Stress Center Peer Support

I have just started this program and have begun to realize how isolated I have been lately. I have a lot going on in my life, stress wise, and realize that other than dealing with the people I work with and then my immediate family at home, I usually have no motivation to reach out to others. I have a support network of 2 sisters and a mom who check in with me, but sometimes I even pull away from them. This has happened gradually, like my circle keeps getting smaller, over the past two years but I can't seem to find a starting point or a reason why I have started to be this way.

Any help?

I remember something that I heard in one of the first two audio sessions. Someone in the group stated that his "world was so small". That really hit me because I realized the same thing had happened to me over the past year. It was a sad realization. Now that I have that awareness that I have made my own world smaller by my own thoughts, I hope to make some changes by reaching out like I used to. I believe that true joy comes from giving yourself to others, (in giving we receive). I am fortunate in that I work everyday with elderly people with dementia. I have the opportunity to touch lives of my patients and their families. It is very rewarding and helps me to get my thoughts off of myself. I recommend to anyone who does not have the opportunity to work in an environment that services others, to volunteer in one. ~ I wish you well.

I can relate to this. I have been through it and for me, it lasted for years. I have always been a person who is self motivated, have initiative, but who likes to keep to them selves, after work, and I also work from home. The isolation does start in one's own mind. It is do to stress that goes on in our lives. We need to take time for ourselves to ponder the question, "What changed in my life that got me off my base?" Do you live in the same house?, did you move? someone die, born? jobs change? what changed? nevertheless, until youdiscover that...rest, ( work if you do), listen to soothing music to calm your mood and rousing music to getyou going around the house, etc. soothing music gets you through traffic and phone calls, piles of paperwork or just plain lowers the blood pressure afte ordeals( you define them...large or small, they still exist).
one day at a time, one step at a time. you will get through this and very importantly, KEEP UP WIHT THE PROGRAM. not yelling..emphasizing. It is the single most thing that helped me through this last year, except for the bible. take care.

I realized that I also have very little going on in my life. That I sit home alone 99% of the time. I have my computer and my online groups so that seems to help. But on a beautiful day like today it would be nice to have someone to do something with.

I isolate alot to, fear of people and how they will react to me. I woke up in the middle of the night tonight had a bad dream about being thrown out of my house and seeing my x with someone else and not caring about me, which all this did happen 2 years ago. I think it is becausse my mom is fighting with me, I am 47 and she still wants to totally control mylife and my money and relationships with my kids. I don't like confrontation ,and today we had one she told me how I don't have any legal right, that is her being irrational it just makes me mad and piss' me off. Excuse my language and it is scary because she get defensive and verbally abuse, I would like to thinkt that this is because she is old, but she has always been like this and in the past I have let her bully me out of my own insecurities. But now I realize she has a problem I can't fix and she doesn't want help, I have a problem I can fix, so I need to focus on me. Thanks I just need to get that off my chest. I am getting sick these last couple of days which makes me feel real vulnerable. TC all.