[Chat] Stuck in the middle?
There are many times when we seek out support when we're feeling down, and there are other times when we feel we don't need support because we're happy. Other times we're stuck in the middle
The middle can indeed be a very confusing place, and for a lot of our members here it is something very familiar. After learning how to cope through bad times, there may be times when you're not necessarily happy, but you're also not as sad as you have felt before. So what does it mean when you're in the middle?
We want to hear your ideas and thoughts about strategies and ways to cope when feeling in 'the middle'. So Join us on Monday night next week (the 7th of March) so we can all have a chat about how you cope with 'the middle'.
Here's when its on in your state 
@FootyFan26 "crossing the middle line" is a cool way of putting it! I think there are a lot of people who sometimes worry about the possibility of the middle turning into the bad
Flat, yeah that's another word I would use. Not exact void, but flat (as if happy was up and sad was down you're neither, just flat)
Hey @safari93! I like that you called it an in between phase, it can be easy to get caught up in how frustrating it is and you can forget that it's just part of a transition
Hi everyone, welcome to tonight's Getting Real session! For today's chat we're going to be talking about those times where you're not really down, you're not really happy but you're hanging out somewhere in the middle.
Before we start, make sure you've had a little look at our community guidelines and keep them in mind. If there's any point where what we're talking about become distressing for you, I encourage you to use our emergency help resources.
Let's get this show on the road!
What does feeling like you’re in the middle mean to you?
What does feeling like you’re in the middle mean to you?
I think this will be different for everyone. Being in the middle to me is usually not knowing whether things will get better or worse. It's kinda like a see-saw but you're standing on one foot in the middle and one ends a puddle of mus and the other end has a bowl of ice cream but you aren't allowed to choose which side you fall on.
In terms of feeling 'normal' like nothing's wrong I mainly feel that when I'm too distracted to think about how I feel. For me it mostly occurs after a good day where I start going downhill but I don't know if I'm gonna fall all the way down or not.
So sometimes the middle feeling can be accompanied by a kind of fear? Because we're worried about relapsing, or that it won't last?
I see it more as apprehension because I don't want to cross to the 'dark side' but I know it's highly probably.
@FootyFan26 I know how you feel with not wanting to cross to the darker areas. I've had days where I can be incredibly positive and the next, I could be feeling completely down in the dumps. Sometimes it is nice to be in the middle because it feels a lot like the calm before a storm.
Is being in the middle frustrating for you? How might you feel more positive about the middle?
The middle is frustrating for me because a lot the time it turns into something worse rather than something better. I could feel more positive by changing my outlook in general and by also taking steps to turn around and try to get the ice cream and not the mud.
@RevzZSo yes it's the calm before the storm but I tend to think to the storm not the present but it's definitely a good way to look at it.
Can't wait!
What does feeling like you're in the middle mean to you?
To me, it's like between stuck between two or more things. Like being on the fence because you can't make a decision or you're just in the middle point of both arguments. I think being in the middle, argument wise (fence sitting) is a good thing, you need a fence sitter to have that clear view of both sides, each sides good and bad points.
Then, in the context of the chat which I just read, I usually am trying to feel happy, but not quite there. So I'm not really down, but I'm not exactly happy, it's more a facade. Or it's the middle ground is like a void. You're not happy, but you're not sad. It's not a bad void of emotion, it's just a state of emotional mind at that time. You might not have energy or whatever reason to be happy or sad.
And then there's being a middle child! Which I have first hand experience at 😛 If only my glasses weren't a little bit smudged I'd be so much happier 😛
What does feeling like you’re in the middle mean to you?
It's mostly a good thing. It can be the absence of symptoms, just getting through your day and dealing with stuff that used to be pretty hard because of symptoms but now aint no thang. The middle for me particularly means just day to day life stuff that you just do without even thinking about it and then you reflect on it and realise something along the lines of "holy shit, i couldn't do that 5 years ago".
@Ben-RO putting it i the context of the bad times is really interesting, cerrtainly makes it seem a lot more positive!
Greetings @N1ghtW1ng
Suhdude @FootyFan26
Oh hi @redhead!
It's interesting that we have a few different definitions!
Maybe the middle is super different for all of us because of how varied lived experience of mental illness is. Hmmmmmm
My thinking face RN
