Lesson 1 Video
Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
Sleeping. Do you have problems with sleep? Is it difficult to fall to sleep, or do you struggle to stay asleep throughout the night? Do you wake up at night and worry about things, and find yourself unable to go back to sleep due to heightened anxiety? Do you stew in the night about problems that are seemingly insurmountable? Sleep problems can be attributed to many different things, but keep sleep in mind as you continue through the list.
Eating. Has your appetite changed? Are you eating impulsively, or has your appetite tapered down considerably? Have you either lost or gained an unusual amount of weight? (This is not the same as fluctuating a few pounds up or down.)
Fatigue and Indifference. Do you feel physically and mentally worn out much of the time? Do you have trouble concentrating and focusing, or an increased inability to make decisions? Are the things that once stimulated your imagination or piqued your interest no longer interesting to you? Do you feel unable to accomplish anything due to being slowed down, fuzzy brained, or too tired? Do you have a deep seated, pervasive sense of anger or sadness that prevents you from feeling light hearted, or experiencing joy? Do the things that once made you cheerful seem flat and meaningless?
Emotions. Do you feel sad or empty much of the time? Do you talk to yourself in the negative tense much of the time? Stop reading for a moment, and close your eyes. In a few minutes, scan your brain for your last few thoughts. Were they, or are they hopeless, negative, angry, frustrated, or sad? Are there words or messages lingering in your brain right this moment that are focused on the dark side of whatever you were pondering? Are the messages and thoughts in your brain angry, hopeless, indifferent, or sad? Does your mind automatically go to the dark side of a thought? Just take note.
Hopelessness. Often, when a person is depressed, he or she is unable to see any options for relief of the situation that is causing the distress. The key word here is "see." Depression has a way of blinding us to all of the many possibilities available, or makes those possibilities seem unattainable or impossible. One of the most frightening feelings is to think that there are no options, in reality, there are always options and solutions, but depression can hide them from you. A neutral third party to help is always your best bet, someone who can see what is true and what is not, and who can help you find the tools to change your situation.
Tension and Anxiety. Are you restless, feeling as though something should happen, or is going to happen, or that you need to be doing something, but you do not know what it is? Do you constantly have tight muscles? Do you find yourself unable to relax and enjoy social situations and even the company of your friends and relatives? Do the normal sources for your joy, such as your children, cause you more anxiety than pleasure? Are you having trouble falling or staying asleep?
Suicidal thoughts. Up to now, most of the items on this list can stand alone. Everyone has experienced one or more of them at one time or another. However, if you are having persistent thoughts, ideas, or fantasies about suicide, there is no need to proceed any further with taking this course. You need to seek medical attention immediately.
WHY? Because thoughts such as these are an indication of a depressive condition that has gone out of control. Depression that includes ideas and thinking about suicide is no longer a matter that you should be trying to handle on your own, but has evolved into a disorder that requires medical attention. If this sounds like what you are experiencing, STOP NOW and call your local crisis intervention hotline, suicide hotline, your doctor, a mental health professional or, at the very least, a trusted friend, or make a visit to a nearby hospital emergency room.
Remember, depression is not your fault and there is nothing to be ashamed.
Depression is a disorder, If you feel suicidal, someone who knows how tricky the disease is can treat your depression immediately. If you saw someone be hit by a car or struck by lightning, you would not hesitate to seek medical help for him, his pain is not his fault, and it is beyond his control.
If you feel suicidal, someone who knows how tricky the disease is can treat your depression immediately. You may not think you have a disease, but if you are feeling suicidal, you do. Doctors know what to do. Put your trust in one now, and be seen by a professional.
Does not Everyone Have Sad Feelings? Yes, we all feel each one of these at one time or another. Nevertheless, a prolonged period of a few of the common symptoms signals a need for you to pay attention to what is happening.
