. I must have
missed your first post introducing yourself so I
would like to take this opportunity to welcome
you to Find the Light. I hope you find it as
helpful as i do.
________________________________________________________________
I too am glad I found this site. It has given me
a place to vent, to let off some steam when I
feel I might explode,... and when I vent by
typing it here, usually I can see how "petty" my
anger is, and I can try to learn not to get
angry at whatever it was that started my mood.
It's awesome how
everybody is so supportive and willing to offer
advice or even just an "I understand what you're
going thru" reply... to not be judged, but
understood, is wonderful.
Also, it feels
really really good to be able to help others, so
if I'm ever able to give advice or just a *HUG*
it makes me feel great... what a self-esteem
booster.
This site has
helped me to realize some of the things that
cause my problems, and offers a variety of ways
to overcome the obstacles in my life, in
addition to just some good ole-fashioned support
from a bunch of wonderful, kind, caring, and
loving group of people. Thank You!
________________________________________________________________
TB:
This is the best
support site I've found, and I've been on the
internet for more than 10 years now. Things have
changed so much for the better since I found you
all.
A deep thank you
from the bottom of my heart :)
________________________________________________________________
This site has been a
wonderful experience for me. I really don't have
anyone that understands how I feel.
I have felt such
understanding and empathy in the few weeks I
have been here. It's wonderful to have "friends"
that don't judge you or criticize or lecture, or
tell you your just crazy.
________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
I too have been a
member of another support group site before this
one. Yours is so well organized, focused, and
responsive. The hard work you have put into it,
and continue to put into it, is very worthwhile.
This site has helped me through some of the
roughest times of my life, and I frankly would
not want to face the next few months without it.
If I can give back a fraction of what this site
has done for me, I will be pleased to have been
a part of something very good. Thank you so much
for having and keeping this website.
________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
You put it in
correct wording, when you said Haven. I myself
have been on here for only a few days and I can
begin to see changes within myself. I can come
here and talk to people I have never met before
in person, and everyone understands better than
the people I see everyday! Isn’t that a
Blessing? I have read postings from members all
over world and yet I have never been to their
country. I don't know about you but I get more
understanding out of reading and writing than I
sometimes do talking about it aloud. What you
have done Tristine, is build a small home for
those of us who are lost at times. We can come
in here and be comforted from a bad day, to
having a wonderful New Year! That is the
greatest achievement anyone could do for people,
I commend you from the bottom of my heart.
________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
I haven't had the
benefit of a support group for many years until
I found FTL a few months ago. To my surprise I
found myself welcomed in the warm way I was
welcomed to my in-person support group. I think
we probably all know the feeling of not having
enough therapy time with our own therapists, and
being able to share has been therapeutic in a
deep and personal way. I have also felt like
I've been able to support people, even if only
in a small way. When I can offer support to
someone else because of painful situations I've
experienced, it makes me feel like the memory of
the hard times is made less painful because I
was able to help someone else through my
experiences...it was not experienced in vain.
I've learned quite a few important facts about
my own illnesses, and have been able to get very
good feedback about medication issues that are
important to me.
I no longer feel
the loss of not being in an in-person support
group. I'm able to reach out to others through
the internet when I would otherwise isolate
myself in depression. I don't know how to
express to you what FTL means to me.
________________________________________________________________
At present, I don't know
how I could have survived the situation that I
am currently in with out the help and friendship
that I have found in here. Sometimes just
knowing that someone else is hearing you,
because they are at least reading it helps alot.
Just being heard.
I want to thank you
all for your friendship, and for those who
created this site, I am so glad that you did.
________________________________________________________________
Oh Tristine, you’re going
to make me cry. This site has touched so many
and has brought so many people together. I know
for myself I have always had problems finding
and keeping friends, but I know I will always
have a friend here. I've had problems dealing
with criticism from people, but here everyone is
so compassionate and understanding. I love the
people here. I have learned to deal with the
criticism and have learned that everyone is just
trying to help because they care. In face to
face conversations I am more sensitive and find
myself not being able to look at the person who
is trying to help me for fear they think I am
stupid. But it's not like that here. People seem
to understand here. I am so grateful for this
site. Thanks Tristine!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((hug)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
____________________________________________________
I have to say that this
website has been a godsend. I can talk openly
here and don't have to worry about being
lectured or told the bipolar is all in my
head...Of course, when you look at it it is all
in my head. My brain is a bit sidetract. So
coming here has been nice. It is fantastic
knowing that people are out there dealing with
the same type things I am.
___________________________________________________________________
Tristine,
I too have been
a member of another support group site before
this one. Yours is so well organized, focused,
and responsive. The hard work you have put into
it, and continue to put into it, is very
worthwhile. This site has helped me through some
of the roughest times of my life, and I frankly
would not want to face the next few months
without it. If I can give back a fraction of
what this site has done for me, I will be
pleased to have been a part of something very
good. Thank you so much for having and keeping
this website. 
___________________________________________________________________
This forum has been a God send. I can't even
think of words that are appropriate in
expressing what this place means to me. When I
joined, I had no one else to turn to. MY friends
were sick of hearing about it, my family didn't
want to talk about it, and I felt like I was
alone and ready to explode. And then I Googled
codependency support groups and this came up.
Not only has this place helped me on my journey
through recovery for that issue, it has been
here to help me through traumas, bad days, good
days, and has allowed me to feel like I can give
back to those that have helped me. I have had
the opportunity to share, to give and receive,
the most important gifts of all, love and
friendship. And it's with people that understand
me and what I'm going through. Who understand my
mind and for the first time i my life, I know
that I'm NOT crazy and alone. This place has
given me more self-esteem than I thought was
possible. When I first came, I thought I might
have a place to vent once in a while. But now I
log-on a few times a day, to see how everyone is
doing and to try and share my support and
advice. And sometimes to post my own issues. I
love everyone here and I am so grateful that FTL
exists. Thanks to you all for everything!
___________________________________________________________________
I second that!
When
I joined I was at the end of my rope too, I
googled online support group. I had no one else
to turn to, and here it is. I have friends now,
when before I had none. I had NO ONE to talk to,
let alone anyone who could understand. This
place is a Godsend! I don't think I would have
made it without it!
T H A N K Y O U !
_____________________________________________________________________________
Hello all. I have only
been new to this for almost a week i think. I am
so glad that I found this website. It has helped
me in ways that you all can probably imagine.
Hearing others and replying makes me feel like
someone needs me. And that I can be of help to
others. I have found some new info on some
illnesses that i didn't know of. I plan to take
alot of it to my next appointment with a new
doctor. This info has been so helpful in me self
diagnosing myself. I've done lots of reading on
some things. But being there and hearing your
stories makes it real because it is. Instead of
reading in a book on what my symptoms might or
should be. I thank each and everyone of you for
being so honest and forthright about your
issues. This is a fantastic website and I think
it will help me in so many ways. Once
again...Thanks ..and i will continually keep
updating with myself also once i see my new
doctor.
___________________________________________________________________
FLT team,
I would like to
thank you for such a wonderful, supportive site.
I just logged on today and after checking out
some of the other sites/groups out there, this
is by far the healthiest and most encouraging. I
like the fact that you celebrate successes and
are very thoughtful with your responses. Do have
a question though. I've been mostly stable and
functional for about a year now but I have an
issue in that taking xanax, if I don't take my
meds as soon as I get up in the morning I get
incredible headaches, tingling in tongue and
fingers, and dry mouth that don't go away for
hours, if not the next day. Is there anything
that will alleviate the symptoms or at least
lessen them? I've talked to my pdoc and he says
that this cocktail works for me and not to mess
with it. He didn't see a reason to take me off
the xanax as it has been a miracle for my
anxiety problems. I just wish I knew how to feel
better quicker if I forget to take my morning
meds soon enough. Any ideas?
___________________________________________________________________
"I cannot believe the healing that has happened
to me by
corresponding with you and being on the FTL
site. Being on the FTL site has
made me see how many other people almost exactly
like me there are in the
WORLD! It has taken away the SHAME that I had
about my illness."
Hi everyone! I just wanted to share that
creating and maintaing this website and message
board has helped me tremendously in knowing that
I am giving back to others. It gives me great
pleasure to see how we have grown and to read
everyone's posts, especially those that claim we
have helped. It couldn't have been done without
all of you though. For that I thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
Tristine
___________________________________________________________________
Tristine, I want to personally thank you for
being faithful to your vision of starting this
forum. I know it must have taken alot of your
time and hard work and I hope you know how very
much I appreciate you and FTL! It has literally
been instrumental in changing my life! This is
the first internet type activity (besides
playing solataire!) that I have ever been a part
of and I am so very glad I found FTL!
Thank you so much for all you do at FTL and I
wish you all the best in your life! xxxx
___________________________________________________________________
Tristine, there are support and perspective that
i could not find anywhere else than at FTL,
thank you. Many people, including myself,
opened-up to share without reservations (often
for the first time), the challenges that they
face. This in itself is for me part of the
healing process.
The supportive responses that most often
coincides with the sharing of wisdom from own
experiences is unique for me to FTL. I
furthermore appreciate the "directive" nature of
some of the responses.
I learned about the suffering of so many and of
the horrific experiences that some of the fellow
members of this community had to go through and
how many found the courage to accept those
experiences to build a new life.
The values behind participating within FTL is
very special and I never found any posting that
was out to hurt or to be vindictive. What is
astonishing is that all members take ownership
of upholding these values and contribute in
sustaining it.
As you stated, FTL does not replace assistance
from a therapists or health professional.
Although I found messages where advice had been
given with replies that indicated how useful the
advice had been.
I am furthermore impressed with the
functionality of your website.
Thank you for how special you are and never
forget that even if it is only one person who
engages within the FTL community in a moment of
darkness to find light, it is worth your
efforts.
I also appreciate the absence of aggressive
commercial interest at FTL and that it is based
upon peer to peer exchanges.
___________________________________________________________________
It is so very nice to be able to read through
the posts here and see how FTL has helped each
person.
xxxx, your thoughts were wonderfully expressed,
and I'm so glad that you are a part of FTL!!!
___________________________________________________________________
Last update: January 27, 2009
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