I’m not 100% sure I would be alive if I hadn’t found these powerful organizations. When I was admitted to the hospital last spring, I was seeing zero hope. Nothing. I was up against the wall, smashed as tightly as possible and I could not see anything. There was an empty place in my heart where hope had been, but it was not there that day. Heck, I hadn’t seen hope in … [Read more...] about How I Use Mental Health Programs to Avoid Circling the Drain
SMART Recovery
What Does Your Depression Look Like? Mine Has Three Feelings.
My depression is a classic textbook hopelessness. Not the passing, “oh, I will never pass this exam,” or the “why didn’t I get the job?” While I have had many similar thoughts over my lifetime, these would only last a few days. I would get over it and move on. This feeling of hopelessness, in moderation, is a normal part of life. We all have disappointments and situations we … [Read more...] about What Does Your Depression Look Like? Mine Has Three Feelings.
Why Am I Choosing Numb Instead of Real Feelings?
Is it my medication or am I not brave enough to explore my feelings? With 44+ years of practice, I am exceptionally good at feeling numb and blocking out my feelings. Listening to an EBT audiobook on the way to work the other day, the author said some people are overly emotional and in touch with their feelings. Others suppress their feelings and emotions like a bottle of … [Read more...] about Why Am I Choosing Numb Instead of Real Feelings?
After Getting Help for Myself, I Can Now Share with Others
Asking for professional medical help was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I started writing the morning after I was released from the hospital. In 5 North, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, with suicidal ideation. Feeling up against the wall, seeking professional medical advice was the least hard of the three choices I felt I had. Choice #1 was to … [Read more...] about After Getting Help for Myself, I Can Now Share with Others
Depression Introduced Me to Unhelpful Thinking Styles
It has been 15 months since depression and I walked into the emergency room. The tools I have learned since that morning are making my day-to-day life more balanced. I am much more consistent in my mood and attitude. Frequently the days do not look daunting and I am able to get up and get going. Even a few months ago, I was wondering if I would ever be able to do that … [Read more...] about Depression Introduced Me to Unhelpful Thinking Styles