but as an exercise in helping us all feel more normal as we realise that we do actually share a pattern of experience with others - very useful. One of THE major virtues of this board lies in the fact that it proves that we are not alone in what we are struggling with. But as we spend more time here, the idea can reemerge that our particular history is unique - so we can't actually learn from other's experience, and even more perniciously, our experience will be of no value to others. This exercise may help avoid that belief becoming a barrier to someone's involvement on this board.