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Taylor's Blog
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A friend
posted at 10:19 pm on 10-22-2008
"A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails."
Author unknown
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I have AS and a mental illness
posted at 10:17 pm on 10-22-2008
There are many seasons of life
Trees are probably the most visible signs of nature's changing seasons. We see the new buds and blossoms in spring, the full green foliage in Summer, the wide variations of yellows, oranges, reds and browns in Autumn, and finially the bare branches of Winter.
In our lives we experience seasons of change: birth, toddler, childhood adolescence, young adulthood, senior, elder and finially death. Not only do we experience these amny stages in our growth process in life, but we also experience seasons of wellness and illness. For those of us who live with a psychiatric diagnosis (a mental illness) or other mental disorder, seasons of wellness and illness sometimes come in cycles. We experience periods of time when the world is full of possibilities and potential for new growth is exciting. However, we also experience times when it seems as though everything is falling apart, breaking down, and our world is barren.
Seasons in nature come annually. We know what type of weather to expect: sunshine, rain, hail, thunderstorms, hurricanes, blazing heat, cool brisk temperatures, grey skies, cloudy days, cold dry air, snow and ice. Days are bright and full of light in late Spring and Summer, only to be followed by the shortened days when darkness creeps in earlier in the evening.
Seasons of mental illness are very similar.
We know when we are doing well, being productive, taking care of ourselves, contributing to the community at large, following our hopes and dreams and creating the lives we want for ourselves.
We also know when we are entering a season of change...when we are beginning to experience challenges and behaviours that call to our attention and perhaps others' attention, that we are not maintaining our wellness to its fullest. We may have changes in our behaviour like sleeping more or less, eating more or not enough, being hyperactive or not active at all. We may choose to isolate rather than remain in relationship with our social circle. We may need medications, doctor visits or possibly hospitalisation.
There is hope for yet another season of change. A time when we are able to feel better. A time when we have the tools, skills, resources and supports we need to move forward again in our life's journey. We learn from every season. We gain valuable information, and we can use this information to assist us.
WE MOVE FROM LIFE TO LIVING.
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