Retreat to Advance? Really?


Do you believe that in order to advance you must first retreat?

 We who live with mental illness know all about retreating. That is what we do, at least what I do, when I am at my worst. I retreat.

 And when I do retreat, my hope is that the enforced rest will fortify me to advance once again, when I am ready.

Well truthfully advance is not always the term that comes to mind after retreating. Usually I am just hoping to survive - advancing is a pipe dream.

 And yet if you want to advance, then retreating is necessary.

 I am not talking about retreating to recover from a depressive episode, we have talked about that a lot. No I am talking about retreating (or resting) before or after a very busy time - retreating in order to strengthen yourself for something coming up such as visitors, a holiday, an important occasion.

 To retreat usually implies removing ourselves from our regular activities.

 Christians as well as many other kinds of believers will go on retreats in order to quiet the everyday voices in order to hear God's voice.

 Organizations will arrange retreats for different departments in order to remove them from their usual responsibilities so they can discuss strategies on how to move forward, on how to ADVANCE.



RETREAT in order to ADVANCE.

 Does that imply that we have to go backwards in order to move forward? Yes and no.

 What about soldiers in a war? Do they not sometimes have to retreat, regroup, feed themselves, re-arm, before they advance on the enemy?

 Well depression is like our enemy. And we have to prepare as if we are in a war, which in some ways we are.

 Retreating is a way of preparing for battle.

 There are two reasons to retreat: 

 1. To recover from a busy time or from a depressive episode
2. To prepare for a busy time.

 Recover and Preparation: what kind of retreat might you be in need of right now.

For me if I need to do some serious resting or retreating, here is what I will do.

TIME: 3 days
DRESS: pajamas
ACTIVITIES: rest or TV, or solitary activities that bring me pleasure such as walking, painting, sewing, writing

 WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? How is your battle going? Do you need to retreat for awhile?

 Next time I am going to ask you what your retreat might look like?

 Don't give up! There is hope for depression.





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