Depression

“For general malaise I usually find working to HELP someone (as in Volunteering) tends to really perk me up. No Sh$t if you really want to boost your day go to a veterans home or an elderly care facility and just sit with someone for a couple of hours. Pretty freaking cool.”



I`m actually looking into that again,I was a Scout/Venturer leader for years.I also used to volunteer in a Humanitarian aide warehouse as a forklift operator,before getting put on 8 hour shifts.

Thinking of becoming a Venturer leader again,pretty much just a matter of making a phone call.

I`ve thought of moving to the States,I also have my Wild life management and Conservation diploma,I had checked out some jobs in Pennsylavania,but the pay was quite low for Park rangers.My wife also unfortunately loves her job(humanitarian aide agency office manager with over seas travel) so trying to get her to move is virtually impossible.

Like you said "life is well life".”

“Paddles...move to Augusta...We can always use good leaders in Scouts.

Heck send me a copy of your resume' I will forward it around. If you read any of Tilt's stuff you can tell we need good mental health professionals here (LOL)....

One of the neatest ways I break out of a funk (and Sarge being a Christian does help I will agree) for me is to start listing the things I have to be greatful for. ..”

“Good advice Sarge!

This is a poem I keep at my desk and have carried it around for several years.

There are quiet little moments that will catch you by surprise
When sudden sorrow fills you up and mournful thoughts arise.

Do not bemoan your change of mood, give in and let it flow.
Allow yourself to feel with all the depth you’ll ever know.

You’re entitled to soft sadness when it settles in your heart,
and emptiness of spirit when stark anguish plays its part.

For lives untouched by woeful thoughts will never know the thrill
of rising up in love’s sweet light, a new and mighty will.

Melancholy moments do not last very long.
They’re fleeting and they vanish when the soul resumes it’s song.”

“paddles - if you want a PA Park Ranger job, email me. I may be of some assistance.”

“Go for a jog.

I started regularily jogging a couple months ago to see if it would help offset or help my bouts of depression. The verdict? It helps...alot. Added benefits? My cardio is getting better, my legs are getting more toned, and I'm sleeping much better these days.”

“I feel a lot better since I quit my job!”

“Lexapro works too!”

“i love lexapro, but even with insurance it was expensive. i wonder if the VA will have it now that i am going back there.”

“Yeah...but if you get the doc to do 20mg and you can break it in half...so one month last two.”

“Paddles have you ever thought of doing hospice and palliative care work? I worked for five years in a group home for MR and then 10 years as a self contracted caregiver for the developmentally disabled and became burned out. I got my nursing assistant certification and started looking at getting into a hospital but without facility experience they weren't beating down my door.

Then I found an ad for the local Hospice and I applied out of desperation. They gave me a chance and even though I was scared I couldn't take it I found that this is where I want to do my life's work.

The pay and beni's are better than any of the hospitals give, paid time off is great and you get to work strictly one on one with patience.

http://www.chpca.net/home.htm”

“Hey Nigal thanks,it`s something to look into,really appreciate it.

Sarge,I`ll e-mail in regards to your offer thanks,food for thought...right now have my daughter getting married in 2 weeks,it`s a little distracting...once that`s over life can return to normal around here..”

“Hey Gremlin good to hear you’re still around.

Actually I have a job I really used to love. When I got this job I thought it was the coolest job I could wish for. And I still belief this is a pretty cool job. Still it offers opportunities which I won’t find in most other jobs. So in theory everything could be fine and I should be happy as could be and yet… I am sitting here, and instead of working to get done with the backlog of work, I am watching orangey fungus growing out of the window frame, wondering if they are magic and whether I should pass my tongue over them a couple of times and see what magic they can do to me.
It’s not that I am depressed. Oh no, I am beyond that for sure. I just can’t bother with being depressed. I just don’t care anymore and rather feel numb. I tell ya, this orange coloured fungus definitely shows more signs of life than me. One of you could take a stick and stab me in the eye and I probably wouldn’t twitch…”

“Careful what you ask for with this crowd. ;-)”

“I couldn't care less even if I would be a twothousend years old embalmed mummy.

Stab me in the eye!”

“How about a refeshing beverage instead?”

“like what?”

“Tab?”

“what you need my love, is a good old fashioned tickle till you cry....not take off your shoes and socks and .......”

“I'm stil here, Euro and waiting for winter. Please don't forget to tell us about your NOLS experience - it might just be what you need.

Good luck,

Doug
last edited: 8/20/07 10:23:08 AM”

“ST...most excellent idea!!! A good laugh and tickle will cure what ails you!!”

“Why is this thread under the backpacking category???”

“Euro, you need to come and visit me! I quit my job and I'm subbing for the school district instead, so my time is flexible. Come out to california, you always wanted to see the PCT anyways.”

“Or come out to Georgia - you always wanted to see me, eh?”

“Euro, are you there? Did you read that?”

“Sorry Pam, for not replying sooner :-)
Yes, I read it and actually, if everything is going according my plans, I might take you and gojo by your word. I hope to take a 'time out' next year, a break of three month during the first half year of 2008 or so. I need a break. I have nearly burned myself out and desperately need a break before it's too late to turn around. Not sure though if my employer will go along and lets me go? I guess it depends on the work load next year.
Not sure yet what I am going to do, but so far I consider one of the three option:
- “The Spiritual Journey”: the old pilgrimage route 'El Camino de Santiago', right from my door step all the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It would be sort of 'spiritual' trip, to give me much needed time and calm to figure out a couple of things.
- “The Adventure”: Yukon or Instructor course at NOLS (might be too costly though)
And my favorite option so far:
- “Voyage US”: I want to visit friends, meet people, who ever is willing to invite me to a backpacking trip or just lets me stay a couple of days and try to join as many TT trips as possible…

So keep fingers crossed for me that this goes from mere daydreaming to a real journey :-)”

“Thanks gojo, for offering hospitality in Georgia. If I really manage to do a 'Grand Voyage US' I definetly would like to explore some of the southern states. Have to go there befor the summer heat though. And befor the southern sun singes off my skin I have to migrate in a zigzag line in north- westernly direction and on the way trying to sponge off a backpacking weekend from Pamela (VBG).”

“Hey, don't forget us Canucks, eh? We're harmless and here in Quebec it will seem a little closer to home.”

“and the Rockies, don't forget the Rockies :)

your welcome to stop in here too!

see - you've got friends all OVER the place!”

“Quebec, mmmm.... let me see, after having zigzaged north-west I figure at some point I have to bail sharp right, back towards east coast and if I get the angle right I should be able to crash right into Quebec.”

“ROCKIES!!! YES!!! Euro if you do come to Georgia drop me a line I have a spare place you can crash.

But truly I must agree ....If I could pick anywhere to spend the rest of my life hiking...Colorado (Specifically the Southwest corner)....”

“oh heck, why don't you just come and live here!”

““ROCKIES!!! YES!!!
But truly I must agree ....If I could pick anywhere to spend the rest of my life hiking...Colorado (Specifically the Southwest corner)....”
XL400236
8:44:05 AM
8/22/07

I've said many times, that moving here was the best thing i ever did. The recreational opportunities have done wonders for me - both mentally and physically!

For my kids too.”

“I have a friend who moved out west to the Mountains....he makes about 50% what he would in his job anywhere else...but he says it is MORE than worth it.”

“It's the same here for me since I moved to Switzerland. Except I actually make more money in my job than I did befor. And yet, it isn't the money that keeps me here. It's the mountains. Living in a place like this is a childhood dream coming true. Hiking in some of the finest parts of the Alps never fails to excite and thrill me.”

“Autsch...!!
I just went into the kitchen, to get me a coffee. When I opened the cupboard all the chocolate fell out and pelted my head. First came the chocolat au lait, but the second round was chocolat noir and that really hurt!
There are certain risks involved living in Switzerland :-(”

“you get to hike in the alps, youre making even more money than you did before, youre living your childhood dream, its raining chocolate, AND YOURE DEPRESSED?????????

SHUT

UP

i will now ignore you”

“I was probably lucky that it wasn't the cupboard where they have stashed all the swiss watches and army knifes.”

“Heck in France you might have been impaled by the white flags....

But I gotta agree with Crash...STFU (LOL)....

I spent some time in the Crans Su Sierre area....(I know I spelled it wrong..but he we won the last couple of wars so who cares (LOL))

Neat people there...”

“if her fondue machine breaks, we'll have to put euro on suicide watch

:-P”

“Actually, in international statistics, Switzerland has a pretty high suicide rate. Just imagine, to live in such a perfectly happy, beautifull and save place, where most people enjoy a generally high living standard and where there is nothing real to worry about, that's kind of very depressing, isn't it...? And a spoiled fondue is reason to suffer a major crisis in this country.”

“that's probably why everyone is miserable in Switzerland, living is too easy, that could get pretty dull.”

“,,,,,I so wish I didn't have to go to work today. I really don't want to deal with these people today. Its going to be a long week. #&%!$.
last edited: 10/09/07 9:01:42 AM”

“Quit.

Problem solved.”

“quit...and pay bills how?

No, that isn't the answer right now. Its not really the job (i like the job) or the people. Just a bad week is all.”

“oh heck, why don't you just come and live here!”
~pammy

Word up!
last edited: 10/09/07 2:40:25 PM”

“spirit what do you do?

I know about bad weeks...it is just Tuesday!!!”

“hey gojo give me a call when ya can.my body is in a civil war ,this sucks.colonapen 4 times a day 2 lexapro,adavan and zanax.i think i just need to walk off into the woods somewhere for a few weeks”

“Sorry to hear that SC....wow....I know what you mean....this is lets see....day 11 of my week (LOL)...no weekend last weekend. Ofcourse I love what I do. Heck its a matter of looking at it I guess”

“ohh...SC...i hate bad weeks......im training a new guy this week.....for some reason its not so bad, but we have this nitwit who basically destroyed a working relationship id cultivated over two years now.....i just wanted....grr... and now the contractor is going somewhere else...my company lost a lot of money over that”

“Mohawk...I'm with ya there. Just can't seem to snap out of it myself. I just need a river, a nice big rock and I good cry.”