It's hard. And you're tired. Living with a mood or anxiety disorder can envelop you in bitter cold and darkness. Are you afraid you'll never again be warm, nor see the light of day? Take heart, here are 11 gems of perspective and hope... [pullquote]As much as you hate what’s going on, and it frightens you, it has a purpose. And it’s up to you to find it...[/pullquote]Life is particularly challenging these days, isn't it? Let's see, the winter blues, COVID-19, weather-related disasters, and our personal disappointments and annoyances. I imagine most everyone feels the strain. But for many who are already doing all they can to manage a mood or anxiety disorder, it's crisis time.

You can do it

Perhaps like you, I’ve experienced moments of massive despair. Times when I felt as though I was fragmenting into so many tiny pieces. Worse yet, having no clue as to where the will and strength to move forward would come from. I was on the mat and the count had hit nine. There were days I could barely see through the darkness of derealization, depersonalization, teeth-grinding anxiety, snake’s belly mood, alcohol, and all but lost hope. Well, I've always pulled myself up before the count of 10. And I say it time and again, if I can do it, there’s no reason in the world you can’t. If you think that isn’t true, hit the contact link above and state your case.

11 gems of perspective and hope

[caption id="attachment_35848" align="alignleft" width="245"] is there reason for hope

"Never easy, but always worth it."[/caption] You know, when I present such gems to you, I don't take it lightly. I really do spend a ton of time putting them together. And even when I think I've gotten things just right, I continue to review and edit as needed. And keep in mind, what you're about to read comes from two personal points of view: a decades long manager of my own mood and anxiety disorders and a mental health professional. And I pay just as much heed to what I write as I hope you will. If you're in crisis mode and believe your mood or anxiety disorder has permanently nailed you this time around, here are 11 gems of perspective and hope...

You are a human being, and by design you're not intended to be miserable. You may not be cured, but you'll recover.
Your circumstances have to be the result of specific physical phenomena and life events. You can manage the fallout. Your situation, then, is not hopeless.
Keep moving forward, even if it's an inch at a time.
A brain that's wired differently doesn't equate to anatomical or physiological disasters.
Catch a chuckle or two as often as possible. Even laugh at yourself. After all, some of the things we think and do are pretty funny.
As much as you hate what’s going on, and it frightens you, it has a purpose. And it’s up to you to find it. If you can’t just now, finding it down the road is all the more reason to carry-on.
So many of the things you believe are happening to you are based in catastrophizing.
You were feeling just fine at one point in your life. But things evolve and change for reasons only you can determine and understand. Make it your business to do so.
Don’t long to be the way you used to be. Why search for the living among the dead?
Accept your circumstances, unavoidable suffering, and recovery potential. Be okay with never being symptom-free, always having your defaults and leanings. Don't strive for cessation. Learn to manage them after the fact.
Hope and forward motion may not seem like much to go on; however, at times they may be all you have. Make them count.

Back in the days when I was wide-eyed lost and knew next to nothing about what was going on, I’d have given anything to read those gems.

No doubts

I know it's hard living with a mood or anxiety disorder. And I know you're tired. But if you're in the midst of bitter cold and darkness, don't ever think you'll never emerge. Turn to these 11 gems of perspective and hope whenever you're in need. Always keep in mind that I wrote them because I get it. Don't doubt them. Most of all, don't doubt yourself. Looking for more inspiration? Check-out my eBook, Feelings & Rhymes Through Treacherous Times. More about the mood and anxiety disorders? Peruse the Chipur titles.

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