u/ghost-memories

I’m on my 5th of 18 weekly sessions to treat my treatment-resistant depression. I also have CPTSD.

The first week was emotional. I cried a lot. The second week was much better and I was more productive. I even went to the gym for the first time in over a year.

But for some reason, the 3rd and 4th weeks, I just tanked hard. I've felt numb and uninterested in talking with my friends. I've had the committee group chat muted for two weeks now. I haven't gone to the gym. I just don't want to go anywhere or do anything.

I did daily journaling for the first 3 weeks but this week, I just couldn't bring myself to write about how I truly feel.

This doesn't feel like depression to me. It feels like my brain is rebooting but something went wrong and I'm just stuck in the middle of the reboot. They assured me this is normal to be "emotionally flatlining" but they didn't really suggest anything I could do to get out of this funk.

I understand that my brain is rewiring but does this improve over time? I don't want to feel like this long-term.

Has anyone experienced doctors refusing to prescribe HRT, so you went through an online provider instead to see if you felt better on it and then your doctor eventually agreed to prescribe it after seeing that you were doing better?

I've (44) been going in circles with my primary care doctor and several referrals to different Ob-Gyns for the past 3 years and no one will prescribe HRT because I still have periods every month. They've dismissed my symptoms, including depression, anxiety, weight gain, bloating/constipation, brain fog, lack of energy and night sweats. I was even referred to a psychiatrist for my depression and anxiety and was on medication for more than a year but it didn't help.

I was pretty much fed up after my recent visit. The Ob-Gyn lady refused to listen to me and basically told me to be more active and eat right. Like, lady, I am! So, last night, I decided to sign up with Musely for their estrogen cream (estriol 0.4%, estradiol 0.1% and progesterone 20%). I know I'll need to inform my doctor that I'm using it. I'm wondering if that might change her mind and make her more willing to prescribe HRT. Getting a prescription through her would be cheaper than paying the monthly fee ($46) for the cream every 2 months.

We welcome all ASL levels to come learn, connect and experience a variety of communication styles. If you enjoy outdoor activities, meeting new people and exploring nature, come join us!

We often gather after hikes to eat lunch, relax and kick back.

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Happy Friday, y'all!

I can hardly wait for August to come so I can finally decompress and embrace the last month of summer. I have a workshop from 9 AM to noon tomorrow then I might do some solo forest bathing on Sunday morning.

I didn't feel like I really got a chance to savor summer in June and July because of my second job as a performing arts interpreter for the summer concerts, which will end next week. I didn't realize how consuming it would be.

Basically, I receive a set list of 30-35 songs every week and I have to translate them into American Sign Language (ASL) while creatively adapting the songs for the Deaf audience. It usually takes me about 2-3 hours after work each day, plus an additional hour-long Zoom session with other interpreters where we share feedback, discuss our interpretations and collaborate on our creative process. Then the cycle repeats every week with a new set list.

Now I realize how quickly time passes in the blink of an eye. It made me realize how essential it is to embrace a slower life to truly enjoy the moments instead of constantly rushing through them and missing what's right in front of us.

So, how has your summer been? What have you learned? Have you gained any new insights or perspectives?

I need advice on how to handle this situation moving forward because I'm feeling a bit at a loss.

About six months ago, I was encouraged to become a Deaf interpreter. I interviewed and was hired and since March I've been training under a mentor who is also a Deaf interpreter (not certified) with over ten years of experience. I just had my first official assignment last week.

Before the assignment, I told her I invited my bestie to the concert to watch me interpret ASL songs. She scolded me and said I wasn't supposed to share assignment details. This confused me because the concert was public, community-based and I was excited to have someone I trust see my work. Still, I acknowledged it, apologized and said I wouldn't do it again. She added that if my friend attended, she couldn't interact with me at all. No acknowledgment, no greeting, no hugs, nothing while I was on the clock.

My bestie ended up not coming. During the first half, my mentor and I alternated songs. During the break, I returned to the stage with the team to plan the second half but my mentor was nowhere to be found. We eventually saw her socializing with Deaf people in the crowd. That stood out to me, considering what she had told me earlier about not interacting with people I know.

The second half started and she still hadn't returned, so I continued interpreting alone. After several songs, she came back but with a friend and stood behind the hearing interpreters, chatting. I could clearly see them. She was speaking negatively about the company we work for, visibly signing our manager’s name and talking about her in a bad light and expressing her negative views about Deaf interpreters in front of the Deaf audience.

She didn't check in about switching or supporting the workflow. After the minute break between songs, I finally got her attention and said, "Hey, you're supposed to be working! Please switch!" That's when tension started between us.

After the concert, I wrapped up with the hearing interpreters. I didn't approach my mentor because she was engaged in conversation with her friends, so I left.

The next day, she bombarded me with texts about professionalism and ethics, saying it was inappropriate for me to speak to her that way in front of others and that I should have spoken to her in private. I chose not to respond over text. Instead, I emailed her to express my concerns professionally, including the double standard and what I witnessed her talking about the company we work for.

The following morning, I received notifications that my mentorship sessions were canceled until further notice. She also sent a short email saying she needed to step back and reconsider our professional relationship, then claimed that I "personally criticized" her and advised me to use the "Demand Control Schema" next time. I was never actually trained on DCS, only given superficial scenarios about working with Deaf individuals, not the interpreters.

It feels like she used professional vocabulary to deflect accountability rather than address what actually happened.

I'm not going to follow up with her anytime soon but I'd like to know what I should do if I ever encounter this situation again with a different Deaf interpreter or my mentor?

After a disc golf round, I (43) was at lunch with a group of men (40s-50s), including my brother (53). I spoke to my brother about something that happened at Target. I go there every Friday to browse books, it's been my routine for years. One day, a male employee approached me. I thought he was just offering help, so I politely declined. He basically said he sees me there every Friday like clockwork.

That immediately made me uncomfortable. I pulled back, checked my watch, and said I needed to go. I was annoyed because it was my routine and my space, and he ruined it just like that. I haven’t gone back since.

When I shared this, none of the men reacted until one asked why I felt uncomfortable. I said, "Because of safety. Who knows, he could be a stalker. I don't like the feeling of being watched." That's when they all pushed back, insisting he wasn't a stalker.

They dismissed my feelings and my sense of safety. No matter how much I explained that it's absolutely not okay for men to approach women in public and say things like seeing us like clockwork, which I found creepy as fuck, they said it wasn't creepy. Maybe he was a friendly man who tried to make a conversation.

Many of them have wives and daughters, yet still don’t seem to understand the risks women face every day.