Bipolar Living

I have been listening to this CD for about an hour now and it has been extremely informational. Let me take a moment to tell you about the 2 disc set I just found at a local New Age People store.

CD 1: A common sense, practical discussion about Depression from its causes to treatments you might try at home AND why this is all true. It’s written and delivered by an MD in a “new age” sort of way. Its emphasis is not on what your shrink will tell you but instead, what you learn from your own experiences of depression. It helps guide you through why you think the way you do. The turning point for me at the beginning of the CD was when he explains that being sad and crying is a natural reaction to grieving or loss of something you feel connected to in your life. This is only natural and sadness and crying are our methods of healing, not unlike bleeding and forming scar tissue is our way of healing after a papercut. Unfortunately, some people don’t quite heal and our emotional selves “bleed” forever until we do get that closure. I never had thought of it that way. But if you do get closure, you can begin reconnecting with new things that you care about. So, this is like buying a new puppy after you have properly grieved for the loss of an old dog. It just makes sense to me. He doesn’t go into the medical explanations too heavily and honestly, listening to this new perspective gave me hope that I can actually fight the debilitating depressions that occur on a regular basis in my life. I’m so used to reading DSM-IV explanations of depression and mania but it doesn’t really teach you how to deal with this stuff in every day thoughts.

CD 2: A guided meditation focused primarily on the consciousness and state of mind those of us who are depressed find ourselves in. I haven’t listened to this CD yet but maybe tomorrow or later tonight I will give a review of this. I have been interested in meditation for many years, believing in many forms of it present in my own life naturally. I have meditated in one way or another my whole life. It is my downtime. Instead of watching TV and bumming around, I prepare myself for the next day or activity. I need this time to recoup from the last one which always takes something out of me. Depressions have taken a lot out of my life and finally I am ready to put it back in. Maybe this CD will help me find my own closure to the losses of so much in my life.

I hope someone goes out and checks out this CD set which can probably be found at any “new age” store in your area. Depression is what I have fought the most in my life and if a simple $25 can begin to turn that around for me, I’m sure there are many people out there who are struggling to find other solutions besides just medication. Medication has helped me in emergency situations but the depression has never completely gone away. It won’t until I believe it can and work hard to make that happen. I wish the same positive outlook for all of you out there reading these words right now. Depression is a long tough road for many of us but there is hope at the end of this tunnel. I want to be a beacon of light for those who have none. I wish I had had someone like me wishing to reach out to those less fortunate. So, either read these words and move on, or shoot me a quick comment/email. I’ve totally been there and back again and I want to talk about the best ways to fight because I know one day, I’ll need one of you to lean on too.

-Katy-