@audreyb

Being unable to be open about ourselves is difficult, especially if by doing so would generate judgment or rejection. I've worn masks all of my adult life. It certainly was a factor in my experiencing what used to be called a nervous breakdown. I prefer what one author called it - a brain storm. I'm not positive that's what he called it - it might have been something else, but that's close.

Mask wearing is just that - wearing. It wears us down over time. Being able to remove those masks with therapists has meant a lot to me. I take off different masks with different people and groups, still keeping other ones on.

Do you have people in your life who know what's behind the masks? And still care about you and accept you as is. I have found that the people here don't judge, but instead support each other. That makes it so much easier to say the truth, instead of saying "I'm fine". We welcome you to this safe space.

Jim

@wsh66

Meditation can be a great method of treatment. There are different kinds of meditation, put out there by a variety of people and groups.

I practice Christian meditation, which is quite different from what you describe. Briefly, I focus on a thought I read in the Bible, sometimes looking at how it reads in several versions/translations/interpretations, which gives me different perspectives. From there, I pray and sit quietly to hear what God has to say to me with regard to applying what I've read, or to hear what He has to say in general. He might remind me of someone, which leads to praying for them.
That's obviously a personal and very limited description of Christian meditation. There can be so many other elements, which are different for different people.
One unique facet of Christian meditation is that it doesn't lead a person to emptying their mind. Rather, the goal is to fill the mind with the presence of God's spirit.

Jim

Very cool Jim. actually a lot of my meditation isn't that much different. In Qi Gong we start by saying a password. "I am in the universe, the universe is in my body, the universe and I are one." Then we call on our Master to come and bring their love to help us with our exercises and our meditations. My master always comes, he is a Jewish man in his early 30s, looks to be Aramaic and dresses from an era of probably 2000 years ago. This is the case for many of the people I know who practice Qigong. They are Christians by culture if not by active practice. Many such folks end up with the same master . From that point on I may do one of many guided meditations put out by Master Lim who is fronting Spring Forest Qigong or I may just carry on on my. My favorite is a Qigong Meditation for healing Cancer.

Keep the mask on your face if you like but please take the mask off your heart. A very important young Jewish man once said to me, "It's not my face you need to recognize, it's my heart."

@jimhd I have one person that has seen me without my masks and there are many. I read how others have been helped by therapists. I can no longer trust them. I keep trying and all of this sharing online about a diagnosis etc. along with my medical records I highly disapprove of even though they are required to do so.
I say I am functioning adequately or within established parameters which always throws the one inquiring off the topic. Such a stupid question.
Take care. On Halloween I use all of my masks!!!!

@wsh66 Namaste. I too like Qigong.

@parus and @wsh66

I agree, Qigong (or any form of Tai-Chi) offers remarkable benefits for me. Teresa

Hi @parus, I just noticed your profile picture changed (I think). Did you draw the picture? It's really good.
Hoping you have a Happy Friday...
John

OiGong is much different than Tai-Chi as it is used to aid in healing. I practice on myself and others. It is much more than just exercises.

Love and Blessings be upon yoiu.