The Purpose of This Blog - To Help Those with Depression and PTSD

I write in this blog to help other people like me who suffer from depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). My PTSD is due to childhood trauma, so other people who have experienced childhood trauma may find it particularly impactful. That being said, there are many resources that I talk about that can also serve the needs of sufferers of PTSD due to rape, a severe event, war veterans, a traumatic event, etc. 

I focus particularly on methods of healing that are free of narcotics or other pain masking drug treatments. The methods I have learned may take longer and require more dedication and energy than popping a pill, but I can promise you that they are the only true way through and out to the other side. 

I know how crippling a state of mind depression can be and I want you to know that that's all it really is in the end - a state of mind. The first time I heard this, I denied it because I thought the message was to ignore my pain and ignore those things that had been bothering me, but that's not the message. The message is that depression is like a virus in your mind that may have begun from legitimate pain that you have failed to recognize for so long that it has taken over, so you can't believe everything your mind comes up with. The key is to recognize your pain, accept it, honor it, and take the necessary steps to change your life. You are smart - your body, mind, emotions, spirit - are smart. You cannot ignore what they are trying to tell you. It will not just go away and pain medication will not solve it for you. You need to address the problems in your life and make the necessary changed inside of you, outside of you, with the people in your life, and in your community/environment to make yourself better. 

Finally, I would like to share a quote with you that inspires me; it is from the book, The Wisdom of the Enneagram,

 "Always remember that it is your birthright and natural state to be wise and noble, loving and generous, to esteem yourself and others, to be creative and constantly renewing yourself, to be engaged in the world in awe and in depth, to have courage and to rely on yourself, to be joyous and effortlessly accomplished, to be strong and effective, to enjoy peace of mind and to be present in the unfolding mystery of your life."

Great Articles Supporting the Power of Meditation

Here are some great articles supporting the power of meditation. For generations, meditation in its various forms has been used to bring focus away from the mind and into the needs of the present body.

  
These articles were forwarded to me by Annelene Decaux, my life coach/spiritual healer/career coach who I highly recommend.

   

CNN Article on Minfullness 

   

Vancouver Sun Article on Meditation 

   
A blog discussing a course at google focused on searching inside yourself

Free Guided Imagery Audio Recording

If you're skeptical about guided imagery audio recordings then check out this free download.  It's for stress relief and relaxation.  It's a little shorter than most guided imagery audio recordings - it's only 15 minutes, but even 15 minutes can make a big difference if you're really stressed out.

Yoga is a Great form of Therapy for Depression or PTSD

Yoga is a great medicine for depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Depression can make you feel completely apathetic and disinterested in life - it can also make you feel physically weak and exhausted. Yoga is a low-impact form of exercise and meditation that can be very therapeutic when you're feeling okay and amazing when you're feeling really depressed.

Yoga makes you more aware of your own body and especially your breathing - this forces your attention away from the world in your mind, into the present...and that's what being mindful, aware, and living in the "now" is all about.

Yoga can also be a good group activity where you can interact with other people in a low-stress and compassionate environment. It might even help you meet friends or mentors who are more empathetic and encouraging than the people you currently associate with. Going to a yoga class with a teacher and group can be helpful because a good teacher can improve your technique and doing yoga with other people around you can be inspiring and invigorating.

If you are so depressed that you're afraid of leaving the comfort and protection of your own home - don't despair. There are many free resources online and many instructional dvds for purchase. Here is a free online tutorial that look good:

http://www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com/index.html

Yoga is for everyone! Each yoga pose is designed to be built on, so you start with the most basic poses and then build on them. Don't be afraid! And remember - yoga is not a competition - yoga is about centering yourself and showing love to your own body by giving it your full attention as you relax, stretch, and strengthen every fiber in your body.
 
Here is another free yoga video online:

And here is another free yoga video available online here.


If you don't like the style of the yoga videos then feel free to look for more online. Google video has a list of available yoga videos.

Documentary on the Effectiveness of Integrated Treatments Methods - "The New Medicine"

The New Medicine is a documentary about the direction in which modern medicine is evolving.  Gradually, scientific evidence is being gathered to support the theory that holistic or integrated medicine is more effective than treatments relying solely on drugs or surgical procedures.  Holistic or integrated medicine incorporates the mind, emotions, and spirit, as well as the body, into the treatment process.  It also emphasizes preventative health care as part of the overall treatment system.

If you are skeptical about the effectiveness of meditation, guided imagery, exercise, behavioral psychology, yoga, working with a spiritual healer, or pursuing an unconventional form of treatment then this is a good film to watch.

The Film is available on Netflix:

"Before her death in 2006 from lung cancer, Dana Reeves filmed this thought-provoking program exploring the use of holistic remedies in modern medicine. Moving beyond traditional treatments and examining more lifestyle factors, an increasing number of doctors are supplementing their work with a host of healing alternatives -- including meditation, hypnosis and acupuncture -- to treat the whole body and restore their patients' health." (netflix.com Oct 29, 2009)

Or you can purchase it from the Amazon site:

 

A side note: remember to keep in mind that just as there are poor quality doctors - there can be poor quality guided imagery recordings, psychologists, yoga instructors, or spiritual healers.  So make sure that you take your time and be choosy when you look for someone or something to help you in your treatment.  If it doesn't feel right at your core then don't do it.  But don't be afraid to try new things.  Just don't over-invest yourself in anything.  Also, if you decide to use herbal supplements or non-conventional medicine - check with your primary care doctor first to avoid any complications and make sure that what you're doing is safe. If you don't feel comfortable discussing these things with your primary care doctor because he/she does not take them seriously - then find a new primary care doctor!  Your primary care doctor should be respectful and take you seriously; he/she should also be forward thinking enough and in tune with the rapidly developing body of evidence supporting integrated and holistic medicine.

Recommended Guided Imagery Audio Recordings

Belleruth Naparstek has pioneered "guided imagery" as a form to heal from depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  In this post, I go over some of the guided imagery audio recordings that I have used and find useful.  I hope that you will also find them useful.  If you are on a tight budget then consider looking for them at your local library - my library had several of them.  Some libraries even take requests from users, so you can request that they purchase them. 

Before I begin, let me briefly describe guided imagery.  Guided imagery is basically a form of meditation where symbolism and your imagination are used to explore and process deeper underlying emotions.  For some people, especially people with depression or deep inner turmoil, it can be a very powerful tool to work with your own subconscious.  It also has the added benefit of being something that you can do in the privacy of your own home where you can feel safe and protected and able to really open up and dig deep inside of yourself.  

If you are new to meditation, guided imagery can be a good stepping stone.  Most of the audio recordings come with a set of affirmations that are designed to help you develop positive thinking; these work best if you quiet your mind and block our negative thoughts and truly open up to the positive messages in the affirmations.  Since guided imagery and affirmations work on a subconscious level, they work particularly well when you listen to them right before you go to sleep. Guided imagery also has the advantage that you can do it from the comfort and safety of your own home where you can really relax, focus inwards, and open up to yourself.

I have to admit that the first time I lay down with my head phones on to listen to the guided imagery, I felt skeptical and a little silly.  At first, I couldn't help but laugh a little at the deep, soothing, articulate, and dramatic voice that came on.  I think I laughed more at myself then at the voice, since I felt so nervous and out of my element.  But gradually I settled in and really gave the recordings a chance.  Things were really bad for me when I checked out my my first guided imagery CDs from the library and I was completely destroyed - I spent the days sobbing uncontrollably in my room and drifting in and out of an exhausting series of flashbacks.  Half the time, I couldn't tell if I was alive, in a dream, or had traveled back in time to my childhood self.  I felt isolated, alone, and abandoned.  I felt terrified, enraged, and saddened.  I felt hopeless, powerless, worthless, and defeated.  The world stopped making sense and the future grim if at all imagined.  It was a very dark time as I felt that I was losing my grip on everything - even my own mind was out of my control.  Time ceased to exist.  Everything suffered - I couldn't think, my memory was disjointed, I couldn't focus on a conversation, I would slip in and out of thoughts even if I was in the middle of a conversation.  I felt numb and I lost interest in anything and everything that had ever given me joy.  I felt like a shell of a human being - like some strange phantom.  

I have felt these things and trust me when I say that things can get better and that they will get better.  Have faith.  Look for help from your family, friends, lover, books, audio, spiritual leaders/healers, therapists, travel, writing, exercise, meditation, yoga, etc - do anything and everything that you can.  I hope that my experience can give you ideas and a framework with which to work from.  Guided imagery was one of the first things to help me - it made my mind calm down and it helped me relax.  It especially helped me late at night when I would lie awake in my bed terrified - in a state of panic and hyper arousal - unable to sleep and sobbing as bad memories resurfaced in the form of vivid flashbacks.  The audio recordings became something comforting and soothing that I could focus on.  Many times when listening to them, I would fall asleep, but that didn't matter - they helped me get a deep and restful sleep at a time that that was nearly impossible.  Research also indicates that since the recordings function more on a subconscious level that dosing off or falling asleep while listening to them can actually make them more effective.

Below I list some guided imagery or guided meditation recordings that are designed for people experiencing depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and the associated feelings of anger, stress and grief.  There are many more designed for specific needs like preparing for surgery, getting through cancer, insomnia, alcohol/drug abuse, and weight loss, so you should browse their selection to decide which one is best for you.


Combat Depression



Healing Trauma (PTSD)

 


Panic Attacks




Healthful Sleep



Anger and Forgiveness






Ease Grief



Relaxation and Wellness



Relieve Stress



Self Confidence



NOTE:  To learn more about how guided imagery can specifically help with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) then please refer to Belleruth Naparstek's book, Invisible Heroes where she discusses the scientific evidence that supports its effectiveness: