DBSA Tennessee Past President, S.L. Brannon
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Healthy Grieving - - Denial

5/12/2015

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Healthy Grieving-Denial

Amber Wilsey

After the diagnosis, I have had to walk through a grieving process.  I grieve for the “death” of who I was, for the person who I am, and for my future self. Confusion and loss of self are huge players in this grief process.  Of course, sadness does too, much sadness.  I believe it is the same type of journey we go through when we lose our loved ones. Except this time, the person is me.  

Those five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I would imagine the denial stage is probably the most difficult to move out of after being diagnosed with a mental illness.  It has been for me.  The denial phase looked similar to this:  I cannot believe I am bipolar; all I went in for was for ADD; the doctor can’t be right; I don’t even know what bipolar is, how is that ME?  As Gru’s minions say “Wha???”  It even looks like: these meds are making me worse; I’m not sick or have mental problems; maybe I was misdiagnosed; maybe I’m really not bipolar since the medicines are not working. On and on and on…

Since I am still fairly new with the diagnosis, I can see the reoccurrence of denial throughout the past few years.  Thankfully, I am not stuck in the vortex of complete denial.  It helps to read, to learn, to use the internet, to search for others who are walking the same walk.  Thankfully, you are out there for me to glean from and from you I have hope.  

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Vanderbilt takes mystery out of SAD

5/11/2015

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http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2015/05/locating-the-brains-sad-center/

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Mental Illness showing up in your 20s. Why?

5/6/2015

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THE BEGINNINGS

5/6/2015

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The Beginnings of a New You
Amber Wilsey

You learn a great deal about yourself after a life changing event or series of events. Perhaps, I should change that to “you can learn” instead of “you learn”.  Knowledge and wisdom come with a price tag. We never know what the price costs us. Regardless the cost, it seems as though it depends on you to see beyond the pain to a place where you are stronger, wiser.  People who are burdened by mood disorders are affected differently than those who don’t suffer from such illnesses. Not only is the pain deeper, lasts longer, much more intense, it also takes us repeated tries to move forward, to see the light.

This can be especially true of the initial diagnosis.  There are those of us who feel a sense of relief when the diagnosis is delivered.  It is almost like the stars align into patterns that reveal constellations.  A life of seemingly random events, moods, lifestyle are now given a name; a world once lived in chaos is now an explained, real illness which can be managed and actively treated.  For some of us, it is the opposite.  The diagnosis is a brutal awakening to a life of chaos.  Despite the unquestionable, undeniable evidence that supports the illness, the label of the diagnosis is gut wrenching and painful.  The awakening process is just the beginning into a brand new world.

 

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Think on this while working on recovery and wellness today . . .

5/2/2015

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Peer to peer support is invaluable. Work to create a support network that can support your weight when you fall! Resilience is something we build each time we suffer an episode of relapse and get back up. I deeply appreciate the wonderful understanding family of peers in my life today.
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    S.L. Brannon D.Div..

    Editor: numerous contributors are personally invited.

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