Depression & self criticism because of conflict with family member

@gingerw During these times we are in ,I,m going to take up writing my feelings I think it will be therapeutic .

I agree, Lioness.
Writing helps us sort our thoughts.
I have begun a Gratitude journal. Too often I think what is going wrong, what I missed, what I have sacrificed. This journal will remind me of all that is going well, all that is positive. It will force me to think of all that is good, and recognizing the good in others.
(OK, I might add a few complaints! After all I am human 🤫

@helenfrances Also I,m tried of looking at my same pictures Think I,m going to get my family album out and change pictures that are on my walls Since I can't get out look at old memories ❤️😍

I have ben a freelance journalist, good at interviews and I've written over 30 short plays. In retirement I am working on a full length play. Job- wise I've been a historical society educator.

I'm giving a try at sticking to it.

I've been scrapbooking to find happier memories.

Thank you all. You have helped me a lot. I feel considerably. Better

@junkartist Cool! Write an interview on yourself! Take it from the standpoint of writing an article for a magazine or publication that is focused on how we help ourselves feel better, or perhaps another specific way of dealing with negatives that happened in our life. Have you ever tried some of the Ira Prokopf Journal writing methods? I just recalled an exercise from a workshop. With our dominant hand write a question, and with our non-dominant hand write the answer. It was so darn interesting!

So glad to hear you are being kind to yourself ;))
Ginger

@junkartist, I am not a professional writer but I started journaling years ago just as a way of expressing thoughts and emotions I didn't want to share with others. I use plain college ruled spiral notebooks because the "pretty" journals were "too nice" to use...weird woman, yes? vbg

Strife and discord within a family can produce enormous stress and anxiety. Private journaling gives me an opportunity to express my emotions in a way I could never do with someone else. The inexpensive spirals make it easy to tear out and destroy negative pages as desired later.

You also mentioned bike riding. Walking and working in my gardens are other favorite stress reducers for me.

Years ago, my first grandson's dad decided he preferred being a playboy to being a husband and dad. We were desperately afraid that the wealthy paternal grandparents, who lived out of the country, would kidnap our baby. It was a truly horrifically scary time. During that period, I thought my daughter far too lenient in giving the dad and grandparents opportunities to visit. I even paid private investigators to track them on one 3 day visit.

I sought a counselor for help and learned, perhaps, somewhat like you, that I needed to strengthen my boundaries and that as a responsible adult, my daughter be allowed to make her decisions without my input. What is all that accumulated wisdom for if not to share with our most loved ones, right? vbg

My daughter eventually received full custody but it was a legal battle royale. Having a safe way to express my angers, fears and threats of what I'd like to do to that family "pond scum" clan of internationally officed attorneys was probably a true sanity saver for me.

I am so thankful for the new cyber friends made through these wonderful Connect forums. This is another valuable outlet in which we can share concern and support safely and in confidence. What is your professional field of writing expertise?

My daughter worked on the creative side of advertising before her marriage. What is your professional field of writing expertise? Do you work from home? If so, is it hard to stop at the end of the day?