The Campaign Against Depression

Quote from Richard Handler, February 20 2012

“Most of us don’t identify in any real way with a cancerous tumour, should it take hold. But we do identify, intensely, with our minds, as representing something about the content of our character.

If our moods have grown poisonous, malignant, we can’t help taking it personally.

Just ask yourself if you can separate the personality of a depressed or highly anxious individual suffering from a mood disorder from the sense you have of that person.

It might be unfair. But a person’s mood disorder is often seen as an intrinsic part of him or her.

In many cases, the only way you can admit to having a mood disorder or a mental illness is to proclaim that you have recovered from it, or that it is so well managed that it’s really not crippling.

This happens, most tellingly, at the very heart of the psychological and psychiatric establishment.

Worthy mental health institutions, like the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, enlist athletes and entertainers to announce that they, or a close family member, suffer from mood disorders.

But would the good doctors and administrators themselves admit to suffering from depression? I think that is highly unlikely.”

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/02/20/f-vp-handler.html

Borderline Personality Workbook: Session 3 Part 10- Activities Part 2

The symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder usually fall under the following headings.

(Please note that you may not have all of the symptoms):

 MOOD SWINGS

Please say YES or NO

I often feel anxious NO

I often feel low in my mood NO

I go through cycles of anger and then calm YES

1.      Have you experienced any other feelings that have affected your mood?

I don’t really understand the question. Um….when I feel that I’m not being treated fairly, when I get scared or when something happens differently than I had planned or thought would happen it affects my mood, so being let down

2.      If someone gave you a gift right now list all the emotions you think you would feel?

Flattered, happy, guilty because I can’t afford to get them a present, exicted, possibly still angry because I am currently but it wouldn’t interfere with my happiness towards that person for giving me a gift.

3.      List all the interpretation or understanding that you might have as to why this person gave you the gift?

This person must like me as a friend/partner/person, it was great that they thought of me.

4.      Describe how your mood might be after experiencing these emotions?

It would most likely greatly affect my mood. I’m tense all the time anyways but if I was extra tense it would most likely have alleviated that.

Next: Session 3 Activities Part 3