There is a strange but real similarity with moving from one place to another with the packing up and unpacking that is involved. The same holds true for our lives. We packed habits of thinking, feeling and behaving from early childhood into our adult lives. It is no surprise to us then and now that certain habitual modes of behavior and thinking have got us to a place where we either hit an emotional wall or we reflect that something in our lives has to change. It’s time to pack up stuff in our lives that no longer work for us and discard all the extra baggage. It might be painful to rid ourselves of the stuff that has been such a part of our daily lives, but now we see that it is time to take a closer look. It’s time to dig up and plant something new that will carry us along with a hope and a feeling of freedom as we continue throwing over board the extra weight (emotional and physical) as we continue on our journey in life.
For my own life I gradually found a way to unpack stuff that had me imprisoned and bound up without hope of ever being free of the shackles. Don’t get me wrong, packing and unpacking certain areas of our life is not an easy thing to accomplish. It takes time and work. Today I am still unpacking. With work, time and prayerful reflections on my changed thinking, feeling and behaviors I came to the conclusion that with help I could at least get through one 24 period at a time. And this is the point of my writing this piece today. I am pleased to say that it was when I first was introduced to the 12 spiritual principles of recovery with the tools which these principles provided, I now had a plan, a path, on how to live with hope and serenity. I feel lighter as I reflected upon what I need to let go of. I learned what exactly I needed to let go of.
It was after reading the literature of a 12 step program dedicated to help with my addiction that I gradually was learning more about me. I found what worked for me. It was in the Big Book, as it is called, and written by Bill W., and Bob S.,the co-founders of AA.. There were questions in this book that helped me unpack those areas of my life that needed to be thrown overboard.
In the past years, when not everyone had the opportunity to join a Depressed Anonymous group in their locality, our Publisher Depressed Anonymous Publications decided to offer a HOME STUDY KIT where a person could begin to learn more about themselves by using the Home Study Kit. This includes the Big Book of our fellowship Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition (2011) and the Depressed Anonymous Workbook (2002) –both published by our publisher (DAP). Starting in November, I will be offering those persons who want a guide to help them with the Question and Answer part of the Kit, the DA Workbook, which is coordinated with each chapter of the companion volume Depressed Anonymous.
Through the years, persons who have used this method of recovery, have found it has changed their lives. And this, without a group. When I founded this group in 1985 I knew that each persons depression really was unique even though it had many similarities with others depression experience. So with our Home Study program your own unique experiences can be examined and reflected upon. This is how the healing can begin for you.
I can take only ten persons initially to start this online Home Study program, which has been successful for those who utilize its process. Soon our program will be published in Spanish, as it has already been published in other languages. One of the fellowship who lives in another region of the world has just written and shared how she feels the program has changed her for the better. I agreed with her that I have seen a change in her thinking and feelings toward herself as she continues to answer questions from the workbook that has enlightened her about her own life. . It’s as she has had a spiritual awakening. A realization that she is not alone.
So, if anyone is interested in a long distance Home Study approach, by email, then you might find it particularly useful. The whole process will be done via our emails. It will be strictly confidential and I will work with any person who wants to find a way out of depression. Basically our work will enable us to clarify our thinking about ourselves and help us formulate strategies for gaining back our freedom to be whom we want to be.
We will start our HS program on November 15th, 2017. If you are serious about committing yourself to this self study then please contact me here at our website or email me at [email protected].
You may find this individual effort challenging as I was, but in time and with work and the interaction with a sponsor–you will be happy you did. You will learn how to unpack those areas of your life which have kept you imprisoned. This time you will be living with hope.
I am looking forward to hearing from you. Reading the Depressed Anonymous literature, which I might add, has been written by those persons who have been depressed and are now depression free and in recovery will be a great benefit to you and your daily living. More information will be coming on this BLOG tomorrow.
Please click onto our literature store and discover more about the Manual and the Workbook which will be used for our Home Study program. I hope that you will be joining us soon.
With gratitude, for the fellowship,
Hugh S