ARE YOU READY?

That’s right, I am ready for a life turn-around.. I am not a victim.  The First step of Depressed Anonymous says “We admitted that we were powerless over depression and that our lives had become unmanageable. ”  We know and believe how we are no longer victims. Instead, we are learning how to be survivors, and much more. We refuse to be victims.”

Now that I have admitted that I am powerless over my depression and that I don’t do myself any good blaming myself with those daily reminders of how bad and unacceptable I am. I now am conscious of a new path out of my misery.”  BELIEVING IS SEEING: 15 WAYS TO LEAVE THE PRISON OF DEPRESSION.  Smith, Hugh (  2014) DAP, Louisville, Ky  40217 (p.54).

One of the best parts of being a member of Depressed Anonymous (Online or f2f group) is that we don’t have to be alone if we don’t want to be. That might sound strange to some of us but we have to admit that what keeps us depressed is our need to keep apart from others…to remain disconnected and isolated.  We have a need to be by ourselves and to stay apart from human contact.  For to be in contact with others means that we will have to take some risks and to make some  choices. But when I am depressed and alone I don’t have to make many choices or take any action except to keep isolating myself and staying apart.” THE DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS WORKBOOK. DAP. Louisville, KY  40217. (p.4)

Until I could put a label on the feelings of pain, shame and need to be isolated from others — all I could do was to think how hollow and empty I continued to feel. And, the feelings grew stronger day by day…”  I had to make a decision. I had to do something. I believe that this is where many of us begin our journey out of depression. We know we have to do something. We will not just lie down and die. We will not be a victim.

As it states in our Big Book, DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS, (3rd edition ) 2011. (p31).

” But don’t get me wrong – I do not  believe that you can snap out of your depression or suddenly and dramatically get your life turned around by going to one Depressed Anonymous meeting or reading the Twelve Steps five times an hour. We know it just doesn’t happen that way, especially if you have lived with your depression any length of time…”

So, here we are. Decision time. What to do and where to go to find help. For myself and others, I have found it in a program of recovery that works (HOME STUDY PROGRAM AND/OR DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS MEETINGS)). It works for me. It has provided me with a “tool box ” of  ways where I gradually can loosen up the tight and deadly grip of depression on  my life and begin to live with the belief that I am going to get  better and feel differently. ARE YOU READY?

2 thoughts on “ARE YOU READY?”

  1. I am ready. This all started as a boy. The shame, guilt, not beleiving I am worthy of love. I have had these thoughts my entire life and have coped by controlling my outside world in a sea of achievement. I am now 50 and have made the conscience decision that my life is unmanageable and it is fundamentally time to do something different. I took a small step yesterday by sending for the program offered by depressed anonymous. I know this is going be a slow journey. This morning in my journal i wrote over and over God made me good and I love myself. I must turn it over to God boy this is hard even when I write it a get anxiety like pins and needles inside of me. Please pray for my recovery. Yours with hope. By the way the above post is how I have coped isolation.

    1. Hello Hope
      Thank you for the message. I think you possibly ordered the DA WORKBOOK AND MANUAL called DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS, 3rd edition. The two books combined are called the HOME STUDY PROGRAM.. I am heartened that you are going to use this program of recovery. Our DA group uses it at their meetings. The Workbook will definitely give you insights about your own struggles with depression all the while helping you put your Higher Power first in assisting you through the recovery process. And please know that you can contact me anytime here and together we can walk through any particular difficult time in your Home Study efforts. H.S.

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