I'm remembering back to when I was 17...HUGE ouch. It was a horrible time in this life...confusing, life out of control, no one to rely on but self, parents over the edge and I needed to protect my baby brother. It was just horrible.

I could never just "be" in the moment that was...never. I was always predicting, preparing, fighting real and assumed dangers. I couldn't just "be".

I guess what I'm getting at is...do you find it difficult to just "be" in the moment with some things that you've found to be pleasant? Can you try to do that as often as possible? I call it regaining...regaining me, resources lost to depression, anxiety, stress.

When I try to just "be", I fully try to be aware and exist in the moment...mind, body and spirit. While I'm typing this...I feel the touch of the keys, my mind thinking of and putting together the words, the connection I'm making and how good it feels to relate. The rest (child booming around, TV too loud, electric toothbrush running, bright light, anxiety from all of those, etc.) I push to the background.

Doing the above has helped me more in this life and any one thing. In doing that (being in the moment), I'm pushing the anxiety and depression to the background while absorbing the moment. After a while, I've absorbed many good moments and time passes. It starts to become more the norm. Kinda like when you're very depressed and you see a little baby. Ahh, you fake those smiles and sounds for that baby and to get reaction. Pretty soon, you realize the smile and reaction isn't fake anymore but is truly felt.

I can only speak of personal experience. Has this "cured" my anxety/depression? No. However, it has been a wonderful tool for managing and, in that, has eased the overall experience.

I hope this for you.

Welcome to PC.

KD