Holistic Healing (Vol 4): Catching Up and Checking in!

Hello faithful readers and dear friends, whoever you are!  December is flying by so fast, as is does every year, am I right?  Joseph and I have been working our bottoms off at Eidolon House, which is exactly how we like it!  Being terribly busy has thrown us off schedule though, and I have noticed it has effected my physical and emotional health.  When one is hyper-aware of such things as mood swings and energy levels one tends to notice how just the smallest change in everyday life effects everything; it's been quite a learning process and totally amazing at the same time.

Part of managing emotional health obviously leads one to manage physical health.  Joseph and I have been making small but significant changes regarding our diet, drinking soda, and sleep schedules.  We're not perfect at all of this yet; as I've already mentioned, this month has been rough.  But we're taking each day one day at a time, and making sure we don't give ourselves too harsh of guilt trips either.

I have got to find a way to be more active, and not worry about my leg falling off!  This is our next hurdle to get over.  The life of an amputee is always interesting, I'll give you that!  Getting over this hurdle has led us to shopping for lightweight wheelchairs!  I've always had great upper body strength, and my legs, or lack thereof, are not my greatest feature, obviously.  So, if my leg falling off is the one thing keeping me from being active, then I'm taking the leg out of the equation all together!

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We're saving our bucks and we're super excited about all the opportunities that actually open up by figuring out how to live with my disabilities.

What do you guys do to stay active?

Managing Depression Vol 1.

Managing Depression Vol 2.

Managing Depression Vol 3.

Steps to a Holistic Approach to Treating Depression Vol 3. . .

In my last post I talked about a step in a holistic approach to treating depression HERE.  There are a lot more steps one should be taking when it comes to managing depression such as:  Sticking to schedule, setting small achievable goals, exercise, eating wholesome vitamin rich foods, therapy, and even prescription medication if needs be.  Personally, I see no problem with taking prescription medications, and making yourself a holistic treatment plan.
It's a bit naive to think one should just pop a pill and all will be right with world.  Helping yourself should be the first and most important step when treating depression in my opinion.  Taking the time to reflect and analyze your emotions,  identify triggers, and writing out a plan to deal with those triggers, and maybe even prevent them can only help, and just think about the great habits you're learning in the mean time!  I see no down side to this approach.
I sat down and did just this:  I thought about all the circumstances that trigger negative emotions, and I listed them out.  I listed everything from someone looking at me wrong, to forgetting one white sock in the laundry, when I just finished the white load!  I mean just writing down every little thing was quite therapeutic.  Then I went through that list and rated each circumstance.  Some triggers are really just asinine; other triggers have merit, so I considered, explored, and included them in my treatment plan.  If I hadn't taken the time identify all of my triggers, I wouldn't have been able to choose which ones to throw out and completely disregard, and which ones need attention.
I can't express enough the importance of self-reflection, and how this step alone has helped me so much this year!  It's so easy to notice what other people are or aren't doing and criticize them for it.  It's much more challenging to look at one's own behavior, bad habits, and short comings, and realize change needs to happen if one truly wants to live a happy and productive life.  Now when I feel like I'm going to have a bad day, I first look to my plan, identify what I'm not doing correctly, and nine time out of ten, I've left something out that I should have been doing.  I have noticed something as simple as getting off on my sleeping schedule can mess me up for days!

My happiness is truly up to me, therefore I can only criticize my own actions and correct them one day at time.   

       My Depression Journey Vol 1 HERE!
       My Depression Journey Vol 2 HERE!

A Step in a Holistic Aproach to Depression Treatment Vol 2. . .

I've been researching holistic ways to treat depression lately.  One thing I've learned through managing pain and a constant state of discomfort, having lost my leg, is that the brain is a very powerful tool.  Have you heard of CBT , Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?  I'll save CBT for another blog.  One of the steps to holistic treatment for depression is trying something new.  When trying something new your brain releases dopamine which is associated with pleasure, enjoyment, and learning.

I start a new project at least every other month or so.  Mostly because I like exploring my creative side; I like to try things for myself to see if I really do like them or not. 

I've been so excited to start my next project!  Making necklaces out of my handmade marbled paper, and printing some of them with our lead type and decorative tools!  

I am in love with these necklaces and guess what?  Making these make me feel happy!

Of course you don't have to add trying something new to your depression treatment plan in order to try something new.

What fun new things are you trying these days?