Originally Posted by
liveweyerd 
Me, Too, Katie!
Tale #2
What I have gotten from the AA programs:
Alot of help with my mental illnesses, i.e.,
I have chemical imbalances.
I must take care to treat them everyday or I will relapse.
A decade ago I went with my then ABF to a few AA meetings in
a vain attempt to get him sober. (LOL)
I heard a man say: "I have another drink in me, but I don't know if
I have another recovery in me."
I found that to be a very startling statement and remembered it.
Today it applies perfectly to my dx of major depressive disorder.
It is a lifetime chemical illness, it is progressive.
The last two severe episodes were so bad that I do not want to ever
go there or worse again. I don't know if I could endure it and get back up.
There is no cure. And I can't afford to forget that fact of life.
That said....thanks so much for your post of therapeutic 12 steps, DK!
I am definitely fatally addicted to cigarettes.
The rest of it? I dunno.
But I was prescribed 7/mg day benzos!!!!
And I have almost detoxed myself off them. AMA.
Not that I would recommend AMA...I just need a new Pdoc!
Well, I can definitely relate to a lot of what you post here. I, too, am addicted to cigarettes although taking a pill just to breathe everyday and a steroid inhaler makes me SUPER stupid, I know. I don't know if it's fatal yet, but it sure has reduced my life expectancy. Therefore, even though AA says it's ok to smoke, I disagree vehemently. I could die from an asthma attack. Forget the drinking.
Also, it is true that each clinical depression or what-have-you presents a unique challenge, in that each one seems to get worse. The prognosis ain't all that hot as one ages. The best thing to do is to get on meds, try to stabilize the situation and hope they don't "poop out." For anyone not familiar with this, you can read about it on the Net.
I've done my research and think I know what I'm dealing with. Sounds to me like you've done yours too. What we deal with is very challenging, to say the least.