Trisha
thank you very much for your input. I think CBT is worth trying for me. I will certainly read more about it and I will consider a therapist. And I will find the book also. its good to have something to look forward to, something to work towards that gives me hope.
you also wrote about exercise. I fluctuate considerably in my level of activity. i have to become more consistent and generally more active. I found that if I walk around with my digital camera, exercise is almost effortless because I'm so focused on finding the next good shot. Of course with a digital camera I can take as many shots as I like.
I suppose there are dozens of other ways you can sort of trick yourself into exercising. Yesterday I was also packing some heavy stuff around. I could actually feel the blood pump the oxygen through my body. I did indeed feel better...more energized. Its easier to write about exercise than to actually do it. I am in a sorry state of health (diabetes) becasue i didn't exercise enough through the years.
Keep up the good communicating. smile. take care.
bob
Hi Bob, Trisha here. Sorry to hear about your wife's problems. Can you go to see a therapist yourself? Look for one that specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. I honestly don't think I would still be here today functioning at all if it hadn't been for the therapists I've had over the years and the help they provided. It's not that I didn't do the work and struggle but it was so helpful to have someone show me when I wasn't making sense of things etc. or when I was being illogical. Also the support helped so much as I figured things out and practiced different ways of behaving. I learned to like and respect myself for that struggle and was then better able to appreciate the struggles other people go through. Another thing that helped me (more recently) was a book called "Loving What Is" which shows how our thinking contributes to our feelings of depression...in fact can cause it. i.e. how our feelings FOLLOW our thoughts and how we can therefore shape and have more control over feelings by not automatically accepting every thought we have as true. Life is certainly not easy is it. I am feeling very tired and down tonight. It sure is hard getting up out of that well once in it....You seem to be doing very well however (no pun intended):) and definitely not giving up!..Just some thoughts about what has helped me though I am by no means still not troubled by depression that is for sure. I am still struggling with the inability to make myself exercise every day. Trisha
well i did get a lot of stuff off my deck...i feel more enegetic...my wife said i probably killed most of her plants with chemicals. she immediately gave me a list of other things that must get done. she's so tired and can't handle it..she found a bar she wants set up in the house, perhaps so the kids and i can drink together...can't win on all fronts in this depression battle :) :)
its a small successful step
bob
hello
when i lexamine my daily behaviour...i follow the same pattern, day after day. my feelings of depression vary somewhat, but i am looking for that breakthrough feeling...that surge of energy.
I realize i have to experiment with change. instead of sitting at my computer drinking coffee, i'm going to go out and vigourously scrub my dirty deck...my wife will like that...i will get some exercise...whatever its a change of pace for the morning hours.
bob
