During a spiritual retreat this weekend, much became clear to me. So many events and losses that have grieved me for years became softer, easier to embrace. My past ten years have been spent in a strenuous and confusing struggle to arrive at this place. Future posts will talk about these insights, but I want to announce the good news to all of you who have supported me these past months. A decade of hard, subterranean mining has started to yield its bullion of understanding. I’ve hit the motherlode of peace. More to follow.
A formerly depressed physician tells stories of trauma, grief and recovery, and offers suggestions for emerging from darkness, living with mood swings, and awakening to life.
Disclaimer
-
Dear Visitors:
Although I trained and practiced as a physician, my background does not include formal instruction in psychiatry beyond basic medical education. This journal presents ideas about treatment philosophy, but must not be considered therapeutic advice. Abrupt changes in one's psychiatric medications can trigger profound cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms, including suicidal thoughts and actions. Consequently, pharmaceutical agents should not be increased or decreased without supervision by a mental health clinician. -
ON THE OTHER HAND, your brain belongs to you, and your opinion counts. If you decide that changing your medication regimen will serve your best interest, then I believe your providers have an obligation to help you try to achieve your goals. I want everyone to be educated about their options, and do what will be most helpful for themselves. No one should feel pushed around by dogmatic and/or limited viewpoints, whether those of psychiatrists, anti-psychiatry advocates, or myself.
Leave a Reply
Get WillSpirit via Email or RSS:
Tips 4 Survival on Earth
- 1. Think Less
- 2. Make Up a Happier Childhood
- 3. Avoid Assumptions
- 4. Collect Healing Techniques
- 5. Take the Long View
- 6. Borrow Freely From The Wise
WillSpirit Blogroll
- A Path With Heart
- Above the Clouds
- Beyond Meds
- Bipolar Advantage
- Coming Out of the Trees
- Different Thoughts
- Hopeworks Community
- If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going
- Just Some Stuff About Life as I See It
- lostinamaze
- Mental Health Recovery
- Milo
- patientanonymous
- Psych Survivor 2.0
- Song for Arabella
- TaraBridgetMoore's WebLog
- Tears Behind The Smile
- Tell your story of recovery from child abuse
- Voyaging Inward
- Wellness Writer
♠ My 2¢ on Twitter
- --The trick is to choose what works in each moment.--
- --Savor happy memories, even if you have to make them up.--
- --Hardship is enriching, but I'd still rather avoid it.--
- --When in doubt, be generous.--
- --Sometimes, peace is boring. But always, war is hell.--
- --If reality is emptiness, what's the point?--
- --The enlightened adult must face the monsters left over from childhood. Only then can the child inside claim joy.--
- --A Wordless Mind is the Garden of Eden.--
- --The body is its own physician.--
- --Living well means embracing life without getting entangled by it.--
- --The faults I see most clearly in you are the one's that I share.--
- --My joy is yours, and yours mine. Thank you for being alive.--
Tags
Acceptance ACT Addiction altruism biology bipolar-disorder blogging brain CBT child-abuse cymbalta decisions depression Diagnosis ego evolution fate feelings grief hypomania impulsiveness loss Meditation mindfulness Moods neuroplasticity neurotransmitter pain pleasure poetry psychmeds Psychosis recovery religion semantics spirituality stigma suffering suicide Therapy thought tips withdrawal writing yosemiteArchives
- September 2010 (1)
- August 2010 (11)
- July 2010 (14)
- June 2010 (10)
- May 2010 (4)
- April 2010 (2)
- March 2010 (9)
- February 2010 (10)
- January 2010 (18)
- December 2009 (12)
- November 2009 (9)
- October 2009 (4)
- September 2009 (7)
- August 2009 (17)
- July 2009 (20)
- June 2009 (5)
- May 2009 (2)
Images are all in the public domain, and published under Creative Commons license, or other permission (click image → source).
Theme from "Dark Autumn" by Peter Zhang; modified by WillSpirit.
-
Dear Visitors:
1
susan at http://ifyouregoingthoughhellkeepgoing.blogspot.com/
So many people spend their entire lives trying to get to that place. I am glad you got there in your lifetime. Good job. Looking forward to reading about it.
Posted at January 17, 2010 on 7:10pm.
2
Will at http://willspirit.com
Susan–
I’m interested in writing it. When I think back on the ‘spiritual’ material I’ve written in the past few months, it seems so naive. Now everything looks much clearer, and it will be fun to see if I can capture it in words. Of course, I may work hard to do just that, and then have another ‘opening’ a year from now that will make me look at my current state as one of blindness. The universe has layer after layer, petal after petal; an unending, ever-opening rose. But whatever just unveiled itself before me has a richness that exceeds all my previous understanding. It’s like seeing the surface of the earth from the space shuttle as opposed to a jumbo jet. I see much, much more. On the other hand, there must be some people who see the world as if from the moon: one perfect circle, blue and alive.
–Will
Posted at January 17, 2010 on 9:11pm.
3
lostinamaze at http://inamaze.wordpress.com
I will be looking forward to reading your posts on your insights. Reading this reminds me there is so much more. I enjoy reading and following you on your journey.
Posted at January 17, 2010 on 10:57pm.
4
Margaret at http://YourWebsite
You have left us in suspense, Will. I am looking forward to your revelations.
Posted at January 18, 2010 on 5:19am.
5
Will at http://willspirit.com
Margaret and lostinamaze–
Thank you for tracking my story. Now that my life and hardships seem easier to accept and understand, I will do my best to write something useful and enlightening. It pains me that I cannot possibly create essays that will bring others immediately to a place of peace. But my heart yearns to reach out with a message of hope, and as much guidance as it can muster.
–Will
Posted at January 19, 2010 on 1:39pm.
6
Lili at http://YourWebsite
This spiritual retreat-I’m glad it helped you in a powerful way.
Posted at February 7, 2010 on 10:32am.
7
Will at http://willspirit.com
Lili–
Thank you. It has been a turning point.
–Will
Posted at February 7, 2010 on 9:13pm.