I’ve tried my way, it didn’t work! I then tried the 12 Step fellowship of Depressed Anonymous. It works!

January 30, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

JANUARY 29

Affirmation

I’ve tried my way, it didn’t work. I’ve tried the 12 Step way of Depressed Anonymous , it works! I’m beginning to feel that the people in my group really care for me.

“We cannot teach people forgiveness, but only show it by our own behavior, just as we cannot teach people to love but only show it by loving them.”

Clarification of thought

A group meeting is a sight to behold. Most self-help groups for persons depressed have their own format, but the one I am most familiar with is the one using the 12 steps of AA. It is a real joy to see how other members of the group are working the program, realizing that our program is a spiritual program. It is not a religious group…

The many people who are depressed and who come to the meeting, week after week, begin to feel better. It is one of the main areas of discussion. That is why people keep coming back to the meeting. They want to continue to feel good about themselves. They know that to feel better, they have to keep talking about their feelings.

The behavior that sets me apart from others in this world is that I always try to keep the focus on myself and not someone else. One of the main lessons that I get from the group members in our weekly discussion is that it is in others accepting us for what we are that makes a big difference. Also, I am never alone in my misery. Others know how I feel.

Meditation

Having the power to ask for help from God, as we understand God is a big step for us as we begin to trust this Higher Power who has taken on a new dimension since I am becoming an active member of this Depressed Anonymous group.

Source: Copyright (c) Higher Thoughts for Down Days: 365 daily thoughts and meditations for members of Twelve-Step mutual aid groups. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Page 18.

Available on KINDLE. Also visit the store here at Depressed Anonymous Publications for other helpful resources.

Uncategorized

“The more I attended, the better I was able to handle my depression.”

January 27, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

“I really didn’t get the complete feel for Depressed Anonymous at that first meeting. I took the advice given to me as I was leaving and came back the following week. The more I attended, the better I was able to handle my depression. Depressed Anonymous did more for me in a month than the hospital group did in three months. Depressed Anonymous didn’t cost anything, although after the first meeting was over everyone voluntarily threw in a dollar to pay the light bill

I couldn’t believe that Depressed Anonymous is run by the people who participated in it. I thought there had to be someone, somewhere, making big money off the poor souls who so desperately sought help. Boy, was that a stupid assumption. Perhaps the thing that impressed me the most about Depressed Anonymous is the wonderful friendships that developed. Depressed Anonymous members really care about each other.”

Source: Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition (2011). Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Page 124.

Shop now and discover more information on how you can be part of this fellowship!

(

12 Step Meeting, Fellowship

“It also comes to pass that our hunches are more right than wrong.”

January 24, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

We think about the 24 hours ahead when we wake up, and attempt to live the day in honesty and peace. We ask God to ward off thoughts of self-seeking, dishonesty and false motives. And as AA says, when we are faced with indecision about something we then ask God for inspiration and we let go of struggling for an answer. Alcoholics Anonymous says that you will be surprised at how the right answers will come after we have practiced this way of living. It also comes to pass that our hunches are more right than wrong. We also pause throughout the day when we are fearful, puzzled or anxious. We pray to the Higher Power for which direction to take. I like the suggestion the best when AA says that “we constantly remind ourselves, we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day “Thy will be done.” We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves. By coming to the meetings and admitting our addictions we finally got in touch with these emotions that have all but shut down from an early time in our lives, when to feel, hurt too much. We now have the chance to let these feelings get displayed and expressed in the supportive and trusting environment of our newly chosen family of the Depressed Anonymous group.”

Source: I’ll do it when I feel better. (2015). Smith, Hugh. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Page 99.

Higher Power

We don’t even know what normal ” feels” like.

January 23, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

We will learn that there is a God who is supposed to love us and take care of us, but we are afraid to let go of who we believe we are, or what we feel we have to be. Trust is something that we have given up a long time ago. Trust is hard for us, especially when we feel that life, people and our circumstances have completely let us down. For so long now unpleasant feelings have led us to believe that we have no right to happiness, now or in the future. We have grown up with a sense of suspicion of those around us who appear happy and satisfied with life. Instead we find it safer to back away from too much involvement with other people, because they would see how bad we really are if they got to know us and then our secret would be out. We don’t ever know what “normal” feels like, because we constantly feel so hollow and empty inside.”

Sources: I’ll do it when I feel better. (1986, 2013) Depressed anonymous publications. Louisville.

Depressed Anonymous, 2nd edition. (1998, 2008) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville.

Fellowship, The 12 Steps

Depression is so unpredictable and unchanging

January 22, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

Life is unpredictable. Every living organism operates with a certain amount of unpredictability and uncertainty. The uncertainty of life creates in us a desire for predictability. If we did not believe in the possibility of change, we would all be hopelessly lost and forever bored. Hope would be lost. Potential far a better life would never exist. When there is hope, change is possible. The experience of depression is much the same. Depression is so predictable and unchanging that we lose hope for the pain of our isolation ever coming to an end.”

Introduction to Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. (2011) Depressed Publications. Louisville.

This introduction introduces the journey of the author and founder of Depressed Anonymous. He based this important program of recovery on the 12 steps of AA. In the introduction, there is a short autobiography of the founders’ life during his depression experience and the how life was after his complete recovery.

Quoted from Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition (2011). Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Pages 19-23.

DA Literature, Depressed Anonymous, Fellowship

I’m ready for the good things now !

January 18, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

I’m slowly finding out the my life is not as horrible as I’ve made it out to be. I used to tell myself that since it happened before, it will happen again – and that simply is not true. Yes, my past was horrible and it’s no wonder I ended up with depression. I want out of it and the only person to get me out is me. There is not a magic wand to transport you to the life you want. Everyone knows what they wish their life could be like – so do it! Make the changes you have to make, trust in God and always remember that good things come to those who wait. I’ve waited over half my life. I don’t have to be a victim of my past or my mind anymore. I’m more than ready for the good things! With love and hope!

SOURCE: A member of the Depressed Anonymous fellowship. You can find more of her story in the PERSONAL STORIES section of Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. (2011) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Pages 120-121.

NOTE: For more literature resources please VISIT THE STORE at our site WWW. DEPRESSEDANON .COM.

Hope

Hope is Something more, Someone more, so keep going!

January 17, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl describes how hope is a key to survival and the heart amid the horrors of a concentration camp. The prisoner who was able to find meeting – in nature, in the memory of a loved one, and a generous act – would more likely not to give up. When we hope, in whatever circumstance, the future we long for comes closer, an experience of mind and heart that sustains us now and impels us forward.

Thomas Aquinas named hope as a theological virtue. It is a gift from God that we receive now, fueling our journey to a fuller union with God. Hope is the way God encourages us. It stirs up memory of God’s abiding faithfulness. Hope expands our vision beyond the immediate horizon. It breaks open our heart to dispel fear. It stokes our imagination to realize unexpected opportunities. Hope whispers, or shouts, when we need it “There is Something more, or Someone more, so keep going!”

Hope is not sentimental optimism. Optimists to easily escape reality, denying challenges in making promises that the are hard to keep. When we hope, we face reality because God is found in what is real. We know that things may not turn out as we want, but we strive valiantly nonetheless. God is faithful, we insist, so there is meaning even in the toughest and most unexpected circumstances.

When we hope, we live generously and gratefully in the present because deep down we know that all will be well – not perfect, but well. With every word or deed steeped in hope, the future opens up to reveal a present beyond our imagining. ”

Source: Fr. Kevin O’Brien

The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life.

Kevin O’Brien, SJ, is Dean of this Jesuit school of theology of Santa Clara University he is author of the nation adventure: experiencing the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius and daily life.

12 Step Meeting, Belief, Depressed Anonymous, Fear, Mindfulness, The 12 Steps

Unpleasant Emotions Such As Fear, Anger, Resentments And Tension Work Against Recovery

January 16, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

” I don’t believe that you can snap out of your depression, or suddenly and dramatically get your life turned around by going to one Depressed Anonymous meeting, or reading the 12 Steps five times hour. It just doesn’t happen that way, especially if you have lived with your depression for any length of time. Even though we emphasize that your depression is not a disease, we do want you to know that a depression over a long time could cause physical problems and upset the metabolism of the human organism… unpleasant emotions such as fear, anger, resentment, tension and depression work against recovery.

Source: Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. (2011) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Page 31.

Miracle Thinking, Mutual Aid

Miraculous power

January 14, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

FAITH, PRAYER AND MEDITATION PROVIDE THE BELIEVER WITH MIRACULOUS POWERS!

“Deep down in every man, woman and child is the fundamental idea of a God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pump, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives are facts as old as man himself.

“Faith may often be given through inspired teachings or a convincing personal example of its fruits. It may sometimes be had through reason. For instance, many clergymen believe that St. Thomas Aquinas actually proved God’s existence by sheer logic. But what can one do when all these channels fail? This was my own grievous dilemma.

“It was only when I came fully to believe I was powerless over alcohol or depression, only when I appealed to the God who just might exist, that I experienced a spiritual awakening. This freedom-giving experience came first, and then faith followed afterwards-a gift indeed!”

Bill W., co-founder of AA shares this thought in Alcoholics Anonymous, p.55 and in a letter, 1966.

Fellowship, Hope

Only by sharing my pain can I hope to reduce its size.

January 13, 2017 Hugh Smith Leave a comment

“Empowerment and prevention are two realities that give us the push and the power for talking day after day with persons still suffering from depression. I know that some who hear about us will go with an expectant faith that they will find hope and peace in this group(Depressed Anonymous). This hope in itself may keep them from sliding down the slippery slope of depression. Life is too short and the pain so devastating. Only by sharing my pain can I ever hope to reduce its size.

Today I can experience hope. I will believe I can live this day with pleasant thoughts. I will do one activity that will give me hope and light for today.

Today I will believe that I can live this entire day “hopeful” and that I can return to the above activities anytime and as many times as I need, just for today.”

SOURCE: I will do it when I feel better. (2016) . Louisville. Page 70. Quoting from Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. (2011)Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Page 136.

Hope is just a few steps away!