re - suffering from depression - hi, I just wanted to let you know that
you are not alone.  I am dually diagnosed, which means I have a mood 
disorder as well as my issues as a recovering substance abuser to deal 
with.  I have been struggling with depression of late too.  I don't 
know if you're in any of the 12 step recovery fellowships - AA or the 
ones modeled on it - but I am and I found great hope in the fact that 
one of the cofounders of AA and the author of the 12 steps that all of 
these fellowships use struggled for his first thirteen years of 
sobriety, while AA was in it's infancy, with chronic depression - and 
later overcame it.  I like to read his biography because it's 
especially inspiring to me - esp. since it takes place back when there 
were no anti-depressants.  (I do take these life-giving medicines and 
I'm NOT implying that anyone taking them should stop)
.
Bill W. was willing enough to get well that he tried some pretty 
radical therapies to get well.  He did things like walking it off, this
is something I've done when it's bad enough.  (helps me to get some 
sleep later too - frankly if I can get myself started even to do one 
small thing, I find it gets better for me and I get "on a roll" so that
I can accomplish more)
.
I wanted to share with you that one thing that really has helped me 
with depression is a book "FEELING GOOD: THE NEW MOOD THERAPY".  It had
alot of suggestions that really worked for me - along with conventional
treatment.
.
Are you in Nicotine Anonymous or Smokers Anonymous in your attempts to 
stop smoking?  It sounds like maybe you are.  I wish I could give you 
some help with that, but I have never started to smoke.  Also I wanted 
to let you know that there is a twelve step program called "Emotions 
Anonymous"  for people with mood disorders and there is also a twelve 
step program called Dual Recovery Anonymous for those with Dual 
Diagnosis - that is a mood or a thought disorder (depression is a mood 
disorder) who also have either alcoholism and/or drug addiction to 
recover from.   
.
If you want to talk about dealing with the depression either here or in
net mail, I would be happy to hear from you and to share my experience 
, strength and hope in that area.
.
In the meantime, remember, this too shall pass!
--- TriToss (tm) Professional 10.0 - #66
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