I Wanna be a Poster Child For Mental Health & Wellness

Posted by Shirley Hugh-Jesst @audriana, Jun 16, 2022

I wanna a be a poster child for Mental Health and Wellness.
I'm not a fatalistic. I'm not a pessimist.
I AM an optimist.
I AM a realist.
I do have treatment resistant depression. Code Blah, Code blah-blah, Code 3X Blah.
I AM open to new ideas, treatments, strategies therapies, theories.
I AM discouraged.
I AM resilient.
I AM tenacious.
I've been one to turn the other cheek. When MSer punched me in the stomach, I turned the other cheek. When HSer punched me in the face, I turned the other cheek.
I AM NOT a victim.
I AM NOT a coward.
It is apparent I must be prey.
I don't want to elaborate other than to say I was abused from the age of 3 until I was 8. Then my parents moved to the suburbs.
I HOPE there isn't another predator around my bend. I seem to be susceptible.
I WILL NOT give in.
I'm getting tired.
I, I, I...depression is such a self-centered, selfish disease of the brain.
I DO have Willpower.
I DO push through.
I DO have a loving, albeit tired support system. Collateral damage.
Why do I apparently have a sign on my back, "Kick Me" ???
Yep, today I AM having a pity party and no one is invited.
Depression IS contagious.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

Thank you for reminding me to keep my sense of humor. Doesn't it feel great to have a contagious laugh?
I had an Endocrinologist who left his practice to become a ship's doctor AND comedian. He used to give inspirational talks about the power of laughter!

I feel the need to clarify something.
I often get into trouble because of figurative language. Within the realm of mental health, I've also learned to avoid sarcasm.
When I talk about ANTs AND TROLLS , I'm referring to the first as an acronym and the second as a term relating to cyber stalkers--bullies. I've been replying on 2 discussions I started: "My Joy Is Withering away Because of Bullies" and "I wanna be a poster child..."
I think I might have gotten my topics mixed up.
Anyway, thank you for your kindness and your time. Your contributions are from your heart and I know as a group that we appreciate them. It's a comfort to talk to someone who is empathetic and not judgemental.
Today, I learned that my fiend died this morning.
I'm very sad and grieving.
And I've been angry because I knew it was eminent. And, I was happy that she made her husband call me last week so she and I could silently say our farewells.
She died of metastatic cancer and I think her death was premature. She would just grin when I would ask her how she was feeling. I would "channel" my mom, who was originally her friend and provide motherly advice.
She made the ultimate sacrifice: she concentrated her energy on taking care of her husband. She ignored her own needs--body, mind, and spirit.
I think I'm going to take some time to reflect and celebrate her life privately. Her funeral is on Tuesday.

REPLY
@acoblin

Shirley,
I've dealt with depression and anxiety on and off for almost thirty years. I've tried different treatments ranging from antidepressants to acupuncture, from psychotherapy to group therapy, from meditations to mindfulness. What I've learned is that not every treatment works for everyone. Like you, I'm a talker and I've found that words can be healing for me, as I mentioned before. Self-affirmation, expression of gratitude and journaling are some ways which I have found therapeutic. Another, and most effective way for me, is using words in a mantra. You may want to find an existing one or create your own that fits your personal situation. Use the tool you already have: the power of your words.

The following is a mantra that.got me through my darkest moments:
"Let go of what was.
Accept what is.
Have hope in what will be."

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@acoblin, vitamin B1 (thiamine) is critical for brain health and needs to be activated by magnesium. These links provide information about thiamine, magnesium and other nutrients. Perhaps it will offer a springboard to research this information further that leads to relief for anxiety and depression.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3046018/#:~:text=For%20anxiety%2C%20thiamine%20has%20been,aggression%2C%20headache%2C%20diaphoresis%2C%20and
http://stuttersense.blogspot.com/2014/08/these-factors-reduce-your-thiamine.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/
https://www.krispin.com/magnes.html

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