Issues of "mental health"

Richard - Richards GuitarsRichard - Richards Guitars Posts: 679Member
edited March 2017 in Forum Announcements
It may not be for everyone but its important for me to raise issues of "mental health" as life time sufferer of anxiety/depression.

I have found that re-educating my thought processes and re-routing how I respond to them has been one of the most overwhelmingly positive developments in my path to a "stable/calm" mind.

I am blessed to have the most wonderful family and support and am the most happy and positive I have been for as long as I can remember.

Many things have contributed to this but without question "mindfulness" has helped me learn more about myself and how to combat anxiety than anything I have ever researched.

So - I want to spread the word - for anyone who may suffer with anxieties in their life I am hoping my experiences can benefit someone out there.

If you want to have a read its here...

http://www.rguitars.co.uk/blogs/the-mindful-guitarist

Comments

  • JockoJocko Posts: 7,107Member, Moderator
    As someone who has recently suffered from depression and who is still in the process of getting my old self back I would urge others to read Richards words.
  • martinsmith99martinsmith99 Posts: 388Member
    It's good to know I'm not the only one who has had problems.

    I'll read the blog.
  • Thanks Jocko. Thats really kind and good of you to put your head above the pulpit so to speak. Its bizarre how something I have come to find is so common in this day and age is so difficult for some to discuss.

    I am always happy to discuss it with anyone whether they be friends, family or customers - and its incredible how often these people have either suffered or have a close family friend or family member who have suffered in a similar fashion.

    I have learnt so many positive techniques which should be taught not only to people who suffer and specific anxiety but should be taught as life skills at school.

    Children are growing up in a very artificial world. Its not a world that the human mind is really capable of dealing with and it is my opinion that it is this that is causing so much mental and physical illness in the Western World. Too much information to process in too little time using technology that has bypassed "natural evolution" - we are getting frazzled!

    Mindfulness enables you to begin thinking more like a human being, like nature had intended you could say.

    Anyway.... With time I hope my blog turns into something with some use to someone.
  • Mark 123Mark 123 Posts: 121Member
    Hi Richard,

    I've been suffering for depression for quite some time now (having once scored an impressive 60 on Goldberg's Depression Test!), and it is a truly debilitating condition. People who don't suffer, or know somebody who does suffer, can be horribly dismissive with their 'pull yourself together' comments.

    To be honest, I find places like this forum quite useful, as they act as a distraction from the things that cause a down-turn.

    I like your description of the way in which the artificial world seems to have more meaning than the real one these days (he says, having just sung the praises of an internet forum!). That's VERY true!

    Thanks for posting your blog. I'll be sure to keep reading.

    Kind Regards,

    Mark.

    PS new guitar turned up today, thanks!
  • Foggy7977Foggy7977 Posts: 24Member
    Another person who battles depression every day. Was one of the reasons that I decided to take up the guitar. It's my therapy.
  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    I highly recommend the work of Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now and the follow up book Practising the Power of Now)

    Freedom may only be moments away for you.

    There is another word for 'happiness' (happiness is confused with many things)

    That word is 'gratitude'. Seek to feel gratitude wherever you might find it - even if that is simply being grateful for breathing. This very moment.

    Some (most) depressions come from regretting the past or worrying about the future. Both past and future are constructs of memory and imagination - both are full of distortions. The only time that truly exists and that is real is now. Now is the only place to live.

    Learning to live in the moment has been my release from anxiety and depression and these books show you how to do it and embed in your psyche all the reasons why you should do it. Fear not that you might be unable to plan. Where else to plan but now ?

    Bless those of you who have commented (and those who dare not)I fully understand the awfulness of being unable to bear living in one's own mind.
  • Mark PMark P Posts: 2,314Member
    Originally Posted By: Richard - Richards Guitars
    Too much information to process in too little time using technology that has bypassed "natural evolution" - we are getting frazzled!

    So very, very true. Frazzled, ratty and at the end of my tether. frown

    Interested to hear more about the mindfulness. Will keep reading your blog - thanks for linking it.

    Originally Posted By: Mark 123
    People who don't suffer, or know somebody who does suffer, can be horribly dismissive with their 'pull yourself together' comments.

    Including some of the medical profession unfortunately.

    Originally Posted By: Foggy7977
    Was one of the reasons that I decided to take up the guitar. It's my therapy.

    Add me to the list of players who find therapy in their guitar. smile Though that wonderful aspect of guitar found me - I didn't look for it. Though at times, unhappily, even the guitar ain't enough.
  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    For emergencies always go to your GP. I would suggest being completely choked up is an emergency. Recognise this.

    Stop Thinking Start Living (Dr Richard Carlson) is also a very good book and is probably better than those I recommended earlier, for those in an unreachable condition. Like a Fender Strat it really cuts through the mix !
  • martinsmith99martinsmith99 Posts: 388Member
    Originally Posted By: Kevin Peat
    Stop Thinking Start Living (Dr Richard Carlson) is also a very good book and is probably better than those I recommended earlier, for those in an unreachable condition. Like a Fender Strat it really cuts through the mix !

    I'm reading one of his books now and recommended it to Richard. It's called, "You Can be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective".

    It's helping my insomnia (by helping my over-active mind to let thoughts go at 2am lol) and a few other things have going on.
  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    ... also How to Stop Worrying (Dale Carnegie)
  • GazeboGazebo Posts: 8Member
    Interesting reading list.

    Looking forward to reading the blog over the coming months (however irregular).
  • Thanks everyone who has contributed to this thread. Of course all forms of anxiety related "illness" are caused by a myriad of reasons but from my personal experiences the methodology I have been studying (much seems linked to Buddhism - don't panic! Its not religious stuff!)has benefits to literally everyone in some form.

    My blog is more about talking, raising awareness, sharing, contributing - getting it out there hopefully in a balanced way that isn't trying to preach anything or fix anyone or appear that I have the answers to everyone's problems but hopefully it may be of interest and worth reading at least.

    Already, just by having the blog and posting a link on here, hopefully we are all getting to know more about each other than we did maybe the day before. We have spent the time to stop, reflect on the topic and to give our views - this in itself has an element of mindfulness and hopefully makes you feel better just by contributing.

    Anyone who feels they want to can reply to each blog post so others can read the views that are raised.
  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    Zen is a good way.

    As it happens the book Zen Guitar is a good antidote to depression for this very reason. It is about living (playing)in the moment.

    How topical !

    There is even a guitarist book which can help to cure depression.
  • GazeboGazebo Posts: 8Member
    Currently reading Stop Thinking, Start Living and finding it very insightful.

    Thanks for the recommendation - it came at a good time for me.
Sign In or Register to comment.