Depressed or Having Suicidal Thoughts?       Website Information, Comments and Content...   noel@saltbear.com            Click the refresh button for the most recent update - March 2019

Depressed or Having Suicidal Thoughts?    Please  Seek  Professional  Help  Now!     Lifeline Australia     Phone 13 11 14 - Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention.      https://www.lifeline.org.au/     * Call a Friend     * Talk to Your Doctor         Do Something;  Reach out to Someone;           whatever it is your going through it's just one chapter;         The people around you want to see your story to continue;     * www.headspace.org.au *     * www.beyondblue.org.au *     * www.blackdoginstitute.org.au * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -    Depression is not my friend...  but I have learned to live with it;    Here are a few tools that helped me cope with my depression.    My wish for you is that you seek help when you need it; and re-discover the wonder of life.     1.   Get Outside.   - and leave the phone at home.           Observe the wind in the grass, the trees, the clouds.           Watch children playing, hear their laughter,           listen to bird song, smell fresh cut grass,           smell the rain on a hot road.             this is about getting out from behind closed doors and into nature,             it's about getting the feel good hormones released by exercise,             it's about occupying your mind and senses with a diverse and ever changing world,             it's about being in the moment.     2.   Be Creative.           Find a hobby you enjoy, wood working,           pottery, model trains, tapestry, gardening,           learning a musical instrument, collecting shells.             it's about occupying your hands and mind with something you enjoy,             it's about looking forward with anticipation to progress on a project,             it's about being in the moment as you learn new skills.     3.   Get into a Group.           Join a regular group meeting of people with a common interest.           Bowling, poker night, golf, twelve step program, church group.             it's about the anticipation of catching up with new and old friends,             it's about committing yourself to a regular meeting with a familiar people,     4.   That One Person.           find that one person that you can trust with all your secrets,           Someone that enjoys your company and you enjoy theirs.             1. Trust             2. Good Company.     5.   Behaviour Modification           Exercise regularly, practice good sleep hygiene,           trying to cut back on or eliminating addictive behaviours           alcohol, drugs, binge drinking, comfort food roller-coaster           pornography, fits of rage, victim sympathy script           compulsive behaviours, emotionally draining or toxic friends.             One step at a time, trimming away the negative.     6.   Self Enquiry           Self Examination, Self Enquiry of Your Thoughts           Where within me are these thoughts?           When are these thoughts focused - past, present, future?           Who is listening to these thoughts?           Can I see myself as a spectator in this drama, a separate identity?           Am able to simply the observer the destructive play of thoughts?     7.   Awake           pain, regret, anger, self loathing, anxiety,           these thoughts paterns are focused on past events or future projections,           The real you is here and now, separated by time and space from these scenarios.           You do not have to identify with these thoughts.           You are awake and they are but bad dreams,           focuse your attention on the real here and now.     8.   Direct Your Attention           Mindfulness           Attention           Awareness           Concentration           through a child's eyes; leaves playing in the wind, textures, colours and shadows...           through a child's ears; footsteps, the silence, bird calls and replys, echos...           through a child's touch; soap bubbles, pets fur, sand in your sandwich...           With a fresh focused you can re-discover a truly wonderful and playful world.           Being attentive to the details of this moment will fade the past / future projections.           Practise Mindful Attention on the Things of Your Intention.            life has more to offer than this current chapter;  Let your Story Continue ;