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Things are not as always as they seem.

Part of my recovery as someone who suffers from depression right now is recognizing the mistakes in my thinking process, that can lead me to feeling that things are against me. There are times of clarity when I realize that life is not that bad, and it is my personal training in cognitive behavioural therapy that brings the clarity. As I have learned there are unhelpful thinking habits, that all of us unconsciously practise at times that gives us a distorted view of reality. There are times that we need to check our thinking and I have provided a link to a list of ways we view the world that can lead to great suffering, https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/UnhelpfulThinkingHabitsWithAlternatives.pdf. I have been a client of the Canadian Mental Health Association for quite some time now, and I have found that catching "myself" thinking wrongly can lead to my own personal suffering and the suffering of others.

I am a Christian, but there is something helpful about being mindful of our thoughts and training ourselves to think in ways that at first sight might seem hard to do. There is a great joy at times with disconnecting from things that at first seemed to bring us a sense of happiness, but I am following a path that tells me that if something doesn't work, to try it scientifically. Obviously, if something is not bringing you joy and you want to be free from that thing, or person, or relationship, and to find what works for me in my life may not be as easy as it seems at times. What I mean by trying something scientifically is to never write something or someone off, unless you have proven without a doubt that that thing doesn't work for you. (I am of the belief that we should never write anyone off!) Even that statement that I just made can be tried. Our minds need to be strengthened by the right exercise and foods, and by the right thoughts at times.

Our spirits are connected to our minds, and when our spirits are low or depressed it could be an indication that our minds are unhealthy or not at rest, or that our bodies are not getting the right nutrients or proper exercise and rest. Also when our minds are healthy are bodies can get healthy too. What helps me is that nothing is determined or fixed. What I mean by that is that we can change the way we think, and if we can change the way we think we can change the way we act and the way we feel. CBT is about changing the way we think, which affects the way we feel, which in turn affect the way we act or behave. The mind is a complex thing and I am no expert on it, and I am trying to learn as much about my own mind so that I can help others ease their stress. This is Mike.

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