#FOUR/ BELIEVING IS SEEING: 15 ways to leave the prison of depression. (2017) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville.
” No longer am I alone in my depression. I can now see that it is up to me to form new friendships with others in the fellowship of the Depressed Anonymous Group. I have found persons who understand me and my problems. I also learn coping skills and new positive behaviors from my fellow group members. ”
Below are listed some of the advantages of belonging to the Depressed Anonymous fellowship.
- Receive acceptance and support from the fellowship.
- The fellowship of DA places no judgments on those who join the group.
- No longer isolated and alone.
- No “snap out of it” comments from persons who have not experienced depression.
- Learn how to gradually remove depression from our lives by utilizing the tools provided by the fellowship.
- Gain new friends who actually “do know” how we feel.
- Learn skills in taking full responsibility for their feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
- Learning how to be with others in a mutual aid group while simultaneously developing our interpersonal and social skills.
- By being part of the group, with persons like oneself, have an overwhelming BELIEF that since they are all getting better, they tell themselves “so can I.”
- Depression symptoms grow best in isolation and the withdrawal from others. Healthy encounters with others like ourselves and by using the spiritual principles of the 12 steps, we begin to feel better and gain hope for ourselves.
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Ray’s personal testimony, #20. The Power of Depressed Anonymous is found in DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS, 3rd edition. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. pgs.133-134.
“So what is the power of Depressed Anonymous? For me, it’s just like attending the first meeting. I was a little scared and apprehensive at first, but then I found the Depressed Anonymous meeting was a place to go where there were other depressed persons just like me. They could relate to and understand what I was going through. They didn’t judge me or think of me as crazy. I WAS ACCEPTED.
Ray tells us how “the most important power of Depressed Anonymous is hope.”
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The fellowship makes available a HOME SELF STUDY KIT comprised of the Depressed Anonymous Manual and The Depressed Anonymous Workbook. Both of these books can be purchased together. For those who might desire some further support for issues in their recovery that may arise from the Self Study KIT can contact us at [email protected].
For many, a Depressed Anonymous group may not be available in your community and so the reason for the Home Study Kit. Depressed persons who feel isolated and with no group available can profit from this Home Study and gain insights into their own depression symptoms plus learn how to deal with them.