Archive for the ‘self esteem’ 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.
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.
Learn About Bloghology…….by Susan
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
David and I had a boost to our self esteem recently because His & Hers Depression Blog has been chosen to be part of the next edition of Bloghology. You say, what is Bloghology? Bloghology is a collection of bloggers, their profiles, photos and links to their best posts. The collection is in a PDF e-book which will help to promote the featured bloggers and their blogs.
A young man from Turkey by the name of Mert Erkal has invented this word and it's been circulating all over the Internet. Mert has a blog called, Search for Blogging, which has been very helpful to me. I've been learning a lot about blogging from reading his tips and ideas.
If you'd like to check out all fifteen bloggers who have been selected to be in the second edition of Bloghology please visit the post on Mert's blog which makes the announcement. Bloggers in the 2nd Edition of Bloghology
You can download and read the 1st Edition of Bloghology and learn about the bloggers who were featured in the 2007 PDF e-book. When the 2nd Edition of Bloghology is finished, I'll definitely be putting a link to it here on the His & Hers Depression Blog. We're going to be in an e-book!
We hope you've enjoyed learning about Bloghology in this post. As bloggers we have really appreciated your support. With your support this site continues to grow. Hopefully we can continue to help others with the stories of our struggles and successes. I'm especially proud of our success in being chosen to take part in the 2nd Edition of Bloghology.
My Avon Website
A young man from Turkey by the name of Mert Erkal has invented this word and it's been circulating all over the Internet. Mert has a blog called, Search for Blogging, which has been very helpful to me. I've been learning a lot about blogging from reading his tips and ideas.
If you'd like to check out all fifteen bloggers who have been selected to be in the second edition of Bloghology please visit the post on Mert's blog which makes the announcement. Bloggers in the 2nd Edition of Bloghology
You can download and read the 1st Edition of Bloghology and learn about the bloggers who were featured in the 2007 PDF e-book. When the 2nd Edition of Bloghology is finished, I'll definitely be putting a link to it here on the His & Hers Depression Blog. We're going to be in an e-book!
We hope you've enjoyed learning about Bloghology in this post. As bloggers we have really appreciated your support. With your support this site continues to grow. Hopefully we can continue to help others with the stories of our struggles and successes. I'm especially proud of our success in being chosen to take part in the 2nd Edition of Bloghology.
My Avon Website
Living With Male Chauvinism……….by Susan
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
I have lived my life with men who practice what used to be referred to as 'Male Chauvinism'. It began of course, with my father who was a very loving person but........he was also a sergeant in the Army. He used to tell his six daughters and one son this: "Saturday we were going to have a G I party". This meant we all had to clean our rooms. He was bossy and required us to live by his standards in all areas of our lives. If he came home and mom told him one of us needed a spanking, he gave it to us. He required all of us to go to confession once every two weeks, regardless of whether we felt the need to confess anything.
I can't begin to tell you how many times my mother asked him not to talk so loud. I guess his career required a lot of yelling and he didn't leave his job at the office. Those were the early days. Later, after he retired from the military, he changed. He changed a lot as I began my high school years. He began to drink heavily. My mother also changed and was often mean to him and her children. They fought a lot as my siblings and I tried to get as far away from it as possible. We had a large home and a large yard, thank God!
I've never forgotten this incident when my Dad was especially chauvinistic. I was studying accounting, shorthand, and typing in school and hoped to work in an office when I graduated. These were my Dad's words of support: "It's good to have a skill, in case something happens to your husband and you have to go to work". Yesterday, while visiting with some of my female friends who are fellow Avon Representatives, they were talking about the encouragement their dads gave them. That conversation is what brought to mind the lack of encouragement I received from my dad.
I pat myself on the back daily for the progress I've been making in improving my self esteem. I'm happy with the desire I have to accomplish something in addition to being a wife and mother. I've been working hard online to promote my ozzieblackcat websites and my Avon blog and website. I've also been working hard to make a small income to supplement my husband's retirement income. I still battle the attitude of some of the men in my life who continue to display an attitude of "chauvinism" or superiority. I also battle the anger I feel when my husband behaves in this manner. Many men have let go of this attitude of superiority, but there are some of us who are still living with "male chauvinism" and this someone is surviving. My happiness level continues to increase as I learn to be the best I can be.
Please visit:
Ozzie Reviews Avon
My Avon Website
I can't begin to tell you how many times my mother asked him not to talk so loud. I guess his career required a lot of yelling and he didn't leave his job at the office. Those were the early days. Later, after he retired from the military, he changed. He changed a lot as I began my high school years. He began to drink heavily. My mother also changed and was often mean to him and her children. They fought a lot as my siblings and I tried to get as far away from it as possible. We had a large home and a large yard, thank God!
I've never forgotten this incident when my Dad was especially chauvinistic. I was studying accounting, shorthand, and typing in school and hoped to work in an office when I graduated. These were my Dad's words of support: "It's good to have a skill, in case something happens to your husband and you have to go to work". Yesterday, while visiting with some of my female friends who are fellow Avon Representatives, they were talking about the encouragement their dads gave them. That conversation is what brought to mind the lack of encouragement I received from my dad.
I pat myself on the back daily for the progress I've been making in improving my self esteem. I'm happy with the desire I have to accomplish something in addition to being a wife and mother. I've been working hard online to promote my ozzieblackcat websites and my Avon blog and website. I've also been working hard to make a small income to supplement my husband's retirement income. I still battle the attitude of some of the men in my life who continue to display an attitude of "chauvinism" or superiority. I also battle the anger I feel when my husband behaves in this manner. Many men have let go of this attitude of superiority, but there are some of us who are still living with "male chauvinism" and this someone is surviving. My happiness level continues to increase as I learn to be the best I can be.
Please visit:
Ozzie Reviews Avon
My Avon Website
Not Easy Being You?………….by David
Thursday, January 10th, 2008
Is it difficult for you when you go to the Mall or other places where there are lots of people? You may have been told the following and your logical mind knows: Many people feel these insecurities to one degree or another. Still ............that doesn't turn off the voice (the feeling) which tells you that you're not as good as everyone else. It tells you this to the extreme and you may feel you don't deserve to exist. (no reference to self harm here)
In my current view, "a voice" is key. I'm not saying that we are all going around hearing voices.
I spoke to my doctor last week and at one point she was reassuring me of the fact that everyone has these insecurities. Something happened. She saw something as I was saying, "these thoughts come into my head and I can't control them." Well, she immediately started writing a prescription.
The prescription is for Ambilify, an anti-psychotic medication in the lowest dose of 2 mg. (30 mg. being the highest). When she told me this, I thought, "am I a serial killer or something?" But then I regrouped. I realize I have some thoughts I can't control. These uncontrollable thoughts are more debilitating than the average lack of self esteem or insecurities many people experience around other people. I felt sort of angry to realize I truly have no control over these thoughts, then I saw that I really do need the help of this medication.
I guess most of us need counseling over a period of years an maybe medication for depression, but if you feel your withdrawal from people is to the extreme, you may want to consider this article when talking with your doctor. We all deserve to be happy or content and, we for sure, deserve to feel safe.
In my current view, "a voice" is key. I'm not saying that we are all going around hearing voices.
I spoke to my doctor last week and at one point she was reassuring me of the fact that everyone has these insecurities. Something happened. She saw something as I was saying, "these thoughts come into my head and I can't control them." Well, she immediately started writing a prescription.
The prescription is for Ambilify, an anti-psychotic medication in the lowest dose of 2 mg. (30 mg. being the highest). When she told me this, I thought, "am I a serial killer or something?" But then I regrouped. I realize I have some thoughts I can't control. These uncontrollable thoughts are more debilitating than the average lack of self esteem or insecurities many people experience around other people. I felt sort of angry to realize I truly have no control over these thoughts, then I saw that I really do need the help of this medication.
I guess most of us need counseling over a period of years an maybe medication for depression, but if you feel your withdrawal from people is to the extreme, you may want to consider this article when talking with your doctor. We all deserve to be happy or content and, we for sure, deserve to feel safe.
Bad Hair Day………….by Susan
Saturday, October 27th, 2007This article really isn't going to be about hair although I will mention hair a little bit later. My reason for writing today is to cuss and discuss the problems I've had recently.....well, all my life, with prescription medication. I'm sure there are plenty of others who also have allergies and really bad side effects to the medications they have tried to take.
A few weeks ago I ended up in the hospital thanks to side effects from medication! I had no idea that something intended for high blood pressure could also cause a person's pulse to drop well below 60 while still allowing the blood pressure to be way too high. Mine did exactly that and it felt awful! Needless to say, my blood pressure medication has been changed.
I've stopped taking all medications with the exception of my new blood pressure medication, my thyroid meds and a small amount of anti-anxiety medication at bedtime. Occasionally, I take a pain medication at bedtime if I've had a really difficult day, pain wise. I try to avoid them because they can trigger migraines. Welcome back migraines and fibromyalgia! I'm dealing with these things, as well as my depression/anxiety, in ways other than those which involve drugs. So far, it's working on some days.
Now, back to the bad hair thing. Inderal is the medication I was taking for my blood pressure. One of the side effects I read about prior to taking the medication was a possible loss of hair. In the month while I was taking Inderal, I lost a lot of hair! Having started out with really thick curly hair, this experience was similar to having had my hair thinned professionally in the past.
One morning as I was getting ready to leave the house, doing all my make-up and trying to make my hair look good, I thought I was having a really bad hair day and was going to have to resort to a pony tail. When I picked up my hand mirror and looked at the back view of my hair, it was suddenly clear to me..........I wasn't having a bad hair day! I was having a no hair day! Clear as day on the back of my head where hair once was extremely thick, I could see my scalp. What a depressing development!
A few weeks ago I ended up in the hospital thanks to side effects from medication! I had no idea that something intended for high blood pressure could also cause a person's pulse to drop well below 60 while still allowing the blood pressure to be way too high. Mine did exactly that and it felt awful! Needless to say, my blood pressure medication has been changed.
I've stopped taking all medications with the exception of my new blood pressure medication, my thyroid meds and a small amount of anti-anxiety medication at bedtime. Occasionally, I take a pain medication at bedtime if I've had a really difficult day, pain wise. I try to avoid them because they can trigger migraines. Welcome back migraines and fibromyalgia! I'm dealing with these things, as well as my depression/anxiety, in ways other than those which involve drugs. So far, it's working on some days.
Now, back to the bad hair thing. Inderal is the medication I was taking for my blood pressure. One of the side effects I read about prior to taking the medication was a possible loss of hair. In the month while I was taking Inderal, I lost a lot of hair! Having started out with really thick curly hair, this experience was similar to having had my hair thinned professionally in the past.
One morning as I was getting ready to leave the house, doing all my make-up and trying to make my hair look good, I thought I was having a really bad hair day and was going to have to resort to a pony tail. When I picked up my hand mirror and looked at the back view of my hair, it was suddenly clear to me..........I wasn't having a bad hair day! I was having a no hair day! Clear as day on the back of my head where hair once was extremely thick, I could see my scalp. What a depressing development!