Just happened on Saturday. Hadn't seen her since 1989! We got caught up as best we could in about 15 min. We both realized we were miles from where we were in '89 and a lot happier. And we both lived in the same town now.

Just one.

When I was first diagnosed as Bipolar when I ran into old friends I would fill them in on it. Thought that by telling people they would realize it can happen to anyone.

But after seeing so many people just pull back after I share that info I never bring up.

I can be in my worst depression and I will lie and say how great my life is. Most people can't handle the truth.

I enjoy telling people I had cancer to see the shock on thier faces. Then I imagine I said "bipolar" instead. It doesn't work.

I can't stand the sight of the ones I 'catch' in this way.
Always tsalking about how great they are doing.
Yet....I can see they ain't.
I tell them about my illness and their hand becomes a wet fish handshake.This 'outpouring' of fake sympathy empathy bullshit too.

Met an old 'friend' told him what had happened and he said you seem ok to me no diff. By end of evening realised the past is a foreign country they do things diff there. Never look or go back

My family came from a foreign country.I never been back.
Except once.

Oh Damn !! I fucked it up !!

I hate hate hate dealing with these kind of scenario. So i take the gumps way out... When its someone I just cant stand seeing again, I skip down another aisle, turn and walk anotherway and pretend I didnt see or hear them whatever works.
Some are very persitant and pesky. So when I cant get away, I tell them I am recovering from some disease like EBOLA or something... I ts fun to mess with people..

Awwww, shit yeah - one day shopping at Target! Kicked myself after for stopping and talking longer than wanted and sharing too much. Weird thing??? After not talking to her for years except for myspace here and there, come to find out she lives a block away!!! She says she never remembered where I lived after being here a few times before. Whatever.

If I see people that I knew years ago I generally try to avoid them. Te past is gone and I have no desire to have the fake my life is great conversation...

All my old friends are either dead or in Prison. If the answer was being a trainee in McDonalds that would be an improvement from what any of these asses do.

Yep, that happens every once in a while. I really only keep in touch with 2 friends from high school now, both of whom have been diagnosed with mental illnesses ;) We just understand one another better, LOL! I have erased all lofty expectations to live up to some phony level of "success" by standards of normalcy & I find that eases a lot of pressure. Who decides what the hell success is anyway? Life is just more fun when you stop comparing yourself to others in my opinion.

shortly after my break down, i refused to go to wal-mart. i had a phobia that everyone was looking at me. i also HATED to see someone i knew. sucks.

has happened quite a lot. i got really good grades in school and stuff and everyone expected me to make something of myself, hey i did too. see people and they say what u doing now....errm nothing. they look at you like you are such a failure and i know i am, but i really don't want people to put the boot in about it. i try to avoid them at all costs....run quickly in the other direction!

I ran into an old client of mine. She told me that my therapy with her changed her life. I was so embarrassed to tell her how hard I had fallen, couldn't think what to say, so I lied and said all was well I was teaching now. Bowed away slowly.