It seems that this is what happens for whatever reason I don’t have a clue. But I do know that what you give out comes back to you. This leads me to our next statement on the  5TH PROMISE OF DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS.

PROMISE # 5  “No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we see how our experience can benefit others.”   “Some of us have attempted suicide. A few of us more than a few times. We had despaired of ever finding peace or hope. We believed that we had no future and that our yesterdays were as hopeless as our today’s. It was hard to attend our first Depressed Anonymous meeting. We felt horribly alone. We just know that no one in the group has been through  what we have been through. But as we listened and watched the older members of the group speak we saw ourselves in their stories.

Personally, I believe that whatever you give out to others is the amount that comes back to you. Our experience can usually help someone else. As the experience of depression is so isolating, so predictable in its misery that it is bound to have made an impression upon us that it changed our life and the way that we think about our life.   And then when our life is changed for the better – thanks to the fellowship of Depressed Anonymous, this precious gift of hope needs to be with those still suffering. Ironically, it appears that the farther we have gone down in mood and up again in our recovery the more powerful can this experience be.”.

Please share your comments.

SOURCE: Copyright(c) I’ll do it when I feel better (2013)  Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville, KY Page 39.

Many times in one’s life there is the impulse to make a first move …a move to help someone who cannot help themselves, a hunch that you are on  the right path even though other tell you it will never work. In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Bill W., gives some examples:  Orville Wright who made that first airplane flight at Kittyhawk in the US or Stanley who made the first river steamboat, the Stanley Steamer. You can add others.

I remember well the moment when I requested from the Dean of the Masters level Psychology Department that I might set up a pilot project for depressed persons using the 12 steps.  Using the 12 Steps for other human addictions, to my knowledge, had not been adapted for persons depressed. This was in 1985. His response was that “if you couldn’t even get them out  of bed in the morning–you surely wouldn’t be able to get them to a meeting with other persons depressed.”  Then he added, “don’t be surprised if it doesn’t work, but go ahead and try it.” I tried it. I got referrals from  Psychiatrists, psychologists, and assorted  others and set up my group. After meeting twice a week for ten weeks, charting the pre-test for depression and post-test levels of depression I found that most  participants had significant improvements over the time frame of ten weeks.

In May of that year we opened it up to the wider community and the rest is now history. Depressed Anonymous is now a global and growing reality, using the 12 Steps of Recovery. I  could never have even dreamt of what has happened since that time with this hunch that people depressed could get well  using the 12 Steps of recovery. And thanks to Bill W., and Dr. Bob. co-founders of the AA program of recovery we now have a healing approach for overcoming our own depression using the Steps that they developed.  We no longer have to stay isolatd and alone!

WHO WILL MAKE THE FIRST MOVE?

“People are practical. They want change but feel powerless alone, do not want to be the blade of grass that sticks up above the others and is cut down.  They wait for a sign from someone else who will make the first move or the second. And at certain times in history, there are intrepid people who take the risk that if they make that first move others will follow quickly enough to prevent their being cut down. And if we understand this we might make the first move.

“SOURCE: You can’t be neutral on a moving train. A personal history of our times. Howard Zinn, Beacon Press. Page 10.

“Both you and the new man  must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist we believe remarkable things will happen. When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands, were better than anything we could have planned. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstance.” Bill W., co-founder of AA.

Sounds good to me! I remember  how scared I was to turn over my will to God and let the God of my understanding direct my life. And because I thought my God was tyrannical and aloof that I in no way would let God run my life.  Who knows, I thought to myself, he might want to put me in China to be one of his missionaries. It was not until I hit rock bottom and had no place to go but up–taking each of the 12 Steps, one at a time, did I gradually know and put faith in the belief that it was only through a belief in this Higher Power which would deliver me from disaster and possibly death. And it was  through the mercy and compassion of the 12 Step fellowship that I found a God of my understanding who is merciful, loving and accepting of me just the way I am. And so it’s true, now my life is better than it has ever been, even though I still face difficulties. It is by letting go of my ego and pride that God can continue to work his miracles in my life.  Thank God for this wonderful world and that I want to continue to walk hand in hand with the Spirit of he universe who always has our best interests at heart.

Hugh

 3. We do not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. (Continued)

Many of us have lived with guilt, shame and regret for our past. Until we get down to business–that is, taken a moral inventory (Step Four) did we desire that the God of our understanding help us see what we needed to do to forgive ourselves and get on with our life.

As the Promises state in so simple a manner, this does not mean that “oh well, we made some mistakes so let’s forget about everything that happened in the past  –after all it’s in the past.”  And we can spend a lot of  wasted time wallowing in the self-pity that occupies any addiction. We also might regret all the time that we wasted staring at the blank wall, alone and trying to figure out in the circling of our thoughts the whys of our immobility, passivity and pain.

It is in Steps Four and Five where our past regrets are played out and dealt with. Once we have made a list of  all of our resentments and fears and spoke of them to a trusted  friend (sponsor) we can begin  to find a new freedom.”

Copyright(c) The Promises of Depressed Anonymous. (2002) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville, KY. Page 7

HIGHER THOUGHTS FOR DOWN DAYS

AFFIRMATION

I will to believe today that my Higher Power is going to make a way for me to grow and experience its love in my life.

” We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek him. To us, the realm of the Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive: never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek him. It is open, we believe, to all men and women.” Bill W., Co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous

REFLECTION

We have all heard the phrase to “let go and let God.”  I believe that in order for me to begin to feel better, I have to take the First Step and admit that my life is out of control and unmanageable. It is hard to admit that I can’t get rid of this depression on my own, but I believe that there is a way out of this mess. If the Twelve Steps can sober up millions of hard-core and chronic addicts, it surely can make a difference in my life as I try to give my life a jump start with letting God run my life.

I like the work “seek” as it signifies hope and possibilities. You don’t seek unless you have a bit of hope that possibly you might succeed in finding what you are seeking.

 MEDITATION

“Seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened; pray for whatever you want and it will be given to you.”  These words are ancient and they ring true for us who believe in their power. We are learning to trust in God of our understanding as we detect small advances in our lives and doors of hope become open to us. We trust our Higher Power to bestow on us its favor, now that we are moving toward his love and his peace.”

SOURCE:  Copyright(c)Higher Thoughts for Down Days: 365 Daily Thoughts and Meditations for 12 Step fellowship groups. (2014) DAP, Louisville, KY Page 185.

“When the old cartographers inscribed,

“There be dragons here.”

Did their wrinkled faces crinkle

Eyes twinkle as they thought of

Sailors calling, “Steer clear, steer clear,

There be dragons here!”

Or were they sure they’d lure

Some brazen tar to dare the bar

And sail a league beyond

Then call to shore, “Steer here, steer here,

There be dragons near! Oh,

We cannot miss the chance, oh, hear!”

These old map makers, did they create

The creatures of the deep for fun

Or know that faith and love can die of fear

And shriveled hope revive its cheer

If voices call into the deep

And so implied with pixie pen,

‘Sail out, sail out, young tads, with

Cheer and call your comrades,

‘Join me here; the map shows clear

That there be dragons near!’ ”

_______________________________________

SOURCE: Sister Clarita Felhoelter,  An Ursuline Sister   In  “Even the stuff of Earth: A collection of Poems.” 1998.

“I know that any addiction and compulsive type of behavior gradually removes you from the regular activities of persons around you, including family, friends, and coworkers, until you are established in the narrow confines of pain and isolation. We are always going to be just little more isolated the more we try to think our addiction through in the circle of our thoughts.”

REFLECTION

I understand how we have become addicted to all those negative thoughts that we have grown accustomed to talking to ourselves about. Today, I have decided that I am willing to let go of these old and counter productive familiar ways of thinking and feeling about myself.  I have begun to think thoughts that have an air of lightness and hope about them. I want to be true to my best self and just believe that today is a better day than was yesterday. I am, today, breaking out of my negative thinking and into the light of new and positive thoughts about myself. The more I feel that my life has purpose and is going somewhere the more hope I begin to feel rise up in my heart. My new activities each day also promote a sense of well being and pleasure in my life..

MEDITATION

God, help us to realize that the best exercise and activity that we can do is to attempt to quiet our restless and wandering mind on your name and pray that you might lead us to think thoughts that are your inspiration and making.”

Copyright(c) HIGHER THOUGHTS FOR DOWN DAYS: 365 daily thoughts and meditations for 12 step fellowship groups.(2014) DAP. Louisville, Ky. September 13. Page 184.