Photo by Florian Klauer on Unsplash Depression has been with me my entire life. I am drafting the story of my life facing depression head on; after only 62 years of ignoring it, of never calling it by name, hiding it from everyone including myself, and sweeping the crumbs of every episode under the rug each time it was over, as I walked away never looking … [Read more...] about Why Depression Is My Lifelong Companion
WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan)
Maybe I’m Just Focused and My Depression Doesn’t Know?
In the grand scheme of things, it will make little difference if I am focused. But to me, being focused is a step closer to happy. I am in the green zone today. I am not happy, but I am close. If I am Focused, I could be Ready, too. The green zone consists of: All these feelings are not something I can share with my depression. I know my depression is smart … [Read more...] about Maybe I’m Just Focused and My Depression Doesn’t Know?
Side Effects Be Damned, Now I’m Taking 30 mg of Remeron
Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash This new development is not exactly what I had envisioned when I got up this morning. Well, I guess this is not what my Peer Advocate had envisioned. She had expected my psychiatrist to switch me to Abilify, or one of the two other similar medications. So instead of taking 30 mg of Remeron, I would replace that with a dose of … [Read more...] about Side Effects Be Damned, Now I’m Taking 30 mg of Remeron
Straight Talk About My Journey with Depression
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash In case you are new to my blog, my name is Joel and I live in Charlottesville Virginia. I am a middle-class male, and I have worked since I was 10 years old. My career spans over 50 years in retail management and along with my wife, I have raised 3 remarkable children. Recently, I finally said out loud that I have lived with … [Read more...] about Straight Talk About My Journey with Depression
My Depression and I Are About to Celebrate Our 4th Anniversary
Photo by Joy Memon on Unsplash Depression and I go back almost 60 years, but I have only said “I have depression” for the past four. Before that, I was all about getting the episode over so I could get back to my “regular life.” It never occurred to me that living with depression was my regular life. I was so focused on never having depression that I refused to see my … [Read more...] about My Depression and I Are About to Celebrate Our 4th Anniversary