Depression- your plan for 2016

white knight · ‎25-12-2015

As I write this, its xmas morning. Last xmas morning I made a vow to myself....that by next xmas morning (today) I would have advanced with my depression and made a few improvements.

I would have-

1/ not thought at all in the twelve months...of suicide as a possibility. That that avenue, the idea of it, upon entering my thoughts, I would discount it

2/ That I would seek better stability of my medication. This was achieved by April by regular consultation with my doctor as to adjusting my mood stabilisers and anti depressants. This involved a little tweaking and was easier than I thought. I'm now as stable as I have ever been and likely ever will be. We need to allow for the fact that meds wont ever make us totally stable and we should seek the next best level.

3/ That on a personal level I would accept my wife more for her quirkiness and show more appreciation for her care and consideration.

4/ That I would seek more time aside for my time in a nearby forest. To take along my music I love (the pan flute) and play it. Meditate.

5/ That I would staunchly protect myself and my mental health by not allowing toxic people to enter my life nor allow some to re-enter it after previously being shut out. Torturing myself with troublemakers isn't going to help me.

6/ That I would remain on this forum. To try to connect with those needing my opinion in their struggle to get through life.

It's all worked.

Merry xmas to you all and be positive for it is the only way to get through it all with the least pain.

Tony WK

Guest_2350 · ‎25-12-2015

Dear Tony,

merry Christmas to you too!

Your resolutions last Christmas sound inspirational and great and I am so happy you achieved all of them! I hope you have set yourself new resolutions for next year and you will be as successful as this year. Thank you so much for staying on the forums and sharing your experiences. You and others on this forum have contributed a lot to my own progress with accepting and living with depression and PTSD this year - so thank you!

I am setting goals for the next few months only, as I am not ready to look at yearly resolutions yet. I would like to share them with you as it makes it more real for me:

1) Continue taking medication - and keep myself safe

2) Continue CBT - and work on my home assignments

3) Continue daily meditation & mindfulness - and accept slow progress

4) Continue talking to my psych team and on bb - and accept set-backs

5) Continue setting daily realistic goals - and celebrate achievements

6) Continue keeping a gratitude journal

Please stay positive and I hope your previous and new resolutions will all be easily achievable and if not I wish you the strength to continue.

Take care Tony, Merry Christmas, Yggy x

Lori · ‎25-12-2015

Hi Tony,

Thanks heaps for posting that i believe alot of people will find this very help and inspiring as it has done for me.

I'm so glad you kept to all those goals and i wish you all the best with your recovery. My plan now is to make similar goals for myself to follow for the next year!

Thank you for your inspiration, and i hope you have a lovely Christmas!

- Lori 🙂

hope4joy · ‎15-01-2016

Hi Tony,

thanks for sharing such positive growth! Its really nice to read about.

kind wishes, Christina

Hopefullseeking · ‎27-01-2016

Hi Tony

So glad you have had such success with your goals, your an inspiration.

1/ Walk 5 days a week

2/ Lose .5 per week

3/ Eat healthily

4/ Be aware and handle my emotions so l don't over eat

5/ Keep myself as occupied as my body will allow

6/ Save for a bigger fridge and then continue to save - this bigger fridge will allow me to cook and freeze meals for when I don't have the motivation to cook

7/ Find a shop to sell my cards

. I make greeting cards as it keeps my mind distracted and that helps

8/ Continue seeing my psychiatrist and pychologist.

My aim with my goals is oonly one thing, to feel better.

Thanks

Anne

white knight · ‎27-01-2016

Hi Anna,

They seem like really good goals to me. Well planned.

As for losing 0.5kg a week, this wont be easy to maintain. We go to the gym 3 times a week. But I never lost weight. Then 10 weeks ago I started building my own caravan and finished it this week. I lost 8kg in that time. So the message to me is keep active doing things you like to do.

I'm sure you'll find shops to sell your cards. Some country $2 shops like that sort of thing, or antique shops...any shop that enjoys things unique to keep customers amused.

Emotions, my pet topic. I've been the most sensitive person around. And used to cry all the tie. Now, maturity and medication has placed me in the normal sphere of emotion. I now realise what it would have been like for a normal person to tolerate me and my emotions. But I've also made those crucial changes of not socialising with nasty ones. If in doubt of a person I seek clarity by asking them questions next time we have a club gathering. In my mind I'm giving them a second chance and if that fails they are out of the door in my mind.

This has made me feel much better instead of grappling with those that don't fit into my kind and sensitive world.

Tony WK

citizen1911 · ‎02-02-2016

Dear Tony,

Thank you for sharing. I loved all of your goals and I'm glad to hear they had worked for you - it is an inspiration for us all.

Personally I felt very much for number 5. In the past few days I shut off a lot of friends - those I once thought cared about me. I had to deal with an enormous trauma in my life without friends, but I had staunchly believed having toxic people around would have made the trauma worse. Sometimes we have to get rid of the bad things in our lives to make way for the good ones, huh!

Take care and thank you supporting those who need it.

white knight · ‎02-02-2016

Hi Citizen,

Yes, they are all important but for my toxic people are potent and unworthy of my time.

I tend to stew over issues and toxic people in my presence can say a few nasty words and I'll live with the guilt, anger and so forth for a long time. Toxic people for me are those also that if I were to ring them later, during my stewing sessions, and explain my concerns about their comments, they wont listen or are in denial or never apologise (there are so many people that never ever apologize) or go on the attack....anything but merely being nice and listening.

I don't expect much. An ear, a concern. If that isn't there....what's the point of pursuing them as friends?

Tony WK