Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

@NatureLover  is there anything you've learnt re 'clutter' / 'hoarding' that can STOP ME GATHERING? I'm disgusted with myself, saw an old 'treddle' sewing machine in cabinet on  Igumtree, 'that I just  to HAD TO HAVE 😟 cause I learnt to sew on one the same with  my mum I guess. Its like I did it to honour her. But now it sits in the middle of my tiny loungeroom cause I really can't fit it here 😞 So cranky with myself. But it gets worse. On the way home I nabbed a writing cabinet - roadside pick-up & it needs work. WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING? Can barely move in my garage as it is. So cranky with myself. I gotta just sell my car, deadlock myself inside and throw away the key. 

So sick of S.T.U.F.F.

What to do? So embarrassing - exhausting - confusing 😢

[Anastasia]

Dropping in some 💞❣️❤️💞 to you all

@NatureLover @Maggie @outlander @Emelia8 @Lilly6 

Thinking of you all x

[Former-Member]

💜 @NatureLover  @Former-Member @Maggie 

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member and thank you. Are you ok tonight?

[Former-Member]

Not so great but trying to stay distracted @Former-Member   I have been around the fourm much and am missing you all. How are doing my friend? 

[Former-Member]

@Former-Member, oh no, "not good" ... what's going on? I'm pretty good considering. Lots of self care in the shape of laziness lol & sipping tea continually.
💙💚💛🧡💓💜

[Former-Member]

@Former-Member , laziness and sipping tea sounds fantastic to me. I have a lot of hard, annoying anniversaries this month. Today is one then Sunday the hardest I guess when my world was ripped apart and tipped upside down. It hard for me because the one person that I thought couldn't hurt me did and that's a wound like no other. I hope you are fast asleep by now my friend. 

[NatureLover]

@Former-Member  thank you so much for visiting...it's great to see you. I'm sorry to hear this month has some bad anniversaries, including this Sunday which sounds like the worst one of all... 😞 I am wishing you all you need to get through it 💜 and the whole month. 

[NatureLover]

@Maggie   @Anastasia  and  @outlander  thank you heaps for visiting and dropping off 

Sending back 🧡 to each of you...I hope you are managing OK. 

[NatureLover]

@Former-Member  I feel you! I found it easier to stop 'gathering' than to get rid of things I'd had for ages, as the new things didn't hold any memories or associations. The easiest way to get rid of the new things you gathered the other day would be to put them straight out by the kerb, for other random people to collect, but you might want money for the sewing machine, I guess, if you can even bring yourself to pass it on. 

As for stopping gathering, I am trying to remember how I stopped. I remember my psychologist did some work on it with me, showing me that the stuff I brought home just created problems for me. For instance, I used to collect brochures...like, if I was in the chemist and I saw a brochure on an illness, I'd take it home "just in case". But then I would stack it on top of the ever-growing pile inside, to ritually clean before reading or storing it...and it would sit there for ages, with me unable to deal with it.

I guess the fact that I have germophobia helped me to stop gathering, as I'd have to clean everything I brought in (still do), so I realised I couldn't handle the volume of stuff to clean. However, I wouldn't wish germophobia on you or anyone... So I guess the 'problem' method still works - these things you bring home are a problem to you, as you have no space for them, or they need work. Even the fact that the sewing machine was to honour your mum...it still creates a problem for you, and would your mum want that? Would you want to be annoyed at that sewing machine every time you trip over it / have to shuffle round it in the middle of your lounge-room?

Wish I could help more.