Purpose of this blog

The purpose of this blog is to help others

feel comforted and turn towards our SAVIOR

JESUS CHRIST.

Do you know someone who suffers

from depression?

Do you know someone whose family member

has a mental illness?

Please share this blog with them.

Please know that there is HOPE.

Please know that complete HEALING is possible

only in and through JESUS CHRIST.

Please work with your doctors.

Please see a therapist who will help you understand the mental illness
better and the lifestyle changes that one needs to make
in order to lead a happy, healthy life.

Please reach out and share with someone you

trust what you are going through.

Please don't isolate yourself.

You will need support from

family, friends, doctors,

and especially your SAVIOR.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up!

Thank heavens I'm not an idiot...

I was reading a book today called, "The Potter and the Clay."

The author, Reed Moss, writes about his sister Lael who,

after a traumatic brain injury,

 gradually lost her ability to function mentally.

The story is set in the early 1930's

before MRIs and CAT scans even existed.

It is a sad story,

but it makes me grateful to see how far

 society and advancements in modern medicine

have come in treating the mentally ill.

Lael was institutionalized into a state school and one of the questions on the application was,

"...classification as to type of mental deficiency,

MORON,

   IMBECILE,

      IDIOT,

answer: moron."

I can just see my husband filling out a question like this

when I had to be in an inpatient program...

I can't help but laugh when I think of it.

Is your wife an idiot, moron, or imbecile?

(I think I'm going to ask him...)

Step 4 TRUTH

Step 4 TRUTH

KEY PRINCIPLE: Make a searching and fearless

written moral inventory of yourself.

Oh, NO...

I pray that as I start this inventory that I will be able to see things clearly

and not trigger a cycle of depression.
One symptom of depression is excessive self-criticism.
And I tend to do that waaaaayy too much.

My in-laws suggested that I just write down a few things.
I can do that.
So I have written down three things and when
I take care of those
I'll write down some more.
I can handle accomplishing this step
a little at a time.

I'm reminded of the scripture found in The Book of Mormon (you can get your FREE copy here http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon/ )

2 Nephi 4:17, 18, 19, 20

"...My heart exclaimeth: O ^bwretched man that I am! Yea, my heart ^csorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.   I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily ^abeset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins...."

Even Nephi, a prophet of God, felt "grieved" because of his iniquities.

BUT,

Rather than 

REMAIN
discouraged,

Nephi says, "...nevertheless, I know in whom I have ^atrusted.

My God hath been my ^asupport...."


God helped Nephi through all of his trials and afflictions.
As a faithful, obedient son of God, he was never left alone.

So the past week or so I have been depressed and didn't want to blog while I felt that way.

A week and a half ago I started to second guess myself.

I've told a handful of people about my disease and I felt a little vulnerable.

It's something that I've hid for so long.

When people ask me how I'm doing I usually say, "I'm good,"

instead of "Actually, I feel like crud.

I haven't showered today, exercised,

gotten enough sleep, (or whatever) and nor do I care to."

Mental illness is not like one of those "socially acceptable" diseases

that you can post about on Facebook

or where people bring you dinner.

And, actually, bringing a depressed person something like a meal

enables their behavior and makes their depression worse.

Why?

Because it's something that they can and should do for themselves.

So how do you help someone who is depressed?

 

It's all about being close to the Spirit.

Being able to tell when a friend doesn't seem like

herself

and sending her a little note in the mail,

or calling,

or whatever it is

that you feel prompted to do.

It's about sincerely asking that person,

"How are you honestly doing?"

And caring enough to listen.
It lets the person know that someone actually cares
and is aware that he or she is struggling.