Psychological Profile

[Huckleman2000]

You're right. It was fashionable for a while to be neurotic. It's still kind of hip, but I don't think it's so fashionable any more.

I was really curious about this though. A lot of us Literotica regulars are online at just about any time during a 24 hour period, which suggests to me that a lot of us don't hold down steady jobs. (I'm aware that there are home makers m & f who can jump online during the day, and homemaking is a full time job in my opinion, so they're exempt) That suggests to me that a lot of us are 'damaged' in one sense or another.

Of course, some of us might just be wealthy or retired or students or whatever. But I was really interested in knowing how many of us are mentally ill, or impaired, or affectively challenged, or whatever you want to call it.

If that's offensive to some, I apologize, because I'd be the last teapot to call the kettle black. I joke about my illness, but it's really fucked me over big time, a fact that still astonishes me. I mean, I don't feel crazy, and I have a very hard time accepting that my depression is really that serious. Apparently it is though. I just wanted to know how many people are in the same or similar boats.

I didn't mean to direct that at you or anyone in particular, Dr. M. I try to joke about my illness as well, at least online, but mostly I try to hide it in RL. I went through a phase at first where I thought I would be open about it, and talked with my friends and coworkers about it. Now, I only talk about it with others who are also depressed or whatever. We compare notes about meds, and joke about weird dreams and odd things we do.

But even the most empathetic "normal" is going to get weirded out sometimes, so I just avoid the subject.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Any opinions on whether or not it makes for better/deeper/stronger art?

Not being prone to depression, I can't comment on whether that makes better art, but I do know from anxiety.

Writing is one of the only things that calms me down and makes sense. Of course it's an escape. It's the only place I control everything and have nothing to be anxious about.

Unless I get anxious about writing... but... that's just me

I think my social anxiety has made me more of an "observer" than a "particpant" in a lot of life. I watch and I learn. Then I write about what I know.

So yes... the SAD has made me a better writer because I'm constantly watching from the outside.