Mindfulness

Today I was reminded about Mindfulness - by any other name will work as well.  Thank you to my daughter for that reminder.  I had forgotten to mindfully practise it and it is exactly what I need.  What we all need, if I could be so bold.

I suffer fronm depression and after suffering for far too long and finding it difficult to connect to others and most particularly, my partner, I started this blog as an outreach for connection, to be able to connect with someone, anyone, anonymously.  Although I seem to have failed in this, it has not made me more depressed, for today at least.  There is therapy and benefit simply in the writing, just for myself.  This was a first step on a path to recovery.  I saw my GP who put me in touch with the Acute Mental Health Team at the local hospital who suggested a number of options:

• medication review
• personal counselling through the free mental health plan
• couples counselling 
• ATODS.

the Acute Mental Health Team have been wonderful.  They call me every few days to make sure I am okay. I have been transitioning off the antidepressant medication I have been on for years and on to another which seems to be working well to lift my mood.  I have started both lots of counselling but without my partner to date.  I haven't contacted ATODS but I will.  I did stop drinking half a bottle of wine every night as  it was stressed that this would be totally negating my anti depressant medication.

My husband and I have found some connection and I feel apologetic today that I may have painted him badly.  He is a wonderful man who I admire greatly.  I just forgot that for a time.  I was too busy reacting to hurt feelings and magnifying his faults - of which he has a multitude.  So do I.  So do you. It is symptomatic of being human. What we are doing is simply trying to be kinder to each other.  That is all at this stage and that has been enough to provide respite, to clear some of the negative energy and stinking thinking that was bogging us down.

So now, I feel I can manage to ACT, bringing me back to my topic:  ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) or Mindfulness, see http://www.actmindfully.com.au/ and ACT with Love (Dr Russ Harris).

I will keep you posted.