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Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember15 June 2016, 8:59 pm AEST

Taking charge of my well being!

Hello All,

I decided today not to go to hospital. I have a new psychiatrist, meeting a new social worker next week and I have another lovely social worker who meets with me, as well as a great GP who is always there for me.

I decided today that it is time to take charge of my well being myself. So as I am exploring new ideas I will keep a little diary here and perhaps it is useful for some other people that are struggling along the way.

I really want to look at the good sides of my life history. I have a lot of trauma to go through, but I don't want to forget the good times. So I made a random selection of photos of my husband. I want to make a scrap book and capture the love and the memories. In the book 8 Steps to Trauma Recovery there is a section about start with the end, or something like that. I made it through the trauma and I want to celebrate that I made it and capture the good times while I am feeling better. Over time I want to add my kids, my friends, my family, my uni years, my school years... whatever, one at a time, savouring the good times...

I know that just because I feel well today, tomorrow is another day. But it is ok, I will work on my ideas when I can. When I feel I can.

Big hugs to all x

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In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

BlueBaySenior Contributor15 June 2016, 9:17 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

@Former-Member
You are amazing. You inspire me and others to do what you are doing. I don't know why but reading your post brought tears to my eyes.
It's fantastic you have a great support network.
Love to hear how you go. All the best. Xxoo

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember15 June 2016, 9:19 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

That's a fabulous idea @Former-Member. Gratitude is a very powerful happiness and well-being strategy but it can feel a little vague or hard to grasp and hold on to at times. Having a scrap book is a wonderful prompt to help remind you of how fortunate you are in many ways.

Love the resolution to take charge of your well-being too. I hope tomorrow is a good day for you too

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember15 June 2016, 9:22 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

@BlueBay

Thank you so much. All of you here encourage me to keep on going!

I fought hard for the support network and I honestly hope that I am through my final changes and can now start recovery with a constant team. I don't feel that the mental health system is very supportive, but then for a long time I did not know what I needed either.

Hope you are doing well @BlueBay!

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

KurraSenior Contributor15 June 2016, 10:21 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Wonderful news @Former-Member !

I truly believe I started on my own path recovery when I decided to take responsibility for my mental health. I followed a not dissimilar path to the one you have chosen. It hasn't always been a straight path to follow. There have been hiccups along the way but I always tried to see them as temporary things.

I'll never forget my pdoc telling me that one or two blue days didn't mean that I was starting the descent down the greasy pole in to the pit. As he said, everyone has off days but because of our prior experiences we can ourselves in to a depressive phase. He reminded me to look for the beauty in each day. It has made a big difference

Congratulations! I look forward to hearing about your journey to recovery.

You've made my day.
Hugzzz 👏 😀

In response to: Re: Taking charge of my well being!

AppleblossomSenior Contributor16 June 2016, 2:33 am AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

I was so low for quite a few years that I could not really experience joy or beauty .. but I made a deliberate decision to keep thinking and TALKING about the good in my life ... so out it would pop ... some silly incident at Bondi ... or other ... and there is a snowball effect in both thoughts and consequences

Great Approach

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember16 June 2016, 5:05 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Hello All,

I've had a good day at work, working reduced hours helps and went out to buy a scrap book.

I'm tired now and I was thinking of all the people I can put in my scrap book and then I realised I should probably include the most important one - myself. I'm hurting just thinking about looking at pictures of myself. I know there are many photos where I smile, but I know when I forced a smile. It makes me sad, but I think for now I will just leave a couple of pages empty at the beginning of my book for myself, for one day, when I can face myself. I think it is important to have reasons / people to live for, but one day I want to be able to live for myself again.

I looked after myself today, meditating and walking a little bit and my food was ok, probably not enough as I lost my appetite, but that's ok.

Hope you're all feeling okay today.

In response to: Re: Taking charge of my well being!

AppleblossomSenior Contributor16 June 2016, 5:20 pm AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Great you managed some work @Former-Member

My photo albums have been important to my survival .. the "good and the ugly" pics .. I ended up including a couple not so good ones of my self, just so that I remember how far I have come

and YES .. there is a place for photos of SELF

In response to: Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember18 June 2016, 6:37 am AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Good morning All,

my goal this morning is to do some meditation. Meditation in general helps me at least for a short while. I never understand why I cannot meditate when I am not feeling well 😞

@Appleblossom

I've decided to leave the first page of my scrap book empty for a mixed collection of everyone and then the next 2 pages for photos of myself. I can always fill them when I am ready to do so. The photos of my husband have not arrived yet, I was hoping to do my first scrap book page today

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

Unknown userMember18 June 2016, 9:07 am AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

It is 9am, I've been shopping l, sorted out the cupboards & freezer, defrosting a roast...

There are a million things waiting for me so to make a difference, I will now make another cup of coffee and sit down to watch the news, just like that. Hmmm perhaps not the news, there is only ever tragedy on there...

In response to: Taking charge of my well being!

cometSenior Contributor18 June 2016, 9:47 am AEST

Re: Taking charge of my well being!

Good morning @Former-Member. You have been productive...hope you enjoy that cuppa. Maybe listen to some music you like..I hope you have an enjoyable day...best wishes to you.

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