Calming The Inner Voice
Stress. Depression. Anxiety. They're powerful words that conjure up all kinds of images and prejudices in our minds. People who suffer from these illnesses find it hard to cope with life.
They can feel deeply unhappy, they can find no joy in anything life has to offer, and of course, their levels of self-esteem, confidence and self-respect plummet. But how can this happen to someone?Let's concentrate on how these illnesses affect the way we value the self. Of all of the destructive patterns of behavior these illnesses cause, the way a sufferer talks to the self is the fuel that maintains their illness. I have experienced depression from two sides. For 5 years, a series of traumatic events triggered a personal nightmare I believed would never end.
One of these events came when my lover was diagnosed with depression. At this time, I too had entered into the spiral of anxiety-induced depression. Both of these experiences have given me an insight into how sufferers destroy any value of the self. Let me give a couple of examples. With my partner, if I'd arranged an evening out with friends, she'd say:"No, I won't come, you go without me.
I never have anything interesting to say. I just bore people. They'll find me an effort to be with. I'll stay here."If I made a mistake, I'd say to myself:"I'm useless. I'm no good at anything.
Everything I do I get wrong."This self-deprecation then spreads into other areas of life. You begin to criticize the way you look, the decisions you make or don't make, and you focus solely on the downside of life. Each time a little bit of self-worth, a little bit of self-respect and a little bit of self-confidence are eroded. Eventually, they are lost completely. When I reached my lowest point, having lost everything and everyone I loved, I'd say to myself:"If I died tomorrow, no one would know and no one would care."So, what helped me to come out of the fog?Well, the reason I thought I'd become depressed was because of a series of traumatic events occurring at the same time.
I was wrong. The root cause of my depression lay in the ways I reacted to them. One of the ways I'd reacted was to blame myself for events I couldn't control. The more I blamed myself, the more I beat myself up. The more I beat myself up, the more my self-esteem decreased.The phrases I have used to briefly illustrate self-deprecating phrases we continually use against the self are mild.
I'm sure you realize that many people use much stronger phrases than I've given here. The point is that these phrases would be totally unacceptable to say to others. You wouldn't tell a person that they were boring, an effort to be with and that everyone found their company dull and it would be better for everyone else if they kept away from people.Agreed? Yet, if I say to people:"Pay yourself compliments. Accentuate your good in all areas of your life. Write down your good points, your triumphs, your achievements.
Remind yourself as often as possible about all the good you have done."They look at me like I'm an alien and say they'd feel stupid. Or uncomfortable. Or even embarrassed. Yet they don't feel any of these emotions when they talk to themselves using emotionally charged, self-deprecating phrases! And like rust upon metal, these phrases gradually erode our self-esteem and our confidence.OK, here's the bottom-line. I'd like you to inscribe what you are about to read into your mind over and over again until it is permanently etched there:It is NEVER acceptable to talk to myself in a way I know is inappropriate and even offensive if I spoke in the same way to others.
Time for me to sign off, but before I do, here's a phrase I say to myself every single day without fail. Please use it, it is very powerful:"If you put yourself down, down is where you will stay.".
Chris Green is the author of the new book ?Conquering Stress?, a special program which will show you how to conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful drugs. You can learn more about this new book and purchase it at www.conqueringstress.com.Depression
INTRODUCTIONIn any given year about 18.8 million American adults, suffer from a depressive illness. The economic cost for this disorder is US $40 billion per year, but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depressive illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder, but also to those who care about them. Serious depression can destroy family life as well as the life of the ill person. But much of this suffering is unnecessary.
Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment because they do not recognize that depression is a treatable illness. WHAT IS DEPRESSION?Depressive is a mental illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. Depression is not the same as a passing blue mood nor is a sign of personal weakness.TYPES OF DEPRESSIONDepressive manifest itself in different...
Depression
Depression > Depression
How To Survive A Job Loss
Has this ever happened to you: You have been working at a particular job for a few years. It's not the greatest job and it hasn't always allowed you to capitalize on your unique gifts or talents. But it's ok, and it pays the bills. The job has become a part of your life's routine. Then one day, without any forewarning, you're let go.
In what seems like a split second, you go from being gainfully employed to joining the ranks of the unemployed. It's a shock to the system. A tremendous level of stress can accompany being unemployed. You're certainly affected by the loss of income. You may also have a related drop in your level of confidence.
Your unemployment may be impacting your home life and personal relationships. There may be a degree of depression that you are dealing with. You may be harboring lingering resentments toward those people responsible for your layoff. Finding a job is challenging enough; if you bring these emotions into your job search efforts, you will...
How To Survive A Job Loss
Depression > How To Survive A Job Loss
Confront Obesity with to Fulfill Your Sexual Urge.
Fat gain may not be a reason of depression for many. But sometimes there arises such problems which make you say "God this is due to fat!" Due to fat gain you will find that your normal life is at stake and if you go on ignoring your increasing body weight, you are sure to become a base for various diseases and problems. Apart form various problems; one of the most significant problems that a fatty person confronts is that of sexual problems. This is one of the most serious problems in one's life. Accumulation of excess fats in body makes the body lazy and due to which a person tends to tire out soon.
This makes him or her ignore their partner's sexual urges and gradually a relation seems to go astray.
So becoming too much fat may create serious problems in one's personal life. If you love your partner than why not think of fat loss and regain your fitness. If you are really serious by now, it's better to act now for some vital solutions. Phentermine can be the...
Depression > Confront Obesity with to Fulfill Your Sexual Urge.
Rosacea Acne Skin Care
Acne rosacea is an unknown but far more sinister and far less recognizable version of acne than the zit-and-blackhead variety. In fact, diagnoses ranging from allergies to alcoholism may precede its final identification.
Acne rosacea is characterized by morbidly inflamed skin, typically on the cheeks, forehead, nose, eyelids and, rarely, on the chest. The skin eruptions associated with acne rosacea can vary from the bulging of capillary blood vessels to sizeable pus-filled cysts. Because of the disfigurement acne rosacea can cause, the disorder is often accompanied by depression, social isolation and high levels of stress.
Its holistic treatment may therefore have to include a certain degree of therapy. Unhappily, lack of knowledge about rosacea can lead to serious complication while attempting to treat it. This is because it is often mistakenly thought to be acne and treated accordingly. The compounds used in addressing acne can seriously...
Depression > Rosacea Acne Skin Care
Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness
All children will likely have many different health problems during infancy and childhood: the flu, chicken pox, broken bones, stitches, ear infections, to name a few. For most children, these problems are mild ? they come and go without incident and with little disruption in a child's daily life or routine. A chronic long-term medical problem is different and often doesn't come alone, as children with serious medical illnesses are at risk of developing associated emotional problems. Learning to live with a chronic medical condition can be very challenging for a child, for parents, and for siblings and friends, and can lead to feelings of anger, fear and depression. The way children react to diagnosis with a chronic illness depends on several factors, including the child's personality, the specific illness, family emotional dynamic, and the child's age and emotional maturity.
A smaller child may react aggressively as they begin to cope with changes in schedule due to hospital...
Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness
Depression > Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness
Playing Tetris With Time
Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the resource box is included with a live link to my site. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. ***********************************************************Title: PLAYING TETRIS WITH TIME MANAGEMENTAuthor: Email: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.comcopyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSWWeb Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.comWord Count: 549Category: SuccessPLAYING TETRIS WITH TIME MANAGEMENTThere I was, running around trying to juggle umpteen items and doing only a fair job of it at best. There was my therapy business, and I have been putting big pieces into place to add coaching to my business along with having to prepare a presentation for an annual convention. Then there's family, kids' needs, marital needs...
You know what I mean.Suddenly I thought about my wife. I began to notice how smoothly she manages tasks in her...
Playing Tetris With Time
Depression > Playing Tetris With Time
Depression
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