Posts

Merry Christmas!

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  Merry Christmas dear friends, Does your house look like this? Not likely. When I was a young mother I made an effort to make our house Christmassy for my kids. And when I was a kid, my mother made that effort for me and my sister.  Sometimes our glowing memories of what we call 'Christmas' are simply something our dear mothers pulled off, no work on our part. And that's if we were lucky enough to have a devoted mother. But there lies the problem. Our first impressions of Christmas stay with us as the normal Christmas and all Christmasses pale in comparison. Christmas expectations are what can lead to disappointment. Be warned.  And this is not just for people who deal with depression and anxiety but for everyone! Many people get depressed at this time of year. I understand that too well. You are not alone. So, what can we do about it? Here's some tips: 1. Lower our expectations. 2. Make a plan, write it out. If it's too busy, eliminate something. If it's not b...
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How to DO SOMETHING when you can't DO ANYTHING!

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Did you read that right? "How to do something when you can't do anything"?   Depression, I know what it is like. When you are in a low mood, not only do you not feel like doing anything, you can't do anything...at least that's what it feels like. But did you know that resting is doing something? It is!
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Don't Let "Fall" cause your mood to 'Fall'.

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  As I write this it is the late August and after a long hot summer we have had our first dull rainy weather. The days are getting shorter. The sun sets earlier and rises later and we are all very much aware of fall just ahead of us. And then winter comes after that. Mmm....not a fan of winter. I've written about the 'change of seasons' before. You may want to do a review. I've written about the'  lack of light ' and how it affects mood. All that to say:  Heads up everyone!                                           C hange of seasons can be tough                                                                   on anyone                        ...
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Breaking Through the Excuses

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Avoiding Getting Help? Many people avoid getting help for mental illness—and they usually have reasons. Real reasons. But are they true reasons? In this post, I share some of the most common excuses I’ve heard from real conversations. If you’ve ever talked yourself out of seeking help, maybe it’s time to listen to a different voice—the one that says there’s hope. But the truth is, many people are determined not to get help. In my last post, I mentioned that I would share some of the excuses I’ve heard people give for avoiding help for mental illness . These aren’t from a formal survey—these are real responses I’ve heard in conversations.
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Depression is Real - But So Is HOPE

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Depression is real but so is hope for those walking through it. What do I mean by that? Let me give you a bit of background.   Why I Keep Writing About Depression How many years have I been writing about depression ? Let’s see… oh my goodness — over 17 years! Over that time, I’ve written articles about journaling , therapy , diagnosis , and medication — all in an effort to teach, inform, and shed light on this complex illness.
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Protect Your Energy

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My Thankfulness Journal

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  The word 'thankfulness' is not something that comes to mind when you suffer from depression. The word 'thankfulness' is not something that comes to mind when you suffer from anything! Recently I had a conversation with three friends. All of them had horrendous heartbreaking stories of suffering, mostly at the hands of their own families. That made me extra thankful for my life.  Yes, I have known heartache, but none that matches theirs. I felt overwhelmingly thankful. Yes, I live with depression. But I manage it. I do have a life. A good life. I have never had to be hospitalized. I am able to take part in activities which bring me joy. I have so much to be thankful for. So I decided then and there that this is going to be a YEAR OF THANKFULNESS .  I looked up 'thankfulness' in my favourite book, my bible, and it equates thankfulness with praise. Therefore I can only assume that when I praise God I am automatically being thankful. I have written about 'th...
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