The following was released by the National Institute for Healthcare Research:
A recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry identified this other often overlooked resource patients draw upon to help fend off depression – a deep religious commitment – that significantly reduced recovery times. This study focused on 85 patients hospitalized with serious medical illness who also became depressed. Among their battery of tests, patients took the Hoge Intrinsic Religiousness Scale which measures how deeply a person has internalized their religious values and faith. Surprisingly, patients recovered from their depression 70 percent faster for every 10-point increase on the Hoge scale, which ranged from 10 to 50. This link held even when taking into account other factors that could speed up recovery including improving physical health…
How many times has someone advised us to “Watch your step!”
This is always good advice when there is a potential problem in the area where you are walking. This advice is always appreciated and could save us from a bad tumble.
I discovered this fact many years ago, in fact in 1982 I had taken a bad fall – actually I crashed because of an addiction. It was at this time in my life that I had to watch my step – one step at a time – like baby steps. I knew that if I didn’t watch my step then I would be back at a point in my life where a misstep could cost me my life or the life of another. So, I learned about the Steps of AA and how to use them so as to keep me from tumbling headlong back into my addiction. Now that was these many years ago and I have been watching my step – one day at a time. I have found out that if you aren’t paying attention to where you are walking you just might take a tumble and then maybe something far worse than a skinned up knee might occur. And addictions work that way – one minute you feel you have the world by the tail and whammo – you trip and you end up flat on your face.
I know now, now that we have a 12 step program of recovery for persons depressed (been there done that) that this step program works for us as well. For many of us who feel we are attached to these feelings of hopelessness – we now can go to meetings and hear how others are watching their step and walking securely with the help of others in this program of recovery. If we don’t have a meeting then we can go to our website https://depressedanonymous.org and find out how we can learn more about how to walk one day at a time and live in the serenity that our steps are secure.
Log onto Facebook and find us at Depressed Anonymous now! Hope to see you there.
