How can I talk to my best friend more. Sometimes I don’t know what to say. I go blank because of my illness. I feel people are watching me too. How can I learn to converse more?
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When i am with my friend he does most of the talking. I don’t have much to talk about other than my sza experience, mind control and things like that. Luckily he has a full life and a family so i just listen.
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What everyone loves and the world needs is good listeners. Listen with your eyes. Body language communicates more than words.
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Yes, I am incredibly quiet. One-on-one isn’t so bad, but any more people than that and I go silent. I hate when people feel the need to point it out to me. After meeting my ex-gf’s aunt and uncle her uncle told her she shouldn’t date me, said there must be something terribly wrong with me, because it’s not normal to be that quiet.
That is, unless I’ve gone over to the manic side, then I’m a chatterbox, won’t shut up. I haven’t been manic or hypomanic in years, though, not since i got back on a mood stabilizer in 2005.
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During my last stay the psych nurse encouraged me to socialize with the other patients. He saw I looked scared at the thought but he pointed out that I didn’t need to be the life of the party. Sometimes lending a good ear can say much more.
I love one on ones. Big groups I’ll shut down. Group therapy was hellish. But one thing that helps me is not to worry so much about it. Besides you learn more about people by listening and most people love talking about themselves and if you are asked what you’ve been up to don’t say nothing. Be honest. No matter how silly it may feel.
If it’s video games. Tell about your favorite games. If it’s reading. Tell about that. If it’s feeding the ducks. Tell about that.
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I’m generally the quiet type. I like to sit and watch what happens around me. Helps me figure out what’s going on. Some people are just talkers and some people aren’t. Nothing wrong with not always having something to say. However, if you want to talk a bit more - i guess you could look up topics of interest that you and your friend share, and then you’ll have something to talk about. I do this with my partner. We’re both interested in politics and economics, so i’ll look up the latest news on these topics so we have something to discuss while we’re together.
I’m the worst at this, sometimes I think my friends are very patient with my illness. I do ok talks at best depending on how I’m feeling. The only thing that helps me talk more is when my illness is not affecting me to badly or my mood is quite high (normally come together). I am quite stable at the moment and think there is just this level I will never get past to be able to feel free around other people, I guess I just do the best I could. Its a bummer.
I am usually silent yes, but when i talk i do it loud, especially on the phone
I don’t say much. I do to family, but I have known them a long time and I am pretty comfortable talking to them.
I have issues with dealing with new people. It really has prevented me living a full life, as I cannot seem to make new connections, and all my old ones have been gone for years.
That’s why I like coming here, as it gives me other people to talk to where I would have nobody without it.
I’m silent most of the time. I speak without thinking with my wife. But I have a hard time around new people. And I’m not that good making jokes and stuff like that, so I Kinda stick out in groups.
But I try and be more open, there’s nothing wrong with taking about yourself. Cant really talk about modelairplanes with anyone.
I can be both ways: a chatterbox, and someone who will listen closely.
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