For the mood tracker, you fill it out during the day as things happen which may alter your mood. You can print it off and just carry it with you. This is a useful tool since it can definitely help you gain some understanding into who you are and what affects you.
How have you been doing with the program? Have you had a chance to look through the sessions?
Thank you for your kind words. I have to post more here.
The one thing that I'm having problems with doing is writing down emotions or individual feelings in the diary entries.
With the mood tracker, do you fill it out at the end of the day? Or during the day when things happen to alter your mood?
I've been writing things down in a journal and am thinking of transcribing them, but I keep forgetting to bring it to work to write it all out (I work in front of a computer for 8+ hours a day and don't want to jump on one when I get home... :-) as you could imagine).I've been trying to be more introspective and understand who I really am. And the journal does help a bit.
I can hear the positivity in your post as you say you are ready to make strides to improve the 'real' you. You have come to the right place to receive support from a community whose members are going through similar things as you are. Have you had a chance to look through the Depression Program? Each session is based on the previous session, and some members are working one each session together and posting their experiences on this forum, under the Group Session Walk Through thread.
Come back often and let us know how you are doing.
It took a long time to realize that I may be depressed. I was depressed all the time when I was a teenager, but who wasn't. I didn't ever think that it would get to the point where my depression has almost completely merged with my personality. With the help of my wonderful, fiance (who's dealt with depression almost all her life as well), I've realized how there is a depressed 'me' and a 'real' me. For the new year, I want to make strides to improve the real me and move on and past the depressed me. I know the journey will be long and difficult, but now that I'm in my 30's I can't keep going on like this, lest I lose all that I've tried to hold on to, and all the strides I've taken to try to improve my life.
I'm glad to be a part of this community and see the support that you give one another. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in how I feel and why I feel it, and why I can't help it.
