the365new

[the365new]

[the365new]

One Step..

Is the hardest step.. 

It is okay for this to be difficult, 

It is okay that you feel you don’t want to do it.. 

It is okay that your anxiety and depression are telling you you can’t.. 

It is okay that you feel how you do... 

It is okay that you make a change about how you feel.

It is okay that you do not like what this does... 

and most of all 

it is okay for you to take only one step. 

~DM 

#mental health #mental illness #mental health support #anxiety #depression

[the365new]

[the365new]

Madness and The Voice of Reason (Part 2)

Read the first part of this here

Temporary insanity or Non compos mentos is traditionally used in criminal courts per this definition,  The insanity defense, also known as the mental disorder defense, is an affirmative defense by excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not responsible for his or her actions due to an episodic or persistent psychiatric disease at the time of the criminal act. This is contrasted with an excuse of provocation, in which the defendant is responsible, but the responsibility is lessened due to a temporary mental state.[1]:613 It is also contrasted with a finding that a defendant cannot stand trial in a criminal case because a mental disease prevents them from effectively assisting counsel, from a civil finding in trusts and estates where a will is nullified because it was made when a mental disorder prevented a testator from recognizing the natural objects of their bounty, and from involuntary civil commitment to a mental institution, when anyone is found to be gravely disabled or to be a danger to themselves or to others.[1]:613 

The use of this in this story is what is it that drives us into such madness and insanity that our mental facilities are  weakened to a state that we no longer can use what is called sane processing and leads us into moments where our actions are potentially, not what even we ourselves during our most lucid times, call normal. Can we truly be driven mad, so that our normal thought process, leads us into actions that we would normal abhor or resist against and simply push away from our minds as something actionable. The answer, Yes. 

This is why I now say there is no single person that can not be affected by mental illness. We are flexible as human beings however flexible as we are we are also breakable. We get hurt mentally and emotionally just as we do physically. We get hit or we do something such as banging our bodies into something and we feel a physical reaction it may be short lived or it may leave a bruise, Someone hurts our feelings and we get angry, and may react a little or a lot, sometimes it fades quickly and other times it lingers on our minds tongue a bit longer.  The thing to remember is that just as physical pain can be felt, sometimes its damage can not be seen easily. The pain may not be on the surface as much but the internal bleeding or damage is still there festering and if not treated can continue to castigate. 

Our minds are just like our bodies and the damage done may leave something behind that left along leaves seeds of chaos and turmoil that our synapses need to work around, in order to keep us on the path, however sometimes those synapse become tainted and like bad soil, nothing can grow there that is positive for us.  Constant emotional bruising can lead anyone into emotional and actionable behaviors that do not seem "normal" to the outside and if said damage was not there, even the person affected would agree this is not "who they are" 

Now, this is not an excuse for behavior, actions, or events. We must learn to be accountable for all of our actions and events in our lives, but being able to explain the where and why and at least understanding that there are times that we can cross into a place where our judgement, processing and actions may step beyond what we feel is in our control. This is about understanding that our minds are what are in control of our bodies and when there is chaos and a cacophony of voices in our heads that are all reacting to the stimuli that we have received, not all of us are going to be able to sift through the mass of information and neurological firing that we require to settle and remain "stable". When that stability is compromised, when we can not see what "stable" is a sustainable substitute is formed in our minds and this is where we have finally broken. 

I know that point of breaking. Not because I saw it coming, but because I can look back now after years of analysis and consultation. What that moment looks and feels like. I still today, when I try to describe this feeling and sensation, think I never use the proper terms and language as it is such a unique moment in my life. The best descriptor I can even being to use for the moment of temporary insanity is and out of body experience. A place when that sudden snap occurred and I found the logical, rational side of me no longer driving the ship of my mind and body. I was within my own consciousness but several aspects of right and wrong and consequences I was simply unable to process any longer. Outside forces and my own already internal madness had pushed my processing system to a point it was not going to let it stay in control any longer. Soon I found myself watching from afar as my voice of reason had be tossed aside of the voice of madness. Simply, I wanted to watch everything burn was such my state. Was I mad? Yes. Was I insane at the time of several of my life choices and actions? Yes. Am I filled with regret? Yes.  Have I made a choice to learn and develop and understand all that surrounded those moments of my life? Yes. 

Still even today I question the how, why, and where I was led to get to this point. All the stress, emotional abuse, and drama that was laid upon me that I was simply unaware was going on at the time. How could I not see all of that? How did I allow that to occur? What was I thinking all those years and during that time of my life that it was "ok"? How? Because my voice of reason had become tainted and normalized what I was feeling and I had nothing on the outside that was counteracting that. My anxiety and depression had gone on long enough untreated, better yet, DENIED by me as something I can overcome by self awareness, yet I was not aware of the damage that was underneath the surface.

  Mental health issues may be there for all of us, some of us can navigate the seas, calmer then others, Others have constant storms and turmoil they must survive, and others have volcanoes erupt suddenly and all of the calm that once was awash. This is not an excuse. I still today hold myself accountable for my past, my choices, my actions. I still today spend hours dwelling in anxiety, depression surrounding that time in which I was "not me" I spend hours listening to my voice of reason reminding me that a battle line was drawn. I can not change that past, but after my years of therapy, counseling, coaching, and self discovery. I can at least live with me. That includes living with my past, my present, and being able to see a future where those are simply parts of a whole. We are the sum of our parts, all those positive and those negative that we wish were not a part of us. 

~DM

#Temporary Insanity #mental health #self improvement #depression #anxiety #counseling

[the365new]

Part 2 coming today

Madness (A Mental Health Story Part 1)

It has been some time since I have truly given any effort to writing, blogging, etc. The honest truth was my priorities had to change temporarily as well as the Tumblr format and what has gone on with it truly had left the ..”Oh Well” another internet death of a platform.

I have been around since its birth and before to see technology and communication platforms come and go over the years time and time again. Thus I was not shocked to see something once more erupt into a mass use only to see it crushed by corporatization and capitalization. But that is a tangent not for this post.

Thus is was the story that caught my attention, it was the vibrant, cacophony of life that held my focus and and enthralled me and kept me from either indulgences, or distractions however you choose to define them. Now, I find myself at a new place once more and another stage of the journey from suffering to healing. 

To build the stage for you my audience, allow me to paint an illusion for you. 

After many years of life, relationships even a marriage or two, I had thought I had learned enough, knew right from wrong and had many of the skills and talents to get past any adversity in my future. But life has a way of reminding us that we only think we have control. 

I had started once more after another setback in life this time devastating to me emotionally and psychologically to wrangle the insanity of the cosmos and make it yield to my wishes. I was no longer going to be buffeted about by others emotions, drama, or chaos.I was going to be the example of jealousy that all wanted to attain to be the leader that others deserved and much more. And so I had set forth plunging myself headlong into a sectioning of my mind, body and soul. To engrave what will fully become mine, who and what was to come in the future. I tuned out all negative concepts, I focused only upon the goal and getting there. I not only pushed my mental faculties to the utmost, but had also began reforging my body not just to attain the levels of my youth, but surpass them to the point of superhuman endurances and skills. I removed any forms of what were considered weakness and doubt in my daily processes and held myself to the utmost of standards. I was no longer accepting failure of any kind. Time and effort yielded results, Successful, fit, strong, unstoppable and no matter what was being thrown at me then. I almost had it all, prestige, power, respect, a path moving forward that nothing was going to get in my way. I had set forth the path for my future career, I had set forth the foundation for the man I was to be, I had laid down the rules that the universe would yield to me. But I forget about you, my audience.

Seems like what we all want out of life doesn’t it? Confidence that we are in control of our own destiny, the ability to overcome adversity and challenge and not be afraid, the power to decide how you feel and know nothing was going to tear you down. The drive to overcome and be able to not look back but constantly look forward. To have the goal so firmly set and how to get there, that you feel in your core, nothing will stop you this time. And I know also what many of you are saying at this moment, but when we reach a point of breaking, when we are tipped just over the edge. When we are falling so hard that others can see it, and may even be struggling to help stop what they see happening partum. That is what you see even from this tidbit of a portrait. However, I the painter had already begun to descend into madness. And much like a mad god, it was my drive only that mattered, my voice which would resonate above all others, my vision that the universe would be set to my whim and was as I sculpted it daily out of the clay set before me. 

Yes. I had become mad. I had become so blinded by the years of pain, the years of setbacks, the years of abuse and failures that I simply could no longer see any other options than the singular task before me. I could not hear the screams of my eternal soul trapped in the box of denial and obfuscation because I did not want its voice in my head any longer, I would hear the music of others around me but the messages that were in those notes I refused to listen to. 

So my avid reader, Can you sense the palatable drama that is about to unfold? Do you see the tragedy that is about to burst forth and lay waste to our young mans life? I am sure you can, those that are looking from without always can, however, when you are trapped, when you are bewitched by your own mind, when you have caged your most inner persona, and left it to rot. You can see nothing, and the nothing becomes a prison inside. Leaving you to the madness that continues to rage, boil, and churn, all the while under a calm, firm, supportive and charming exterior. 

You can see it. 

I never saw the insanity that was formed around me, and it was unleashed.

~DM

[the365new]

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day.

[the365new]

[the365new]

Madness (A Mental Health Story Part 1)

It has been some time since I have truly given any effort to writing, blogging, etc. The honest truth was my priorities had to change temporarily as well as the Tumblr format and what has gone on with it truly had left the ..”Oh Well” another internet death of a platform.

I have been around since its birth and before to see technology and communication platforms come and go over the years time and time again. Thus I was not shocked to see something once more erupt into a mass use only to see it crushed by corporatization and capitalization. But that is a tangent not for this post.

Thus is was the story that caught my attention, it was the vibrant, cacophony of life that held my focus and and enthralled me and kept me from either indulgences, or distractions however you choose to define them. Now, I find myself at a new place once more and another stage of the journey from suffering to healing. 

To build the stage for you my audience, allow me to paint an illusion for you. 

After many years of life, relationships even a marriage or two, I had thought I had learned enough, knew right from wrong and had many of the skills and talents to get past any adversity in my future. But life has a way of reminding us that we only think we have control. 

I had started once more after another setback in life this time devastating to me emotionally and psychologically to wrangle the insanity of the cosmos and make it yield to my wishes. I was no longer going to be buffeted about by others emotions, drama, or chaos.I was going to be the example of jealousy that all wanted to attain to be the leader that others deserved and much more. And so I had set forth plunging myself headlong into a sectioning of my mind, body and soul. To engrave what will fully become mine, who and what was to come in the future. I tuned out all negative concepts, I focused only upon the goal and getting there. I not only pushed my mental faculties to the utmost, but had also began reforging my body not just to attain the levels of my youth, but surpass them to the point of superhuman endurances and skills. I removed any forms of what were considered weakness and doubt in my daily processes and held myself to the utmost of standards. I was no longer accepting failure of any kind. Time and effort yielded results, Successful, fit, strong, unstoppable and no matter what was being thrown at me then. I almost had it all, prestige, power, respect, a path moving forward that nothing was going to get in my way. I had set forth the path for my future career, I had set forth the foundation for the man I was to be, I had laid down the rules that the universe would yield to me. But I forget about you, my audience.

Seems like what we all want out of life doesn't it? Confidence that we are in control of our own destiny, the ability to overcome adversity and challenge and not be afraid, the power to decide how you feel and know nothing was going to tear you down. The drive to overcome and be able to not look back but constantly look forward. To have the goal so firmly set and how to get there, that you feel in your core, nothing will stop you this time. And I know also what many of you are saying at this moment, but when we reach a point of breaking, when we are tipped just over the edge. When we are falling so hard that others can see it, and may even be struggling to help stop what they see happening partum. That is what you see even from this tidbit of a portrait. However, I the painter had already begun to descend into madness. And much like a mad god, it was my drive only that mattered, my voice which would resonate above all others, my vision that the universe would be set to my whim and was as I sculpted it daily out of the clay set before me. 

Yes. I had become mad. I had become so blinded by the years of pain, the years of setbacks, the years of abuse and failures that I simply could no longer see any other options than the singular task before me. I could not hear the screams of my eternal soul trapped in the box of denial and obfuscation because I did not want its voice in my head any longer, I would hear the music of others around me but the messages that were in those notes I refused to listen to. 

So my avid reader, Can you sense the palatable drama that is about to unfold? Do you see the tragedy that is about to burst forth and lay waste to our young mans life? I am sure you can, those that are looking from without always can, however, when you are trapped, when you are bewitched by your own mind, when you have caged your most inner persona, and left it to rot. You can see nothing, and the nothing becomes a prison inside. Leaving you to the madness that continues to rage, boil, and churn, all the while under a calm, firm, supportive and charming exterior. 

You can see it. 

I never saw the insanity that was formed around me, and it was unleashed.

~DM

#mental health #share your story #mental heath support #insanity #temporary insanity #anxiety #depression

[the365new]

DoubleDrive - Imprint + Lyrics

Talking to several people this morning, each one wanting to know exactly what path to take. Unfortunately each path for each person is different, you can only take the first step and make an Imprint. 

~DM

#positive mental attitude #mental health #music for mental health

[the365new]

So you did not....

Do all the things you were supposed to do, or had planned the other day. 

Now the anxiety and the pressure of trying to fit that into everything you have to do today is just adding to a whole new level of stress. 

Let me help. 

1. STOP what you are doing. 

2. Take 5 minutes to breathe and focus. 

3. Make a list with only three things on it. The TOP three things that must get done no matter what else happens. Got it?? Good. If you have another list put it out of sight. 

4. Start there. Don’t focus on anything but the top three. Once you get that done.

5. STOP What you are doing. 

6. Take five minutes to breathe and focus.....

I think you see where this is going. 

Remember life happens, we can’t stop it, slow it down, or avoid it. So we have to be flexible and learn that our lists will always change, so rearranging three things is much easier than trying to rewrite the universal order of chaos theory. 

#positive thinking #positive mental attitude #mental health support

[the365new]

How to Love and Care for Yourself More

1. Interrupt the denigrating, negative self talk.

2. Don’t beat yourself up when you get something wrong.

3. Give yourself credit for the ways you’ve changed and grown.

4. Say something good about yourself every day.

5. Refuse to fixate on the things that could go wrong.

6. Believe that you are worthy of unconditional love.

[the365new]

Disturbed - A Reason To Fight [Official Live Video]

Simply Reblog

#mental health #addictions #alcohol #mental health support

[the365new]

Making a Difference..

So, yesterday one of my staff I saw was obviously distraught. I know it is part of what I have chosen for all of our clients to make sure they know they are valued and important as people. 

That philosophy should not change for the staff or for anyone at that matter. However I made sure I took a few minutes to talk to my teammate and assure them that even though I don’t need to know everything going on, I knew enough. So taking a few minutes to reassure them that whatever they have going on in their life they can manage. Reassuring them that they are strong and have already come through so much that this next step I believed in them and knew they could achieve the goal they set, even if the goal in their mind was much higher then what was needed.

 Some people ask me “I really can’t do anything..I mean what can I do to make a difference?” 

My reply is this... 5 minutes of your time to be a good person, and to recognize another person and treat them with respect and dignity when they are down and feeling defeated means this.. (the email from them to me this morning) 

and to all of those who are dealing with mental health issues, I say the say thing. You deserve to have dignity and respect when you are feeling that failure feeling, and yes five minutes of someone taking time to listen and encourage, yes we can change the world one person at a time. 

~DM

#mental health #positive mental attitude #mental heath support #humanity #dignity #respect

[the365new]

An Ask Re Mental Health

I live in the USA, it's really hard to find a therapist because my class schedule is so crazy and my insurance is so poor. I have student health care but the campus providers are too busy. No appointments for months. -sad anon

1. I would reach out to your insurance company and ask for a referral to a MH provider. most insurance companies do have a department that will help find IN-NETWORK providers.

2. Reach out to your Campus health services and ask for outside referrals, most schools have colleagues and clinicians that are nearby that they work with and may be accepting new clients.

3. Hit the Google for local searches and make the calls and check the sites. (Tip get a journal and track who you called and when so you can stay on top of it. and know who got back with you in a timely manner.) Ask questions like… Are you  accepting new clients? How soon can appointments be scheduled? Are you an IN-NETWORK provider for Xyz Insurance? Do you offer a sliding scale / student discount for out of network clients?

4. Look into Telehealth  (Google Telemental health ) as well. You know can receive mental health care via telehealth, as long as the provider you see is licenced in the state you live in. Ask your insurance provider for information on providers that may offer that service. There are various companies and providers out there, many that offer lower rates.

Mental Health providers are out there, however they are clinicians, not business people. They were never trained on the how/where/when of practice management and how to get noticed by clients.

You have my support as I deal with these questions every day for clients of ours.. we know the struggle, and you remind me of getting back to some How To’s for people to use.

I hope this can help someone,

#mental health #insurance #health insurance #mental health support

[the365new]

““Far too many people have no idea of what they can do because all they have been told is what they can’t do.””

— Zig Ziglar (via naturaekos)

[the365new]

The Truth About Life …

1. Things never, ever go according to your plan

2. You’ll always meet with unexpected snags and obstacles

3. Not everyone will like you, or want to be your friend

4. We all lose motivation and want to ditch our dreams

5. Success is transitory – the happiness will pass

6. We all get disappointed and let down by our friends

7. But attitude is everything – we choose how to react

8. There’s always something good, if we will only look for it

9. There are those who “play it forward”, and who’re helpful, warm and kind

10. And life is full of chances, new beginnings and fresh starts.

[the365new]

How to Develop Resilience

1. Work on developing a positive self-image, and accepting and loving the person that is “you”.

2. Develop a network of friends whom you can trust – who’ll be there to support you, and give encouragement.

3. Work on developing a positive mind set. Be grateful, optimistic, and focus on success.

4. Believe that you can change things, and make a difference. You’re not a helpless victim; you can take some control.

5. However, don’t waste your energy on things you cannot change. Walk away from toxic people and hopeless situations.

6. Take a long term view of things, and try to maintain your perspective. We all encounter obstacles and challenges in life.