You Are Not Alone | If you or a loved one is struggling with mental illness, there is HOPE
I don't know how many times I've heard these responses to my depression. As if it's that easy. Anyone who tells you "You're just having a bad day. You'll feel better in the morning" has clearly not experienced the crippling agony and utter devastation of depression. Thankfully, there are programs in place that help family... Continue Reading →
One of the hardest things I've ever had to do is resign from my job as a high school English and Theatre Arts teacher. From the time I lined up my stuffed animals on the basement stairs and taught them their ABCs, I had always wanted to be a teacher. After many years of hard... Continue Reading →
As I was gathering material for this new blog site, I revisited an old blog I started 5 years ago. I wish I could have told my younger self not to worry so much and that it would all work out for the best. But then again, I needed to experience those lows to be... Continue Reading →
"Get over it." This is one of the most frustrating responses I get during a bout of depression. Telling someone to "get over it" is like telling someone with broken legs to run a marathon. It defies common sense as depression affects the brain's ability to think clearly in the first place. Others recommend going... Continue Reading →
People have compared mental health treatment plans to emergency kits, toolboxes, lunchboxes and so on. These action plans are known as WRAPs (Wellness Recovery Action Plan). It doesn’t matter what you call it, but it’s important to create your own toolkit of strategies to use to stay well. It takes time to learn which tools... Continue Reading →
I describe myself as a "pessimist from birth." Seriously, I can't remember a time when I didn't have worst case scenarios and "all or nothing" thinking. It's as natural to me as breathing. I berated myself if I missed a point on a test. If I got a 99%, I focused on the 1% I... Continue Reading →
I wasn’t going to go to my weekly DBSA meeting. I was tired, it was dark, and I had a long day. In fact, I've been stuck in a rut for the past two weeks--nothing severe, just low motivation and returning to old poor habits. But something pushed me, I got myself out the door,... Continue Reading →
At the last DBSA meeting, a peer shared the following advice given to him by a therapist when he was a young boy struggling with PTSD: We all have skeletons in our closets. When we leave home, those skeletons stay in the closet. You leave them behind. But when you come home, they are still... Continue Reading →
I must admit the first time I learned about self-affirmations, I thought the idea was ridiculous. I remember thinking I can write or say "I am beautiful" or "I am worthy" but that doesn't mean I'll ever believe it. Undeterred, my therapist challenged me to just write down a few affirmations in a journal each day,... Continue Reading →
Depression feeds on negativity and grows stronger with each negative thought. When depressed, it is easy to fall into that vicious cycle of bad thoughts. Practicing gratitude stops that pattern and changes brain chemistry by releasing serotonin and dopamine. However, it can be difficult to find anything positive when depression sets in. Start with writing... Continue Reading →
C. L. Dunbar Health 
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