You Can Conquer Depression And Bipolar Disorder
by Neal David Sutz, Author Of Kick It With Gusto!

If you had asked me, only eight months ago, if I thought I would get past the madness my life had become, I would not have responded with a definitive, “Yes.”  At that time, I was in the grasp of an illness unlike anything I could have ever imagined. 

After suffering a nervous breakdown, at the end of months of intense suffering, I had been diagnosed as having bipolar II disorder, with generalized anxiety. At the peak of my illness, I was experiencing ultradian cycling (cycling in and out of hypomania and depression sometimes every 15 minutes) and mixed states (depression and hypomania together). In short, I was a mess. 

Despite the madness, however, I had one thing that was truly a gift. I had the will to get better. Most of the time, I didn’t have hope, but I always had the will to see beyond the darkness. That will, guided by God, was my door to healing. 

I devoured everything I could find on bipolar disorders, depression and anxiety. I read the traditional and the alternative. When I didn’t have the strength to lift myself off the sofa, I sat up and surfed the web for the information or picked up the phone. And when I did have the strength, the library was a dear, dear friend.

In short, I was educating myself. Without that education, I wouldn’t be here today. And without the healing that is coming from that education, I would not have been able to write my book, Kick It With Gusto!, A Practical Guide To Living Through Anxiety, Depression, And Manic-Depression.

While the book is a collection of 82 passages, I find that the five that follow are among the most useful.

REACH OUT

Having anxiety, depression or manic depression
Is not something to be ashamed of.

It doesn't mean you're weak
Or a bad person.

In fact, you're to be congratulated
When you reach out,
Because it's intelligent people
Who ask for help
When they're in need.

You'll be amazed
At how many people want to help you –
And you'll be even more surprised
At who is willing. 

All you have to do is ask.

GO SEE A DOCTOR

Since we all have different bodies,
We all have different reasons
For why we feel the way we do.

There may be physical causes-
There may be psychological causes-
And there may be a little bit of both.

So, do yourself a favor
And see a doctor,
A real professional,
And tell him or her how you have been feeling
And get a good check-up.

Doctors may find the root of your feeling bad
Or they may find nothing at all.

Either way,
It's information worth having,
Since many anxiety and depression symptoms
Are related to physical things.

So, whatever you find out,
Whether or not there is something wrong
Physically,
You'll have information
To help you on your road to healing.

PERSIST

Sometimes,
More often than you may like,
What you're going through may seem
Like more than you can bear.

And the simplest things may seem
Much more than you can handle
But know this…

You can and you will get through this,
And the only way through
Is through,
Not around.

Climb the obstacles,
However tall or short,
And know that you can get over them all,
And you will,
If you only persist.

EAT BREAKFAST

Yes, yes, no matter how silly
It may seem,
No matter how many times you've
Heard it and laughed or even ignored it,
It's actually true,
That breakfast
Is the most important meal of the day.

And especially now,
When times are as tough as they are,
Take a few moments
And eat something healthy
Before you begin your day,
Even if you think you don't need it.

Trust me,
It'll help you feel better.

And while you may not notice it today,
Or tomorrow
Or the next day,
Breakfast will give your brain a little extra
That it so desperately needs
As it works to heal and get you better
Once again.

ON SUICIDE

It's a tough subject
To talk about,
And even a tougher one
To know personally.

It's true,
However cliché it may sound,
That suicide is a permanent solution
To a temporary problem.

And no matter how permanent
The pain you are feeling now seems,
If you seek help,
And you seek healing,
You will find it.

So, if you're thinking
About ending your life,
Wait,
Oh, please wait.

Seek help
And you will find it.

That is for sure.

You will find help,
Relief and joy
If you only seek it.

There is no one, single path to healing for everyone. There are as many paths to healing as there are individuals. 

In my opinion, a simple bottom line is this – Educate yourself. As you are doing so, you will see possible roads to your healing. And you will learn about others who have got better through many different methods, as well. Those aspects will inspire you, offer you hope and lead you on your own path.

To begin, let me be an example for you. My form of bipolar disorder was claimed to be the most difficult form to treat.  Yet, even I got better and now continue to fine-tune my healing. In my opinion, there is no final place of healing. Healing is about the path. And it’s a beautiful path. Personally, I believe we can always feel better.

For you, my friend, there is hope. You can make it through your suffering. You can Kick It With Gusto!

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