Aspartame and MSG in Food Are Turbo-Charged Brain-Cell Killing Weaponry

Have you stopped lately and thought about all of the mental and emotional disorders that are running rampant around the world?

It seems that everywhere you look there are people, from the youngest children up to the oldest of the elderly, suffering from massive mental and emotional problems. From Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease to ADHD and Severe Clinical Depression, it seems that there's a debilitating mental condition for just about everyone. And I'm here to tell you that it's not just a fluke, either! There are very real contributing factors, like MSG in food, that are making everyone mentally sick.

Prevalent Poisons

Think about it. Life has always had its share of difficulties, and there have always been people who have suffered from severe mental problems. Take Vincent van Gogh, for instance. Surely he was one of the greatest artists of all time, but he suffered from severe depression too. But, and this is a big but, he never stopped producing art. He kept working, creating and, even though it happened after his death, he changed the world of fine art forever. Now, flash forward to today, and Susie down the street can't even leave her bedroom because she's depressed, paranoid and has extreme, clinical phobias. What's the deal here?

Well, unlike our good friend Vincent, Susie has been eating a diet rich in toxic filth, like Aspartame and MSG. The soda drinks that she so loves, are loaded with brain cell killing Aspartame and she eats tons the MSG in food choices she makes is off the charts. So yes, Susie does have a more severe form of depression and mental problems that even the most tortured artistic soul couldn't compete with. And it's all thanks to the "foods and drinks" that she is putting into her body every day.

Doctors Even Know This

While I'm not one to agree with the assessment of most people in the health care industry, it seems that even the doctors have it right when it comes to the dangers of Aspartame and MSG in food. New reports are coming out all the time that attest to the fact that these ingredients are out and out poisons. And they insidiously build up in your system after you consume them day in and day out.

Before you know it - you can't think clearly, you always feel down and out, and you just can't focus. And if it gets worse, you slowly deteriorate into a demented state of mind and die without your most precious possessions - the memories of the life you lived.

Friends, it's time to wake up and realize the truth about the dangers of Aspartame and MSG in food. If you feel like you just can't go on without your favorite takeout food that's loaded with MSG, just take a look at the local mental health facility. See all those people in there suffering in private torment because their minds have been destroyed? That's where you could end up, unless you wise up and stop ingesting these poisonous substances for good.

Depression - Home Remedies For Cure

We should consider depression as a disease just like any other disease whether it comes in for a short or long period. First of all, when we understand that we have depression or are informed by our well-wishers, please do not hesitate to accept it. It is just like, when we suffer from any disease; do we ever feel shy about it and not tell people? So the first thing is to recognize that we have some problem and we need help. Acknowledging is the beginning of its cure.

When we have physical ailment, we go to consult a doctor. When this ailment remains unattended, it leads to a disease and then we are forced to see a professional specialist doctor. He prescribes us with some medications and but medicines only bring temporary relief. Those medicines may not cure from inside. To cure from inside we need to fight within. When depression increases we need psychologist to help because beyond a limit it can lead up to suicidal tendency. Therefore, it certainly needs immediate attention. In most cases depression evolves due to chemical imbalance arising because of one of many reasons e.g. a serious loss, death of loved one, divorce, break up of a relationship, having an affair, financial break down or loss of job, bad academic results or fear of not being able to do well etc. Sometimes guilt or regrets owing to hurting others or crime also leads to depression. Once we understand the reason of a depression and we recognize those factors, we can plan our recovery and try come out of it soon.

I suggest below some of home remedies for helping the people who are suffering from this mental illness called Depression:

1. Just talk about it: share your problems and sorrows with good friends who have positive attitude of mind. Trust me it really helps. When we share, we feel half of our problems dissolves naturally.

2. Be with Nature: Try to be with the nature as much as possible. Feel the early morning fresh air, listen to birds chirping, see the greenery and smell the fragrance of flowers. It may not cure instantly but this will give a pleasant feeling and will make our mind open to accept things clearly.

3. Take more rest: Take more rest, sleep more and drink plenty of water.

4. Resist more eating: In depression, there is a tendency to eat more. The more is the depression the unhealthier food intake starts. High calorie food like potato or cold drinks or sweets really help us feel at ease but it has long lasting bad effects. The excessive intake of un-healthy food leads to various kinds of physical disorders and diseases and a person gets more depressed.

5. Avoid watching TV for long hours: When we feel depressed and watch TV, we start indulging into sad or emotional stories and begin correlating ourselves to the sadness of the fictitious characters of the drama in the TV. We forget that it is just a drama not a reality. The more we watch more the sadder and more depressed we feel. Therefore, watch some healthy fun movies, cartoons, shows or interesting quiz that can help you laugh.

6. Let us WRITE -- When we feel sad or depressed everything around seems dull and sad, but then try to think if there is anything still good happened in recent times. Was there any event that made us smile or excited about future. And if there is something like this comes to your heart then try write about it. Among 100 bad things, there is at least one good deed. Write about your problems and sorrows. What is that really bothering us?? What is our main purpose of life??? What we really want from the life. I am very sure that as we write, we will realize that some of the things that were bothering us were not so problematic or big. It is our phobia and ignorance that made us felt like that.

7. Let us READ -- Read good quality books and inspirational thoughts and quotes. This motivates a lot. Have faith, as reading positive and uplifting thoughts slowly and gradually brings changes.

8. Let us TAKE HELP-- We can take help of those people around us who are well balanced in themselves and have crystal clear thoughts. Talking and sharing our thoughts with positive people can help us cut the negativity of our thoughts with much ease, compared to our struggling alone with our problems.

9. Let us be more social: Come out of your shell and see the world outside and observe their problems and miseries and realist how small is our own hurt and misery.

10. Let us try to solve others' problems: just try to forget about your own hurts for sometimes and think how can we help others to come out of their problems or sorrows. Try to help them to recognize their goals in life. Be part of their dreams forgetting about your own momentary desires and inspire others to something great in life. Everybody goes through ups and downs and feeling of hurt or guilt or depression, but one who comes out of it is a Real Warrior and Winner.

11. Let us now smile and have fun and learn together: Let us reach to people who need help, and spread our message to people that we are here to help them.

12. Be a part of the SOLUTION: If we try, we can surely come out with some solutions for people. Let us try to keep our body and mind in perfect shape by joining YOGA and spiritual practices like meditations.

13. Love is best medicine as ever: Love, care, affection and sharing our thoughts with depressed person can do wonders. Let us make use of this free medicine of love & caring that has magical effects and is the best and sure shot medicine of all times.

14. Last but not the least, very important point, do not feel shy to share your experiences of recovery. It is my personal experience of getting out of long time depression with the help of my friend Sanjib and his positive thought and sharing all my fears with him. So I strongly believe that anyone can come out of depression. The need is just to recognize the depression, accept it and then builds a will and a strong desire to come out of it, get cured by getting right kind of help at right time. So, feel fearless in sharing your experiences of getting cured out of this deadly disease depression.

Our sharing of coming out of depression, gives hope to many and inspire them to follow the suite to come out of their sufferings. Give hope to others, give them smiles and make your own life happier and more cheerful.

Anger Management and Self-Control

Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation.
~St. Francis of Assisi

All sorts of things can trigger irritability in people, from minor traffic jams to major headaches. Everyone gets upset or annoyed sometimes. We all have lost our temper and reacted without thinking. We have succumbed to anger that drives us to say and do things we normally would not. And it is when we lose control over our thoughts and feelings, that our irritability and anger can do some major damage to our love walk.

For the most part, irritability is likely to occur when we feel under pressure. Therefore, one of the best tests for measuring our irritability is to observe how we behave when having to manage stressful circumstances or people. If we can remain graceful toward others when under pressure, then we are probably exercising self-control. Our temper is well-managed and good. We are not allowing agitation to anger us or disrupt our relationships. If, on the other hand, pressure and stress bring out the worst in us, then we probably need to work on our self-control and temper.

When irritable, we are very likely to become easily angered at others, sometimes at the slightest provocation. We might even become hostile and behave in ways we will later regret. Gaining control over our thoughts, feelings and actions when irritated and angry is the best way to keep from acting out in unloving ways.

Self-control communicates love. It can be seen whenever we:

* Take responsibility for our actions
* Do not accuse or blame others for the way we feel
* Treat others graciously although they irritate us
* Keep from saying something hurtful and unnecessary
* Do not take our anger out on those around us
* Think things through before we react
* Allow ourselves a time-out to gather ourselves together
* Do not expect more from others than we should

The disposition of love is self-control and a good temper. Having self-control and a good temper is easier said than done, especially for those individuals who are more prone to irritability for various reasons. Even so, we can all learn to gain greater control over our tempers and how we react under pressure. Irritations will never cease, nor does our love need to when they come.

C2007 Krystal Kuehn, BeHappy4Life.com

Excerpt above is part of the Love & Relationship Workshop: 10 Powerful Ways to Communicate & Experience Love. Program includes reflection questions, empowering thoughts, affirmations, and free printable worksheets.

Discover Four Reasons Why Inspirational Poems Are Just Irresistible

It was just after noon when the young President's limousine made its way into a depository. He had stopped twice to shake hands with some nuns and school children. Suddenly, shots were fired; and at 1 p.m. President Kennedy was proclaimed dead.

Overnight, the number of inspirational poetry written about the president and the assassination that were received by the press could make up a few volumes of books. The question is, why poetry? Why not other forms of writing? What do you gain from writing or even reading one?

Let's discover why poems are just irresistible during time of confusion and hardships.

It makes you feel better inside.

When we experience difficult time in our lives, sometimes we say that words just couldn't express our feeling. That's exactly right - if we're trying to write a sentence or article. But not poems. It gives you freedom to write in fragments. It let your emotions out, freely and easily.

If you look at some of the most famous poets, inspirational verses that they write are almost related to their personal grief or difficult situation they experience.

Let's take Helen Rice. Well known as the "poet laureate of inspirational verses" and famous for her motivational words, Helen Rice was writing those word of strength for her own self as well as for her readers. Those verses were written during the Great Depression when her rich young husband lost all his fortune in the stock market crash. Mounting debts forced Helen to work while her jobless and depressed husband lived in isolation and later committed suicide.

Her motivational and inspiring verses are words written not only to sooth the hearts of her readers but also to let go off the hardship that she felt inside. It was only through poems that she could channeled her voice during the hard time. Those poems actually made her feel good inside.

Inspirational poems give you hope and faith If you know any ex-soldiers who had been to war, I'd like to ask you a favor. Go and talk to any one of them. And ask them if they knew any poems. You'd be surprised if they tell you that they memorize several and had written a few.

Prisoners of wars (POW) are known to memorized poems or write one during their hard time in war camps. Apart from religious verses, poetry is another form of written words that could give them hope. It keeps their faith and more importantly their sanity!

US prisoner of war at Vietnam was known to pass along a poem called Invictus by Earnest Henley for morale boost. Meaning "unconquerable", the poem begins like this,

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

When you're deprived from the freedom of outside world and contact with your fellow colleague is limited, you need motivational words to strengthen your wills. Poems like Invictus are just what the doctor ordered.

It Heals Aching Hearts Nowadays, poems are being used in a few hospitals around the world as a form of therapy. Similar to art therapy, the aim is to make patients feel more open in expressing their feelings. "Difficult" patients were said to be more approachable and showed improved attitude when they were enrolled in such programs.

Poetry therapy is a form of therapy to help heals aching hearts. It helps you get rid off burden from your chest. Overall, it makes you feel better!

Poems Touches Your Heart Can you tell me how many essays touch your heart? Yes, there might be a few that makes you wept but they are hardly memorable! But it's a different thing with poems. It's easily memorable and makes you want top pass it along to friends.

I give you an example. Have you heard the poem called "An Interview With God"? This classic poem had touched the hearts of millions of people. The owner of a website that created a presentation of the poem had been able to distribute this poem to millions of people around the world just by word of mouth. The reason is simple - it touches people's heart. The impact of the poem is so incredible that the site owner made multimillion dollars from products derived from the poem.

Okay, I understand your problem. Some poems may make you dizzy, left you mentally tired and leaves nothing but a confused brain and tied tongue. But not all poems are like that. Most inspirational poems by poets like Edgar Guest, Ella Wheeler Wilcox and Helen Rice are easily readable but still carry strong impact and have deep message embedded in them.

Unlike an essay where you have to be concern about your grammar and paragraph, you can just express yourself freely with poems because it's just like your heart's intimate diary. If you can't write one, just read one. At this internet age, a quick search and a click of a button at the search engine is all you need to get an inspirational poem in a snap. So, tarry no more. Let's go and read one right now!

Benefits of Treating Depression Naturally

Many people are looking for ways of treating depression naturally, due to high medication costs and increased concern about side effects.

Depression affects about 19 million Americans each year, resulting in an abundance of prescription medications and treatment options. However, with the recent growing popularity and acceptance of natural remedies, many people are considering non-pharmaceutical ways of dealing with depression.

It is important to note that natural remedies, or non-medicinal forms of treatment, are most effective on mild to moderate cases of depression and may not be an appropriate substitute to prescription medication in more severe instances.

If you are battling depression and want to consider alternative forms of treatment, natural remedies can provide many benefits not offered by traditional medications.

1. Lower Cost: Many natural remedies are effective, easy to implement, and are generally much more affordable than prescription medications. Also, several forms of intervention, such as exercise or diet change, may require little or no cost at all while still providing significant benefits.

2. Safer: The adverse side effects associated with most depression medications have been well documented, and include such things as weight issues, agitation, headaches, nausea, and increased thoughts of suicide. Often, these side effects are so severe that many people will stop taking the medication; however, discontinuing use is frequently accompanied by symptoms of withdrawal. Treating depression naturally provides an effective, safe, and non-addictive alternative with fewer unfavorable side effects.

3. Improved Physical Health: Exercise is a recommended addition to any depression treatment program. Physical activity causes the body to release mood enhancing endorphins that help counteract both fatigue and negative thinking, as well as improving cardiovascular health. Also, implementing certain diet changes has been found to be an effective way to combat depression. Eating mood elevating foods, avoiding sugar and alcohol, and increasing your intake of omega 3s and vitamins B and D, will not only fight depression, but will also restore the body's chemical balance, improve immunity, and strengthen bones. And when you feel better, you will get out and do more, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of social interaction.

4. Reduced Stress: Feelings of depression have often been attributed to excessive stress. There are many natural ways to manage this stress, including yoga, meditation, relaxation therapy, exercise programs, and counseling. Most prescription depression drugs simply mask the problem by treating the symptoms, rather than dealing with the underlying cause. In this way, you will not truly recover since the symptoms will return when you stop taking the medication. Finding a way to manage stress, focusing on the moment, and learning to handle difficult situations properly will improve your attitude as well as helping you relax and sleep better.

Treating depression naturally can be both effective and affordable, and comes with many inarguable benefits. It is important that you consult with a professional to make sure that you begin the treatment program that is best for you.

Exercise and Depression

This happens to be a topic that I am very passionate about. Aerobic exercise has been proven to be a powerful weapon against depression, more powerful than most appreciate.

There is no blood test for depression, there are many kinds, and according to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada! And now with the recession and more people out of work, there is no doubt that these #'s will continue to increase.

But there is hope! Whether you are clinically depressed, or just bummed about losing your job, there is a lot of cutting edge research that indicates you can self-create your own happiness by using exercise.

There is a clear and inverse relationship between exercise and depression, as noted by several studies including one published in 2003 by Columbia University, which surveyed over 8,000 people. (People who exercise the most are the least likely to be depressed.) But that's not all!

The issues with using drugs like Lexapro, Effexor, Etc is that the body and brain are a complex symphony of chemicals/hormones and whenever you target one chemical deficiency with an external drug, you end up messing up the balance between that chemical and the other chemicals in the brain and body.

To put it clearly, aerobic exercise, single handedly targets ALL of the neurotransmitters targeted by the entire class of anti-depressants. It better conducts the symphony of chemicals that keeps us happy, instead of adding more clarinets and throwing off the entire sound (as anti-depressants do.) This is incredibly important to understand, as many doctors and psychiatrists over prescribe anti-depressants, which as indicated by the research, do not work as effectively as aerobic exercise.

In addition, there are the endorphins from exercise, which create positive feelings and emotions (the exact opposite of depression.) As stated on Web MD:

These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain which are our body's natural pain-killers and can provide relief from some of the aches & pains which accompany depression. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety. As stated on the Mayo Clinic Website, these include:

* Confidence - Being physically active gives you a sense of accomplishment. Meeting goals or challenges, no matter how small, can boost self-confidence at times when you need it most. Exercise can also make you feel better about your appearance and your self-worth.

* Distraction - When you have depression or anxiety, it's easy to dwell on how badly you feel. But dwelling interferes with your ability to problem solve and cope in a healthy way. Dwelling can also make depression more severe and longer lasting. Exercise can shift the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to something more pleasant, such as your surroundings or the music you enjoy listening to while you exercise.

* Interactions - Depression and anxiety can lead to isolation. That, in turn, can worsen your condition. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others, even if it's just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood.

* Healthy coping - Doing something positive to manage depression or anxiety is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol excessively, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping depression and anxiety will go away on their own aren't helpful coping strategies.

All of the benefits described above are excellent, and will help people recover from depression. But the most important aspect of cardiovascular exercise that you must keep in mind, is that it not only optimize all the "happy" chemicals produce in your brain and body, it also helps create new neurons! These neurons are created in the areas of the brain that deal with memory, learning, attention, and survival, and once created, can be utilized by the brain to create newer and happier behavior, habits, skills, and abilities.

In light of this information, it is not surprising that a study by James Blumenthal concluded exercise was as effective as medication (and I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually find out that it is MORE effective in most cases.)

Often, patients who use anti-depressants experience immediate relief, but do not FEEL happy, while exercise, as determined by Blumenthal, works better over the long term than medication. There was some evidence that the group that took exercise and the medication did not improve as much as the group that just exercised because the idea of taking medication took away some of the pride and accomplishment that the exercise only group achieved. (Perhaps the exercise only group experienced more self-efficacy.)

This alone is a very important thing to understand; when you give the power of happiness to a pill, you take away your own power to cultivate happiness. (Please understand that I am not completely against pills, and think that anti-depressants can be an important part of recovery for depression, as determined by a licensed psychiatrist.) My only issue is that we are so fast to look for solutions outside of the body and mind in this culture, and when we do that, we find solutions that are incomplete, short term and ultimately a waste of time.

According to Web MD, here are some questions you should consider before you begin an exercise program to address depression:

* What physical activities do I enjoy?

* Do I prefer group or individual activities?

* What programs best fit my schedule?

* Do I have physical conditions that limit my choice of exercise?

* What goals do I have in mind? (For example: weight loss, strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, or mood enhancement)

I would also add that you should strongly consider engaging in recreation activities, hobbies, books, or crafts that you truly enjoy after exercise because you will utilize the new neurons in your brain to further develop you skills in that activity. (Shortly after the new neurons are formed in the brain, they need to be utilized so they can be integrated and connected into the network of existing neurons, or else the new neurons are re-absorbed and are not permanent). In this way, you can use exercise to both optimize you "mood chemicals" and cultivate an activity that provides you with happiness at the same time.

Exercise Prescription for Depression:

The research indicates that burning around 1.400 calories from higher intensity cardio is very effective in preventing and treating depression. (This works out to about 3 hours of moderate intensity cardio per week for a 150lb person.) However, it is important to start slow, and gradually build up the volume (total time) of your workouts first. Once you are up to 30-45 minutes of cardio, you can begin to increase the intensity slowly, although it only takes working at a perceived exertion of about 7/10 to have the required intensity to treat depression.

Also, be sure to set yourself up for success by engaging in exercise in an environment you feel comfortable in, focusing on small goals, and sticking with the program day by day for at least 3 weeks before making any judgments. It can be tough to get started and feel the benefits right away, but our bodies and minds are built to be happiest when they are moving and healthy.

Until next time, keep your body-mind fit.

Jonathan

The Dark Void of Depression

I can remember it beginning. Just one of those days, like I had before. I wake up tired after a sleepless night. My mind exhausted from thinking, and over-thinking. My body aching to lie in bed and actually sleep. But I can't rest... work beckons. Ugh... work. I go through my usual routine which I have for the past twelve and a half years, dreaming of the things I want in life, yet feel so handcuffed to meet.

I dive to the Portland's part of town. Nothing but junkyards, recycling, and of course the film industry. "It's all smoke and mirrors!", someone told me during my first week. I've come to realize the smoke show never ends. Every time I walk into the building I can feel my life being sucked from me. My old supervisor looks at me with a face the literally tells me to screw myself. Nice way to start the day. Now that I think of it, it's how I've been started my day for years.

Punch clock, coffee, work boots. My usual routine. A few pleasantries, and some witty sarcastic banter, and I retreat into my electronics shop, where my co-worker and I can spend a day, barely talking to each other. Which is one of the few things I've learned to enjoy. He's great guy, but we both enjoy our solitude. Like many people I, "fell into" my job. It's not my passion. It offers no advancement, so there is no reason to have ambition. For years I've wondered why I am still here. So have some others at work. At the company Christmas party the President, CEO, general manager, and my ex-supervisor all asked me the same question, "What are you still doing here?!"

Good question. I've tried to figure it out myself. I didn't even notice the descent into the abyss. The void of stagnant and insidious thoughts that paralyzed me and raped me of my confidence. I never finished high school. I never finished college... twice! What am I going to do? With a child to support, and daily costs skyrocketing, I just can't up and leave, can I? So I sit in my little electronics shop that feels like a self-imposed prison. Many employees mention how lucky I am to work where I am... if they only knew what it feels like to be locked up and forgotten.

I wrote my first book. I finished it a year ago. It took another 8 months to go through the editing process. It was ready last July, it still isn't published. Where am I going to get the money to self publish when I am sometimes left with $100 to last me for 2 weeks? That's another thing. I'm broke all the time. My girlfriend's fed up that I'm broke all the time. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I have nothing, just nothing for the extras... trips, dinners out, dancing. We all know what women think of men like that.

It's not all bad. I did do something significant last year that took many 6 years to accomplish. Something that few men get to do. But during the year, it was hard to even enjoy it, because for every 100 people who throw you support, there are over 20 trying to sabotage you. And indeed, little by little they chip away until you're sitting on top of a mountain you feel is crumbling and going to devour you whole.

By the end, I was so exhausted. Completely spent. Resentful, angry, and lost. I knew what I wanted to do but didn't have the energy. I knew where I needed to be, but couldn't find the way. Every night I came home from my boring day, I would stop and buy cigarettes and a 6 pack of beer. Yes, I started smoking again. First a couple. Now a whole damn pack. Just like the beer. I'd have one or two to relax and take the edge off, then I'd buy a small bottle of vodka to go along with it and quicken the effect. Till I was eventually just buying a bottle of vodka and almost finishing it all in a night. You don't even notice it going. A sip here, a sip there. In fact, no one noticed either. I wouldn't drink around my son or my girlfriend. I could go days without drinking, so I didn't really think I was in trouble, although I knew I had a problem. The drinking stopped my productivity. Stopped me from doing things I needed to do. When I got home at night I didn't want to do anything. But drink.

Day after day. Month after month. Each month I came home and wasted my night away the angrier I got. Each week that passed the deeper I sank. Each month that passed the larger the void of depression became. Until I finally exploded. I've always had an anger problem. And it usually is taken out on the ones I love. It created a wedge in my relationship where my girlfriend couldn't deal with my anger and manipulation any longer. Finally, on the edge of the cliff, I admitted to her what I was hiding inside for so long. I was depressed. Severely depressed.

I called up my workplace assistance program the next evening to speak to a online counselor. By the next Friday I sat in an office taking a depression test. I scored 46. Severe depression was rated at 30. I was in deep. My first session didn't have any epiphanies or anything, but laid some groundwork, and homework. I didn't feel much when I left, but the next day, something odd happened. I slept all the way through the night for the first time in years. And I woke up, feeling not great, but better. Better knowing that I am finally doing something about my depression. It's amazing what taking that first step can do. I wonder why it had taken me so long.

Words can't properly describe the emptiness one feels when they are depressed. The sense of being paralyzed with fear, and the sense of your sinking self worth. Everyone around you may never even notice. Most truthfully won't even care, or at least it feels like it. Like we're all in this alone, and the ones you need to talk to drain you with their problems, their issues, and their needs. While we're screaming for someone to just listen. Just shut up and listen. When you're already drained, it can sap the last ounce of life you have right out of you. But you remain silent because your problems can't be more important than theirs. Besides... they need you. My retreat... the bottle.

Seeking a counselor can helped me gain perspective and insight into why I was feeling the way I was, and how to identify the triggers, that keep me from living the life I want. If you're in doubt, you don't need to speak to your friends if you're embarrassed, just make sure you pick up the phone, or find an online service where you can get the help you need.

When all seems lost, it's time to do something you've never done to have the life you've never had. I know, that's what I've had to do.