Managing Lifelong Mental Health as a Senior

jimhd when I lived with my parents as a child growing up I always had a dog. Though we never heard of or refured to the dogs as service dogs they were a companion to me. When I moved out of my parents home I got a cat which is called a companion. Where I live companion animals are allowed when pets are not allowed. My cat is very entertaining because to him he is the master of his domain. When is the whole house. I would like to had a dog but it would of been to much for me with the up keep. But I know how you feel about your dog as I do about my cat. They are very much your family

hopeful33250 I too like to write but sometimes especially on FB I will write something and get an unexpected response and wondering are my writings get across the way I want it too? Sometimes yes sometimes no. It is a gamble. But as you say it is just helpful to put some thoughts into words and get that relief without the fear of how others will interpret what you wrote

and for many other reasons as well

Hello everyone...have not been able to connect again. But wanted to say i am still here and will be back tomorrow. Blessings

Hello to all my comforting friends. I have to go back and figure out how to find the other posts regarding this topic. I will figure that out soon. Still cannot find the draft i wrote under the MAC forum. I am not sure you keep drafts. I am going to look for the other posts on this topic. Blessings

Hi Georgette,
You unfortunately cannot save drafts of messages yet. We are continually making improvements. I'll add this to the wishlist. Let me know if I can help you find topics or messages.

Thanks so much. I was on the MAC forum discussing my own diagosis and wanted to mention Lady Windemere syndrome which applies. So i just went to google and lost it! Will rewrite it.

Anybody have trouble going to church because the way you are treated there with mental illness? Once people get to know me, I find they talk down to me. I find it hard to keeping attending.

These people are supposed to be Christians? I'd try another church if I were you and don't tell anyone about your background.
I do not go to church but I had plenty of it when I was a child, enough to make me not want to ever go to church again.
My family and close friends know that I am Bipolar and I never tell anyone else. I thought the bias was lifting against people with mental illnesses but I guess not.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

My service dog is with me every Sunday at church, and many people know she's a psychiatric service dog. I've never felt any hostility or negativity. The church I used to go to were very accepting, and were really sad when we changed to another church. The only reason we left was that the pastor didn't believe in psychology or psychiatry, and made me feel wrongly judged. I think the church is growing up in its misperceptions of mental illness. I am a retired minister, and have felt the stigma firsthand. It's unfortunate, because that's certainly not what Jesus modeled.

I just changed my profile picture to a colored pencil drawing made of my previous service dog, Barnabas, who died a year ago.

Jim