mentalhealthwarrior

#Depression advocate , warrior , I was a victim, then a Survivor, NOW … I’m ME ! 🌹

This is a playlist of my life…here’s some of my favorite songs (it’s extensive!) What songs are your go-to when you are depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, scared, in pain … or feeling great? What would be on the playlist of your life growing up? What are your all time favorite songs? Can you tell what generation I grew up in😉?!? I’ll give you a hint…classic rock & Alt Dance music literally shaped my life (especially when I deejayed in my late teens/20’s)

CARRY ON WAYWARD SON – Kansas
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY – Queen
THE SPIRIT OF RADIO – Rush
FOOL IN THE RAIN – Led Zeppelin
ROXANNE – The Police
DREAM ON – Aerosmith
PIANO MAN – Billy Joel
MOONDANCE – Van Morrison
PEACE TRAIN - Cat Stevens
IMAGINE- John Lennon
LONG AND WINDING ROAD - The Beatles
LANDSLIDE - Fleetwood Mac
SOLSBURY HILL – Peter Gabriel
ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon
DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ – Journey
PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT - Meat Loaf
TIME WARP - Rocky Horror Picture Show
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - Lou Reed
HOTEL CALIFORNIA- The Eagles
SULTANS OF SWING- Dire Straits
MAYBE I’M AMAZED – Paul McCartney
SOUL MAN– Blues Brothers
BORN TO RUN – Bruce Springsteen
THE BOYS OF SUMMER – Don Henley
FOREPLAY/ LONG TIME - Boston
BABA O’RILEY - The WhO
FREE BIRD - Lynyrd Skynyrd
FLY LIKE AN EAGLE - Steve Miller
CHINA GROVE – The Doobie Brothers
JOSIE - Steely Dan
TINY DANCER - Elton John
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL, Pt. 2- Pink Floyd
JUMP - Van Halen
THE LOGICAL SONG – Supertramp
COME SAIL AWAY - Styx
COLD AS ICE – Foreigner
SHAKE IT UP – The Cars
I WANNA BE SEDATED - Ramones
IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM - Joe Jackson
WITH OR WITHOUT YOU – U2
JACK AND DIANE – John Mellencamp
WALK THIS WAY - RUN DMC w/ Aerosmith
LIKE A PRAYER – Madonna
EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO LOVE - Blues Brothers - soundtrack
(I’ve had) THE TIME OF MY LIFE - Dirty Dancing soundtrack
MANIAC - Flashdance soundtrack
FOOTLOOSE - Kenny Loggins - soundtrack
ALIVE AND KICKING – Simple Minds
EYE OF THE TIGER - Survivor
BILLIE JEAN (or BEAT IT) – Michael Jackson
WALKING ON SUNSHINE - Katrina and the Waves
COME ON EILEEN - Dexy’s Midnight Runners
RIO - Duran Duran
TAINTED LOVE - Soft Cell
DON’T YOU WANT ME -Human League
WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO – Wham!
IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME - Billy Joel
EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - Police
FAITH– George Michael (R.I.P)
DANCING WITH MYSELF -Billy Idol
MODERN LOVE – David Bowie (R.I.P.)
WHEN DOVES CRY – Prince (R.I.P)
SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE – Thomas Dolby
RED RED WINE- UB40
ONCE IN A LIFETIME - Talking Heads
MONEY FOR NOTHING -Dire Straits
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST -Queen
I’M STILL STANDING -Elton John
HIGHER LOVE - Steve Winwood
SWEET CHILD O’MINE -Guns and Roses
LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER - Bon Jovi
SWEET DREAMS (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics
OWNER OF A LONELY HEART - Yes
WHIP IT - Devo
BLISTER IN THE SUN – Violent Femmes
TEMPTED – Squeeze
MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM – The English Beat
DOWN UNDER - Men at Work
IN A BIG COUNTRY – Big Country
YOU SPIN ME ROUND (Like a record) - Dead or Alive
ENJOY THE SILENCE - Depeche Mode
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD - Tears For Fears
SLEDGEHAMMER - Peter Gabriel
OUR HOUSE – Madness
CRAZY - Seal
LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD- Pat Benatar
RUNNING UP THAT HILL (A Deal with God) – Kate Bush
HOLD ME NOW – Thompson Twins
(closing time):
FRAGILE – Sting
TAKE ME HOME – Phil Collins

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #Selfcare #Selflove #Disability #PTSD #Grief #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #Belief #innerstrength #fortitude #Connection #BipolarDisorder #BipolarDepression #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #TheMighty #TheMightyTakeaway #MightyTogether #MightyMusic #Music #Meditation #DistractMe #mentalhealthwarrior #fighter #warrior #Survivor

Please let's all share our blessings in life that we are thankful for. In
dark and trying times (like right now), I try to always remember the things I am grateful for and remind myself that without any/all of them my life could be much less manageable

I am grateful for:

-Being alive!
-Being able to walk, even if I need mobility devices
-Having a roof over my head
-Having food on the table
-Having great doctors, nurses, my therapist, my shrink, numerous specialists and my clinic - and having the insurance to pay for them - as well as insurance to pay for my many medications!
-Having a strong network of family and friends and always being able to know that I am loved and supported ...and
-Having my relative health - things could always be worse!

What are you thankful for?

Maybe thank someone who you are grateful for and let them know how helpful they are and how much it means to you to have their support. Sometimes people don’t know how much they impact other’s lives!

#Depression #Anxiety #MentalHealth #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #Chronicpainwarrior #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar2Disorder #Bipolar1Disorder #Stigma #BipolarDepression
#ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #ADHD #Autism #Dementia #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #BrainInjury #LossOfAParent #Grief #SuicideSurvivors #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #HIVAIDS #longtermsurvivor #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MightyQuestions #DownSyndrome #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #Deaf #CongestiveHeartFailure #Migraine #COVID19 #PeripheralNeuropathy #LymeDisease #Diabetes #EatingDisorders #Headache #Stroke #help #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Fibromyalgia #thankful #grateful #EatingDisorders #CocaineDependence #drugaddict #PTSD #EmotionalHealth #physicalhealth #PainAcceptance #Acceptance #relief #Happiness #TheMighty #MightyMinute #MightyTogether #DistractMe #MightyTogether #mentalhealthwarrior #RareDisease #ChronicFatigue

This question was posed someplace else on The Mighty and got great answers with insight, reflection and many coming from a place of wanting or needing. I started saying I would want a great healthy and durable body and stable mental health ….but read somebody else’s response and realized if I had magic powers I could make myself cured of my mental health challenges and grant myself a great new body and then do even more… I got to thinking of what else I could do with magic powers…and thought big like I could eradicate all suffering and diseases and create empty hospitals and bored doctors and of course …World Peace and no war and all people would get along and respect each other… but then thought small like I myself would have no financial worries and with my stable health have a great job I can flourish in with my healthy body and mind…and be able to make more of a difference in the world.

What would you do with magic powers? Or what else would you like to have (think big!)

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Disability #PTSD #Selflove #Selfcare #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar2Disorder #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #ADHD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #RareDisease #COVID19 #Migraine #HIVAIDS #longtermsurvivor #Fibromyalgia #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #DistractMe #TheMighty #MightyMinute #MightyTogether #mentalhealthwarrior #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #Cancer #ParkinsonsDisease #EssentialTremors

Thank you for joining us as we support each other with our multiple health challenges! We appreciate you being a part of our community. This group was started with the intention of being a place where members can empathize with each other, find support and offer support to others. We love watching as this has been happening, but we think we can get even stronger! Please consider commenting or responding to other’s posts and responses even more. Even if it’s just a ❤️ or a 👍... or respond with a comment. This really helps us to feel supported and encourages people to post more.

Thank you for joining us on our journey so far and we look forward to getting to know you all better in the future.

Your Multiple Health Challenges Leaders! 💜❤️👍

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Selflove #Selfcare #PTSD #COVID19 #Migraine #ChronicDailyHeadache #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar2Disorder #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #HIVAIDS #longtermsurvivor #RareDisease #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #ADHD #Fibromyalgia #Cancer #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #TheMighty #MightyTogether #MightyMinute #mentalhealthwarrior #Grief #Headache
#RareDisease #Asthma #Suicide #Trauma #DistractMe #CeliacDisease #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #ParkinsonsDisease #Autism #AlzheimersDisease #Dementia #BrainInjury

So, you’ve been through hell and back… and are still here, stronger than ever! You’ve proved to yourself how capable and strong you are and how powerful and strong you can be. You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone else! Just find a way to dig deep and give yourself credit for being a survivor, and find a way to be proud of yourself and know you did more than enough with the cards you were dealt!

You are a survivor, a warrior, you have kept putting one foot ahead of the other and doing the next right thing…that is not easy, not easy at all, and what others think based on what they can see is irrelevant. You should know yourself that you have nothing to prove to them. I hope you can step back and see what you’ve overcome and how strong you are. Please know you have done enough and you don’t owe anyone else an explanation or worry what they may think or say.

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Selflove #Selfcare #PTSD #COVID19 #Migraine #Headache #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar2Disorder #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #HIVAIDS #longtermsurvivor #RareDisease #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #relief #Joy #happy #TheMighty #MightyTogether #MightyMinute #mentalhealthwarrior

I just heard some difficult news. A dear friend who I know has been struggling fighting serious health problems just told me they have a limited time left to live. It has reminded me how precious life is, how beautiful life is, how short lives can be, how fleeting our good health can be and how unfair life can be. As loved ones become ill and their health diminishes those of us close to them can feel helpless and just wish there was something we could do to lessen their pain, to alleviate their suffering, to concoct some sort of magic potion, a panacea to bring them back to good health and lengthen their lives back to that we once thought they had left.

But there is often nothing we can say that will help as much as we would like, despite our wanting to make a difference there is nothing we can do to change things and turn fate around, nothing we can offer to help alleviate their pain and suffering and nothing we can offer their family and friends to help cushion the blow.

As I heard the news of my friend’s declining health I was deeply saddened. They are young and can appear so vibrant and healthy, so strong and spirited …but I have known the truth, known their days were numbered…however I thought they had years to live, instead they just told me it is months, even weeks or days.

I just want to give them a big, deep, comforting, loving hug … but alas, life has them hours away. Life that is so fleeting for them has us separated by space that a hug can’t travel. It's just a virtual hug that I can offer. It’s a lot, but sadly I feel like it’s not enough.

I can only send my love and support through words. Yet I know this can make a difference. I know from first hand experience that thoughts and prayers can travel through a phone call, cyberspace and through intention and belief…but it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It just doesn’t seem fair. It seems like there is a void that cannot be filled.

So I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Those words can seem hollow and often insignificant because they are shared so often that they don’t seem to mean enough anymore… but I will think about them a lot, I will pray for them, I will send my blessings that they don’t suffer, that they are not in pain, that they can enjoy every moment left in their life, that their joy and spirit will give them strength to live their remaining life to its fullest as much as they can.

I will deeply mourn the loss of this friend, I will mourn the loss of a young life cut short, I will mourn someone I will not be able to hug… but I also know that they would want me to celebrate their life, celebrate the joy and exuberance they lived that life with, celebrate all the ways they touched others and made a difference in our lives. I will celebrate them, celebrate life … even if it can be short. I will celebrate their spirit and the memories that cannot be taken away. That part of their life is left with us all …forever!

#MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Selflove #Selfcare #PTSD #COVID19 #Migraine #Headache #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar2Disorder #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #HIVAIDS #longtermsurvivor #RareDisease #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #ADHD #Fibromyalgia #Cancer #IfYouFeelHopeless #Hope #relief #Joy #happy #TheMighty #MightyTogether #MightyMinute #mentalhealthwarrior #Grief #LossOfAParent #LossOfAChild #ChildLoss #Death #Mourning #sad #worry #Fear

I would like to write more about my mental health and being a therapist with mental health issues. #Therapist #endstigma #writer #mentalhealthwarrior

I found this a few days ago ...I really needed to read it and process it ... I love all of them … many share how I try to live my life! The second to last one really rang especially true for me right now - it is a great reminder to be gentle and kind to myself as I accept things as they are …its a hot topic for me right now! I just really beat myself up about it, journaled about it, and talked about it twice to a good friend and my therapist just in the last week.

How I have had pain much worse before during my dark days in the past but currently have friends and family who have it worse than me right now, that I see that and say I should be able to handle this current pain because I’ve survived those times and dealt with that higher level of pain too.

But I have to remind myself that when I did go through those (life threatening) experiences in my past I was totally dependent on others, had no responsibilities, nothing to worry about, my only focus was just staying alive! Now I live alone, lead an active and productive life (mostly) and the current pain still affects me day to day! Bottom line, I have to consistently remind myself it's all relative...And valid! #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #PeripheralNeuropathy #Migraine #VestibularMigraine #BackPain #neckpain #PainManagement #PTSD #Depression #Anxiety #BipolarDisorder #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #MentalHealth #mentalhealthwarrior #MentalHealthHero #Addiction #AddictionRecovery #SOBER #HIVAIDS #happy #resilient #positiveattitude #fighter #overcome