I keep fish for therapy, and suggest it as such.

[Redearsunfish]

I have OCD, so most times the world spins around me with little control on my part. I won't go into the details, but I am fully functional and have a job and family. I'm sort of like a functional alcoholic. You wouldn't know it by looking at me or even knowing me, but rest assured I am truly sick as the disease is ruthless and omnipresent.

My fish tanks however are something I can control, and they provide me great relief. I can control the world I created in glass boxes, and I forget my struggles when I view them. It's the same thing with fishing for me, an escape.

Anyway, I just think this hobby can be great therapy to those of us suffering and battling with mental illness.

End public service announcement, and hopefully I haven't alienated myself!

Though I must admit, the hobby is insular to a degree for me, as I have so few "real life" people to talk fish with. Case in point a friend of my wife's husband happened to come by my place one night, and I discovered he kept fish - long story short - we talked fish for 2 hours like it was two minutes... Most times I chew the ears of local LFS employees, though those conversations don't go on to long. I look back fondly on my days growing up, as I had good friends that were in the hobby - I think back often on those summer bicycle trips to the pet shop I and entire days spent talking fish.

 

[muffywrx]

Wow, you are courageous for putting this out here and I commend you!! I'm happy you found a healthy habit to assist in your struggle.

I suspect I have a lot of pets for a similar reason, to relieve stress, but I am not OCD. I sometimes think I am bipolar and have had eating disorder to the extreme, but I am okay now. Putting my obsession into something healthy helps.

 

[sharkfan13]

I'm in college, and although it's not a mental illness, I get so stressed sometimes that I just come home and stare at my tank. It's a huge stress reliever. I'm also a psychology major, and we've found that a lot of people with mental illness keep fish and/or other pets because of the therapeutic effect. It's great you've found something that helps Have you tried looking on here for people who keep fish in your area?

 

[frnchjeep]

I think our fish tanks are therapeutic to us all in our own way. Don't think you have alienated yourself. We can all relate to how your tanks make you feel with or without the illness. When I've had a bad day, I come home, grab a beer, and plop down in front of a tank and can sit there for hours.

You're lucky to have found someone in the hobby you can talk to, but who's your wife's husband? JK, I know what you mean. I don't have any friends in the hobby, so everyone I know thinks I'm a weirdo anyway.

Happy fishkeeping.

 

[frnchjeep]

Double post.

 

[Szar]

Tanks sure are a good relaxant. A few minutes easily becomes a hour.

 

[gomezladdams]

"There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness." Author: Dave Barry

Having 42 aquariums at present Id imagine most view me as eccentric at least. Dont care much. If I didnt have that to divert my attention Id hate to think what I might be up to.

 

[dayak]

What is OCD I'm sorry for my ignorance

 

[gogger]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Get obsessed on certain things and then certain reactions become compulsive. Like washing hands over and over.

 

[fishghost]

I understand what you mean. My blood pressure dropped to normal range once I got my 1st tank.