[BadMojo47]

Like the rest of you here, my anxiety and depression didn’t happen overnight. It began a long time ago and has evolved through the years. I have been in and out of therapy and always benefited from going over my problems with a professional. From meds to CBT I have tried it all, hoping that I will find that one miracle cure that will rid me of these hated conditions. Mental illness is indeed the black dog that never leaves your side, if you don’t know what I am talking about then google “I had a black dog, his name was depression.”
Moreover, I pour over these forums hoping that I will find some sage advice that will help me cope with some piece of these illnesses. As each day is a struggle, we come here hoping we will find something to help us keep going. Some clue or trick that will help us turn the corner toward a full recovery. I am no licensed professional at anything and I would never intend or attempt to counsel someone on mental illness. I do not intend to provide therapy for anybody at any time. However, I would like to share a few things that have helped me in my time(s) of need:

A wise man once told me to “stay right here where you are.” Meaning, the best way to be miserable is to worry about the future or dwell on the past. Each day is an opportunity to succeed at getting better. We can choose to devour our souls with sadness and rage or we can decide to react differently. I know it’s not that simple, I have said as much many times. However, I believe you can change your perspective on things if you really want to. We talk a lot about interrupting the cycle, well, interrupt it by choosing to go forwards instead of backwards.

Recognize your problem for what it is. I frequently have to remind myself that my anxiety will talk me into feeling bad as often as I allow it. When your mind is racing it’s easy to forget that these feelings are always trying to intrude upon your thought process and they will take any opening they can find. Until your regain control of yourself, you are subjected to an barrage of negative thoughts and feelings and we all know where that will lead. Do whatever you have to do to remind yourself that these thoughts are simply that, just thoughts. Further, I believe you can choose to create them OR choose not to.

Finally, nobody really knows how you feel but you. In the end, your recovery is your responsibility. I am certainly not saying you have to face these demons alone. Far from it, you have support all around you, these forums are a great example of that. I know you all want to recover because you are here posting your inner most thoughts, looking for answers. That gives me hope because that is the first step to putting all this darkness where it belongs. I sincerely hope this stuff is of benefit to someone. I remain your partner in this struggle for a better life.

[Michelea]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, BadMojo47.

[Skeezyks]

Hello BadMojo47: Thanks for offering these positive perspectives. I enjoyed reading them.

[Unrigged64072835]

Thank you for sharing!