Emotional Pain from Others

What do you do when there's so much emotional pain, triggered by someone else's behavior, that all you do is...

• Feel a depth of sadness that you haven't felt ever, or
• Have pictures in your mind of what relief suicide would bring, or
• Trying to figure out who that one person would be that you could call who won't toss you into the hospital or call the cops on you for fear you're going to harm yourself or someone else, or
• Stare at the Suicide Prevention Hotline number knowing you're tipping too close to the edge, or
• Your text message says, "Crisis Text Line," you've typed, "Hello?" but not pressed "Send", or
• All day long you succumb to tears so deep you don't actually cry but your face is soaked, or
• You wonder why a family member finds you so revolting to even speak to or look at, yet doesn't respect you enough to tell you why, or
• Why you even bother to care in the first place?????????

That was yesterday.

Emotional Pain:

Emotions are running wild
Mad is a proper emotion
One person's opinion isn't the rule
Triggers past issues
Isolating doesn't help me
One person's hurtful behavior
Nasty and disrespectful
Agree to disagree but talk about it
Love from a distance

People are broken like I am
Acceptance but not tolerance or ignorance
I'm not perfect
Now it's time to forgive and let them go


I have to acknowledge that with Bipolar I and Borderline Personality Disorder, plus growing up abused and neglected with a tender heart, I have extreme emotional reactions when it comes to how others treat me.  It's not an excuse - just an extra layer to work through.  I'm working on how to recognize it (which is why my suicide attempts haven't worked).  Especially when I ask people for the truth and they give me, what I think, is a non-truth.

Who am I to judge them and their truth?

Only God judges and knows the whole truth.  My job is to believe what they say.  Just for today, it's to not self-harm, to stay sober, to stay alive, and to eventually talk about it with someone.  God will provide the right person.  Perhaps my therapist, AA sponsor, or another person.  Last night it was scripture listening in Psalm 62.  In any case, my job is to take care of my side of the street and not get tangled up in the web of the other so much so that I lose all perspective and throw in the towel.  Learning how to live in the balance - not in extremes.

I can set boundaries.  I can limit my time around that person.  I can even choose not to be around that person at all.  As long as I have a realistic understanding of the consequences of my actions, I can make healthy decisions for myself.  Every action has a reaction.

One person, including me, has the power to hurt another with their words and actions.

May I be careful in how I treat others and not cause any emotional pain.

May I be quick to forgive and to ask for forgiveness when I do and may you be quick to forgive me.

Thank you.

What I'm Learning Using Self-Care

Self-care is, for me, learning to change self-destructive behaviors into positive self-love behaviors, within God's purpose, the healing of Jesus, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit.

Food is my hardest form of self-harm.  I've lost 54 physical pounds but even more emotional weight.  I'm not done yet.  I still struggle with pulling out my hair from time to time and chewing on the inside of my cheeks.  I've stopped other forms of self-injury for over four years.  I overeat or hurt myself when I'm stuck in a quandary of feelings.  Only by God's grace am I nine years sober.

I'm learning to not "be brave" anymore.  I'm learning how to feel emotions, learning their names, and trying not to tell someone I'm fine when I'm not.  I'm crying, talking while I'm crying, having crying breakdowns and crying in front of my therapist and Bible study friends.  This is good progress and self-care.

With depression, I'm learning the difference between isolation and quiet time.  One is unhealthy; the other is for replenishing.  There are days I'm physically exhausted and can't think.  That's when I've pushed myself too far.  As an introvert, who has multiple mental illnesses, I need to balance my time better and set aside quiet days to do nothing - like rest.

I'm recognizing depression runs in cycles and how important it is to see my therapist more often and tell my psychiatrist so he can adjust my medications or prescribe TMS treatments.  I no longer blame myself for causing it.  It's the brain chemistry getting goofy.  I make sure I've taken my medications and if so, I don't freak out.

I'm reaching out to family and friends for support (especially grief support) and try to let go of the guilt of not being able to give back during these times...to say, "I'm sorry, I can't get together or talk.  I need prayer."  They understand.  They tell me they miss me, they love me, and ask if I need anything.  Love in action.  Blessings each one.

I want to live in God's hope, participate in a few social gatherings a month, take care of my pets, and live in the identity God gave me. 

I can't do that without proper self-care.  Self-care requires change.  That's where it begins. 
A willingness to change.  With God guiding - not me!

Winter Depression

In the northwest suburbs of Chicago, gray skies and the cold chill in the air are signs that winter has arrived.  Even the first big snowfall that has already melted reminds me that we've only just begun the season of shoveling, tossing ice melt and warming up our cars. 

Then there are snowplows clearing streets, parking lots and driveways all hours of the day and night spreading salt and people firing up their snowblowers (I wish more would help their neighbors). 

Kids bundled up sledding down hills, building snow characters and forts, and snowballs flying through the air.  Parents pulling saucers or wagons with little ones holding on or a dog or two enjoying a ride!

Snowmobiles.  Ice fishing.  Ice hockey.  Ice skating.  Chewing on icicles.  Don't eat yellow snow.  Walking on the frozen river.  Some good memories of my childhood.

Even with all of these activities happening all around us, especially the celebrated arrival of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, many of us feel depressed.  Our reason for winter depression is as different as there are people yet we all feel the same.  None of us is alone in our depression.

The lie we believe?
"I am alone."  No, you're not!

The truth:
"God loves you.  He sees you.  He hears you when you call out to him.  He collects every tear you shed.  He wants to have a personal relationship with you and you with him."

Winter Depression is hard and it's harder without a care team.  Seek help from a psychiatrist, a therapist, or ask your doctor.

Use my links on the right to get started with NAMI and The Mighty.

Bipolar Depression

Bipolar depression is a thief that steals joy, basic function and all desires of being able to feel better.

It creeps up on you like a thief in the night and robs you of happiness, freedom to live a full life and be able to do tasks that can set your mind free and at ease.

It captures your head in a vice. 
It doesn't squeeze but you can feel your head heavy.
Thoughts are non-existent.
Feelings?  Swing from anger to frustration then to denial and back again.

There's no mania.
Nothing to rescue you from the cold darkness inside.
I try to sleep but I can't.
I hear myself cry out in the night.

Bipolar depression.
Pain locked up inside with no way to escape.
No one to talk to.
My therapist is out for the day. 

I talk to my doctor via my portal.
She's compassionate.
I feel......warmth.
Then I'm dead.

I close my eyes.
I'm tired.
I can't sleep.
I'm bipolar depression.

The End

How I Survive Suicidal Thoughts

My story out of the darkness.

"My name is Amy.  I am twelve years old and I can't stop him from hurting me.  I have nowhere to go.  Nowhere is safe.  I live in a family but I am alone."

That was my first suicide attempt almost forty years ago.  It failed.  I woke up and cleaned our house as if nothing had happened.  I went back to living with an overly abusive dad, feeling scared and alone, hoping someone would hear my silent cries for help.

Two years later, my mom did.

Even though I've had years of extensive recovery, including a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one thing that remains a constant battle is suicidal thoughts.  They are intrusive and at times very intense.  No amount of prayer has lessened the frequency of intrusion.

But that's not the end.

I have learned one life saving truth:  My suicidal thoughts are triggered by several factors and experiences.  I have to be and I do mean HAVE TO BE gut level raw honest with myself AS SOON AS THOSE THOUGHTS START.  Honest about what and what do I do?

Below are the five basic things I do to keep myself alive:

1.  What am I feeling?  For me, feeling suicidal is not a feeling.  It's a response to how I'm REALLY feeling.  The suicidal thoughts are the ugly monster that is holding me hostage.  I'm usually feeling depressed, hopeless, scared (most of the time), overwhelmed, alone, not understood, misunderstood, a freak, unlovable, angry, like my mental illness is winning and my chronic pain hurts hurts hurts.

2.  I stop dwelling on the suicidal thoughts.  If you feed the monster the monster will grow.  Now that I've identified the real feeling, even if I'm still feeling a bit shaky, I can move forward just a little bit.  I don't try to work on the feeling too much.  Maybe some drawing but definitely time with my therapist and a friend.

3.  I change my posture.  I don't have suicidal thoughts when I'm standing and moving around.  I have them when I'm laying down or sitting in deep thought.  If I'm having a bad chronic pain day, I try to shift my posture even if it's for only a few minutes.  The goal is to break the thought pattern with body movement.

4.  I redirect myself.  Just this past week I was triggered and couldn't identify what I was feeling.  It wasn't until a few days later when I realized how sad I felt at the momentum suicide is gaining and the lives the monster is enveloping.  When I met with my therapist and told her about my struggle, I cried.  Then I  told her about a goal I made which redirected those thoughts into something positive.  I felt proud of myself.

5.  I remind myself that help is available and these thoughts are just thoughts.  They cannot harm me.  It feels like they can at the time they're happening but that's the LIE the monster tells.  It's not true!

I hope this gives you some usable ideas and helps you on your journey toward healing and wholeness!

If you can't shake those suicidal thoughts on your own and want to talk to someone 24/7 please dial 800-273-8255.

God loves you.  He hasn't abandoned you or forgotten about you.  In fact, he created you for a very special purpose!  Please stay and find out what that is.