Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ Category
Success Goes a Long Way
Thursday, October 9th, 2008by Susan
I recently had some success in achieving a goal with my Avon sales and realize now that a little success goes a long way in relieving depression. Success also helps promote a good sense self esteem which is something most of us can use on a regular basis.
Although tackling new projects and taking new risks can cause us a good deal of stress, it can also eventually give us a lot of rewards. Success can greatly improve our general mental health and make us more pleasant to be around. Don't get me wrong........I'm usually a very pleasant person, although I suffer from depression.
Yesterday I attended my Avon District Sales Meeting and felt reassured about my future with Avon. I received recognition for my accomplishments and all of us received the assurance that Avon will not be laying off representatives. In this troubled economy that was a good thing to hear.
I'm very pleased that I was able to make myself get out there and start selling Avon two years ago. It was a risk that paid off in many ways......especially because it got me out of the house and interacting with people again. If we can make ourselves try new things, the success we achieve will go a long way in helping us cope with depression.
Protect Loved Ones From Resentment
Friday, September 26th, 2008by David
Sometimes we have to protect our loved ones from their own resentment. Imagine you are having a good day and all of a sudden something very unnatural happens. A loved one says something or does something that hurts you or makes you angry. You react and now there are two of you acting in an unnatural way. What if you were able to not react?
Some might call not reacting, turning the other cheek. A lot of people have trouble doing this. Well, this isn't a religion lesson where you feel you must become like a monk to get along in the world by not reacting to your loved ones resentment and/or cruelty. However, if you can stop reacting, you might help them to see what is going on. It takes two to fight. If you remain neutral it doesn't have to mean you are turning the other cheek. It means you're not going to be drawn into a disease I call resentment.
Your loved ones don't know how to cope with neutrality. You may not know either. but looking at it the right way may change your mind about it. The world is full of people who think their way is the right way and at the snap of a finger can become resentful, angry or even violent towards someone.
If someone takes their resentment out on you, neutralize the situation or take a break. After all, you may be wrong. If we harbor resentment we can't see that we are sometimes wrong because we can't see anything clearly. Take care of your little corner of the world, your friends, your loved ones............and you.
Lost in Depression
Sunday, September 14th, 2008by David
It's hard when you don't feel like doing anything to fill up a day's hours with things to do. It's hard trying to sleep when you can't, or trying to go walking when your self esteem is so low that you feel very self conscious around people. Sometimes you feel so self conscious that any traffic makes walking a real burden. It makes you want to stay home where you feel safe.
Depression can take your breath away as well as your friends and your self. It can isolate you from loved ones when they don't understand at times that you don't feel like being around anyone, including them. That is the most heart breaking thing when you have children and you can't be your best for them....... missing out on things or events that are so special to them.
You try to show your children that you love them. You hope they understand or will someday understand that depression is a disability just as sure as if you were in a wheel chair for life. Depression is a prison at times, keeping you from being out in the world enjoying things other people are enjoying. At times I cry. Sometimes I hide my head under the covers. There's no escape and sometimes no relief. Deep inside I know life is beautiful. I have two daughters.
I Wish I Looked Different
Friday, September 12th, 2008
by Susan
Sometimes I really wish I looked different. We go through life with this one body and even though we try to keep it healthy and looking it's best we may be dissatisfied with how we look. I am. Women like myself, who are senior citizens, probably understand very well how this dissatisfaction with our appearance can worsen with age.
I keep hoping I will get to the point where I'm comfortable wearing red and purple, and don't care too much anymore about how I look, but I'm not there yet. My self esteem has always been connected to how I feel about my appearance. Lately, I haven't had good self esteem.
My hair is thinning and my waistline is thickening. I know both of these things often happen to senior citizens in spite of exercise and eating right. I know aging is a normal process but by golly......we don't have to like it. I want to age gracefully and happily and I know acceptance is the key to achieving that wish. I'm just not ready. I wish I looked different.........younger, thinner and happier.
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. According to one article I found, many people are actually Obsessing On Body Image. I'm not obsessing yet, but just having a rant tonight. Thanks for reading.
Sometimes I really wish I looked different. We go through life with this one body and even though we try to keep it healthy and looking it's best we may be dissatisfied with how we look. I am. Women like myself, who are senior citizens, probably understand very well how this dissatisfaction with our appearance can worsen with age.
I keep hoping I will get to the point where I'm comfortable wearing red and purple, and don't care too much anymore about how I look, but I'm not there yet. My self esteem has always been connected to how I feel about my appearance. Lately, I haven't had good self esteem.
My hair is thinning and my waistline is thickening. I know both of these things often happen to senior citizens in spite of exercise and eating right. I know aging is a normal process but by golly......we don't have to like it. I want to age gracefully and happily and I know acceptance is the key to achieving that wish. I'm just not ready. I wish I looked different.........younger, thinner and happier.
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. According to one article I found, many people are actually Obsessing On Body Image. I'm not obsessing yet, but just having a rant tonight. Thanks for reading.
You’ve Gotta Have Hope
Thursday, August 21st, 2008
by Susan
There's an old song titled, "You've Gotta Have Heart" but I've often heard the word Hope substituted for heart including in the title of an old episode of The Golden Girls. In my opinion ya gotta have both....but hope is what I want to talk about in this article.
Those of us with depression often feel hopeless but we can learn to have hope through cognitive behavior therapy. We can learn to set goals and make plans to achieve those goals thus giving us hope....hope for a better life. With hope we can begin to overcome our depression. I believe that hopeful people who encourage us to have hope, are exactly the kind of people we need in our lives.
Let's say we have a goal and a plan. Now we need the motivation to execute that plan. In my opinion, mustering up the motivation is the hard part but we can do it with the help of those who offer us encouragement. Sometimes that can be a professional, a family member or friends. I'd like to say that my brother, David, has given me a lot of the encouragement I needed to carry out my goals with this blog.
There's an interesting article in the Ohio State University Research News on "Hope Therapy". Check it out to learn more about this very interesting idea for controlling the monster.......depression.
Visit: Ozzie Reviews Avon
There's an old song titled, "You've Gotta Have Heart" but I've often heard the word Hope substituted for heart including in the title of an old episode of The Golden Girls. In my opinion ya gotta have both....but hope is what I want to talk about in this article.
Those of us with depression often feel hopeless but we can learn to have hope through cognitive behavior therapy. We can learn to set goals and make plans to achieve those goals thus giving us hope....hope for a better life. With hope we can begin to overcome our depression. I believe that hopeful people who encourage us to have hope, are exactly the kind of people we need in our lives.
Let's say we have a goal and a plan. Now we need the motivation to execute that plan. In my opinion, mustering up the motivation is the hard part but we can do it with the help of those who offer us encouragement. Sometimes that can be a professional, a family member or friends. I'd like to say that my brother, David, has given me a lot of the encouragement I needed to carry out my goals with this blog.
There's an interesting article in the Ohio State University Research News on "Hope Therapy". Check it out to learn more about this very interesting idea for controlling the monster.......depression.
Visit: Ozzie Reviews Avon
Senior Citizens and Depression
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
by Susan
As a senior citizen I can tell you that depression isn't any easier to deal with as you get older. I'm sure that must also be true for most mental health problems. The mere fact of advancing age sometimes causes me a great deal of sadness. This past week I also felt a lot of anger due to my having to let go of some of the things I love to do.
For many years I have been an avid gardener. I loved growing roses, perennials, annuals and even some vegetables now and then. We have a big yard and I had many large flower beds. During the growing season you usually found me outside digging in the dirt planting flowers or pulling weeds. I dug the flower beds, hauled rocks to build the borders for the beds and hauled the bags of mulch. It has been one of my favorite hobbies through the years.
However, the past few years it has been more and more difficult for me to do all of the necessary work to keep my gardens looking nice. This year because of all the rain, the weeds in some areas were soon taller than I am. Last week one of my neighbors complained. So, my husband and I worked all weekend and we totally eliminated two large flower beds. My feet are still sore from digging! I plan to do the same with some of the remaining flower beds. My gardening hobby will have to be limited, but I will still enjoy it.
Senior citizens have to deal with a lot of acceptance when it comes to their continually decreasing physical abilities. Even with regular exercise and good health habits we all get older and dealing with it can be depressing at times. It's a good thing there are some perks to being a senior too. Watching my grandson grow five inches in one year can be even more fascinating than growing plants. Hearing my one year old granddaughter call me Nana cheers me up in no time.
One of my prized flower beds just a few years ago.
As a senior citizen I can tell you that depression isn't any easier to deal with as you get older. I'm sure that must also be true for most mental health problems. The mere fact of advancing age sometimes causes me a great deal of sadness. This past week I also felt a lot of anger due to my having to let go of some of the things I love to do.
For many years I have been an avid gardener. I loved growing roses, perennials, annuals and even some vegetables now and then. We have a big yard and I had many large flower beds. During the growing season you usually found me outside digging in the dirt planting flowers or pulling weeds. I dug the flower beds, hauled rocks to build the borders for the beds and hauled the bags of mulch. It has been one of my favorite hobbies through the years.
However, the past few years it has been more and more difficult for me to do all of the necessary work to keep my gardens looking nice. This year because of all the rain, the weeds in some areas were soon taller than I am. Last week one of my neighbors complained. So, my husband and I worked all weekend and we totally eliminated two large flower beds. My feet are still sore from digging! I plan to do the same with some of the remaining flower beds. My gardening hobby will have to be limited, but I will still enjoy it.
Senior citizens have to deal with a lot of acceptance when it comes to their continually decreasing physical abilities. Even with regular exercise and good health habits we all get older and dealing with it can be depressing at times. It's a good thing there are some perks to being a senior too. Watching my grandson grow five inches in one year can be even more fascinating than growing plants. Hearing my one year old granddaughter call me Nana cheers me up in no time.
One of my prized flower beds just a few years ago.
Dummies Books for Depression or Bipolar
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
by Susan
I've found more helpful resources for those who suffer from depression and those who are bipolar. First I'll tell you what I've found for those who are bipolar.
There is a fairly new site called Bipolar Beat. The blog is authored by Candida Fink, M.D. and Joe Kraynak. At Bipolar Beat you can learn more about Bipolar, ask a question of Dr. Fink or Joe Kraynak, or take a Bipolar Quiz. They also authored the book Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.
Depression for Dummies looks like a good read by By Laura L. Smith, PhD, Charles H. Elliott, PhD. I haven't yet read these Dummies books but can highly recommend many of the other Dummies books on the market. I like the simplicity as well as the humor that is injected into the Dummies books.
Give these resources a try if you feel you need a little help. You might also want to send them to a friend who could benefit from the blog or the Dummies books.
I've found more helpful resources for those who suffer from depression and those who are bipolar. First I'll tell you what I've found for those who are bipolar.
There is a fairly new site called Bipolar Beat. The blog is authored by Candida Fink, M.D. and Joe Kraynak. At Bipolar Beat you can learn more about Bipolar, ask a question of Dr. Fink or Joe Kraynak, or take a Bipolar Quiz. They also authored the book Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.
Depression for Dummies looks like a good read by By Laura L. Smith, PhD, Charles H. Elliott, PhD. I haven't yet read these Dummies books but can highly recommend many of the other Dummies books on the market. I like the simplicity as well as the humor that is injected into the Dummies books.
Give these resources a try if you feel you need a little help. You might also want to send them to a friend who could benefit from the blog or the Dummies books.
Self Help For Depression
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
by Susan
We all need help at times, even when professional help is not available to us. It's a good idea to have some self help skills when it comes to managing our depression or anxiety. Most of us don't have the time or the money to see a professional everyday or every time we have a problem, so we need to learn good methods of coping that can be used on a daily basis. Good coping skills can also help you to reduce your medication and your visits to professionals.
I used to see an excellent psychologist, off and on, for about 20 years. He taught me many things I can do on my own to deal with my ongoing anxiety and depression problems. The self help skills he taught me have been the most valuable skills I've ever learned and I still use them on a daily basis. Simple things like deep breathing, journaling (or blogging now), exercise and eating well. There are many, many more.
Recently I came across a self help book online that I thought some of our readers might like to explore. It's called Psychological Self-Help by Dr. Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd. This is a free download and might give you some good ideas on how to help you feel better.
Please visit:
Ozzie Reviews Avon
We all need help at times, even when professional help is not available to us. It's a good idea to have some self help skills when it comes to managing our depression or anxiety. Most of us don't have the time or the money to see a professional everyday or every time we have a problem, so we need to learn good methods of coping that can be used on a daily basis. Good coping skills can also help you to reduce your medication and your visits to professionals.
I used to see an excellent psychologist, off and on, for about 20 years. He taught me many things I can do on my own to deal with my ongoing anxiety and depression problems. The self help skills he taught me have been the most valuable skills I've ever learned and I still use them on a daily basis. Simple things like deep breathing, journaling (or blogging now), exercise and eating well. There are many, many more.
Recently I came across a self help book online that I thought some of our readers might like to explore. It's called Psychological Self-Help by Dr. Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd. This is a free download and might give you some good ideas on how to help you feel better.
Please visit:
Ozzie Reviews Avon
Disappointments and Depression: His and Hers
Saturday, July 26th, 2008by Susan
Disappointments in the every day life of those of us suffering from mental health problems are often triggers of depression. Many people are able to easily let go of the frustration of disappointments but if we're prone to having depression it is more difficult.
Disappointment is the frustration we often feel for failing to attain specific hopes or wishes. Recently I proudly sent pictures of my immediate family to members of my family of origin. I failed to attain the reactions I had hoped for. In fact, they didn't even acknowledge the receipt of my pictures. I have been in a dark hole ever since. I'm writing this post as a step up out of that hole.
Over the years the relationships I've had with members of my family of origin have changed dramatically. I don't like the changes but I do concede the changes have been necessary for my general well being. Letting go of old, hurtful relationships is a hard thing to do. I find myself reaching out every now and then, hoping for a better result and it just doesn't happen. I only end up feeling disappointed, depressed and frustrated.
I have five sisters but it is my brother, David who is my friend and the one I can count on if I need support or encouragement. He's definitely not a disappointment! Thanks for reading. You are helping us to achieve our hope of having a successful blog. I'm half way out of this dark hole as a result of posting this article!
Stress Hits Unexpectedly: His and Hers
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008by Susan
In 2003 I was going through a difficult time and wrote a poem about how stress grabs us when we least expect it. Stress has been a big part of my depression and anxiety disease. It's something I frequently feel even though I'm past the worst of it. Maybe some of you can relate to my poem if you also have mental health issues that you are dealing with on a daily basis.
Stress
Stress can hit you in the middle of the day
It can wake you when you're dreaming and take your breath away
It can grab you somewhere like the grocery store
It can sneak right up behind you and make you feel unsure.
Stress can wring from you every ounce of mental strength
It can squeeze your very will away, It goes to any length
Stress can twist your thoughts into an awful mess
It ropes you in against your will and steals your very best
It hits you, grabs you, wrings and twists you till you can't go on
It leaves you when you least expect it, then you're glad it's gone.