first group sheet

Daily thoughts:

A bad wake-up can cause a bad day. Try, however difficult it may seem, to stand aside from the depression. Decide to not let it take over and damage your whole day. Depression is part of you; it may even be a large part, but it is not the whole you.

You owe it to yourself to give the day your best shot, no matter how you feel. Refuse to listen to hopeless, repetitive thoughts. Think of the support and strength that you know is available from the group; remind yourself that you yourself are a source of strength to others in the group. Think about the last meeting, and think about the next meeting. Think how far you have come by joining the group at all....a positive step towards a better life. You turned your back on isolation, and you never have to go back to that.

Today, try to claim part of your life back from the illness. It might help to make a short written plan for the day, and try to carry it through. You are probably doing things right now that in the past have been difficult or impossible.

When it’s hard, divide the day into three parts, morning, afternoon and evening and plan to get something for you out of each part, some small task, a phone call, a letter or some small job that needs getting out of the way.

Think of the goodness in the group, and remind yourself that you never have to struggle by yourself unless you choose to. Think back to when there seemed to be no hope at all and remember how much power you have to help those worse off, perhaps people who have illnesses that are never going to improve, and people who are totally cut off from sources of help.

Don’t be alone, be a friend.


Michael February 2004