[Razzleberry]

I know I just need to wait, it takes time for anything to work. I just started therapy last week, it is very early.

My question is - what can I be doing, in-between sessions, to help myself get better? Is there anything I should be doing?

No official diagnosis yet...but I think I have symptoms of maybe Bipolar II or just hypomanic Bipolar, or maybe Borderline Personality Disorder. Also some internet addiction and sex addiction thrown in there just for kicks. And of course some ongoing depression. And whatever it is that makes me avoid my work when I get too much to do.

The thing is...I really feel like I "shouldn't" be depressed. I read some of your stories of child abuse and neglect and traumatic events and death of loved ones and all these huge issues and I think, gosh, there really isn't anything I should be depressed about. All my life's problems are my own cause. I did this to myself. I f*cked up my own life. No one abused me...I'm abusing myself. I just wish I could snap out of this. There are people with problems 100 times worse than mine...I should just get over it.

I have the book "Mind over Mood" on Cognitive Therapy that a previous therapist gave me 2 years ago. That therapist....did not work out. Long story. But I do still have that book, and I never really finished reading it. Is it any good? Have any of you tried it? It's kind of like a workbook.

Then again...I really don't have a lot of time to read. I should be working. I need to just GET OVER THIS and focus on my work and just stop this. I just don't know how!

Any suggestions?

[Kiya]

perhaps mindfulness meditations to help you learn to be in the present.. i think ken wilbur?..author

[Theraparians]

Perhaps an activity such as basket weaving, glassblowing, or wood carving would help pass the time.

Well, in my case, I spend the time writing hate letters and figuring out which ones to give her!

With my old T who I loved, I wrote letters expressing my feelings that we could discuss at the next session.
Also, I took up a craft because she loved crafts, so I felt closer to her.

[Merlin]

I lay in bed all day and do nothing, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Mouse_]

I journal and read.

[unpredictable]

You could start by reading your book when you find yourself thinking about therapy. Otherwise, concentrate on the now, as hard as that may be. I know how you feel. Its really hard to focus on anything except therapy when you first begin. Especially before you have a diagnosis or anything. But thinking about it all the time is not going to get you to the next appointment any faster.

Just do your best to focus on the things you can work on. Try eating right, setting a good sleeping habit. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. Even if you can't sleep get ready for bed and lay in your room in the dark. And maybe take time a few days a week to go for a walk. All these things can help your moods even while you are between sessions.

[bchlyn]

hmmm my t gives me homework assignments each week... maybe you can ask your t what they think would be helpful...lyn

[Junerain]

I recommend joining a support group, all my best friends have come from the depression bipolar support alliance..

www.dbsalliance.org

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Junerain said:
I recommend joining a support group, all my best friends have come from the depression bipolar support alliance..

www.dbsalliance.org

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I agree. I have joined a support group for women with borderline personality disorder. We meet every other week. I also have met with the facilitator outside of group. Razzle, are you allowed phone contact with your T? I speak with my T on the phone a lot in between sessions. We often have two sessions per week so that makes it a lot easier to maintain the connection-- when we have to cut back to one session per week due to scheduling issues, it is definitely more difficult, but the things I mentioned have helped. I also have a pretty busy schedule outside of all this-- work, school, internship-- so I just try to throw myself into that stuff to keep busy. Sometimes I swich my focus from journaling to actually writing letters to him-- that way I feel like I'm directly telling him what I need to say. Then I bring the letters into session with me and I read them to him there. It helps to feel as though I'm keeping him 'updated' even when I can't be there with him. However, I still crave his connection all of the time.

[chaotic13]

PC is a good place to pass your time between sessions :-)