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hey Nancy. Checking in on ya and interested in knowing how everything's going with you now that you've given up wine for Lent. Would love an update when you get a minute...

I gave up wine for Lent. For me, this is big. I am definitely one who uses wine to self medicate...to relieve the pain of my arthritic back at the end of the day to escaping the pain of depression (which only makes it worst!). I've been a week with out vino and I feel great!

12 Divorce Depression Busters from one of my favorite bloggers, Therese Borchard: http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Emotional-Health/Depression/12-Depression-Busters-for-Divorce.aspx

I wholly believe in having therapeutic animals! I have 4! lol My dogs, cat and iguana have been such blessings! They give me love, laughter and lots of joy. At the same time, I get to love and nurture them. They are there to comfort when I'm sad, bring me out of anger and also to share in my joy. They all get along too, surprisingly. They represent that peace and harmony can really exist. Sometimes I think they are lil four-legged angels!
Nancy, I hope you enjoy your lil furry friend!

Well, I found a great source of "smiles and laughter"! We just got a puppy! She's a 13 week old, black miniature schnauzer pup, named Liesl. We've had her for 2 weeks. She keeps me really busy with housebreaking and playing and had lifted my mood like no Happy Light has!! I've always had a dog, my whole life. The year of my TBI was also the year of our last dog (2004)...she was a 15 yr.old Shepherd mix that had to be put down. I've longed for a dog ever since but with the physical limitations of arthritis and the horrible clinical depression brought on by the TBI, I wasn't ready. UNTIL NOW! My meds are doing well for the most part. I have some bad days and a lot of anxiety still but the good days outweigh the bad and my puppy brings a smile to my face. JOY still eludes me, but it feels good to smile! And, my puppy thinks I'm the best thing in her life!!!

I hear ya, Nancy! I hate the emptiness depression leaves. The worst for me is feeling empty when I have something going on that normally brings me joy. Going day to day without joy is rough to. My depression is medically managed at the moment and I am actually working on finding more joy. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Is ther a group for bipolar diagnosed specificly?

Is anyone else out there having a hard time knowing "joy"? This is a problem year round, every day, for me. I think it's the most painful part of severe clinical depression.

I have struggled with severe clinical depression for 5 years as the result of a TBI suffered in a car crash. Right now, it is playing tricks with my head...

I have suffered from depression for at least 17 years since my first child was born. She was a high need baby and child and I don't think I ever recovered from the stress of her infancy, babyhood, childhood and now that she is more independent and will go away to college in the Fall all of a sudden I feel lost without having to work out something with her or for her. I have another child, a boy, who is very easy. My depression is not called "severe" because I have never become non-functional with it but living with it everyday seems pretty severe. I drag myself through life. Meds don't help. I have much to be thankful for but it is hard to feel truly thankful because my feelings are generally so low. I call myself Happy Girl on this website because I believe someday I will be happy although I don't know when or how.

Just joined! I have started a new non-profit that provides support to women with pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders. You can visit and join our Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heads-Up-Spartanburg/205188154179?ref=ts or our web page at www.headsupspartanburg.org I hope to share lots of information here, and I have already share Therese Borchard's video about getting through the holidays with depression on our fan page!

We're in the process of finishing up the content for next week's topic: Depression During the Holidays. We will be featuring Therese Borchard, a blogger, author and diagnosed depressive.
Please be sure to check us out on Monday and share your thoughts, stories and advice on ShareWIK.com.