Dear randyg:

I think it is wise for you to be selective as to whom you associate with, online and in person. Always stay away from abusive people, online and otherwise.

My policy here, on this website, is if a member posting is clearly disrespectful (same as abusive, to one degree or another) toward me, I state so to the person and no longer interact with that person. I will address a member who is clearly disrespectful/ abusive to anyone on this site.

Protect yourself, here and everywhere else.

When you read a member’s story and you become overwhelmed, you may choose to stop reading, take a break, come back to the story later- or not. There is no requirement that you read any story (thread). You choose.

There is no requirement that you post a comment on anyone’s thread. Many members never post and only read others’ posts. Many members sign in and disappear, most do. Some return occasionally. Only a few post regularly.

I like your aim to live a better life, a more productive life.

“Is this the place for me?”- I say, for now, it is. This evening. Tomorrow. Re-evaluate later.

Regarding thoughts and feelings/ emotions (I use the two interchangeably)- these two are very much connected via neuropathways in the brain, they cross each other all the time, so a thought brings about an emotion and emotions bring about thoughts. Anxiety (excess, ongoing fear) brings about over-thinking, aiming at scanning for a problem in order to logically solve it, and so resolve the distress, the anxiety.

What is the relationship between your heightened sensitivity and anxiety, do you think?

anita