Update
Thanks so much to all of you who have commented and written over the last couple of days. I am thankful for your prayers and thoughts. As many of you know, I have been battling this for about 5 years. One thing that I neglected to make clear in the last post is that I have been on medication for the last 5 years. I just switched from Effexor to Celexa, each of which have their own unique side-effects. They have helped me cope fairly well, but there are cycles to the whole thing. So I have taken that step, as well as seen two different counselors during that time.
There are times when I wonder about what has specifically brought me to this place in life. My past thoughts about myself havea lot to do with it. It is difficult to stop listening to the voices that have been condemning you for many years. I go through cycles of ability to believe what is true or the tapes that seem to have been playing in my head my whole life. The meds help with this, and for that I am thankful.
Aside from meds, what do you do personally to keep yourself balanced and well? Music? certain authors? Meditation? Just curious, that's all!
posted by Darren at 2:44 PM
6 Comments:
As I read this, and then take a minute to peruse your flicker photos, I wish I had something to contribute that would make all the pain and challenge of this to go away. Obviously, I don't.There don't seem to be any effective shortcuts or quick fixes. I do, however, have one phrase in my mind that always aids me when I'm completely befuddled and a little frightened. "The only way OUT is THROUGH". It just sucks to be going THROUGH when what you really want is to be OUT.
5:27 PM
i had to say goodbye to alot of stuff. then i had to get off the celexa so i could feel again.
5:26 PM
The "walk of life" is not easy, yet it can be joyous...have you read Thomas Merton? He was one of the first modern-day Catholics to honor the value of silence in communion with others - i.e., meditation (http://www.centeringprayer.com/methodcp.htm) and practice yoga... he endured much criticism, yet kept his vows and grew ever closer to God, while remaining faithful and honest to his inner calling until his death in 1968. He must have felt the warmth of an "Invisible Sun"...
12:42 PM
I find your question at the end of your blog interesting...."what does one do to keep themselves balanced and well?"
For me, without sounding to trite, life should be all about balance. We balance work with play, laughter with tears, joy with sorrow, trying to keep it all in balance so we don't find out that our "dark" days out number the others....but it's human to give "weight" to one side of the scale at different times in our lives. The balance is always delicate and difficult to maintain. I, personally, find help in keeping the scales fine tuned by good friends who listen without judgement, trying to be honest, stay in 'okay' but not topnotch physical condition, doing things that bring me joy and doing those things often--hearing my granddaughter's voice, playing music favorites, laughing at stupid jokes (cause I can and I DO find them funny), having some alone time,pursing spiritual knowledge...at this time, mostly the written word about the Holy Spirit. Does this keep me blanced and well? most days, but like the majority of the people out there I have some crappy, gray days, too. I am thankful that they are at a minimum. I pray that you find some "counsel" to assist YOU in helping remove the cloak that has been cast over you, whether it be from a Doctor, another professional or it comes from a dear friend ....my prayers and friendship are with you, Darren.
6:15 PM
This quote by Thomas Merton is great:
"The things I thought were so important - because of the effort I put into them - have turned out to be of small value. And the things I never thought about, the things I was never able either to measure or to expect, were the things that mattered." (From Firewatch, July 4, 1952)
Herein lies the key to happiness...
Like, for example, enjoying a fresh -just picked, farmer's market if possible- meal, it will also have more folate (important to combat depression http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr04/folate0404.htm ).
Also, it is important to recognize "The Dark Night of the Soul" , much has been written http://mirabaistarr.com/darkintro.html , but I find Thomas Keating's books (like "Invitation to Love") very helpful. After passing through that very vivid "inferno", the world may begin to resemble "The Wizard of Oz" or "Alice in Wonderland", but it is the only way for us to get a clearer understanding of this world and what it's really all about...
During your journey, never forget the FACT that YOU are SO VERY LOVED and much, much more important than you can imagine (and probably for all the reasons you never thought were very important!)
11:47 AM
http://sakamuyo.net/community/index.php?topic=517.0
10:42 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home