Support circle for depression

debchance · Post by **debchance** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:10 am

Hi Celion, I am glad you are doing better. I bet your body just went what the heck? Focus on not being afraid. Anxiety sucks. I want to kick its as_ !
New Jen,
You are very welcome. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. You know every little thing we do for ourselves makes us feel better. Especially when we take time to notice and congratulate ourselves "Hey, I did something nice for myself" whether it was taking care of a task that has been weighing on you or something like really babying yourself. For instance I emailed a list of maintenance problems to the landlord today that I have been meaning to get to them since we moved in in August. Now I feel like "woo-hoo! I am kicking butt!One less thing to worry about." And the weight of that particular thing is now gone, well except for the follow up, but that is
'what if' thinking or anticipatory anxiety right? Now I've got myself spun up. LOL.
Anyways, you are very welcome and I hope you continue to give yourself compassion and make it a goal to do one thing for yourself every day. No matter how small. p.s. by goal I mean goal not 'requirement' so you're not a loser if you miss a day or so

Take care

K.Denise C · Post by **K.Denise C** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:36 am

Welcome New Jen & Celion- One thing I had to learn real quick was to cut myself a little slack. I always seem to set very high expectations not only for myself but everyone else. I was really beating myself up about not excercising and still drinking a little caffine. Finally, I decided the baby steps I'm making in better than not taking any at all. With that attitude I have now found myself walking and doing "a little" eliptical for the past 2 days

That's big for me because I really don't like to excercise.
Debchance, your right, acknowledging that I did something good for myself helps too. A little pat on the back never hurts anyone

debchance · Post by **debchance** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:31 am

K.Denise C, I am so impressed with your exercise. Good for you! I am doing well with most things but awful with the diet and exercise. But..... maybe 'awful' is too strong a word. I will just say I am looking forward to improving in those areas when I am ready. I am improving in other areas and I do deserve credit for that. That sounded pretty good didn't it? :p

Eowyn · Post by **Eowyn** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:51 pm

Hello Everyone! I am in my second week of the program and am excited to have found this group.
About 8 years ago I started taking antidepressents after having a major melt-down. Two weeks ago I talked to my doctor about the possiblity of going off the antidepressents. It is just getting too expensive, and really, I don't want to be on medication all my life. Some of the long term, and short term, effects are kind of scary. My doctor agreed to reducing my perscription, so I am a little worried that the scarry depressive thoughts will come back.

In the past 4 years I have found myself feeling less depressed and more stressed. Work is a major area of stress for me. I got to a point where I didn't want to wake up in the morning and go to work any more...it was just too much. I would cry at least three times a week while at work. I felt like I wasn't good at my job and that what I was doing just wasn't good enough. I got so upset with myself for making mistakes and not knowing the 'right' thing to do.

I left that job and started a new job this past spring. I still find myself getting upset when I look back at situations and realize that I handled it wrong. I should be focusing on how to make it right next time...but I am having such a hard time actually DOING it.

Anyways, I am excited to be here and look forward to how this program will help me. I've already begun to 'see' my emotions and feeling more clearly. "Knowledge is power." Right?

debchance · Post by **debchance** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:51 am

Eowyn,
Knowledge is power. So is awareness.

I am having some trouble being assertive with my husband, I am trying to keep the peace and noticed today I am doing it at the expense of some of the things that are important to me. We have had lots of problems and things are just starting to get better between us due to efforts on both our parts. But he is unpredictably moody (not violently or anything, just unpleasantly) and I have spent so much time trying not to rock the boat that it is a hard habit to break. I have to really catch myself when I am thinking about what I deserve and what is unreasonable to ask. I cater to him so his moods stay stable but that is not healthy for me. So now I am trying to assert my needs more and not feel worried or guilty about it. These changes are many and complicated. I feel tired today.

K.Denise C · Post by **K.Denise C** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:30 pm

Eowyn: Welcome. This is a exciting time for you. I'm starting my third week and can't wait to get going with it. I am far from doing this "perfectly" but just knowing I am attempting to better myself has put such a brighter spot in my life. Take things slow with changing up your meds. Just think, you could be med free once you get the program under your belt.

debchance: Hopefully you took it easy on yourself today. As one of the old saying goes, the first step is acknowledging. I can understand why you would want to keep peace, but now that you feel it is not healthy for you try and remember your health (mental and phycial) has to be #1. Maybe if your husband can understand that he may be more self sufficent. For me, still trying to excercise

Since I quit smoking 4 months ago and the depression set in that all I was doing was working, eating, sleeping I have put on quite a bit of weight. Let me tell you it sure comes on easier than going off

Thanks for the encouragment debchance...I just haven't been on the post for a few days.

Dughann · Post by **Dughann** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:24 am

my main thing is depression to , I've had it now for over 22 years and I really want to know if any of you feel normal more than NOT? I am not very good with this computer stuff.... so I don't even know if I am doing this in the right way as the dates of your entries are pretty old? Please let me know if any of you feel normal at least most of the time? I feel like I am too old to retrain my brain to be positive and learn this stuff? I also need to quit smoking and lose weight.

pecos · Post by **pecos** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:28 am

So wonderful to see so many people helping and supporting each other here on the Support Circle. I hope to continue watching each of you progress all the way through your programs. Don't give up. The end result is worth all the hard work.

Debchance, I felt quite sad reading your last post. Let me share something (when I was a child) my mother used to tell me when I was behaving in ways that were not respectful of others. She would simply remind me the sun did not rise for me alone. Sometimes it might be helpful to remind your husband this truth. You deserve as much a share of the sunshine as he does. And you deserve as much respect as he expects from you.
Do remind others when they are not kind and they are not helpful. Life is a circle where all are equal.

Meadow · Post by **Meadow** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:34 am

II too am suffering from anxiety and dIepression.

Meadow · Post by **Meadow** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:39 am

Iam so glad there is a place I can go to get help and express my feelings. I am so depressed and lonely and feel useless. MY friends have let me down and I really have noone to turn to. I have thought of suicide, but in my religion, I would go straight to Hell. That is not an option for me, but I no not want to live like this anymore. I have a husband and two grown boys, but nobody seems to understand why I am depressed.