Stress Center Peer Support

Hi Pecos,
I will definetly join the circle! Before I got the program I went into a deep dark state of depression. I didn't care about anything. I knew I needed to do something soon. My doc. took me off of zoloft and put me on Cymbalta. It's helping, but since I started this program in September I'm learning a whole new approach to my depression. I was doing great but then our schedule changed and I couldn't do the progam the way I was and the depression started. So, having the support circle is great because I know we will all be able to help each other.

depression has plagued me all of my life. i am 63 years old this month and i finally feel that help is on the way. anyone suffering can identify with the terrible thoughts that accompany it. i am in therapy with a wonderful person now and things can only go up if we follow tha program as it was designed.

mr mom,
Glad your daughter gave you that compliment, that is cool. It took me some time to find an AA group that fit but it was worth it. Keep it in mind if you need it. I am on week three too and at first it was overwhelming and after several days of actually doing it I can see its benefit. There is real value in writing down your negative thoughts and especially in changing in writing those thoughts to positive ones. I can feel the difference after the skepticism, overwhelm, negativity and feeling of futility started to diminish. I really balked at this one but am glad I kept going. I opted to do it for another week since it was so hard for me and I am glad I have spent the extra time. I may not give it a whole extra week but we'll see.

Regarding Antidepressants,
I believe if you need the meds you should have them, at least for now. If you have severe clinical depression like I do you may need them to keep your head above water so you can even work this program. I do. Hopefully some day I won't need them but with depression as severe and chronic as mine I am not stopping them anytime soon. There is no shame in giving yourself every opportunity to succeed. Just my opinion.
The writing negative thoughts turning them into positive ones, and the journaling have turned out to be powerful tools too. As has the support I have gotten here.
An update, my daughter's biopsy came back. It was a benign polyp! Thanks for all your well wishes

debchance,
awsome about your daughter. Mine also had a biopsy come back last week negative for possible melanoma for an ugly black mole on her foot. So here's to our healthy daughters!

I am glad to hear I'm not the only one thinking about a little extra time on session 3. It is a little overwhelming, and I think my slip back into some depression was a result of that.

FYI to others struggling or overwhelmed at first with 3, I took a one day break from the program and it really helped me recharge and want to get back at it with renewed energy. This is hard work, so giving myself a short break was just what I needed. Just don't give up.
I too can see and feel the difference with keeping a positive attitude and not letting the negative thoughts take over. It's amazing how much calmer I am, even on the road in rush hour.
My mood is so much better, I am smiling again like I haven't in years.

"My life sucks" was my mantra just a month ago, and "I can't deal with this" was my thought every time I got a little stressed out.

Of course, part of me, the negative part, keeps waiting for the "other shoe" to drop, but I know
that's a negative thought, I can deal with adversity better now than ever, and I am telling myself, if something bad happens, I can deal with it and take care of myself and comfort myself. Negativity, go to hell where you came from!!

Take care, all.

Hello all. I'm a newbie here, just started the program today. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder with anxiety back in february. I've been on meds ever since, and in therapy for a few months after my diagnosis. I'm not in therapy now but that's okay for me. At the worst of it, I was sick to my stomach with anxiety through the work week and suicidal on the weekends. It took me getting to rock bottom before I finally got help. I'm at home now and working on healing myself and slowly getting the energy back to do something about my career. That's all and hope to hear more from you!

i have suffered from depression off and on for many years. my more serious issues are amxiety and ocd.

i'm in the deepest hole of depression i've ever been in.

i just lost my daddy. he was 89 years old. he was a father every kid wanted. i loved my daddy every day of my 60 years. on any one day when i thought of him it brought a smile to my face. i loved being with him because he had such a good sense of humor. we both shared a love for books.
if you had met the 5 of us kids you would wonder where did i fit in, that was until you saw my dad then you would understand. i always heard--you sure are your father daughter

his health becane to fail 7 years ago. up until the last 6 months of his life he did pretty good. but then he began to develope one infection after another. he had lived with me for seven years. watching him become sicker and sicker saddened so much. i knew i was losing him and it was tearing me apart. finally on the morning of sept 29th he lost the battle and passed away in his sleep. i found him with his hands folded across his chest and the most peaceful look on his face. still the shock was more then i could bear. daddy was my friend.i miss him so so much.

i have decieded to let myself be depressed. i need to feel the grief to heal. i try not to let it bring me to my knees. some days are easier. but one thing i have found out is that this to shall pass. all my life i've taken a deep breath and refused to allow myself the pain.this of course provokes the anxiety and ocd cause i feel it now.

i'm facing a issue that scares me somewhat. i have never lived alone. i was raised in a large family, got married had a large family, when the youngest moved out daddy moved in. my husband is a merchant seaman. he's out to sea 2 to 4 months at a time.

i don't know how to be alone. it scares me a little. and another thing, my husband and i have never been just he and i.

i'm a nurse by profession but the stress from that kind of work causes to much anxiety no matter how i try to control it. so going back to work in that field is'nt an option.

i've joined a gym, will do volunteer work i day a ek and take a quilting class. i like to read but the depression has taking away my enjoyment.

i know i need to stay busy, but sometimes i just don't even want to get out of bed. the saddeness is overwhelming.

writing this has helped me, i have ordered the program but i was wondering if anyone has been through this and how they dealt with it.

so to sum it up,i miss my father and don't know if i'll be ok alone. my husband is due back from kuwait on new years eve, my sistr leaves tomorrow. tomorrow night is my first night alone,wait, no it's not, i have my 2 year old grandson so sun will be my first day.

i wonder how it will be with just me and my husband. this is all new for us.

life, it can be tough at times

thanks for letting me share this with ya'll.

if you had met my father you would have understood what angel's are.

thank you

It's so nice to have a place to go to where you can unload and get good advice. Thank you Pecos, I will move on to session 4. I stopped listening to 3 a couple days ago. I've just been listening to Christmas music, trying to get excited for the Holiday. Still waiting for the excitment to kick in...Anyways, I am writing my negitive toughts down and man is it hard to find that positive counter remark. My Dr has perscribed me Paxil, but I've been taking St. Johns Wort and have to wait 2 weeks before starting Paxil. I'm extremely nervous but I'm not succeding on my own and it's time for help. I guess the meds can't be worse than what I feel already. I'll start session 4 tomorrow. Tomorrow's another day.

Hi New Jen, welcome! The feeling you described (a deep dark state of depression) is one all too often experienced by those of us on this topic thread. I hope you are able to get back on your program steadily soon. This was a recovery tool for me. We are all here to help each other, and when we don’t know how to help, we simply let you know we care.

Hi Tom Bueb. First off, Happy December Birthday, and I truly hope one day you look back and realize it was your happiest! Depression is a thief of time like no other, and I certainly understand your comment. Glad you have a wonderful therapist. Good therapists are excellent guides through the depression forests. We are here for you, too. When you hit bumps in the road, many of us here will grab our shovels and try to help you smooth out those bumps.

Hi debchance. Thanks for updating us about your daughters condition. Those reality stresses can be draining. Thanks, too, for sharing so much. Your experience is so valuable, and it takes such kindness and courage to share.

Hi mr mom. Yes, this is hard work. When I began the program last June, my days were so bleak, there were days that all I could manage was to listen to the CD and watch the DVD. Those days seem so long ago. You mentioned one of your mantras was “I can’t deal with this.” Wow. Did I ever tell myself that one, over and over. No wonder I believed it. It’s a lie we sell ourselves on, and it still never passes the smell test. These days, no matter what, I tell myself “Yes, I can do this.” I also enjoyed your last sentence and to that I say “ditto!”

Hi Hbomb. I, too, had major depressive disorder last February. My mother passed away in March, and life went downhill from there. You mention going to rock bottom. Me too. And I wasn’t getting help. I bought this program for a friends’ panic disorder. He didn’t want to work it, so I looked it over and noticed it mentioned depression. It’s all history now. I overcame my depression without meds. Keep your recovery from depression as a priority, and make this program the key. It has been for me. So happy you are here.

Hi mollymae2. My sincerest condolences. I had both my parents 18 months ago. They were wonderful people, both 79 years old. Dad’s cancer widely metastasized and he died in the summer of 2007. Mom’s heart failed nine months ago. I miss them. But I recognized my depression was not from grief. My depression has lingered for many years. Their loss sent me over the edge, and I could not see daylight for the grief and misery, which were compounded by depression. As I noted earlier here, I began this program in June. It was a remarkably capable guide, and it walked me out of depression. I still have moments of sadness. The holidays are especially difficult. But grief is something I can experience and accept. And, it doesn’t defeat me, as did depression. Thank you for allowing us to share your story. As for your loneliness, many of us do confront that here, as well. When I find myself uncomfortable because of my aloneness, I do something active. It may be as simple as taking a long walk, or visiting someone. I don’t think of loneliness as a bad thing anymore. It’s just an event that I live with, and it doesn’t often cause me discomfort anymore. Life is tough. But so are we. By the way, you sound a bit like an angel, yourself. Welcome.

Hi ForDTB&Me. Unload anytime. I bet you get a lot out of Session 4. Keep us posted on your progress. Since I completed the program, I have had moments when I needed to refresh. Session Three and Four are the two sessions I usually fall back on. They are excellent for helping us deal with depression. Today is a good day, and tomorrow is, too, because we are here. And we know it.

mr mom, that fantastic about your daughter's biopsy. Scary stuff.
I finally feel ready to move onto session 4 but am keeping to the assignment of writing down at least four negative thoughts a day and turning them into positive ones. I caught myself several times today feeling sorry for myself because my husband isn't real supportive but have to remind myself, I am in control of my happiness and I can't control his behavior but I can control my reaction. I don't want to give him all my power, it is ridiculous and counter productive but a deeply ingrained habit. Not just where he is concerned. I guess it is appropriate that session 4 talks about expectations, about ourselves and others.