Does anyone else find the Mental Health section a bit ironic?

Question

Most of us are in here because of our own problems. We read other's questions, and have reasonable answers for them.

How can we help others and give others advice that we cannot take ourselves? How can we know the solutions to various problems and not be able to implement them in our own lives?

It's super easy for me to tell someone on Y!A that they are important, that their feelings matter, and yet I still continue to beat myself down into the ground.

Anyone out there think this is highly ironic? Any thoughts on how in the world we can help ourselves? Does it make you feel better to help others, wishing someone could really help you?

Answer 1

What I think is ironic is that the people on the mental health boards often seem a lot more sane and civil to each other than they do on many other boards. The parenting boards, for example, are filled with pedophiles, people with creepy fetishes, and bitterness!

Answer 2

I think Oscar Wilde was right when he said that "The best thing to do with good advice is to pass it on".

It's much easier to give advice than take it.

Answer 3

Why do you think that we don't take the advice of our therapists and others who want us to grow up and function as well as possible in the real world?  If you don't, you still need to do your homework, right?  A clue is that you want others to help you, when in reality it's within us to fix our self-image.  If you rely on others to play back what you want to hear, you're setting yourself up for heartbreak every time you get negative feedback.

Answer 4

Not really.  It is easier to "take care of others" than to "take care of ourselves."

Think about all the people in the helping professions who work everyday to help others.  Most of them have problems too.

It is easier for a couple reasons:

1) It is much more difficult to look at ourselves and in ourselves and find our faults.  It is easier for other people to see our faults.

2) By nature, humans are driven to help others.  Yes, there might be some cynical people who say "everyone is out for themselves," but the truth is, that throughout history people have worked to help others.  And in cases sacrificed themselves for others.  It is part of being human.

I don't find it ironic at all.  

Answer 5

I know what you mean, i often think that. Though i find it helps me to help others. even if i can't take my own advice it distracts me and makes me feel good inside for awhile. you could be right about wanting to be helped deep down though.