Staying well

Setting yourself up for success

replies: 3

Thought I might start a thread for people to share strategies on how they force themselves to do things they don't like doing! For example, going to the gym, getting out of bed, procrastination, etc. Tell us what you struggle to do, and how you cheat... View more

Thought I might start a thread for people to share strategies on how they force themselves to do things they don't like doing! For example, going to the gym, getting out of bed, procrastination, etc. Tell us what you struggle to do, and how you cheat yourself into doing it! I'll start... Struggle #1: Getting out of bed in the morning - I put the alarm clock in the lounge room so I have no choice but to get out of bed! Struggle #2: Meditating daily - I put my phone into flight mode the night before and I'm not allowed to turn it off in the morning until AFTER I have meditated.

I’m having trouble sleeping

replies: 2

Help! I can’t seem to get to sleep easily. Even when I exercise during the day, drink warm milk in the evening and get off my electronic devices an hour before bed, I end up falling asleep more than an hour after I get into bed. I also wake up freque... View more

Help! I can’t seem to get to sleep easily. Even when I exercise during the day, drink warm milk in the evening and get off my electronic devices an hour before bed, I end up falling asleep more than an hour after I get into bed. I also wake up frequently during the night and have trouble falling asleep afterwards. Does anyone have any tips for me?

DAY ONE

replies: 27

Hi Im starting a journey on getting well, It has take me years to finally admit I am depressed, I've been terrified of the stigma and the medications. I have some therapy booked, and have seen a homeopath for health support. I am struggling with Alco... View more

Hi Im starting a journey on getting well, It has take me years to finally admit I am depressed, I've been terrified of the stigma and the medications. I have some therapy booked, and have seen a homeopath for health support. I am struggling with Alcohol, and it is making me ill, my digestive system is out of wack, is there somewhere I can talk to others who are trying to stop drinking? I need to talk about it, and I want to stop all together, I have tried so many times, but keep going back, I know it is making my issues unsurmountable, but I can only stay off it for about 2 weeks then it starts again, please Help, many thanks.....frustrated, alone, sick, not moving forward, like a duck swimming, feet going like mad but not moving anywhere..........thanks again S60

Alora here - dealing with lifelong depression and addiction

replies: 16

Alora here, I'm a newbie wanting to say hi. Been battling depression/anxiety since I was 13, lost a sibling at 17 which destroyed me. The solution I found for my pain at the time was alcohol, and here I am 23 years later battling an addiction that I ... View more

Alora here, I'm a newbie wanting to say hi. Been battling depression/anxiety since I was 13, lost a sibling at 17 which destroyed me. The solution I found for my pain at the time was alcohol, and here I am 23 years later battling an addiction that I know is destroying me, mentally, emotionally and physically. My life isn't where I expected to be: no kids, no job, little friends, and I'm stuck at home with an injury that's currently preventing me from work, outings or exercise. Trying to be positive and fight the cravings feels impossible at the moment. I hope to share my story, the knowledge and tips I've learned, and get advice from others. Most importantly, I could do with a friend.

Fostering feelings of excitement?

replies: 4

Hi. I think I am - and have been for most of my life now - rather disconnected from the kind of positive energy that drives people to do things. I remember, as a child, waking up on Christmas morning and being excited to open presents. I remember, as... View more

Hi. I think I am - and have been for most of my life now - rather disconnected from the kind of positive energy that drives people to do things. I remember, as a child, waking up on Christmas morning and being excited to open presents. I remember, as a child, being excited to read through whatever book I was engaged with at the moment. But that kind of thing feels very far away. I already know things that I think are worth doing with my time in the world, and that I want to will myself actually to do. But the excitement is not there to jump out of bed in the morning, or to do thing at any other stage of the day. And so I procrastinate. This feels like something that perhaps meditation (excitement meditation?) can help with. Or writing a gratitude journal (except for excitement). But how to write about things I'm excited about when I .. don't feel that? Do you have to bootstrap yourself into it?; "If the feeling part of me could cotton onto what my brain knows I *should* be excited about, I *would* be excited about.. X.. and Y... and Z"; and then eventually the feelings catch up? What things about yourself have you made concerted efforts to change in this way? How have you attempted this? Has it worked (become internalised - "I'm actually a different person to that person from years ago; I feel different, act differently, see the world differently") or do you just feel like every day for years you've been mechanically "handling" your unchanging underlying default dispositions?

How do you cope with the uncertainty and unpredictability of life?

replies: 9

Got some homework from my psych (as usual) relating to needing or craving certainty. I found some additional material on the web which included a worksheet. One of the questions on the worksheet included this... Talk to the people you know. Ask how t... View more

Got some homework from my psych (as usual) relating to needing or craving certainty. I found some additional material on the web which included a worksheet. One of the questions on the worksheet included this... Talk to the people you know. Ask how they cope with the uncertainty and unpredictability of life? Could you do the same thing they in situations where you have difficulty tolerating uncertainty? So I am opening this question to the people here at BB. This is one thing I do not have an answer to. I am hoping that others might be able to give some feedback so that I might be able to deal with uncertainty better. And maybe others will benefit from it? Over to you....

Long term anxiety and depression how do you deal?

replies: 5

For those of you that suffer this long term how do you manage? I have had panic attacks and bouts of depression since I was eight. Over the month or so anxiety, but most of all depression is seeping into my life. I've been crying for no reason, tryin... View more

For those of you that suffer this long term how do you manage? I have had panic attacks and bouts of depression since I was eight. Over the month or so anxiety, but most of all depression is seeping into my life. I've been crying for no reason, trying not to burst into tears at work and trying to keep my Mum hat on when I feel so tired and despondent all the time. It's like I am dragging myself through mud. I'm forgetting things and my body just aches. When I just feel like I'm finally through a period of severe anxiety or depression ( I was having severe anxiety attacks every few hours 18months ago) it seems to raise it's ugly head again. I've enrolled in a course to further my career but it's just making me feel anxious and I want to back out because I'm afraid it will turn into full blown panic. I feel such a huge expectation from people, why aren't I working more? why do I flake out so much.... I don't know how to find my balance. I really want the periods of when I feel normal to last. I want to achieve things that shouldn't be that hard. I feel like I've missed out on so much because I can't keep it together for any period of time and it's really really fricken frustrating.

Stressed

replies: 6

Hi everyone, recently I’ve been feeling really uneasy. Just the other day I burst into tears just because someone was rude to me. I don’t know why I couldn’t control my emotions. I feel overwhelmed by life and I honestly feel like there’s this weight... View more

Hi everyone, recently I’ve been feeling really uneasy. Just the other day I burst into tears just because someone was rude to me. I don’t know why I couldn’t control my emotions. I feel overwhelmed by life and I honestly feel like there’s this weight pulling me down. I feel alright at home, but as soon as I go out the door I feel a bit uncomfortable. When I’m out in public with friends, or with family I feel fine. It’s just when I’m by myself I feel vulnerable. As someone who has never felt self conscious, why do I feel like this now? Please let me know if you guys have any tips or suggestions! I just want to be feel good again:(

why bother

replies: 3

so you care for 4 or more family members 24/7 for sooooooooo many years. one by one they pass away till there is just you and one other disabled family member left. You find yourself crippled with arthritis /bipolar and other stuff. you apply for hel... View more

so you care for 4 or more family members 24/7 for sooooooooo many years. one by one they pass away till there is just you and one other disabled family member left. You find yourself crippled with arthritis /bipolar and other stuff. you apply for help and the government tells you your issues are not permanent and are medical so you dont qualify. even though you cant function day to day like others do. you've done the best you can to care for others. now you need care and there is none. I learned what a fraud the mental health and disability systems are.

Hi-polar Acceptance after 2 years of denial=Peace

replies: 1

Two weeks ago I finally dropped the fight of denial I was in, in regards to my bi-polar diagnosis. I began taking my medication again, booked into my psychologist and psychiatrist and began talking to family about it. I have slowly become my own best... View more

Two weeks ago I finally dropped the fight of denial I was in, in regards to my bi-polar diagnosis. I began taking my medication again, booked into my psychologist and psychiatrist and began talking to family about it. I have slowly become my own best friend. I’ve been championing my cause by putting my egoic agenda aside and just listening to the experts in their fields. It’s been the most peaceful stage of this rocky journey. And my pottery has taken on a whole new level!

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A Bouquet for Pearls - share your appreciation for other members

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