Struggles, efforts and victories
Good morning,
I intend to make this a general support thread for people who are living life while managing, or doing their best to manage, a "mental health" condition or simply trying to deal/cope with life's stresses and demands.
Briefly;
I am a caucasian (white) adult male, originally from England/Australia, now residing in the United States of America. I have been managing life with Bi Polar Type II and attendant Anxiety Disorder since 2000, yes, a long road BUT it is a road that has seen struggles, effort on my part and MANY victories, no mater how big or small.
I firmly believe that I can help, maybe only in some small way, you to achieve victories as well, even if you think they are beyond you now.
If there is one promise that I can make it is this;
If I don't know the answer/s I will help you find them.
Fell free to join me at the "round table", where ALL are equal and let's see if we can make things just a little easier and/or better for you.
Namaste,
D.
Well my friends, talking about up to date, I had a very enlightening and informative meeting with "my man" (therapy counselor) yesterday and we discussed a quite meaningful concept that I hadn't
been guided to explore as yet.
A little background first. I live in the central North of the continental United States in a rural area. It's very different, in a lot of respects, to where I used to live (rural
Australia) and I explained to him an intense "feeling" that has come over me and gripped me for some time now.
With certain notable exceptions, and present company excepted (i.e. people I already have met and know) when I meet a new
person I invariably find them to be abrasive, self-important, self-involved, selfish and narcissistic... and I don't like them. This, in my mind, has the effect of making me NOT like people around me in general.
We
discussed this phenomena and discovered that it stems from around the time I was 5 years old and the family moved to a new town in England and I had to start a new school as well as start making new friends all over again.
It appears that, at that point I began building a "wall" to keep people away from me.
I'll make no secret of the fact that I have always been a "lone wolf". I have, for a whole lifetime to
date, got 3 close friends in the whole world.
My counselor drew an image for me. Here am I, sure I am safe inside my "fortress of walls" I have been carefully building, improving upon and reinforcing since I was 5 years old but it's not tall enough, nor does it have a roof on. It has lighting slots and arrow slits in the walls too! Well, arrows of "negativity" can enter and, once inside, they are trapped and they constantly ricochet off the walls and continually hit "me", this, of course, has the effect of both reinforcing, and magnifying, their intensity.
This not only creates problems for us but continually reminds us, and reinforces in us, the memories of those negative feelings.
I asked him, "So, what's the answer to that problem?"
He replied that, "In most psychological theory and thinking we need to have people in our life."
I asked him, "Why?
He replied, "To be validated, to be valued and to be part of 'normal' society."
Needless to say we will be discussing this further at our next scheduled meeting. Y'see I don't NEED validation from anyone except ME and my closest friends and family. Since I was 5 I have NEVER cared what anyone thought of me, what they saw when they looked at me. If they don't like what they see it's their problem NOT mine, if they don't like the way I think or talk that's their problem NOT mine, if they don't like my attitude then that's their problem NOT mine.
My Counselor remarked that this would certainly make me strong within myself but he also made other observations which I will outline in the next post.
Namaste,
D.
Hello friends, a follow on then (I told you I had a most enlightening meeting yesterday!)
My counselor observed that although I was obviously re-discovering certain of the strengths I had before my "troubles" began this, in itself could present difficulties and issues in interacting with people.
It was his assertion that if you approach people displaying the attitude (or giving off a vibe) such as he theorised I would be giving off with my outlook and perceptions, that those people would pick up on that "vibe" and react in a similar manner, not altogether, or even remotely, positive.
He told me of a series of psychological experiments that were conducted in the 70's where group dynamics were the purpose of the experiments. One in particular he described to me was;
A person of a certain ethnic group was taken aside and told something that was patently and positively untrue. He was told that the group he would be interacting with deeply, but not openly, despised people of his ethnicity. Then he was sent in to interact with the group with these thoughts planted in his mind.
After a certain time within the group his suspicions and paranoia began to affect the way the people in the group responded to him and it concluded with them treating him poorly because HE expected them to.
My counselor posited that the same could be said of me because I "projected", even unconsciously, my overall attitude toward people in general.
Now, I realise this is getting really deep here, it's posing some questions that, on the surface, when you're in crisis or struggling, you wouldn't even be thinking on BUT it does play a major role in how YOU see OTHERS look at you and treat you.
Is your thinking right or not? That's the question to ask yourself.
Namaste,
D.
REGAINING YOUR STRENGTHS AND RECLAIMING "YOURSELF"
I'm going to take a step back now and revisit this topic (I first covered it in post #7 on Page 1)
How did I manage to "look past" the fear and the anxiety, look past
the depression, anxiety and sadness to find my "tools" for coping?
I could call it a form of "meditation", if you like.
1) I
simply sat, in a quiet room, that was comfortable in climate. I sat on a
comfortable seat and I made a conscious effort to relax my body, my
physical shell.
2) When I had relaxed the physical I went into my mind, I
imagined actually looking into my mind as though it were a storeroom
(which, in essence, is what the brain is) I "accepted" that I had been
labeled by the doctors (Any initial diagnosis of a psychiatric nature stays with you forever) and acknowledged that it was part of me now.
3) I
"walked" past it, the diagnosis, the fears, the anxieties, the disturbed and chaotic thoughts because they had no power in the current environment I had created, and went further in. I imagined my way back to a time
before I was diagnosed, labeled, before I became the "now" me. I saw, in
my mind, the me I had been and I watched the "past" me. I watched the
events I had experienced and watched how I had reacted, dealt with and
succeeded at things. I saw my "courage", my "strength", my
"intelligence" at work, my "kindness", my "compassion" and my "sense of
humour".
I saw what was STILL in me but buried. Since then I have been working, continually, to reinforce this practice and regain my 'strengths'.
The result has been extremely positive and now I can tap into those feelings and sensations when things get rough.
Namaste,
D.
Careless trust, careless whispers and careless thoughts
Good morning @ 7:35am CST, how is everyone today? As well as can be expected I trust?
The title of this little entry gives three separate things of which we need be aware if we are struggling. It's come about as a result of my reading and interactions here at 7 Cups and as a result of my "Listening" here and, largely, because of my life experience over the last 25-1/2 years. (Since being diagnosed)
Given the nature of life, being what it is, we are inevitably going to come into contact with many, many people over the course of it, certainly so far and for many years to come. There are, as you will undoubtedly be aware by now, gulfs between many people. Civil gulfs, societal gulfs, educational, social, socio-economic and cultural gulfs and it is sometimes very difficult to negotiate those gulfs such that we find ourselves sticking very much to our "own place" in the order of things. What we "know" about ourselves is firmly rooted in "our place", our thinking, our outlooks and our perceptions of others are all controlled, to one extent or another, by our thinking, however, is our thinking "correct"? And, what's more, who's in charge of "Correct"? Who made up the rules that shape our thinking?
Like many other parts and paths during our struggles we can lose sight of who is actually in charge of our thinking for the answer is quite deceptively simple, WE ARE. When we allow, or succumb to, the interference and impositions of others we surrender our individuality and this, in itself, can be more than enough to trigger our "troubles" and ongoing problems.
So, if we take each concept individually then;
Careless Trust: I offer a personal experience to demonstrate this one. When I first arrived in the United States from Australia I had to have a "sponsor" to vouch for me, and guarantor for me, for a period of two years after arrival. My wife and I had asked her best friend and that lady's husband if they would be willing to be such and they agreed. So, we arrived, me fresh off the boat and my wife returning to her native country after a six year absence (except for flying visits)
During the first couple of days, shrugging off jet-lag and finding our feet, the husband took it upon himself to "tutor" me in the "American Way" and I will never forget one of the things he stressed to me. He said, "Whatever you do don't tell anyone that you're depressed."
In that instant, 13-1/2 years ago, I felt simultaneously belittled, dismissed, invalidated and inferior. That simple statement, and I don't know how it was meant nor how it was meant to be taken or anything like that, defined and shaped my feelings of shame, of having to hide who I really was and my feelings of inferiority for five years. The gentleman in question and I are still well acquainted, he and his wife come to visit (my wife I suspect) fairly regularly and my wife and her "bestie" still keep in close touch. I like the wife unreservedly, she is "salt-of-the-earth", no pretences, shoots from the hip and doesn't hold back straightforward and open - my kinda person. Her husband and I, we have nothing in common, polite small talk for short periods is about as far as we can stretch it. In short I have neither a like, nor dislike of him BUT, when I first arrived, I TRUSTED HIM. Now, I think, my thinking about him was NOT correct at that time.
Before you TRUST make sure that the person you are going to trust has YOUR best interests (at least in part for people will always care for themselves first in any instance) and welfare at heart, not some ulterior, superiority motivation. Careless trust will lead to betrayal, misdirection, misinformation and/or
unwarranted "pressures" and hurt for you.
Careless Whispers: These are seen, by the majority of people who are NOT your friends and allies, to be potent "weapons" against you and if they should, for whatever reason, decide they are against you then pretty soon your life will be turned upside down by the turmoil you will be trapped in. The true impact of these "whispers" and the reason they are, or can be, so damaging is that you don't even see them until it is much too late to do anything about them. "So", you ask, "What can you do against, or about them?" - The simple answer is take away their potency. Take away their ability to harm, damage or upset you. Basically don't care about them.
Let's see, a personal example. At one point in my management career I was in a company that was the subject of a "friendly" takeover by another company. The main codicil was that the existing staff of our company stay onboard for a period of eighteen months to complete the "integration" of the two. Our boss gathered us all together and in a round table meeting offered us a generous redundancy package, such as it was, and then said, however, he would appreciate it if we would stay and back him up for the eighteen months. No one took the redundancy package.
At length I was forced into a position, within my operational department (engineering stores and purchasing management) where I had to "have a talk" with the other company's store person who was proving to be totally unwilling to work in a cooperative manner with our storeperson (to the point where he would literally do nothing all day every day and still draw a paycheck while leaving our storeperson to do ALL the additional work)
I had a "talk", very unproductively, with that individual and gave him the legally required "verbal warning". His attitude and actions did not change so, thirty days later I had another fruitless talk with him as a result of which I was forced to issue a written warning. 30 days after that I called him to my office, nothing had changed, nothing had resolved itself. I asked him flat out if he was going to reconsider his course of action and he said he was not. I issued his second written warning and his termination papers.
VERY shortly after that I heard, on the grapevine, that I had dumped him because he was "one of them" and that my colleagues were going to start doing the same thing which could jeopardise the entire process. Careless Whispers.
One method for countering these "whispers" might well be, as soon as you become aware of them, call out the person that started them, if you know who, or call out the person who you heard it from (that will soon lead you to whoever started them - trust me on this)
Make the "Calling out" a matter of "public" knowledge, spread the word amongst your friends and peers. In a "reverse twist" this could well leave you feeling empowered and more self-confident.
Careless thoughts: We have ALL, I'll bet, suffered from these. Thoughts about "ourself", our "environment", our "social standing", our "friendships", our "employment" and even our "family dynamic". All thoughts that have the potential to damage both our perceptions and our attitudes which are unhelpful and bring with them undue pressures that have an effect on us.
When you are dealing with a "mental health" situation it is so easy to slip into ways of thinking that are not supported by facts but may do more damage than you know. It is within this struggle that methods for "thought regulation" become vitally important. This is where Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Qualified Therapists/Counselors come into their own as trained advisors to help you adjust to the "new you". Not necessarily a bad you, just a different you from who you were before your troubles were diagnosed.
It is perfectly acceptable and understandable for you to reach out and ask for help. You've probably heard the expression, "Physician, heal thyself" (New Testament, Luke 4:23) well, how many of you, that have mental health difficulties are Psychiatrists, Psychologists or Qualified Therapists/Counselors?
American writer, professor, philosopher, intersectional feminist, poet, and civil rights activist Audre Lorde said; “I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival.”
Please, think a little on what I have said and be good to yourself.
Namaste,
D.
@DireWolf62
First paragraph? BINGO. You outline that perfectly, in my opinion. Indeed, there are so many gulfs that we can bump into in interacting with others, but also within ourselves when we face our own conflicts in beliefs or perceptions, and yes, who DOES determine truth?
Some people do have answers for this question that they are comfortable with. Others might not, and that's ok. They're ok. We can disagree if we can allow the other person their perspective. We can even get angry at one another's beliefs or actions. Anger is natural sometimes. We are all human. But there's a difference between saying, "I'm angry because..." and "You MAKE me angry because..." or "You are obviously wrong." The first acknowledges personal involvement and participation in the conversation. The latter ones simply demand conformity.
Expressing our true feelings, in my view, fosters trust. I think the deepest trust comes from knowing you can get real with someone. They're gonna tell you if you have snot on your nose, and you can tell them too. You can tell each other if they've done something disrespectful to someone, or if they could have done something with a bit more skill or awareness. These things ARE in our best interest to hear even if they're not so pleasant to hear. Someone's willingness to tell us the "bad" stuff also means, by the way, that when they say we're awesome we absolutely know that's true. They're just real.
Whispers? I hate these. They go against the above entirely. They say to a person, "I have zero faith in you to have any positive intent, honesty, or integrity in communicating with me." Talk about disrespect, right? Addressing issues openly, directly, honestly, AND respectfully is something that's not always easy to do. We're often taught that having negative emotions or thoughts about something is simply wrong, or that speaking about them is wrong. But it's not. I actually disagree with the idea that it has to be public or involve quiet sleuthing, though I do know that can feel good and empowering to know that you CAN do that. But I'd say that 90 percent of the time whatever the negative issue is is truly a misunderstanding that can be quickly identified and resolved and it doesn't have to be the big negative thing it's become. Maybe 5% is stuff that someone did that they can see and hopefully learn from. The last 5%, I think, is probably true conflict where two parties not only disagree, but just blame each other and remain angry or judgmental and are unable to come together. Odds aside, though, I can speak for myself in saying that I simply do tend to respect people and want to show that respect in approaching them directly about whatever the issue might be. That's it. I want people to do the same with me. Consider that an invitation if you need one. ha ha ha
Respectfully,
Sophia
THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS
Very often the actions of others can be triggers for our own thinking, shift in mood, perception and general personal comfort. It is a fact that all human beings will act within the guidelines of their own conscience, morals and mores and we have to accept, as best we can, that their actions may not align with our conscience, morals and mores. We have to be on guard and try, as best we can, to not let the actions of others affect our thinking, or our lives.
Obviously there are going to be times when it is not possible for you to NOT be triggered.
As always, yes you knew it, let me pose an example:
You are driving along the road one day, enjoying the drive, the air and sunshine when suddenly another vehicle comes racing up behind you and tailgates you keeping getting closer, then dropping back a bit, then lurching forward again.
What are your immediate thoughts? You are most probably starting to feel annoyed, starting to get riled up, starting to get into a decidedly negative mindset about the other driver and his conduct. You may be wishing a police vehicle would pass by the other way and see what was happening and turn about to pull the tailing driver over.
What if I told you that the driver of the other car was a woman who had just been called by a local hospital to say that her husband, or son, had been in a near fatal work accident and was in intensive care in a critical and unstable condition, basically "fighting for their life", and she was desperately trying to get to the hospital fearing that the worst was about to happen.
What are you thinking now that you know the truth behind the situation?
It is commonly known that our thought patterns control our actions to a great degree. I would go one step further and suggest that Our thought patterns + The facts of the situation control us better than thought patterns alone.
I believe we must always be ready to adjust our thinking as "The Facts" behind a situation come to hand. In doing so we maintain balance and perspective. Keeping our options (thought processes) open and accessible means we can be MORE prepared for things that are about to happen.
"So", you ask, "How do you achieve this marvelous feat?"
In short sentences I can give you some suggestions that may help but only if you are willing to be flexible and let them;
DON'T jump to conclusions.
DON'T underestimate the power of rational perception.
DON'T allow yourself to be emotionally controlled by the actions of others.
DO be aware that there facts about the situation that you are not aware of.
DO give people the benefit of the doubt if you aren't in possession of all the facts.
DO be kind to yourself and avoid "triggering" by whatever means you find most comfortable.
As always, if you have questions please feel free to drop them here. In the meantime be well and be good to yourself.
Namaste,
Wolf.
ONE METHOD FOR MEDITATION
By way of explanation, we are talking of the universal constant of the "pyramid" (no, not sharpening razor blades that is a 70's urban myth that has been proven false many times) I am talking about the mental state that YOU introduce yourself to.
As you can see, in my example, the "pyramid" is established around a comfortable, "safe" space - your bed. You create the pyramid by placing "supportive objects" at the specific places at the base of the bed (each corner)
Measure the centre spot of your bed mattress and, directly above this point suspend a fifth "supportive object" from/in the ceiling (please be careful on ladders!)
I learned this from a metaphysical teacher many years ago in order to create a deep meditation space.
As for the "objects" that you can use, they can be anything from five of your favourite things that bring you happiness, they can be crystals/gemstones that are reported to support peace and enlightenment, they can be Runes or even small statuettes/objects representing your faith.
Whatever they are, as I said, make them objects that bring you happiness and support. These things may include soft music or incense if you wish.
When you are in need all you do is sit, comfortably, or lie with your body's centre point beneath the fifth (ceiling) item then use whichever meditation method you find best to go into a deep meditation.
I wish you good fortune with this and I hope that this may bring you some strength and peace.
@DireWolf62
@Amanda84
Good morning "Overwatching Angel", nice to know someone's watching over us poor lost lambs! :D
WHEN THE MASK IS RIPPED AWAY
“I’ve gotten so used to wearing a mask that I couldn’t even identify myself in a line-up.”
―
@Wolf62
What if I’m nobody without my struggles. I don’t know who I am.
@highPlacesareMything1234
Hello HighPlaces,
It is not uncommon for those of us with issues to identify ourselves with those struggles. The necessity of being able to see beyond those issues and define the "real" you within is, to my mind, the most difficult of things we face.
In the first place there needs to be a genuine desire to NOT be the "You with issues" but to be the "You that is within". I have, based on my own experiences, come to the point where I can separate the two. That is not to say that either one does not sometimes exert control over the other but I am learning to be more the "Me that is within" rather than the "Me with issues".
As to finding, and defining that "inner me" I undertake a form of "meditation", if you like.
I simply sit, in a quiet room, that is comfortable in climate. I sit on a comfortable seat and I make a conscious effort to relax my body,
my physical shell. When I have relaxed the physical I go into my mind, I imagine actually looking into my mind as though it were a storeroom (which, in essence, is what the brain is) I "accept" that I had been
labeled by the doctors and acknowledge that it is part of me now. I "walk" past it and go further in. I imagine my way back to a time before I was diagnosed, labeled, before I became the "now" me.
I see, in my mind, the me I had been and I watch the "past" me. I watch the events I have experienced and watched how I had reacted, dealt with and succeeded at things. I saw my "courage", my "strength",
my "intelligence" at work, my "kindness", my "compassion" and my "sense of humour".
I saw what was STILL in me but buried.
It wasn't all said and done in one go. I had to keep doing it a number of times before it finally became clear but when it did the sense of empowerment and relief were overwhelming. I realised I could cope
with anything.
Perhaps, if you wish, you might try this and let go of the things that are holding you back, that have you trapped. I hope this may be of some help.
Namaste,
Wolf.
@highPlacesareMything1234
Hello Mything, my friend, I am sorry for the delay in replying. I am not well at present.
Your struggles, as I have come to learn, and to believe, do not define who you are. Before you experienced the beginning of your "struggles" there was another "YOU", a happier, stronger, more confidant you. It is this essence that is the "True" you.
I developed a little exercise that does not require any special thing to achieve that may help you.
Firstly, struggles are NOT confined to people who suffer from medically (including mental health) conditions. EVERYONE has struggles in their lives. Work struggles, family and relationship struggles, work struggles, "self" struggles and ALL of these struggles are, and can be, sources of upset, discordance and negative issues. The struggles we ALL face are no more, nor less, than anyone else's struggles and it is important that we understand that fact as we communicate with each other and, hopefully, try and find solutions to the struggles. No struggle is too big, or too small to be worth our attention.
I undertook a form of "meditation", if you like.
I simply sat, in a quiet room, that was comfortable in climate. I sat on a comfortable seat and I made a conscious effort to relax my body,
my physical shell. When I had relaxed the physical I went into my mind, I imagined actually looking into my mind as though it were a storeroom (which, in essence, is what the brain is) I "accepted" that I had been
labeled by the doctors and acknowledged that it was part of me now. I "walked" past it and went further in. I imagined my way back to a time before I was diagnosed, labeled, before I became the "now" me.
I saw, in my mind, the me I had been and I watched the "past" me. I watched the events I had experienced and watched how I had reacted, dealt with and succeeded at things. I saw my "courage", my "strength",
my "intelligence" at work, my "kindness", my "compassion" and my "sense of humour".
I saw what was STILL in me but buried.
It wasn't all said and done in one go. I had to keep doing it a number of times before it finally became clear but when it did the sense of empowerment and relief were overwhelming. I realised I could cope
with anything.
I hope this might be of some help.
Namaste,
D.
Hii @DireWolf62
thank you so much for your advice 💖
I feel that most of my life has been based on a fear of failure- which especially is as a result of my parents. But things are changing, for the better I guess but I’m still scared. Will it ever go away? The problem is that before it used to just be a ‘at home’ kind of thing but now it’s starting to affect my school life and I hate it. What do I do?
Unfortunately, I don’t really have much time to think about things. And when I do have time to think, it’s not about me.
Sorry I know this isn’t really not that related to your advice.
I really hope that you feel better soon 💖🫂💫
Best wishes,
highPlacesareMything1124 ✨
Dear Visitors, this "Project" is growing exponentially and I will admit that it is difficult to scroll through to find a specific item that you may be looking for, accordingly, here is an index of posts to assist.
1 1 The struggle
1 5 Self help suggestions
That should, hopefully, make things a little easier to navigate.
Struggles, Efforts, STUMBLES and Victories
Good afternoon,
If I had to re-title this post thread I would include the word “stumbles” in the title, why? Because like any “recovery”
period, from anything, there are going to be setbacks. From the simplest form of bacterial illness to the most complex form of surgical intervention, and every health condition in between.
I’m going to reaffirm,
at this point, that I am NOT a Medical Professional, I am NOT a Doctor, Not a Psychologist/Psychiatrist, Therapist or Counselor in any health profession nor related field, no, I am simply one man who has dealt with Bi-Polar
Type II Affective Disorder with attendant Generalised Anxiety Disorder since (diagnosis in) 2000 (quite probably since 1999) so all I have to bring to the table for you is 25+ years of struggles, efforts, STUMBLES and victories.
I
am currently on leave while I deal with health issues, both physical AND psychological. I need “time for me”, I need time to take care of certain immediate situations not the least of which is my mental health
and you know what, that’s okay.
It’s okay to stand up and say, “TIME OUT”. It’s okay, to a practical degree, to say “NO” to life and take some downtime if you need it to
stay healthy, to be well within yourself, to take time out to deal with a struggle, or struggles. YOU HAVE PAID YOUR DUES.
Allow me, as is my way, give you a personal example:
Loud noises that are close to
me and unexpected. A car horn sounding, a firecracker suddenly going off near to me, a ride-on lawnmower suddenly bursting to life near me, a loud car engine suddenly bursts to life near me. A loud noise that startles. These
are the most prominent triggers that affect me. Other people doing things which I believe (rightly or wrongly) interferes with my peace of mind and mental equilibrium, these are triggers.
The affect is that I experience
and instantaneous avalanche, or tidal wave, of unreasoning, total, red-black fog of rage. I have no time to employ practiced Cognitive Behavioural or Dialectical Behavioural Therapy measures, it is INSTANTANEOUS, there is
NO TIME to rationally consider the event, I AM IN AN UNCONTROLLED FURY.
The worst problem with this is that it can, and does, happen at inappropriate times and in inapropriate times, especially out in public. Because
of this I tend to shun being “out in public”. In short, I don’t trust myself. Yes - I am working diligently on this with my Counselor/Therapist and Psychiatrist looking for an answer to the problem. No -
We don’t have one yet.
The biggest thing is acceptance, I MUST accept that this, at present anyway, is part of me and it’s NOT voluntary.
I must work on some method to control/minimise the issue
and its results.
The main thing is that I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION to have and own my feelings and I ACCEPT that my feelings are valid despite whatever remorse may follow the actual event.
This is the way
of things when you are dealing with mental health situations. I would go so far as to suggest that 8 times out of 10 they are the product of an INVOLUNTARY response cycle within you, a physiological reflexive, response to
a stressful situation. Something that is NOT always by your choice nor, immediately, under your conscious control. All YOU can do is minimise the effects while you work toward finding a more permanent answer.
Taking
time out, a “sabbatical”, a “hiatus”, is a good way to focus your efforts on finding answers to your struggles. These sorts of things are always better attempted in conjunction with your healthcare
team but, if they are not always, immediately, available then working with the support of family and close friends is a good plan also. It is always better if you can achieve this by taking the time away from ALL other matters,
that is to say with the full support of all needs supplied by family but if this is not practical then at least scale back on outside activities, work for example, social and community to give yourself to rest in both mind
and body.
The final thing I want to say is;
BE PATIENT. These things will NOT happen overnight and this is where the “efforts” part of the title comes in. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately,
no one is going to hand you “a cure”, a “magic pill” but one thing I do know is when you face the STRUGGLE, make the EFFORTS (including stumbles and relapses if necessary) YOU WILL ACHIEVE THE VICTORIES.
Namaste,
D.
