The Psychology of Reefing, Part 2 , "The therapeutic effect"

[Flippers4pups]

Great write up. Thank you.
I suffer from PTSD. My symptoms are minor compared to some of my brothers and sisters, but it does cause me a great deal of anxiety. I can’t sit still. I always have to be doing something. It’s not something that I choose. I just cannot stop. I wish I could sometimes, but it is what it is. For me, the therapeutic benefits are not so much about sitting and admiring the tank. Although that is a big part of it. For me, it is the constant challenge and the quest for improving the system and the environment that keeps my mind occupied. Given that reefs thrive on stability, at one point I was thinking that this hobby may not be for me. Recent successes have changed my mind and now I am feeling very confident that this may be the medicine that I need.

Glad you enjoyed the article! Your not alone by a long shot, many feel the same as you do!

Happy Reefing!

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

This is so true! Literally my office tank has saved me from just walking out due to the pressure and stress of this project I am currently working on. Thanks!

 

[Flippers4pups]

This is so true! Literally my office tank has saved me from just walking out due to the pressure and stress of this project I am currently working on. Thanks!

Awesome!

 

[Victor_C3]

I am rated totally and permanently disabled by the VA as a result of my PTSD. I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq in 2004-2005, and in the years since I’ve dealt with several suicide attempts, numerous hospitalizations, alcoholism, etcetera. I haven’t been able to work in nearly 6 years as a result.

I wouldn’t say that reefing has saved my life, but it certainly has provided an immense amount of enrichment to my life. Before entering the Army, I earned a degree in chemistry and, after leaving the military, I worked for a number of years as a chemist for the federal government. I loved my job and working in the field of science. I loved the technical and nerdy aspects of the job and that certainly extended to my hobbies as well.

One of my counselors in the past asked me a question that I had s very hard time answering for years - “what does a life worth living look like”? To me, a life worth living means that I have a hobby and something that gives me enjoyment in life (among other things). Reefkeeping has become that hobby for me. Finally, daydreaming, researching, and planning my next system certainly beats sitting around and letting the various not-so-good thoughts flood my mind.

Reefkeeping gives me something to look forward to and something to get excited about. It gives me long term goals and gives me something I can be proud of. With not being able to work, I’ve lost a tremendous amount of self esteem and a large piece of my identity. I can point to a failures all over my life, be it job losses, family issues, regret and remorse over my actions as an Infantry Platoon Leader and successes seem few and far between. Reef keeping, however small a success it might be, provides me something to be proud of.

 

[austibella]

I really enjoyed your article. I have to say, I go get my very long tweezers so I can get to the bottom of the tank to turn over some snails, and next thing I know its 4 hours later. blowing off the rocks with a pump, cleaning the glass or just anything that need to be cleaned in the tank. point is as I am saving snails, getting rid of aiptasia on a coral or whatever I am doing to help my tank it was actually was helping me when I had cancer. saving anything in my tank and making it beautiful and keeping everyone alive, kept me alive and to have the strength to go for treatments everyday. when you are fighting for your life, I can not tell you the pleasure it is to save the life of even a snail. when I would turn them over to live another day because he was helpless to turn over himself. I guess it was a reflection of me being helpless and couldn't get better without the help of the cancer institute. one good deed in life reacts to doing a good deed..... I love my 180 tank I spend hours watching it as I lay down on my couch and just fall asleep, or on the other side eating at the dinning room table and watch the other side. it's beautiful and peaceful. and in this stressful life we are all living in these days. its nice to come home to a stress free environment. now I wish I could get a 350 gal tank because my fish are getting really big and corals are growing well and of course I want more coral. L.O.L.

 

[austibella]

I am rated totally and permanently disabled by the VA as a result of my PTSD. I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq in 2004-2005, and in the years since I’ve dealt with several suicide attempts, numerous hospitalizations, alcoholism, etcetera. I haven’t been able to work in nearly 6 years as a result.

I wouldn’t say that reefing has saved my life, but it certainly has provided an immense amount of enrichment to my life. Before entering the Army, I earned a degree in chemistry and, after leaving the military, I worked for a number of years as a chemist for the federal government. I loved my job and working in the field of science. I loved the technical and nerdy aspects of the job and that certainly extended to my hobbies as well.

One of my counselors in the past asked me a question that I had s very hard time answering for years - “what does a life worth living look like”? To me, a life worth living means that I have a hobby and something that gives me enjoyment in life (among other things). Reefkeeping has become that hobby for me. Finally, daydreaming, researching, and planning my next system certainly beats sitting around and letting the various not-so-good thoughts flood my mind.

Reefkeeping gives me something to look forward to and something to get excited about. It gives me long term goals and gives me something I can be proud of. With not being able to work, I’ve lost a tremendous amount of self esteem and a large piece of my identity. I can point to a failures all over my life, be it job losses, family issues, regret and remorse over my actions as an Infantry Platoon Leader and successes seem few and far between. Reef keeping, however small a success it might be, provides me something to be proud of.

Thank you for you service for our country, and your thoughts are well said. it's all about Hope. without hope there is nothing. I can identify with your thoughts on goals with reef keeping , research, daydreaming, videos on new equipment new fish etc.. Reefing gave me hope, and kept my brain positive when I had cancer. instead of me thinking about dyeing I was focus on my tank to keep everything alive...and I got through it , just like you.. one day at a time...… Happy Reefing.......

 

[Flippers4pups]

I am rated totally and permanently disabled by the VA as a result of my PTSD. I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq in 2004-2005, and in the years since I’ve dealt with several suicide attempts, numerous hospitalizations, alcoholism, etcetera. I haven’t been able to work in nearly 6 years as a result.

I wouldn’t say that reefing has saved my life, but it certainly has provided an immense amount of enrichment to my life. Before entering the Army, I earned a degree in chemistry and, after leaving the military, I worked for a number of years as a chemist for the federal government. I loved my job and working in the field of science. I loved the technical and nerdy aspects of the job and that certainly extended to my hobbies as well.

One of my counselors in the past asked me a question that I had s very hard time answering for years - “what does a life worth living look like”? To me, a life worth living means that I have a hobby and something that gives me enjoyment in life (among other things). Reefkeeping has become that hobby for me. Finally, daydreaming, researching, and planning my next system certainly beats sitting around and letting the various not-so-good thoughts flood my mind.

Reefkeeping gives me something to look forward to and something to get excited about. It gives me long term goals and gives me something I can be proud of. With not being able to work, I’ve lost a tremendous amount of self esteem and a large piece of my identity. I can point to a failures all over my life, be it job losses, family issues, regret and remorse over my actions as an Infantry Platoon Leader and successes seem few and far between. Reef keeping, however small a success it might be, provides me something to be proud of.

I'm glad you liked the article! Yes the hobby can be a major distraction from reality, one at times that is really needed.

"Thank you for your service", when I say this to a brother or sister that served, means much more than words, it's a common bond that we only know.

Hang in there and Fins up!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I really enjoyed your article. I have to say, I go get my very long tweezers so I can get to the bottom of the tank to turn over some snails, and next thing I know its 4 hours later. blowing off the rocks with a pump, cleaning the glass or just anything that need to be cleaned in the tank. point is as I am saving snails, getting rid of aiptasia on a coral or whatever I am doing to help my tank it was actually was helping me when I had cancer. saving anything in my tank and making it beautiful and keeping everyone alive, kept me alive and to have the strength to go for treatments everyday. when you are fighting for your life, I can not tell you the pleasure it is to save the life of even a snail. when I would turn them over to live another day because he was helpless to turn over himself. I guess it was a reflection of me being helpless and couldn't get better without the help of the cancer institute. one good deed in life reacts to doing a good deed..... I love my 180 tank I spend hours watching it as I lay down on my couch and just fall asleep, or on the other side eating at the dinning room table and watch the other side. it's beautiful and peaceful. and in this stressful life we are all living in these days. its nice to come home to a stress free environment. now I wish I could get a 350 gal tank because my fish are getting really big and corals are growing well and of course I want more coral. L.O.L.

I'm glad you enjoyed the article! Caring for our animals and pets makes us realize how much the world depends on us to make positive decisions. These decisions can make us whole inside, heal our souls and give us purpose when we need it the most.

Prayers sent for continued good health!

 

[Victor_C3]

I really enjoyed your article. I have to say, I go get my very long tweezers so I can get to the bottom of the tank to turn over some snails, and next thing I know its 4 hours later. blowing off the rocks with a pump, cleaning the glass or just anything that need to be cleaned in the tank. point is as I am saving snails, getting rid of aiptasia on a coral or whatever I am doing to help my tank it was actually was helping me when I had cancer. saving anything in my tank and making it beautiful and keeping everyone alive, kept me alive and to have the strength to go for treatments everyday. when you are fighting for your life, I can not tell you the pleasure it is to save the life of even a snail. when I would turn them over to live another day because he was helpless to turn over himself. I guess it was a reflection of me being helpless and couldn't get better without the help of the cancer institute. one good deed in life reacts to doing a good deed..... I love my 180 tank I spend hours watching it as I lay down on my couch and just fall asleep, or on the other side eating at the dinning room table and watch the other side. it's beautiful and peaceful. and in this stressful life we are all living in these days. its nice to come home to a stress free environment. now I wish I could get a 350 gal tank because my fish are getting really big and corals are growing well and of course I want more coral. L.O.L.

I totally get and agree with everything you just said, how sticking your hand in the tank for one second turns into a full-fledged 4 hour work session.

When you get serious about getting a 350, be sure to start a build thread!

The planning, prepping, and putting things together is a huge part of the satisfaction I get from this hobby. I can spend an evening researching inverter/chargers for a battery backup system or waterproof epoxies to build plywood tanks, etcetera.

Keep doing what you’re doing. I find I get a lot of strength from seeing my peers succeed. It means I can too.

 

[Kris 2020]

Great stuff! Next could you write about addictive personalities and reefing? I swear for so many of us it’s more, newer, bigger, better...

 

[austibella]

Great stuff! Next could you write about addictive personalities and reefing? I swear for so many of us it’s more, newer, bigger, better...

To funny.. I am and we all are addicted!!!.

 

[austibella]

I totally get and agree with everything you just said, how sticking your hand in the tank for one second turns into a full-fledged 4 hour work session.

When you get serious about getting a 350, be sure to start a build thread!

The planning, prepping, and putting things together is a huge part of the satisfaction I get from this hobby. I can spend an evening researching inverter/chargers for a battery backup system or waterproof epoxies to build plywood tanks, etcetera.

Keep doing what you’re doing. I find I get a lot of strength from seeing my peers succeed. It means I can too.

If I had the money I would buy 350 gal right now. Well might as well go 400 gal .has to be able to see on all sides. Not up against a wall...And yes I would film it from day one. ..took 4 guys to bring my last tank in the house.but no problem all I had to say was free beer! L.O.L.. ..being new on Reef2Reef I am still trying to figure out on posting threads and getting pictures of my tank on line.seems when I hit pictures I cant find most of my tank picks.. I will post when I figure it out

 

[Flippers4pups]

Great stuff! Next could you write about addictive personalities and reefing? I swear for so many of us it’s more, newer, bigger, better...

I could look into that aspect!

 

[austibella]

To funny.. I am and we all are addicted!!!.

I'm afraid to get my credit card bill after being house bound from this virus that's out there. I upgraded equipment, bought a new 120 R biochurn and other expensive items . Scared to open the mail!! L.O.L

 

[Kris 2020]

I'm afraid to get my credit card bill after being house bound from this virus that's out there. I upgraded equipment, bought a new 120 R biochurn and other expensive items . Scared to open the mail!! L.O.L

me too! Gyres and new light and changed some plumbing in the sump and Hanna checkers and new aux pumps for Reactors and uv and rock blowing off and OOO HEY LOOK A FLASH SALE it just goes on and on. Somehow it makes me feel better to buy things for this box of water. I’ve had to work in the field throughout this so the stress is quite something, with a senior in college and a senior in high school and a husband who is trying to teach 3rd graders online all stuck at home...well, I guess I should be happy I was out of the house...

 

[Picklepentagramsforjesus]

Google translate didn't recognize which language this is.

Thanks it definitely seemed odd ay

 

[Picklepentagramsforjesus]

This is so true! Literally my office tank has saved me from just walking out due to the pressure and stress of this project I am currently working on. Thanks!

Oath I am setting up a reef were I work to I really shouldn’t have tried to do my first reef in a tattoo studio but you learn I’m know on atemped number 2 and it’s looking much better in my first one I added a nice bit of drift wood to finesh the scape sorry I think i went wayyy off topic I’m glad your office tank helps and can’t wait for mine to do the same

 

[Picklepentagramsforjesus]

Belief systems that change nearly 180 degrees every few decades are major market drivers during their accepted phase. Reef tank psychology is a major motivator for recommended purchases

The implied consequence of failed cycling is huge and a purely psychological driver for the retail market.

That one can stall or stop a cycle by minor mistake...offsets for that perception are found online and at lfs for sale. The way to fix a claimed stalled cycle is to buy something, usually more bottle bac.

Using guesstimate test kits to infer what bacteria cannot tolerate is selling bottle bac in droves, transfer of cash leaving pockets en masse, unnecessarily
I think people are capitalizing on false microbiology beliefs rampant in the hobby

Bottle bac have a place in reefing I've used tetra before (does fw and marine from same bottle)

But the rate of use is entirely overdone, applied where not needed (such as true live rock reef starts, never requires bottle bac) and the cause of this mass run on bottle bac is groupthink and articles that name many ways one can stall a cycle, this is an inferred consequence I think is false.

hope to build enough work examples to push back on the establishment trying to sell us bac when bac are already present. someone out there has created a belief system about cycling worth challenging.

sounds good I’m sure if you make a thread and start collecting info it would be very useful I came from fw so I know sooo many of them it would be nice to have the info all in one place

 

[Picklepentagramsforjesus]

I am rated totally and permanently disabled by the VA as a result of my PTSD. I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq in 2004-2005, and in the years since I’ve dealt with several suicide attempts, numerous hospitalizations, alcoholism, etcetera. I haven’t been able to work in nearly 6 years as a result.

I wouldn’t say that reefing has saved my life, but it certainly has provided an immense amount of enrichment to my life. Before entering the Army, I earned a degree in chemistry and, after leaving the military, I worked for a number of years as a chemist for the federal government. I loved my job and working in the field of science. I loved the technical and nerdy aspects of the job and that certainly extended to my hobbies as well.

One of my counselors in the past asked me a question that I had s very hard time answering for years - “what does a life worth living look like”? To me, a life worth living means that I have a hobby and something that gives me enjoyment in life (among other things). Reefkeeping has become that hobby for me. Finally, daydreaming, researching, and planning my next system certainly beats sitting around and letting the various not-so-good thoughts flood my mind.

Reefkeeping gives me something to look forward to and something to get excited about. It gives me long term goals and gives me something I can be proud of. With not being able to work, I’ve lost a tremendous amount of self esteem and a large piece of my identity. I can point to a failures all over my life, be it job losses, family issues, regret and remorse over my actions as an Infantry Platoon Leader and successes seem few and far between. Reef keeping, however small a success it might be, provides me something to be proud of.

Glad to hear to hear it’s helping I’m 19 and suffer from complex ptsd. im terrible at reef keeping atm but I love it so much, nothing else matters and it’s like the vice grip Trapping me in my mind Loosens And I’m able to slip out and make something beautiful i also adore my fw tanks I put 4-5 inchs of dirt and a jungle That’s short at the front and long at the back of like 10 different plants it’s definitely not everyones type of tank but I love how happy the fish are and I find it entertaining and peaceful to see them hiding and swimming through and around plants sorry for rambling and I wish you the best with everything

 

[Ardeus]

I have a love/hate relationship with the hobby, we're all that little girl in Finding Nemo, that terrorized the fish.

I read a book where there was this old lady that whenever she got out, she would bring a tiny flower, a forget-me-not, and walk the streets holding it right in front of her nose, so that she wouldn't notice the degrading world around her.

My reef tank also serves this purpose. It's alienating to some extent and I have mild withdrawal symptoms when I am away from it for too long

Then there's the anxiety when something's wrong.

And the loss when something dies.

And the guilt from not being able to prevent it or even worse, from causing it.

It's a roller-coaster even when things go fairly well.