Healthy Place news letter

January 21, 2011

 

You can also read the HealthyPlace Mental Health Newsletter online.

Managing Severe Depression

Watching this week’s HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show reminded me how debilitating Major Depression alone, or as part of Bipolar Disorder, can be. Many days, our guest, Julie Fast, wakes up crying and sometimes can’t seem to get out of bed.

She’s extremely educated on the subjects of depression and bipolar disorder, so you would think she has an edge on most people living with depression and maybe it would be easier for her to cope. But that’s not the case, she says. Most every day, Julie has to use strategies she developed so she can get things done.

One key point that really stood out – when asked about whether it was a matter of "accepting that you have depression," Julie said it has little to do with acceptance. Instead, she stated that people with chronic depression have to force themselves to do things. It’s not about saying "I have to think positive things," you have to just do things. And Julie says "it’s an all-day thing, but we work all day on our depression just to get to the days where we don’t have to."

Whether you are living with depression or bipolar disorder, or are a loved one of someone who is, watch this interview for some really help suggestions and insights. Julie has real clarity around the illnesses of depression and bipolar disorder.

Read Julie Fast’s HealthyPlace Articles

Join Our New Mental Health Forums and Chat

Good things are happening in our new mental health forums and chat support area. People are coming throughout the day and night posting and chatting; getting and giving support.

When we opened the new boards and chat earlier this month, we had a few technical glitches (which have  been fixed) and so the contest we planned didn’t come off. But we’re going to fix that today.

For the first 10 people who post on the boards, we will reward you with a $10 iTunes or Amazon gift certificate. And we have the same reward for the first 10 people who respond to them. After you post, just drop us an email to info AT healthyplace.com and let us know if you want an iTunes or Amazon gift certificate. And please include your HealthyPlace username in the email.

You must be a registered HealthyPlace member. If you aren’t already, it’s free and takes less than 30 seconds. Just click the "register button" at the top of the page.

At the bottom of the forums page, you’ll notice a chat bar (similar to facebook). You can chat with any registered member on the forums site.

We hope you’ll be a frequent participant and share our support link with others who may benefit.
HealthyPlace Mental Health Forums and Chat
http://www.healthyplace.com/forums/

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Mental Health Experiences

Share your thoughts/experiences on "your hopes for the new year" or any mental health subject, or respond to other people’s audio posts, by calling our toll-free number (1-888-883-8045).

You can listen to what other people are saying by clicking on the gray title bars inside the widgets located on the "Sharing Your Mental Health Experiences" homepage, the HealthyPlace homepage, and the HealthyPlace Support Network homepage.

If you have any questions, write us at: info AT healthyplace.com

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"How to Get Things Done Despite Depression" on HealthyPlace TV

Many days of every week, Julie Fast, is severely depressed but still manages to get things done. The author of several bipolar, depression books and articles shares her depression coping strategies on this week’s HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show. (TV Show blog)

Coming Soon on the HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show
  • The High Price Some Pay For Having a Mental Illness
  • Difficult Issues Facing Adult Survivors of Child Abuse
  • Exercise Addiction

If you would like to be a guest on the show or share your personal story in writing or via video, please write us at: producer AT healthyplace.com

For all previous HealthyPlace Mental Health TV archived shows.

My Verbally Abusive Marriage

Almost 40, Kellie, is raising two teenage boys and is still married to her verbally abusive husband of 17 years. They separated in January 2010 after "he put his hands on me again." But Kellie says, at times, she is miserable being separated, even though her husband continues to dish out the verbal abuse. We talked with Kellie about what it’s like being a victim of verbal abuse, how that’s impacted her and her children, and why she stayed around so long. That’s on this week’s HealthyPlace Mental Health Radio Show.

From HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs

Your comments and observations are welcomed.

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments at the bottom of any blog post. And visit the mental health blogs homepage for the latest posts.

Latest Mental Health News

These stories and more are featured on our mental health news page:

  • Does Insight in Therapy Equal Happiness? Not Always
  • How to Give and Receive Compliments
  • The Power of Persuasion
  • Heavy Drinking May Have Genetic Component
  • Memory Training Might Not Be Best For Reducing "Senior Moments"
  • Conduct Disorder Linked to Cannabis Use in First-episode Psychosis Patients
  • Bipolar Patients Show Gray Matter Deficits in Certain Brain Regions
  • Gender Differences in Schizophrenia Risk Develop in Later Adolescence

    That’s it for now. If you know of anyone who can benefit from this newsletter or the HealthyPlace.com site, I hope you’ll pass this onto them. You can also share the newsletter on any social network (like facebook, stumbleupon, or digg) you belong to by clicking the links below. For updates throughout the week, follow HealthyPlace on Twitter or become a fan of HealthyPlace on Facebook.

    All of us at HealthyPlace hope your new year is getting off to a good start.

    Thank you,
    Deborah

    Community Partner Team
    HealthyPlace.com – America’s Mental Health Channel
    "When you’re at HealthyPlace.com, you’re never alone."
    http://www.healthyplace.com

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Prayer without Ceasing

January 3, 2011

 

someone reminded me of this I posted February, 2008 and I wanted to share it with you all.  It’s been a long time since I have been able to write like this.  I am hoping that soon I can start again. 

 

How many pass on emails and never take that moment to verify something or give something personal to it?

The following is a little email I forwarded to friends who I thought would like the inspiration.  We all get these in our box and enjoy them, yet it’s true sometimes you’re not sure who to forward them to because even the most ardent believers get tired of reading and forwarding them some days.  Admit it!  I do because of the challenge to make sure I send them to the correct people on my list.  So I added a personal bit of fyi: to the first part.

Today I was given an opportunity to express my feelings about this in a way I don’t often do any more.  Basically because this is the first person to ask such a question of me in a very long time.  That said I hope you read through the whole blog and respond with what it means to each of you.  The first part below was sent to me to forward, I added the fyi: portion before I sent it out again. 

When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. Concentrate on this sentence….. ‘The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.’

Something good will happen to you today . Something that you have been waiting to hear. This is not a joke; someone will call you by phone or will speak to you about something that you were waiting to hear. Try to send this to a minimum of 7 people……… JUST DO IT!

             ‘Pray Without Ceasing’
fyi- "Pray without Ceasing" was a phrase that really got stuck in my mind after/while reading.  "The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way" translated by R. M. French and introduction for his series by Huston Smith. His series was called the Mystical Classics of the World and if you ever want a quick review of the six main mystical consciousness of the far east where "religion" actually has it’s roots.  Of course not used with the term religion as we term it today. 

The Way of the Pilgrim is the story of "Praying without Ceasing"  and the prayer in it’s shortest form is summarized on page nine.  "Be so kind, reverend Father, as to show me what prayer without ceasing means and how it is learnt.  I see you know all about these things"
He took my request kindly and asked me into his cell.  "Come in,"  said he.  "I will give you a volume of the holy Fathers from which with God’s help you can learn about prayer clearly and in detail."  We went into his cell and he began to speak as follows.  "The continuous interior prayer of Jesus is a constant uninterrupted calling upon the divine name of Jesus with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart, while forming a mental picture of His constant presence, and imploring His grace, during every occupation, at all times, in all places, even during sleep. The appeal is couched in these terms, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’  One who accustoms himself to this appeal experiences as a result so deep a consolation and so great a need to offer the prayer always that he can no longer live without it, and it will continue to voice itself within him of its own accord.  Now do you understand what prayer without ceasing is?"
The book that teaches this is not the bible.  A book more not looked upon as holier, it was a better explanation of what the Bible holds.  It holds these instructions by St Simeon the new theologian and read: " ‘Sit down alone and in silence.  Lower your head, shut you eyes, breathe out gently, and imagine yourself looking into your own heart.  Carry your mind, this, your thoughts, from your head to your heart.  As you breathe out, say "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."  Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind.  Try to put all other thoughts aside.  Be calm, be patient, and repeat the process very frequently.’ "
Further on in the book there is actually a little different version in a slightly longer form.  The basic mediation form that is set in motion by concentration on one thing only.  And the repetitive nature until it becomes one with your inner self. 


A new friend wrote back to me this morning and asked "what made you think I believed in God and Jesus?" and this was my reply to her.  LJ

God stands for Good Orderly Direction.  Now the Jesus thing is a long story that’s been around for about two thousand years.  There was talk about it long before then but one guy was brave enough to claim he was this long awaited for person and his mom and foster dad had a little to do with the story.

Seems that his mom, had a vision one night.  Now a days they would classify it as a psychotic break down with delusional thoughts but at the time most people didn’t have reference books enough to validate the facts. 

The good news that came out of it all though down the road is this guy was really in tune with nature and the natural order of life and he told some really good stories as examples on living a peaceful productive live. 
Of course over the last two thousand years people have tried to rewrite and restate his words to their own beliefs and advantages though there are many of us who are able to "know" what the truth is and when someone doesn’t even have a clue. 

From the other side of this life we can see and feel things like this guy could I can relate to most of what he said.  Not always how these lay people who don’t have this insight understand it because without insight to the other side of things it becomes all about themselves and not about others. 
That is basically what the Good Orderly Direction is about.  It’s about doing onto others as you would like them to do unto you no matter what they do.  Being your own person and rising above them. 

Some think that means being better then the other person, some think of it as turning the other cheek so that they can do it again, yet I think it just means letting them be themselves and removing their ability to hurt me from my presence and life. 
For most people it is a given that we call this belief system a belief in GOD yet it is called many different things in this world that all truly mean the same thing.  One great force that has no beginning and has no end in sight.

To take all religious design out of it scientifically it is referred to as Intelligent Design.  It is beyond human conception that this is all an accident in our life.  For those of us who see, feel, can hear the other side or after life we do have a knowing in something on the other side of this life other wise we would have no other explanations for our visions and knowledge.  Except perhaps……
I guess a simple "doesn’t everyone believe in something" would have been a simple answer, yet then again this is how you’ll get to know me…LJ
ps…the fyi I added to the email was because people forward things or read things yet never really know the full meaning of it…thus where it so just happens that I have the full meaning of it so I included it.  Prayer without ceasing has a whole new meaning when you read the whole story.

This of course is just a small part of the whole picture I just wanted to share a bit…

Office doors are always open at Lady Jz Talk Zone so drop an email there

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