Today, Depressed Anonymous Publications has published the First Spanish Edition of DEPRESSIVOS ANONIMOS.   (This Spanish edition   is  the English  edition of Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition).

This Spanish edition provides the 12 Step fellowship with a Step by Step program of recovery.

See our website at www.Depressedanon.com for information on ordering online.

DEPRESSIVOS ANONIMOS  can be ordered from Amazon.com and/ or from the Depressed Anonymous website at www. depressedanon.com.

For more information  email at  depanon@netpenny.net.

Recently someone wanted to know “how quick could they be free from the pain and isolation of their depression?” How soon can they get back on the playing field of life? It was like, how can I hurry this mess up in my life, and get going full steam ahead. They wanted to feel the way did before they got knocked down by those feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Well, I guess they thought it would be like going to the doctor and asking how long this flu or cold would last? Normally, that would be a fair-enough question to ask. We all have asked it. We have all asked it because we were sick and tired of being sick and tired. We wanted relief. The jitteriness and hollow feelings which depression was causing was just too much to live with.

But as we all know this question can only be answered with time and the frequent and active participation in the fellowship of the group. It is by reading the texts of the Depressed Anonymous manual and attempting to put these principles into daily effect in one’s life. Also, one can begin to feel some improvement in their lives as they slowly gain a belief, a faith if you will, that they too can get better. If others can do it “I can as well” they tell themselves. Yes, this will be their truth.

With time, patience and sharing they begin to accept themselves for who they are and change what they don’t like in themselves. By the fact that one comes to a meeting is in itself half of the battle in overcoming one’s depression. It is this interminable isolation that keeps the depression at its height and intensity. It is only when a person can admit that their life is out of control and begin to trust the group with their story: a painful journey describing how they got to the point where they are today – isolated, anxious and hurting. Much like a full-body toothache.

The program is a very simple one-but this doesn’t mean that it is easy. All change is painful and if we are to grow we have to change. We have to resolve some of these old issues that keep popping up in our lives. They want our attention but we continue to cram then back in place and don’t want to took at them. But the only way to get free from these feelings of painful despair is to face these feelings, as difficult as they are, and move along with one personal change after another. We start by making choices which benefit our new feelings of hope and serenity.

The first step in getting past our depression is to first get into the door of a Depressed Anonymous meeting. And if you don’t have a Depressed Anonymous meeting in your town then you can find literature at our website (www.depressedanon.com). This will be a great start in gradually chipping away at our fears, our pain and debilitating isolation. There is no quick fix. All good growth is gradual – even with medication it still takes time to tell if the medication is working for you.

In the meantime, check out articles on our website where you will find articles talking about what you are feeling now and with a promise that you too will feel better.

Hugh

SOURCE: Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition(2011) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. KY.

Click onto the VISIT OUR STORE and go to Depressed Anonymous Publications Bookstore to see what literature is available. You can order online.

The following excerpts are quotations from the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Because our Depressed Anonymous fellowship was modeled on the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step spiritual principles for recovery, It is appropriate for us to utilize and put into practice in our daily lives what has been proven to work for those who are part of the 12 Step fellowship recovery programs. Depressed Anonymous is one of those programs.

“Lack of power, that was our dilemma (yes-no?). We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But when and how were we to find this power? Well, that’s exactly what this book (A.A. .45) is about. It’s main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.

…deep down in every man, woman and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstration of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself. We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up, just as much a fact as the feeling we have for a friend. Sometimes we had to search fearlessly but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the great reality deep within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found. It was so with us. We can only clean the ground a bit. If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourage you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway. With this attitude you cannot fail. The consciousness of your belief is sure to come to you (AA.p. 55). Some of us grow into it more slowly. But He has come to all who have honestly sought Hm. When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us.” (AAp.71).

Step 2 Instruction

We needed to ask ourselves but one short question: Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe that there is a Power greater than myself?” (yes-no?) As soon as a person can say that they do believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure them that they are on their way. It has been repeatedly proven among us this simple cornerstone that a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built. (A.A 47)

If you answered yes, congratulations, you have taken step two and we emphatically assure you are now on your way! ”

SOURCE: http://w.w.w.big booksponsorship.org.

“At each Depressed Anonymous meeting we hear different members of the group tell how the Higher Power helped return them to a peace, a serenity that they had never experienced until they started coming to Depressed Anonymous and began working on themselves. Now they can spend time in prayer and meditation with the Higher Power guiding their lives through the times of darkness. In time they have found giving up their depression to the care of the Higher Power almost a pleasure. It is our belief that if we want to begin to live, we must surrender our addiction to depression. The more we are tempted to seek comfort and bash ourselves with thoughts of how bad we are, the more depressed we become. But on the positive side, the more we begin to take mastery over our thinking and our listless behavior, the smaller, gradual gains we will make in seeing some light at the end of the tunnel by living just for today, that is, one day at a time, and not in the hurts and the anger of yesterday or the fear and anxiety of tomorrow, we will begin to see a spark of light coming over the horizon” (D.A.p.41).

SOURCE: Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition (2011) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville.KY

Jonathon Rottenberg in his work, The Depths: The evolutionary origins of the Depression Epidemic tells us that

“The mood system has a bias to return to deep depression even with little provocation. Fortunately relapse is not inevitable and it can be countered. Antidepressant medication is currently the domionant strategy for buffering a person’s risk of relapse. Using antidepressants as the first line of defense is consistent with  defect  models, such as the biological model of kindled depression. In line with the idea that drugs address a permanent viability, psychiatrists  often recommend a life time  of antidepressant maintenance treatment for people who have previously experienced three or more episodes.”

This same author goes on to share how antidepressants aren’t the only  proven means for  slowing down or preventing depression. In this section of his book he goes on to explain how other treatments such as cognitive therapy and    mindfulness-based  cognitive therapy provide alternate care . He explains how “the success of brief, psychologically based treatments is encouraging not only because the treatment works, but because it speaks against  the existence of a permanently  brain-based vulnerability to depression.”

With all that has been said here, I would like to add another reality and alternative  for treatment of depression.  Simply put, the treatment occurs in the  midst of those persons depressed who share their struggles with each other. They are no longer alone, shamed and existing on the margins of those  who are  needing understanding  and  support. The group not only can provide moral and physical support, they can be buoyed by a spiritual l belief  that a God  of their understanding,  a Higher Power,  is  guiding  them on the path of their own  recovery. They not only have other members of the group walking the same path as  are they, but this support is buttressed by having a  personal plan of action.

For those of us who are  active members of Depressed Anonymous, we know first hand how our Twelve Step plan of action provides us all with a way out of depression. Whether we happen to be on antidepressants, in a therapy program,  or other forms of help, we discover that being in the midst of a group of person like ourselves, and receiving mutual aid for our own individual pain, it makes it possible to be positive about  our recovery. We are not alone. We now have the tools and we have each other. As we all are so much aware, it is the being dis-connected from life and others that makes our life hell. For most of us,  it is in the being dis-connected that drives us deeper into isolation  and personal despair.

If you the reader are depressed, and you are visiting with your doctor, ask her if she has a depression support group that she might refer you to. You can tell her that it makes sense to talk with someone who has been were you are now. It takes one to know one!

As a therapist, it was always my practice to refer clients to a  Depressed Anonymous group. Those who kept coming back to meetings had a plan in hand that was not only providing hope but the tools for living outside  the prison of  depression.  We need health professionals to be able to provide their patients with other mental health opportunities as alternatives to traditional approaches to depression or in conjunction with them.

Have a hopeful day.

Hugh

SOURCE: Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville KY.

Go to The Depressed Anonymous Publications Bookstore,  at VISIT THE STORE for this and other helpful books  on depression. You can order material online

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How many times have we voiced the  words  “I’m gonna do this” or “I’m gonna do that?”  One  of my favorites is  “I’ll do it when I feel better.” The problem with this statement is that I never feel better.  The problem with all these statements of what we are  going to do are  filled  with   conditions.   Or when I say I’m’ gonna do something , I always find some excuse not to do it.

We  like to put off what we need most. I know that I really need to see a dentist, but I keep putting it off. I mean, who likes pain? Or I know that I need to talk to my sponsor, but I’d much rather just stay in bed and sleep off my sadness. My pillow is my counselor. I know I’m gonna go to a Depressed Anonymous meeting, as I promised my friend, but not tonight.  I’ll tell him I’ll  be there tomorrow, .

The problem here is that “one of these days ” is never today.  We don’t want to live and be responsible for what happens to us today. We want to dwell in a past that we can never get back or the tomorrow which hasn’t come yet.  It’s like the guy who goes into the local pub and he sees  a huge sign on the wall with large red letters, ” FREE BEER TOMORROW!”  “Wow” he thought to himself, “I’ll be back tomorrow .”

Sure enough, here he comes. He goes up to the bartender, points to the sign, and says “I’ll take one of those free beers.”    The bartender smiles and tells him,  “come back tomorrow. ” “But today is tomorrow”  the guy tells the bartender. ” The bartender, puts his  hands on the bar, slowly and emphatically telling  the guy, “That’s tomorrow. Today is not tomorrow!”  The  bartender  gives out with a laugh. The guy walks out of the bar and could be heard repeating  “I get it, I get it.”

I will take care of what needs to be taken care of today–today is all I have.

Today is not tomorrow. Get it?

(c) Hugh(2018)