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[OT] Tips for Coping



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 3rd 04, 04:54 PM
CatNipped
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default [OT] Tips for Coping

Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want to talk
in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression - we don't have the
energy to make the effort to get help), I'm putting down here some of the
things to watch for as the early signs of depression (the earlier you catch
it, the easier it is to overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we don't
always recognize it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips on what
you can do to help yourself get through.

Signs to watch for:

- Feelings of lethargy, not wanting to put forth the effort to do anything.
- Changing your normal routine without apparent cause.
- Feeling alone or isolated from the rest of the world.
- Loss of appetite (or, for some, eating much more than you normally do).
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
- Wanting to sleep, not wanting to get out of bed or, adversely, insomnia.
- Sudden bursts of weeping for no apparent reason.
- Memories of bad things that happened to you that seem to stick in your
head.
- Dwelling on the loss of someone or something important in your life.
- Wanting to hear sad songs over and over again.
- Feeling annoyed when someone around you is acting happy, bubbly, excited,
etc.
- Feeling angry about something that wouldn't ordinarily make you angry.
- Feeling "clingy" with partners or pets or, adversely, not wanting to be
touched.
- Shutting yourself off from others by going to another room to be alone, or
going driving alone.

(And lots of others that may be specific to an individual - learn to
recognize your own signs of depression.)

Things you can do to help get yourself through to the "other side" of your
bouts of depression. These are *IN ADDITION TO* getting help from a doctor
or psychiatrist. [PLEASE - don't be ashamed or afraid to seek professional
help. Society tends to stigmatize people with mental health issues ignoring
that fact that there are *MILLIONS* of people who suffer from these
problems. The only shame involved is when you know you need help but refuse
to seek in.]

- Smile! This is weird, but it works and I'll tell you why it works. B.F.
Skinner showed us that we have physiological reactions - real physical
changes to our bodies - when using repeated, or "learned" stimuli. Just as
his dogs salivated when he rang a bell, our bodies "learn" that certain
actions are associated with certain reactions and will automatically trigger
physical responses to associated actions. From the time we are born we
smile when we feel happy, loved, secure, and comforted. What makes us feel
those things (or maybe because we are feeling those things - cause and
effect here are a bit tenuous), is that endorphins are being released in our
brains. Endorphins are very powerful hormones equivalent to morphine. They
help to ease pain and they make us feel good. For all our lives our bodies
have associated the physical act of smiling with the release of those
endorphins. Even if you are feeling terribly depressed, *FORCE* yourself to
put a smile on your face and consciously *FORCE* yourself to *KEEP* a smile
on your face. After a few minutes your brain will start releasing
endorphins and you will begin to feel better. This really does work, try it
even if you're not feeling depressed and note the difference in your
feelings!
- DO something. Rearrange the furniture, clean out a closet, and if you don't
like housework, just pack up the kids and take a walk. This accomplishes two
things. First of all, the physical exertion will help wash out of your
bloodstream the hormones and chemicals that are associated with depression.
Secondly, just the act of doing something, anything, helps get rid of that
feeling of helplessness. You are taking charge of something, no matter how
small, and this leads to confidence that you can take charge of the larger
things.
- Exercise (along with or in addition to the above for the same reasons).
- Find a friend to talk to. Even if there is nothing they can do to help you
out of your situation, it will at least keep you in contact with a "saner"
perspective on things (providing you pick a sane friend, that is ; ).
- Help someone else in need. An act of kindness or charity will make you
feel better about yourself and might also help you put your problems into a
better perspective. Caveat: don't choose someone whose problems are similar
to your own, don't get into a hopeless situation that will depress you
further - you want something that will take you out of yourself and get you
involved with something other than your problems. Choose someone who *CAN*
be helped, not a "hopeless cause".
- Rent the funniest movies you remember seeing, things that you know will
make you laugh in spite of what you may be feeling.
- Put on fast-paced, upbeat music and get up and dance (pick up a kitty and
dance with him/her.
- Play! Play with the kitties, go to a park or playground and swing on the
swings. Let yourself enjoy the physical sensations and the freedom of
acting silly no matter who might be watching.
- Stand in front of a mirror and make funny faces at yourself - stick out
your tongue, wiggle your ears, do something to keep from taking yourself too
seriously, show yourself that that your can make fun of yourself and your
problems.
- Think about, and make concrete plans for, something fun in the near future
(like a special treat for Valentine's day or your or your honey's birthday.
Write down all the things you want to do to make the occasion festive.
- Have sex (even if it's just with yourself ;). Make your body feel good
and get reconnected with life.
- Eat chocolate. It's been shown that chocolate affects the same area of
the brain that sex does, especially in women.

I hope that some of this helps whoever is out there who may be dealing with
seasonal depression. Again, feel free to email me your phone number and I
*WILL* call you to talk about whatever it is that is making your feel
depressed and try to help make you feel better (it's my repayment for being
given a second chance at life - see below).

As for me, I am so grateful that I did not succeed in taking my own life 28
years ago. Back then I thought I would be so much better off dead, life
meant nothing but pain and I could *NOT* foresee things *EVER* getting
better. Looking back it takes my breath away when I think about the
unbelievably happy, joyous things I would have missed had I succeeded -
meeting my current DH who make my life *SO* sweet; seeing my kids graduate;
seeing my kids get married; seeing my grandbabies being born; the wonderful
kitties I've loved since then - more happy things that I could ever list
here, and none of those things would I have experienced had I be successful
in my efforts. I am thankful every day of my life (even the ones when I am
battling depression) for the second chance I was given. Life is *NEVER* so
bad that we can't get through it and there is *ALWAYS* something better that
will happen if you can just stick it out and get through the bad times.

Hugs,

CatNipped


  #2  
Old December 3rd 04, 06:31 PM
Jo Firey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

You cannot know how timely this is for me. I'm going thru a bad spell. A
lot of losses I can't seem to get my head around, poor health, a little help
from some nasty medication and the season have all ganged up on me at once.

I must say I am grateful for and thankful for being older and having been
here before. It was so much harder when I was young and didn't really know
there was light on the other side.

I'll be OK. I'm weaning off the bad medicine. And seeing my doctor Monday.

The sun is out today and I will go out and sit in the light if I do nothing
else all day.

We are having an unusual cold spell, and plans for the next trip to the
store include warm socks and gloves to be dropped off at the rescue mission.
We have a large local population that just kind of camps in the
riverbottoms. Usually it isn't all that bad for them but it usually isn't
this cold.

I wish I could take you up on the talk. Part of the loss is the loss of my
hearing. I was scheduled for a cochlear implant in July only to have it
yanked away by my insurance on the day before surgery. Now I have been on
disability long enough to get Medicare and I understand they will cover it.
Next appointment with the hearing doctors is December 8th.

Jo
"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want to talk
in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression - we don't have
the energy to make the effort to get help), I'm putting down here some of
the things to watch for as the early signs of depression (the earlier you
catch it, the easier it is to overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we
don't always recognize it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips
on what you can do to help yourself get through.

Signs to watch for:

- Feelings of lethargy, not wanting to put forth the effort to do
anything.
- Changing your normal routine without apparent cause.
- Feeling alone or isolated from the rest of the world.
- Loss of appetite (or, for some, eating much more than you normally do).
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
- Wanting to sleep, not wanting to get out of bed or, adversely, insomnia.
- Sudden bursts of weeping for no apparent reason.
- Memories of bad things that happened to you that seem to stick in your
head.
- Dwelling on the loss of someone or something important in your life.
- Wanting to hear sad songs over and over again.
- Feeling annoyed when someone around you is acting happy, bubbly,
excited, etc.
- Feeling angry about something that wouldn't ordinarily make you angry.
- Feeling "clingy" with partners or pets or, adversely, not wanting to be
touched.
- Shutting yourself off from others by going to another room to be alone,
or going driving alone.

(And lots of others that may be specific to an individual - learn to
recognize your own signs of depression.)

Things you can do to help get yourself through to the "other side" of your
bouts of depression. These are *IN ADDITION TO* getting help from a
doctor or psychiatrist. [PLEASE - don't be ashamed or afraid to seek
professional help. Society tends to stigmatize people with mental health
issues ignoring that fact that there are *MILLIONS* of people who suffer
from these problems. The only shame involved is when you know you need
help but refuse to seek in.]

- Smile! This is weird, but it works and I'll tell you why it works.
B.F. Skinner showed us that we have physiological reactions - real
physical changes to our bodies - when using repeated, or "learned"
stimuli. Just as his dogs salivated when he rang a bell, our bodies
"learn" that certain actions are associated with certain reactions and
will automatically trigger physical responses to associated actions. From
the time we are born we smile when we feel happy, loved, secure, and
comforted. What makes us feel those things (or maybe because we are
feeling those things - cause and effect here are a bit tenuous), is that
endorphins are being released in our brains. Endorphins are very powerful
hormones equivalent to morphine. They help to ease pain and they make us
feel good. For all our lives our bodies have associated the physical act
of smiling with the release of those endorphins. Even if you are feeling
terribly depressed, *FORCE* yourself to put a smile on your face and
consciously *FORCE* yourself to *KEEP* a smile on your face. After a few
minutes your brain will start releasing endorphins and you will begin to
feel better. This really does work, try it even if you're not feeling
depressed and note the difference in your feelings!
- DO something. Rearrange the furniture, clean out a closet, and if you
don't like housework, just pack up the kids and take a walk. This
accomplishes two things. First of all, the physical exertion will help
wash out of your bloodstream the hormones and chemicals that are
associated with depression. Secondly, just the act of doing something,
anything, helps get rid of that feeling of helplessness. You are taking
charge of something, no matter how small, and this leads to confidence
that you can take charge of the larger things.
- Exercise (along with or in addition to the above for the same reasons).
- Find a friend to talk to. Even if there is nothing they can do to help
you out of your situation, it will at least keep you in contact with a
"saner" perspective on things (providing you pick a sane friend, that is
; ).
- Help someone else in need. An act of kindness or charity will make you
feel better about yourself and might also help you put your problems into
a better perspective. Caveat: don't choose someone whose problems are
similar to your own, don't get into a hopeless situation that will depress
you further - you want something that will take you out of yourself and
get you involved with something other than your problems. Choose someone
who *CAN* be helped, not a "hopeless cause".
- Rent the funniest movies you remember seeing, things that you know will
make you laugh in spite of what you may be feeling.
- Put on fast-paced, upbeat music and get up and dance (pick up a kitty
and dance with him/her.
- Play! Play with the kitties, go to a park or playground and swing on
the swings. Let yourself enjoy the physical sensations and the freedom of
acting silly no matter who might be watching.
- Stand in front of a mirror and make funny faces at yourself - stick out
your tongue, wiggle your ears, do something to keep from taking yourself
too seriously, show yourself that that your can make fun of yourself and
your problems.
- Think about, and make concrete plans for, something fun in the near
future (like a special treat for Valentine's day or your or your honey's
birthday. Write down all the things you want to do to make the occasion
festive.
- Have sex (even if it's just with yourself ;). Make your body feel
good and get reconnected with life.
- Eat chocolate. It's been shown that chocolate affects the same area of
the brain that sex does, especially in women.

I hope that some of this helps whoever is out there who may be dealing
with seasonal depression. Again, feel free to email me your phone number
and I *WILL* call you to talk about whatever it is that is making your
feel depressed and try to help make you feel better (it's my repayment for
being given a second chance at life - see below).

As for me, I am so grateful that I did not succeed in taking my own life
28 years ago. Back then I thought I would be so much better off dead,
life meant nothing but pain and I could *NOT* foresee things *EVER*
getting better. Looking back it takes my breath away when I think about
the unbelievably happy, joyous things I would have missed had I
succeeded - meeting my current DH who make my life *SO* sweet; seeing my
kids graduate; seeing my kids get married; seeing my grandbabies being
born; the wonderful kitties I've loved since then - more happy things that
I could ever list here, and none of those things would I have experienced
had I be successful in my efforts. I am thankful every day of my life
(even the ones when I am battling depression) for the second chance I was
given. Life is *NEVER* so bad that we can't get through it and there is
*ALWAYS* something better that will happen if you can just stick it out
and get through the bad times.

Hugs,

CatNipped



  #3  
Old December 3rd 04, 06:56 PM
CatNipped
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Jo Firey" wrote in message
...
You cannot know how timely this is for me. I'm going thru a bad spell. A
lot of losses I can't seem to get my head around, poor health, a little
help from some nasty medication and the season have all ganged up on me at
once.


Oh wow, purrs that your health improves very soon.

I must say I am grateful for and thankful for being older and having been
here before. It was so much harder when I was young and didn't really
know there was light on the other side.

I'll be OK. I'm weaning off the bad medicine. And seeing my doctor
Monday.

The sun is out today and I will go out and sit in the light if I do
nothing else all day.


That's another thing that contributes to depression at this time of year -
the darkness and dreariness, sunshine can literally help lighten up your
life.

We are having an unusual cold spell, and plans for the next trip to the
store include warm socks and gloves to be dropped off at the rescue
mission. We have a large local population that just kind of camps in the
riverbottoms. Usually it isn't all that bad for them but it usually isn't
this cold.


Good on you! Bless you for helping out those less fortunate.

I wish I could take you up on the talk. Part of the loss is the loss of
my hearing. I was scheduled for a cochlear implant in July only to have
it yanked away by my insurance on the day before surgery. Now I have been
on disability long enough to get Medicare and I understand they will cover
it. Next appointment with the hearing doctors is December 8th.


Well, feel free to email me whenever you like,
lcrew(at)houston(dot)rr(dot)com, and we can still "talk" for as long as
you'd like. Or, just continue the discussion here - I'm sure other's won't
object, this may be helping those who don't want to actively participate in
this discussion or those who just "lurk" here without posting.

Hugs,

CatNipped


  #4  
Old December 3rd 04, 09:49 PM
Kreisleriana
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 09:54:03 -0600, "CatNipped"
yodeled:

Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want to talk
in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression - we don't have the
energy to make the effort to get help), I'm putting down here some of the
things to watch for as the early signs of depression (the earlier you catch
it, the easier it is to overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we don't
always recognize it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips on what
you can do to help yourself get through.

Signs to watch for:

- Feelings of lethargy, not wanting to put forth the effort to do anything.

snip much good advice

I'm like that *all* the time! I consider that normal. I really
treasure my lack of drive. I wish I lived in Italy or Spain, where
they don't think work is the most important thing in life.

BUT SERIOUSLY, these are all great suggestions, and I only butted in
to make a wisecrack. As a veteran of many clinical depressions, I
endorse everything Nipped said. Especially about doing everything you
possibly can to make yourself laugh. When I'm feeling down, I get out
the "Far Side" and "Calvin and Hobbes" books.




Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com
  #5  
Old December 3rd 04, 10:09 PM
Monique Y. Mudama
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 2004-12-03, CatNipped penned:
Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want to talk
in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression - we don't have the
energy to make the effort to get help), I'm putting down here some of the
things to watch for as the early signs of depression (the earlier you catch
it, the easier it is to overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we don't
always recognize it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips on what
you can do to help yourself get through.


Thanks for this post. It's timely for me. This year has been full of stress,
both from good and bad events -- got married, husband in the hospital twice,
having to give up Eros, lingering injuries that prevented me from getting the
kind of exercise I wanted, a host of illnesses, huge job stress, spent all my
vacation visiting my grandmother in germany (long story, but it was as
stressful as all of the above) ... and of course it's getting dark before I
leave work now, which never helps. I've had an upset stomach for the last
week, regardless of what I do or don't eat. A reaction I inherited from Dad,
apparently.

We'd been planning to spend Christmas at my parents'. Both my brothers would
be there, as well as my brother K's new wife and her (now their) two kids,
whom I haven't yet met. Between the complete lack of vacation time, a serious
need to get certain projects done by mid-january, and the realization of how
insanely expensive two tickets to NC would be for us, well, I called my dad in
tears last night to tell him I didn't think I could do it. My parents
understand, of course, but it's still a real bummer, and of course I feel
guilty.

Anyway, the really sad part to me is that, when I told my dad I was going to
look for a therapist to talk some of my stress out, it really bummed him out.
Yes, I've sought professional help during dark times, but in this case, I want
to just flush my brain a little, talk to someone with an outside perspective
and no agenda. My husband certainly understands, but my father I guess is
just a different generation and a different culture. He said something like,
"Well, honey, when you say you're going to see a therapist ... that sounds
like, you know, you think you 'need therapy.'" When I related this to my
husband later on, he responded, "Well, what's wrong with needing therapy?"

Honestly, I think my life is pretty good, and I feel blessed. I don't mean to
sound like I think my life is falling apart, because I know it's not. I think
sometimes, the day to day stresses of normal life are the hardest to cope
with. I don't know how people manage with kids. They just do, I guess. But,
as I told my dad last night, I'm just feeling a little ... brittle right now.
Things are bothering me more than they should; easy decisions seem hard. It's
not full-blown depression, but I know myself well enough to monitor the
situation.

Here I am, babbling on ... anyway, thanks for the post.

--
monique, caretaker of Oscar
  #6  
Old December 3rd 04, 10:22 PM
jmcquown
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Kreisleriana wrote:
On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 09:54:03 -0600, "CatNipped"
yodeled:

Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want
to talk in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression -
we don't have the energy to make the effort to get help), I'm
putting down here some of the things to watch for as the early signs
of depression (the earlier you catch it, the easier it is to
overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we don't always recognize
it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips on what you can
do to help yourself get through.

Signs to watch for:

- Feelings of lethargy, not wanting to put forth the effort to do
anything. snip much good advice


I'm like that *all* the time! I consider that normal. I really
treasure my lack of drive. I wish I lived in Italy or Spain, where
they don't think work is the most important thing in life.

Theresa


Wisecracks or no, you'd be surprised. A friend of mine lives in Spain and
guess what she does every Thursday? Irons sheets. Yes, she irons
bedsheets. Not only is it expected of her, she feels it must be done. She
also irons table cloths, napkins, underwear, t-shirts and jeans.

I'm saying to myself... shake out the jeans and hang them. Fold the
t-shirts. What table cloths and napkins? LOL

Jill


  #7  
Old December 3rd 04, 10:30 PM
Sherry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

guess what she does every Thursday? Irons sheets. Yes, she irons
bedsheets. Not only is it expected of her, she feels it must be done. She
also irons table cloths, napkins, underwear, t-shirts and jeans.


IRONS UNDERWEAR? Underwear???? Whoooaaaa.
I iron tableclothes and napkins. Once a year, at Thanksgiving. :-)

Sherry
  #10  
Old December 3rd 04, 11:44 PM
Yowie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Baha's recent post inspired this. For those of you who don't want to talk
in person (and that is one of the symptoms of depression - we don't have

the
energy to make the effort to get help), I'm putting down here some of the
things to watch for as the early signs of depression (the earlier you

catch
it, the easier it is to overcome - and as strange as it may seem, we don't
always recognize it when we begin to feel depressed), and some tips on

what
you can do to help yourself get through.

Signs to watch for:

- Feelings of lethargy, not wanting to put forth the effort to do

anything.
- Changing your normal routine without apparent cause.
- Feeling alone or isolated from the rest of the world.
- Loss of appetite (or, for some, eating much more than you normally do).
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
- Wanting to sleep, not wanting to get out of bed or, adversely, insomnia.
- Sudden bursts of weeping for no apparent reason.
- Memories of bad things that happened to you that seem to stick in your
head.
- Dwelling on the loss of someone or something important in your life.
- Wanting to hear sad songs over and over again.
- Feeling annoyed when someone around you is acting happy, bubbly,

excited,
etc.
- Feeling angry about something that wouldn't ordinarily make you angry.
- Feeling "clingy" with partners or pets or, adversely, not wanting to be
touched.
- Shutting yourself off from others by going to another room to be alone,

or
going driving alone.

(And lots of others that may be specific to an individual - learn to
recognize your own signs of depression.)

Things you can do to help get yourself through to the "other side" of your
bouts of depression. These are *IN ADDITION TO* getting help from a

doctor
or psychiatrist. [PLEASE - don't be ashamed or afraid to seek

professional
help. Society tends to stigmatize people with mental health issues

ignoring
that fact that there are *MILLIONS* of people who suffer from these
problems. The only shame involved is when you know you need help but

refuse
to seek in.]

- Smile! This is weird, but it works and I'll tell you why it works.

B.F.
Skinner showed us that we have physiological reactions - real physical
changes to our bodies - when using repeated, or "learned" stimuli. Just

as
his dogs salivated when he rang a bell, our bodies "learn" that certain
actions are associated with certain reactions and will automatically

trigger
physical responses to associated actions. From the time we are born we
smile when we feel happy, loved, secure, and comforted. What makes us

feel
those things (or maybe because we are feeling those things - cause and
effect here are a bit tenuous), is that endorphins are being released in

our
brains. Endorphins are very powerful hormones equivalent to morphine.

They
help to ease pain and they make us feel good. For all our lives our

bodies
have associated the physical act of smiling with the release of those
endorphins. Even if you are feeling terribly depressed, *FORCE* yourself

to
put a smile on your face and consciously *FORCE* yourself to *KEEP* a

smile
on your face. After a few minutes your brain will start releasing
endorphins and you will begin to feel better. This really does work, try

it
even if you're not feeling depressed and note the difference in your
feelings!
- DO something. Rearrange the furniture, clean out a closet, and if you

don't
like housework, just pack up the kids and take a walk. This accomplishes

two
things. First of all, the physical exertion will help wash out of your
bloodstream the hormones and chemicals that are associated with

depression.
Secondly, just the act of doing something, anything, helps get rid of that
feeling of helplessness. You are taking charge of something, no matter how
small, and this leads to confidence that you can take charge of the larger
things.
- Exercise (along with or in addition to the above for the same reasons).
- Find a friend to talk to. Even if there is nothing they can do to help

you
out of your situation, it will at least keep you in contact with a "saner"
perspective on things (providing you pick a sane friend, that is ; ).
- Help someone else in need. An act of kindness or charity will make you
feel better about yourself and might also help you put your problems into

a
better perspective. Caveat: don't choose someone whose problems are

similar
to your own, don't get into a hopeless situation that will depress you
further - you want something that will take you out of yourself and get

you
involved with something other than your problems. Choose someone who

*CAN*
be helped, not a "hopeless cause".
- Rent the funniest movies you remember seeing, things that you know will
make you laugh in spite of what you may be feeling.
- Put on fast-paced, upbeat music and get up and dance (pick up a kitty

and
dance with him/her.
- Play! Play with the kitties, go to a park or playground and swing on

the
swings. Let yourself enjoy the physical sensations and the freedom of
acting silly no matter who might be watching.
- Stand in front of a mirror and make funny faces at yourself - stick out
your tongue, wiggle your ears, do something to keep from taking yourself

too
seriously, show yourself that that your can make fun of yourself and your
problems.
- Think about, and make concrete plans for, something fun in the near

future
(like a special treat for Valentine's day or your or your honey's

birthday.
Write down all the things you want to do to make the occasion festive.
- Have sex (even if it's just with yourself ;). Make your body feel

good
and get reconnected with life.
- Eat chocolate. It's been shown that chocolate affects the same area of
the brain that sex does, especially in women.

I hope that some of this helps whoever is out there who may be dealing

with
seasonal depression. Again, feel free to email me your phone number and I
*WILL* call you to talk about whatever it is that is making your feel
depressed and try to help make you feel better (it's my repayment for

being
given a second chance at life - see below).

As for me, I am so grateful that I did not succeed in taking my own life

28
years ago. Back then I thought I would be so much better off dead, life
meant nothing but pain and I could *NOT* foresee things *EVER* getting
better. Looking back it takes my breath away when I think about the
unbelievably happy, joyous things I would have missed had I succeeded -
meeting my current DH who make my life *SO* sweet; seeing my kids

graduate;
seeing my kids get married; seeing my grandbabies being born; the

wonderful
kitties I've loved since then - more happy things that I could ever list
here, and none of those things would I have experienced had I be

successful
in my efforts. I am thankful every day of my life (even the ones when I

am
battling depression) for the second chance I was given. Life is *NEVER*

so
bad that we can't get through it and there is *ALWAYS* something better

that
will happen if you can just stick it out and get through the bad times.


Don't think I"ve told the group this before.

I have a scar on my left wrist from a suicide attempt when I was 21. Its not
overly noticable, but I usually wear my watch over it.

I didn't even know I was depressed until I was 26 and we got a whole new
bunch of people at work who decided they were going to be friends with me
whether i liked it or not. About a month after they arrived, my face was in
constant agony. I much later figured out that it was because my smiling
muscles had been grossly atrophied and were now actually having to do a fair
bit of smiling work each day.

And later than year, when the depression had well and truly lifted, I
finally got up th confidence to leave my manipulative and abusive ex, who I
had been with since I was 15.

So yes, I know what depresion is, what its like, and never ever want to
crawl back down that horrid pit of despair shudder

Yowie


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