Saturday, October 5, 2013

The 7 Habits

Good morning (or evening) dear reader!

The nice thing about a new day is that it is packed with promise and hope; or at least that is how I see it with my mental goggles today! The other day, my head was full of regret and all that I can't control. Today, I'm ready to focus on that which I can control.

This reminds me of a WONDERFUL book on the topic: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by the late Stephen R. Covey. 

In The 7 Habits, Covey says that rather than concern ourselves with becoming more productive with our time, we should concern ourselves with being more effective as people; and in order to be more effective, there are seven basic habits we must practice. These seven habits were a culmination of his graduate research. He studied the most successful people in history, and came to see a pattern emerge in how they lived their lives - seven basic habits that they all practiced. 

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will present here, The 7 Habits - an overview for those recovering from mental illness. Keep in mind I will only scratch the surface, and I highly recommend you read the book! 

In the meantime, this week for the first installment: The 7 Habits - an Overview.








Thursday, October 3, 2013

My Regret

With most things in life, we learn from our mistakes and are able to apply this learning again in the future. The one area in life where this is not the case is parenting. You learn from your mistakes along the way, but unless you have 12 kids, you can't apply this new knowledge again. Once childhood passes, it's a done deal. No going back!

I find myself lamenting all the years when I was actively alcoholic and dysthmic*. I was never an abusive parent, and I did the best I could, but I was not as present as I am now. Now that I am recovering and moving in the right direction, my children are 23 and 15 years old. I know better, but I can't do better. I can't re-do their early childhood years, and that is my biggest regret in life!

I know, I know. I need to let go and accept that the past is unchangeable, and that the only thing I can control are my actions in the present...but still, it makes me sad.




*Dysthymia is a low-grade, long-term depression. For more on dysthymia, see: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dysthymia/DS01111

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

About Pink Hi-Top Adventures


The Far Side®, by Gary Larson

For those of you new to this blog, I thought I'd give you a little background. Pink Hi-Top Adventures is my first blog ever! I started it back in January 2013 as a chronicle of my ongoing recovery from depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. 

Almost eight years ago, I entered treatment for alcohol addiction. At the time, I thought it would resolve whatever it was inside that was stopping me from moving forward in life; however, it only drained the pool and uncovered the disease within.

Though I had been anxious and depressed but functioning for years, I finally imploded a year ago. I spent about three weeks in bed - unable to work, unable to shower, unable to function. My thoughts were turning darker too. I fantasized about death and hurting myself; and for the first time ever, it felt comforting and logical.

When I shared this with my {wonderful!} husband, he reached out to my therapist; and I was admitted to a partial hospitalization treatment program {PHP}. There I was diagnosed with major depression, dysthymia {long-term, low-grade depression}, and generalized anxiety disorder. Fortunately, I was treated by wonderful doctors and therapists; and, though I've experienced periodic set-backs along the way, I've been doing better overall since.

This blog is a chronicle of my continuous recovery and progress toward achieving my goals - one of which is graduating from college with a psychology degree. {I've been in college - on and off - since September 1984; and graduating would be quite an achievement indeed!} I also hope to inspire and inform with personal stories, resources, and a little humor!

The blog title is inspired by my favorite pair of Converse Chuck Taylor’s that I wore when I last felt my happiest and freest. 

And finally, Pink Hi-Top Adventures is a place for you too. Please feel free to comment and discuss - either in the comments section of this blog, or on the blog's Facebook page!

Thanks for reading!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is an overview of some of my favorite posts from the past six months:

Addiction:


Thoughts from my addiction (2/27/13)
Alcoholic or problem drinker? (3/14/13)
How do you help and addict (6/19/13)
Take me out to the ballgame! (8/12/13)

Anxiety:

Obstacles (5/22/13)
Social Anxiety (5/29/13)

Depression:

Notes from the Vortex (2/11/13)
Life (3/7/13)
Lifeline (3/8/13)
Grey veil...again?! (3/16/13)
Overcoming...inertia! (3/19/13)
Can't sleep (4/23/13)
Do the next right thing - part II (4/25/13)
The daily struggle (6/6/13)
Taking down the wall (6/7/13)
Contained emotions (6/13/13)

Stigma:

"Nervous breakdown" (3/6/13)
Depression is not a character defect (3/27/13)

Wellness:

Never underestimate your own power! (2/26/13)
Acceptance (3/1/13)
Recovery step #2: sleep, damn it! (3/5/13)
Rebirth (3/30/13)
Wellness part I: physical (4/26/13)
Change is possible part II (6/27/13)
Seven steps to mental health (8/2/13)
Take me out to the ballgame! (8/12/13)
Climbing back up (8/18/13)




Pink Hi-Top Adventures Blog Planner

Okay, so I'm doing a "happy dance" right now! I just received in the mail a planner that I had purchased from Erin Condren (www.erincondren.com).

It is a beautiful, personalized planner that I will be using to plan out this blog and record the adventures about which I'll write; but that is not the sole reason for my happy dance. 


I also just received a message that Erin Condren just posted my planner cover to their Pinterest "Wall of Fame!" Yippy!!!!!

Okay, I know, I know...a lot of people get posted there, but shazaam! Pink Hi-Top Adventures is on a nationally-known Pinterest Board! Only last month, Erin Condren was on the Today Show!

Okay, okay...that's all I wanted to share. :)




Monday, September 30, 2013

The Dragon

It has been almost eight years (November 18) since I took my last drink of alcohol; and still, to this day I occasionally have a craving for it or have some crazy dream about it.

Last night, I dreamed that I was at a party at my house where everyone was boozing it up. Feeling put out that no one respected my addiction and the need for an alcohol-free home, I became disgruntled. At some point, I snuck myself a glass of red wine {my old lover}, and thought, "That didn't hurt me. Maybe just one more." By the third glass, I had a buzz and then the remorse set in. I began to cry because I thought I'd have to start my AA coin collecting all over again with a 24-hour coin instead of an 8-year coin next month.

In fact, the dream felt so real, I awoke this morning worried that I had actually drank. I felt relief when I realized that I hadn't; and yet, still...somewhere deep, deep, deep down inside, there was still this desire - an insatiable dragon of craving and need - a cavernous mouth that just wants one more drink...just one more drink...

It's times like this when I know I need an AA meeting. I need to hear the war stories of former bar-flies, house fraus, Hell's Angels, college kids, CEOs, et al (all of whom are my kindred spirits) to remember why it is I cannot have "just one more drink".  




Sunday, September 29, 2013

AND THE WINNER IS...

Congratulations CYNTHIA SHERMAN!! You are the winner of the first ever Pink Hi-Top Adventures blog contest giveaway! To claim your prize, please send an email to: pink.hi.tops@gmail.com with your size.


Thanks to all of you who entered the contest! If you did not win this time, don't fret! There will be another contest giveaway with MULTIPLE PRIZES this coming January to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the PHTA blog, so stay tuned!!