Poll: Is the sheer volume of my posting on this forum pathological?

[AnxiouSteve]

I've been posting on this forum like it's my job.

Mostly (~90% of my posts), I try to help others, but it's not that I'm a 'nice guy' or anything.  I do it because it makes me feel better for a variety of reasons.

On the other hand, and despite the fact that I'm pretty fast with the old keyboard, I can't help but wonder if it isn't somehow preventing me from putting this behind me.

It's not impinging on my ability to get work done.  In reality, it's my new hobby.  When I'm not posting here, I'm researching mental illness, medication, etc., which I do have an undergraduate background in from '04, so it's not like this interest comes from nowhere.

This is pretty much in keeping of all my 'flavor of the month' pastimes.

Aside from all that, the only real problem I see is that between this and work my hands and wrists hurt from typing.  In fairness, around the same time I got anxiety I started using a craptacular keyboard with stiff keys that you had to hit dead center, which I've replaced as of yesterday.

But again, even if I feel good, which I do 95% of the time recently, anxiety in general is almost always on my mind.

A little background:
I had separation and health anxiety as a small child (two decades ago), then suddenly about six weeks ago I started having almost totally irrational health anxiety.  A day or so after that I noticed light but frequent muscle twitching, which put me way over the top.

I went to see a neuro about it last week, and I've accepted his diagnosis of Benign Twitching 99%.  I've felt much better since then, but anxiety definitely lingers.

I've posted over 300 times in six weeks if you count the posts that were accidentally lost about 5 weeks ago.

So:  What's the verdict?  Should I cool off?

[Pan]

Lol Steve.

I woke up yesterday morning with a totally numb left pinkie...hell, I even had to go and read my MS thread!

It then dawned on me that I had been posting like a madman on here recently using my new webbook with the smallest keys ever...that will probably 'explain' it hey

I think if you know the reason why you are active on here and are aware of when it can be a hindrance you should be OK...having said that spending alot of time on here is probably as unhealthy as many other internet pasttimes

Anyway fella, don't go....I like to read your posts ands you are fun, whats the worst that can happen

[laa43]

I kind of laughed when I read the title of this post and I said to myself..."I bet that is from anxioussteve!".....lol.......I agree with pan.......the ability to acknowledge something about ourselves is the most important thing. Like pan says....who cares.
I also enjoy your posts!!! keep em coming!!!  Take care!!!

[tomorrowisanotherday]

Please don't stop posting.........in some bizarre way, you help me release my anxiety thru your words!!!!!  I actually find comfort in your posts.   

[AnxiouSteve]

Lol Steve.
I woke up yesterday morning with a totally numb left pinkie...hell, I even had to go and read my MS thread!

Oh no, you must have contracted that from me 

Your MS thread is the only thing that kept me from going totally off my axle when this started.

Anyway fella, don't go....I like to read your posts ands you are fun, whats the worst that can happen

I also enjoy your posts!!! keep em coming!!!  Take care!!!

Please don't stop posting.........in some bizarre way, you help me release my anxiety thru your words!!!!!  I actually find comfort in your posts.  

I'm genuinely moved by you guys right now.

I'm changing my vote to 'No'.

[Kayteecatt]

Geeze, didn't you read the post where I specifically said "take care of yourselves until I get back"....lol....you know I post and reply as much as you do.  For me, there are several reasons why I do so.  The first of those is simply that I've always been the advice person.  Not a day goes by that one of my friends or family members isn't calling me needing some kind of support or advice, so answering these posts just comes naturally to me.  I feel like Ann Landers...lol...

Secondly, I like knowing that people here have the same fears that I do.  It's so comforting to know that someone out there understands what you're going through.  As much as I believe my family tries to be supportive through my toughest times, I'm sure they're all thinking "holy cow, just get over it already."  I try to give back as much support as I've gotten through these forums.

And lastly, and yes I'm going to say this....sometimes reading certain posts makes me feel normal.  I won't go into details or name any names, but I will admit there are times that I read a post and think "wow, I'm not crazy at all.."  It's a confidence booster.  People might think a little less of me for telling the way I feel here, but I'm just being honest with you.

I too post the "help all" posts.  Something I've run across on accident or a link I've been given by someone else.  Recently I posted something I found about lipomas because a few weeks ago someone has posted a question about them.  If one person finds comfort in something I've posted, then I've done my job.

Anyway, if you just up and left I'd have no one left to pick on about Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives or the oh so manly C de T....lol....

[AnxiouSteve]

Anyway, if you just up and left I'd have no one left to pick on about Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives or the oh so manly C de T....lol....

In that case I simply must stay, if only to complain about the lack of an episode last week, or to exhult or denounce the quality of the writing in this weeks episode...

Hey!  Who voted 'yes'?  Explain yourself    (please)

[theunrealme]

ok, 300 times in 6 weeks,,,that's 50 posts a week and who knows how many actual hours that is, course you are reading past posts and that's time consuming as well................I would say that your using the site to help, help others as you suggested, but it's also a form of distraction, focusing on others and their problems takes us away from ourselves......hey , sometimes that's just what we need. Dont beat yourself up over it, but for me if I start reading stuff on here, all of a sudden a couple of days go by and I mysteriously get "pain in the back of the neck" that wasnt there before or some other thing that subconsiously probably affects me from reading into things too serioulsy......what other hobbies do you enjoy? I never knitted before this year and I can say when I get illogical thoughts I just start knitting or listening to joel osteen or something on my ipod while I knit. of course, I'm not saying go take up knitting, but if there's something you can do that you enjoy, do it and more often..........the whole object for most of us on here is to momentarily stop our insanity that breeds in our minds like uncontrollable weeds..........good luck, keep us posted:)         dianna

[AnxiouSteve]

ok, 300 times in 6 weeks,,,that's 50 posts a week and who knows how many actual hours that is, course you are reading past posts and that's time consuming as well................I would say that your using the site to help, help others as you suggested, but it's also a form of distraction, focusing on others and their problems takes us away from ourselves......

Yeah, it's definitely a form of distraction, too...  Not a very good one, as you're about to point out...

hey , sometimes that's just what we need. Dont beat yourself up over it, but for me if I start reading stuff on here, all of a sudden a couple of days go by and I mysteriously get "pain in the back of the neck" that wasnt there before or some other thing that subconsiously probably affects me from reading into things too serioulsy......

I've 'contracted' at least one 'symptom' of Health Anxiety.  I try to spend less time in the 'Hypochondria' topic, even though it is the most popular one here.

what other hobbies do you enjoy? I never knitted before this year and I can say when I get illogical thoughts I just start knitting or listening to joel osteen or something on my ipod while I knit. of course, I'm not saying go take up knitting, but if there's something you can do that you enjoy, do it and more often..........

This IS my main hobby.  Not necessarily only posting here, but also researching meds, their metabolism, mental health in general....  I also enjoy following politics, though not as much as during the election.  I watch movies and listen to music for 10 minutes for every 50 I spend on this site.

As soon as I talk to my insurance carrier about Gym Membership, then going to the gym will once again be a 'hobby' of mine.  I've been promising myself this for a while.

Also, I'm gonna get into meditation and/or yoga, as soon as I clear out the junk room....

the whole object for most of us on here is to momentarily stop our insanity that breeds in our minds like uncontrollable weeds..........good luck, keep us posted:)         dianna

Oh, don't worry about the posting 

[theunrealme]

meditation/yoga is outstanding! yet another form of relaxation that really helps:)

[Kayteecatt]

oh...I now have this mental image of Steve sitting in a rocking chair knitting a little sweater for his C de T while watching Desperate Housewives...now all you need is a pair of slipper socks to make it perfect.

[AnxiouSteve]

oh...I now have this mental image of Steve sitting in a rocking chair knitting a little sweater for his C de T while watching Desperate Housewives...now all you need is a pair of slipper socks to make it perfect.

Sheer nonsense...  it's a rotating way cool rotating sofa-chair