Asking for professional medical help was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I started writing the morning after I was released from the hospital. In 5 North, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, with suicidal ideation. Feeling up against the wall, seeking professional medical advice was the least hard of the three choices I felt I had. Choice #1 was to … [Read more...] about After Getting Help for Myself, I Can Now Share with Others
Facts and myths about mental illness
Learning The 3 Parts of My Change Triangle
The change triangle is becoming my go-to tool helping me to understand what I am feeling. Feelings. And the core emotions I have so fastidiously defended against. I spent 43+ years putting my defenses up so that I would not come in contact with my core emotions. Even now when I do this, the result is me using inhibitory emotions to block my true (core) emotions. The human … [Read more...] about Learning The 3 Parts of My Change Triangle
What You See May Not Be What You Get
I see eyes and a mouth ready to eat me if I get too close. That’s what I see as I sit in my therapist’s office waiting for my appointment. Maybe I watched too many cartoons as a child. I see the raised couch cushion forming an upper lip, while the frame underneath becomes the bottom of the mouth. And the tops of the sofa arms, become … [Read more...] about What You See May Not Be What You Get
Two Tools That Help Me and Others Navigate Depression
"I have depression, depression does not have me." This has been my mantra for over 15 months. Hospitalized at the end of April last year, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. My hospitalization began my journey to learn all I can about depression. Along the way, I have collected tools that I use daily. Some tools for facing my depression are now so ingrained, that … [Read more...] about Two Tools That Help Me and Others Navigate Depression
Why Do I Have These Thoughts?
Thankfully, I am not talking about suicide. During my last Psychiatrist visit, my Doctor asked me when the last time was, I had thoughts of suicide. I had to think, before answering. My doctor pointed out that this was an incredibly positive sign. Her patients who know exactly when they had their last suicidal thought are more at risk. But not having those kinds of … [Read more...] about Why Do I Have These Thoughts?
