Just needed to be heard for a little while

Solarjunkie

I don't think this is penguiny, but I'll mention it as a possibility:

I was listening to the radio today & I heard about The Recovery Letters, which is a website of letters written to those suffering from depression, from those who have recovered from it. To give hope.
Here is an example

This is a letter Stephen Fry wrote to a fan when she explained who she was struggling with depression.

Dear Crystal,

I'm so sorry to hear that life is getting you down at the moment. Goodness knows, it can be so tough when nothing seems to fit and little seems to be fulfilling. I'm not sure there's any specific advice I can give that will help bring life back its savour. Although they mean well, it's sometimes quite galling to be reminded how much people love you when you don't love yourself that much.

I've found that it's of some help to think of one's moods and feelings about the world as being similar to weather:

Here are some obvious things about the weather:

It's real.
You can't change it by wishing it away.
If it's dark and rainy it really is dark and rainy and you can't alter it.
It might be dark and rainy for two weeks in a row.

BUT

It will be sunny one day.
It isn't under one's control as to when the sun comes out, but come out it will.
One day.

It really is the same with one's moods, I think. The wrong approach is to believe that they are illusions. They are real. Depression, anxiety, listlessness - these are as real as the weather - AND EQUALLY NOT UNDER ONE'S CONTROL. Not one's fault.

BUT

They will pass: they really will.

In the same way that one has to accept the weather, so one has to accept how one feels about life sometimes. "Today's a crap day," is a perfectly realistic approach. It's all about finding a kind of mental umbrella. "Hey-ho, it's raining inside: it isn't my fault and there's nothing I can do about it, but sit it out. But the sun may well come out tomorrow and when it does, I shall take full advantage."

I don't know if any of that is of any use: it may not seem it, and if so, I'm sorry. I just thought I'd drop you a line to wish you well in your search to find a little more pleasure and purpose in life.

Very best wishes

Stephen Fry

Pyxis

elsien wrote: »

Saw this on another thread. No idea if it'd help or not, but if anyone wants to give it a try and report back.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=66913576&postcount=27282

Trouble is, when your only computer is an iPad, you don't have a control key!:(




Brilliant post, Solarjunkie! Thanks for that!

jobbingmusician

elsien wrote: »

Saw this on another thread. No idea if it'd help or not, but if anyone wants to give it a try and report back.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=66913576&postcount=27282

You're saying this as if you don't know what you are doing by pressing Control + A and Control + c.

Control and a selects All the text.
Control and c Copies it.
Control and v Velcros it back again (paste).

So.... a safer way to do it is to open a word processing prog and type what you want to say. Then do the Control and a, Control and c, Control and v thing to transfer it to MSE.

Mac/iPad users can also do this, doing whatever they need to do to select, copy and paste

System

Keep trying to remind myself i'm not responsible for other peoples happiness...its just hard when someone you care about feels crap and they shut you out and there is nothing you can do to make it any better. I know its difficult for them too. When i feel sad i tend to shut people out because i dont want them to feel bad, or i feel i don't want to burden them with it, or im just not in the mood to talk about it because if they ask me why i feel sad i won't know. I'm just more used to the person feeling crap being me and not so used to being the one try to make it better. I don't know what to do..

whitewing

Who is it that feels crap, MU? Advice may be different for different family relations...

The new John Lewis Christmas advert features penguins apparently and should be available on social media in the morning (Thurs) so that may be worth a look...can someone link it in, if it is around, please.

I have only just finished my work. Slightly past the deadline so I will be upset if I incur a financial penalty.

Pyxis

The tenth-page repost.

Pyxis wrote: »

.........:starmod:......................................................................:starmod:.....................
Here is the suggested THREAD ETIQUETTE. By following this etiquette, all posters, whether new or existing, will feel safe, unpressured and respected..

- This is a thread for support. We have discovered some good friends on here, but we promise always to welcome and include new people, and not to be cliquey.

- People may make suggestions to help each other, and might even ask if the suggestions were helpful or have been carried out, but we'll really try not to nag each other or put too much pressure on.

- The normal board rules about sexism, racism, homophobia etc. apply, but if we are careful we should be able to discuss almost anything without breaching board rules - so far we have discussed subjects ranging from child abuse to incontinence!

-If someone thinks that too much pressure is being applied, they can post the trigger word PENGUIN and flag up the fact that they believe there's a potential for someone feeling too nagged to do something. ANYONE could post PENGUIN if they felt there was a danger that suggestions were being enforced too much.


- If you think something might be a PENGUIN, please post something like the green bit which follows.

"I would like to discuss something to do with [insert subject here], but I am concerned that this might be a trigger for some people. Is everyone OK if I post about that?"

Then LEAVE IT for at least an hour to allow people to respond. Then, when you post, repost the word PENGUIN above the discussion. Then post the penguiny bit in white! And the phrase END OF PENGUIN when you have finished.

It will look like this. You will be able to see the white text if you highlight it or if you quote it (so please don't quote a penguin!)

PENGUIN

This is a penguin. A nasty, crotch biting penguin (CBT).
It isn't really, you can look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozGTv0hxhpc[/url]
END OF PENGUIN




IMPORTANT: It has been ascertained that some posters to this thread have found that there are certain subjects which act as triggers, precipitating a worsening of their condition.
To protect these posters, you are respectfully requested NOT to discuss these subjects on this thread:-

Religion. (Please note: it is recognised that everyone is entitled to their beliefs, and we respect those beliefs. It is only because of the fact that religion does act as a trigger for some posters, that we exclude it from discussion.)
N.B. Please don't even mention the name of the religion.

The afterlife. The reason for this is explained in this thread by one poster, and there will be others for whom this is a trigger.

We ask and thank you for your co-operation in this matter.


.........:starmod:.....................................................................:starmod:................

It should be pointed out that if anyone is feeling very distressed or close to a crisis, they do not have to worry about what they are posting, or whether it is a penguin for someone else or not. In a crisis situation, just post! We wouldn't want anyone to feel that they couldn't ask for help in case it's a penguin! The penguin thing only applies to a general discussion situation.

- More suggestions please.............We stress that we are suggesting that we AGREE some Thread Etiquette to HELP people who might feel anxious about posting, we are not trying to IMPOSE rules, just relating this to facilitating groups, so that people feel safe and able to participate as fully as they can.

tea_lover

whitewing wrote: »

The new John Lewis Christmas advert features penguins apparently and should be available on social media in the morning (Thurs) so that may be worth a look...can someone link it in, if it is around, please.

That gives me a small panic! :eek: Is Christmas really that close? Am definitely noticing more mentions of it this week. I usually love it but dreading it this year - the thought of another year with OH sat there at my parents' house with a face on does not appeal.

ETA: am nervous that I'm breaking some rules by posting! Please, please just tell me if I'm doing something wrong - really don't want to offend anyone x.

heartbreak_star

Possible Penguin!!:

It always kind of nags me a bit that we're ramping up Christmas already. Seems like Remembrance Sunday is getting brushed under the carpet and that's a bad thing in my eyes - lest we forget!

End of Penguin!

If I may be so bold - could I have some hugs and positive thoughts please? I don't often feel so down and insecure as I do today

HBS x

oystercatcher

((((((((((((((((((((heartbreak_star))))))))))))))))))))))

Do you know why you are feeling grotty ?


{{{{HBS}}}}

heartbreak_star

Thank you oystercatcher!

Feeling very tired, washed out and heavy today, plus got a nasty niggly tummy. Wish I could just curl up in my big feather duvet!

HBS x