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What Compelled You To Choose Your Particular Avatar?

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It's a picture of a founder's cabin in Iowa. Back in the late 1800s, my great grandfather hauled a log off his property to donate for this cabin as a meeting place for the town of Livermore. For me, my great grandfather represents my safe place to 'fall'...even though he was gone way before my time. He is the daddy I wish I would have had.
 
My avatar is my bearded dragon, Herman. He came to me from our veterinarian as a rescue she had saved his life but needed a good home to help him finish getting better. The two homes he had been neglected and abused him and he was confiscated. When I got him he had a dent on one side of his head, blind in one eye, was dark green and about 100 grams underweight.

I'm happy to report that while still half blind he now has a much less prominent dent, is up to weight and is a beautiful sandy brown color. His kidneys are permanently damaged and he takes daily meds for it but is full of spunk and loves to cuddle up to my neck. I swear sometimes I catch him smiling.
 
FIRST REASON: I had what I came to recognize as a negative icon/username on another forum; How I feel and react to my being a supporter starts with me and looking at how I contribute to the situation.

SECOND REASON: At a time when I was much more active here several years ago, there seemed to be quite a lot of animosity on the forum. Verbal attacks between sufferers and supporters. Anger at frank, but well meaning responses. A lot of discord.

Also, and I still feel this, that people have trouble seeing things other than from their own view. For example, when someone tells someone who is depressed to "get over it" or to forgive an abuser. It is hard for many to walk in another persons shoes, so to speak. Or to understand that someone else may not have the ability to act or respond in the same way that that you or I think they should.

We all come from different backgrounds, have different abilities, including coping skills. We all should work to help one another, including on this forum.
 
Security and inner peace are the two things I truly lack and long for, the most. And I don't mean security with a partner or others. But to feel this security within myself and having inner peace right in the moment surely is a desirable goal of mine. (I'm not sure if my words make sense, as my English really sucks today). So, when I saw this picture of that peacefully sleeping kitten, it filled my heart with warmth and gave me a clue of what security and inner peace might be.

But I'm not sure, if this avatar stays with me. As I change them from time to time according to my feelings, thoughts or goals..
 
Mine is the character Death from the Sandman novels by Neil Gaiman. She's an empowering figure- kind, fun, curious, generous, wise. She is Dream's big sister and the person he turns to for advice. I chose it because I wanted to aim to be like her, plus I love the drawing. I've also come to realise, since choosing her, that I have a complicated relationship with death in reality, and perhaps that influenced my choosing of her. I've no desire to change her. I can't think of a better representation of me.
 
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