[LMo]

I'm sitting here trying to decide if I've made any progress over the past few years. It's hard to tell - in some ways I'm much, much better, but in other ways I feel like things are getting worse.

I've decided to try setting some goals for myself. I'm thinking along the lines of putting together some criteria for when it makes sense for me to get upset/anxious about a situation at home, and when it makes sense for me to let things go. Same for with my parents -- what is important, and how will I know when I've succeeded?

So while I'm thinking about it for myself, I thought I'd ask my friends here:

Do you have any mental health goals? What are some? To start therapy? To end therapy? To get on meds? To stop taking meds at some point? To manage your reactions to certain things?

I'm interested so that I can formulate my own, but also I figured that if we know what each other's goals are, we can help each other reach them.

Anyone?

[kimmydawn]

Good question, LMo!

Right now I'm trying to getting used working my world without therapy...without my "touchstone". It's ok, but rough. That's number one for me right now.

I'm not a shadow of the person I was when I entered therapy, but having the self-awareness that I have now, I can see so much that I've yet to work on!!!

First and foremost for my overall mental health I think is to work on being in the moment, this moment right now. BE typing and simply concentrating on answering this question as opposed to typing out my response, thinking of the other forum I want to check, thinking of the PM I know is there, thinking about the sounds behind my chair, thinking about 20 things at one time. I want to give each moment the moment it's due...for my life and enjoyment as well as those around me.

I could go on FOREVER. However, those are my top two.

Thanks for letting me share that.

KD

[LMo]

Excellent goal of being in the moment. I've been working on that to, with the help of a book. It's one aspect of myself that I'm terrible at.

Thanks KD!

[Lexicon78]

Well, my MH goals are:

1. Reduce cutting.
2. Manage anger.
3. Think more positively.
4. Increase socialization.

I think I'm doing pretty darn good on those!

i'm working hard on staying in the present. i think i'm improving.

i did my mental health a big favor by leaving Oklahoma.

i haven't had any breast pain since i moved so i think the added stress there caused some of that.

i've quit saying yes to everything that everyone wants from me.

and i'm trying, very hard, to pick my battles......or not get mad, just get even.

[PasDeDeux]

LMO this is a great idea for a thread. I was thinking on something along this line last week because I too have looked at goals.

I am working on being able to not have to see a T. This will be a long term goal of about 1 year

I am working on being able to not fear things that cause anxiety things and situations I have no control over anyways. Being ill things that make me feel like a hypochondric and things that trigger panic attacks

Leaving the past in the past. This is hard for PTSD again a long term goal

I am thinking some of this may work best with biofeedback and meditation. Also my T and checking into some CBT

[LMo]

I'd love to talk to you about biofeedback and meditation sometime...

I'm thinking that if I can come up with a good list of measurable goals for myself, I might put them in my profile. I'd like my friends to know those things about me, and keep me in line if I slip.

[PasDeDeux]

Same here LMO I am beat tonight and soon off to bed though I may touch some of my PM's but it's odd how we both have been thinking about this. Maybe its the seasons about to change. We shall all talk about this soon I am sure someone has had biofeedback with all the members in here. Seems also it could not fail and would greatly reduce stress like breathing I have done to kill the anxiety and slow my heart rate . It helps so imagine being so intune that you have a better handle on the control of these functions. I am so tired I sound crazy sorry

[LMo]

Not to digress too much, but I bought some crazy biofeedback software. It was the most frustrating thing I've ever done... but I love the idea! More on that later - I'm also ready for bed and it's only 8pm...

[PasDeDeux]

I didn't know you could buy it. I think I would be better off with a T who does it. Yes bed sounds so good right now. I do know when I deep breath and relax my muscle like on a tape I have I do come out of the panic so I think BF would work well on me.

[kimmydawn]

I did the biofeedback thing...the BEST thing I ever did.

KD

I don't set long term goals very often because life has a way of throwing in those life's awards that end up leading to all different roads along the way.

I have only a couple long term (things that will take a while to accomplish due to many factors: health and or financial and so on) goals and they are -

publish my books
stay alive at the least long enough for my child to come home.

I have many short term goals here are a few of what I have set for myself -

Do Depression inventory log daily so that I know when the depression is kicking in.

Do anxiety inventory log daily to keep my axiety / panic attacks under control.

Do Dissociation journal whenever I lose time so that I can continue to locate my triggers and take care of them so that I dissociate less.

Continue working on my house therapy project.

Continue keeping my daily journal.

Continue doing my daily "awareness therapy" of stimulating and paying attention to what all of my senses are telling.

using grounding techniques when needed.

Continue using Nancy J. Napeirs relaxation visualizations otherwise known as weely practices and meditations at home and or with LL.

Continue using Laura Davis The courage to heal text and workbook.

use the Belleruth Naparstak relaxation visualizations at home and with LL (my therapist)

Continue trying to write down the nightly nightmare and each night trying to add one thing about the nightmare into my house project.

Use relaxation visualizations to relaxmyself down to level one where I can access my memories so that I can find out what happened to cause this nightmare.

continue using artwork, crafts and writing as a release instead of cutting.

Continue researching and learning new ways to help myself take care of my DID.

[Sabrina]

I did not respond to any kind of therapy and years of different meds were nothing but a nightmare.

Somehow, I moved into a place of acceptance and have been up and down since then.

I guess my goal is a daily thing. I have to work hard every single day at not allowing my negative and self-destructive thinking and self-image to suck my in.

For now, my goal is just one-day-at-a-time. For now.

[Bethsway]

Well....My goal is going to be to try to love myself again...with the help and care of my doctor and medication and all of you great people...If I can do that, everything else will fall into place...

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
LMo said:
Do you have any mental health goals? What are some?

I'm interested so that I can formulate my own, but also I figured that if we know what each other's goals are, we can help each other reach them.

Anyone?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">


* To remain positive and not let negative thoughts control me, my mind or my life.

* To socialize more (out side my house).... while having less FEAR of people.

* To be honest with my doctor and to remain on the medication needed.

* To be open to learning & accepting of any new knowledge concerning my disorder(s).

* To never think I am 100% alright, therefore, I need no one...

* To learn from the experience of others, as to not suffer any more than I must.

* To work again...... even if it is just part time (no fear) - maybe even return to school.

* To have a real life FRIEND again.... some one that I can physically see & touch.

* To let certain wounds and memories go.... once and for all - no rehashing.

* To always love & accept myself (and body) just as I am - no comparing / no wishing.


LoVe,
Rhapsody - (((( hugs ))))

[PasDeDeux]

Kimmy if you have a thread on that would you please post it here. I would love to read up on it from someone who has been there

[Hopefull]

I hope to improve social skills (T keeps telling me to have fun and socialize more. I tell her that I do have more fun than before. But, socializing, I'm not any good at that.) I would also like to get better at expressing my emotions/assertiveness. I tend to not know how to express and resolve negative emotions like anger etc. I hope to cut back on the denial and negative thinking. But, I am not sure how possible it is to cut back on negative thinking because I have always been a negative thinker. I'm just doing worse than before.
In November 2005 when I started talking to a T, I had picked as my goals improve self-esteem especially at work and work on stress management in order to cut back on crying. I called myself a crybaby in that goal. T didn't like my little labeling attempt in my goal. She used the words emotional reactivity or something like that instead. I'd like to resolve some childhood issues.

I'm working on my outlook on life-I think once I manage to change my perspective and attitude everything else is going to fall into place.

[jbug]

My goals are:

To be able to quit therapy.

To be off meds or at least off many of my meds.

To be able to understand the subtles of peoples actions.

To not react badly when bad things happen.

To be able to cope with small things well.

To be able to maintain my home in the quality I believe it deserves even when I don't want to.

To just be able to be.

Jbug

[(JD)]

My T does biofeedback... I don't need it...but it's good ..

MH goals? hmmmmm I just keep plodding along...

[jennie]

I've thought about this since you originally posted this . . . ummm . . . my mental health goals? I want to be happy. I am happy but I want it to last. I want to feel useful. I do feel useful with my hubby and baby but I want to also contribute to society.

What are the steps in between where I am now and where I want to be, extending the type of happy/useful life I desire? I think it's a lot of work. My past holds me back. I'll have to ponder this much more. da da da dumm

[Sarah116]

Yes, to find ways of feeling better, to be able to think clearly and finish tasks to help comfort my symptoms etc. Most of all feel better so I can help people with MH disorders and problems someday!