How Many People Aren't Functioning?

[twopenny]

I'd say that 'functioning' means different things to different people.

If you'd define yourself as not functioning, then you're not functioning.

In societal terms, I guess functioning would be being able to make a living, to do all the normal day to day stuff, to deal with the things that life generally throws at you without going into uber-meltdown. That'd be my definition, or at least my idea of what society expects. (Though I have half a feeling that society actually expects a lot more.)

 

[cdg]

Any definition of not functioning would apply to this thread. It doesn't have to be specific. My motivation is to get examples of different situations and how they either cope with it or overcome it.

 

[Britt.f7]

I think you can work and still not function in other areas of your life. I think not functioning is not being able to do the things you once were able to do.

 

[tired of the fight]

Solara,

Not to me its not. Functioning to me is doing the best I can everyday. Getting up, taking care of my kids, somedays
cleaning is difficult, It just depends on the day. I feel like at times I'm literallly plowing through

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Well....

Am I functioning on a personal care level? Yes, I am eating well (for the most part), taking care of myself, sleeping, grooming, etc.

Am I functioning on a social level. In a word, no. I can interact with society (doctors, therapists, shopping, etc), but I don't have any close friends.

Am I functioning in an educational sense? Yes, I am taking classes and doing well, with the assistance of the disabilities department on campus.

Am I functioning in a career sense? No, I'm not able to work...nor will I even be able to test this one out for another year or two.

 

[Abstract]

I like the listing idea.

In the past I have been almost catatonic and others times unable to leave the flat as a result of being a total gibbering wreck.
I also did not function in the following ways:

• Relationships not functional. Many relationships but not able to stay away from abusive or unhealthy people and relationships or leave them.
• Unable to nourish myself or give myself fluids and have basic levels of self care or clothe myself appropriotely. Long term bad eating disorders and body dysmorphia etc.
• Unable to have boundaries for myself.
• Unable to have awareness of what was happening to me on a day to day basis - both symptoms or when bad things happened.
• Unable to control dissociation enough to be safe - walked into traffic, left pots on stove all day, doors open or unlocked and lost keys, accidentally ended up in dangerous areas or zoned out when I was not with others to keep me safe. Daily lack of awareness of things that upset me and therefore unable to self protect.
• Unable to ask for help.
• Social: socially inept and terrified of people.

Now:

• Work partly functional: able to work part time as a result of reorganising my life and removing stressful parts of job and working for self.
• Safety fairly functional: Able to stay away from unhealthy relationships or get away from them relatively early or self protect mostly.
• Sleep: totally non functional, chaotic and life and work affecting.
• Basic self care partly functional: nutrition etc excellent but some other things shamefully non functional.
• Anxiety and startle response: improved.
• Dissociation partly functional: improved in many areas and am self aware mostly. Other areas terrible and feel insane.
• Social :wacky:: Socially skilled but easily overwhelmed and terrified of intimacy. Unable to trust. Terribly isolated.
• Inner thoughts: non functional and feel insane. Although I have improved absolutely enormously in acceptance and in some areas.
• Self awareness: Very functional.
• Therapy: Not functional and unable at present.
• Asking for help: fairly functional and hugely improved.

 

[cdg]

Like today.. I woke up shaking. Uncontrollably. How can I perform at a job when this happens? Hell on earth. My dreams are terrible also. Just tough all around.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Ok so I'd like to change my answer. Functioning is nada at this point. Does it even count when one day you can be ok and the next you can't even get out of bed? Me thinks not---it makes a job impossible, relationships impossible, etc.

 

[Everhopeful]

Everhopeful - What made you write that, or your husband think that?
Drew

Sorry, Drew, I access this website on and off, hence late reply. My husband was born to a woman who was an opiate addict. She used morphine, pethadine and injected heroin. She persisted with her drug use throughout her pregnancy with him. He was born with opiate addiction and had to be in hospital for a week for withdrawal treatment. He has lifelong opioid deficiency because of it and is asthmatic and has learning disorders.

He also became a heroin addict in his late twenties. His mother never failed to remind him how much she hated him and preferred his older brother. He thinks that he may have been an accident, caused by her sleeping with another man. I know he wouldn't really recall things from the neonate, infant stage, but he certainly recalls a childhood of emotional abuse and neglect, in large part due to his mother (parents divorced).

She sent him off to reformatory schools where he was raped by other boys, and his mother refused to believe him. His father on the other hand, was noticeable by his complete absence during my husbands traumatic childhood. I know this all sounds too bad to be real but seeing my husband's extent of Complex PTSD, I believe it.