Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the suffering of all the people in this forum

[noname223]

So many people are in huge pain in this forum. There are two dangers for me. Either becoming too desensitized to it or to suffer way too much because of it.
It is for me difficult. I try to keep a certain distance to the members of this forum. Not making a close bond to certain members which is really difficult because I like many people in this forum. Though in my clinc stays I have met a dude who was a mental wreck because his gf ctb 20 years ago. This has shown me that something like that can traumatize you.

But behind the profiles and words of the members of this forum there are true sentient human beings. I would like to be a better help for them. But I am quite busy with handling my own shit. I don't have much time or energy to help others. Sometimes the stories are also too sad for me. I ignore some threads due to that. If I wanted to make a competent advice I should spend some time for learning about the details. I still give advices when I consider them as helpful. But I am often also scared to make the situation even worse.

Do you know this feeling? How do you handle it?

I always hope people can get distraction through my threads in order to cope with their pain. Moreover I hope some feel comforted because they see that they are not alone with their desperation.

 

[FuneralCry]

It seems as though in a life like this there is no way to escape suffering. It is sad how so much pain exists, but that is just the way that life is. Life is very cruel and unfair after all. I think that the option of euthanasia should be available for us all and people should have the choice to be able to exit peacefully. I think that is what would make life more bearable for many people, just having the option to leave.

 

[Pluto]

The best thing you can do is focus on your own wellbeing first and foremost. There's no pulling others ashore if you are yourself drowning.

 

[Sibyl Vane]

Unfortunately, there's a huge amount of pain all over the world. This forum is only a tiny glimpse of it. In my case, I seem to lack the ability to elaborate comforting words, I believe it comes from my ineptitude in expressing my own feelings, but I also try my best when I can.

 

[Lost Magic]

I know what you mean. I don't want to get to know people on a personal level either because I don't want to get too emotionally involved. It really all boils down to how much you can pain you can handle. Only you can answer that question.

 

[Callie Arcale]

There is such a lot of pain in this forum and in the world, it's a wonder the Earth doesn't suddenly implode under the sheer weight of it all…

 

[chloramine]

There are definitely times when my headspace can make me more vulnerable to that and I might need to step back. It's okay to not be able to do anything. I think most or all of us know what it's like to read a post and want to be able to do something, but lack the words, knowledge, energy, whatever. It's necessary for you to take care of yourself first. None of us would want you to burn yourself out trying to do things you aren't up for

 

[hellispink]

Sometimes it becomes too much. I feel lost and I don't even know where I am standing, and sometimes I get very overwhelmed by this too.

 

[DreamSurfer]

Being a major empath I can relate to this. When I had a therapist, I was warned about exposing myself to anything involved with people in negative situations due to me absorbing what I perceived as some of their suffering.

I am a man that was raised in an environment amongst other men that have been taught that crying is a weakness. I have been a lurker here only only recently began posting here. But I can honestly say that I have actually shed tears reading past CTB posting and having been a part of some recent CTB posts as they went on.

I got so involved in the the posts mentally wishing I could somehow stop a random strangers pain, that when reality hits that I can't, it gets hard. I remind myself that I have no power to help, and don't have the right to try and impose unwelcome discussions to help them try and reconsider so they can maybe find a solution to help them out.

I hate to see people suffering and don't want to see people CTB in hopes that their life conditions may change in the future and they could live on and maybe help others out a long the way.

The weirdest part about saying all of this, is that I am hopefully approaching my own time to CTB in the next 2 months.

Sometimes maybe I(we) may have to take a small mental break, away from this site to recoup some mental energy to come back and read more. And to have strength to be one more person that someone can see in their CTB thread so they don't feel so alone. Sorry for the long post!

 

[picklemick]

I'm a new member. It's comforting yet unsettling to see like minded people. I don't want anyone to feel pain.