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A Rest Stop From Depression and Thoughts of Suicide
Depression, Suicide:
Cognitive-Emotional Self-Help
Stephen L. Bernhardt
Volume I
Welcome to the first edition of Have a Heart’s Depression Newsletter. By presenting this self help newsletter I certainly do not want to do more harm than good. As you read through this newsletter, if at any time you do not feel that this is a positive and helpful experience, or if your suicidal thoughts become intense, please seek the help of a professional.
For some of you, the true benefit of this newsletter may well be that the experience helps you identify what areas of your life and your emotions you need to work on during professional therapy.
My intent is not to second guess or circumvent an existing plan of therapy, instead I wish to help those new to depression see that therapy will be beneficial. I also want to help those people for whom the traditional system of help has failed, for whatever reason.
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In the coming months I plan to present a series of articles designed to help depressed people view their depression from a different perspective. My concepts on the cause and the cure of depression rely mostly on my theories of the relationship between the conscious mind and the biological unconscious mind.
Specifically I intend to explain what we might consciously think and do, in order to influence the unconscious to reverse the depressive response. To that end, I am in the process of designing a self-help program which I call COGNITIVE-EMOTIONAL SELF-HELP FOR DEPRESSION. Most of the articles in this newsletter are part of that program.
Theories on why many of us end in this depressed state help us to gain insight and understanding of depression, but there needs to be more. That is why I continue to present exercises which put my theories to practical use, exercises which I have used to control my depression over the years.
If you have not read these articles at Have a Heart’s Home, please do so now as they set the tone for what I am trying to accomplish on the Have a Heart’s Site.
‘Understanding Suicidal Thoughts’
‘Emotional Thought Stopping’
‘Tempering the Mania of Manic Depression’
Special attention should be paid to the exercise on Emotional Thought Stopping as it is the basis for most of my exercises to combat depression. This simple, some may even say simplistic, procedure works. It is not a pop psychology fad or trick, instead it is based on stopping the reinforcement of negative thoughts and emotions. Without reinforcement the unconscious mind will begin to present these negative thoughts and emotions less often and with less intensity.
Although this is a simple procedure, it is extremely difficult to do when we are in the throngs of a major depressive episode or if we suffer from long term (chronic) depression. The rationalization and benefits of Emotional Thought Stopping will be one of the first articles in this newsletter.
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THANKS FROM SACRAMENTO!
I received this e-mail a week ago in response to my offer of this newsletter to past visitors of Have a Heart's Home.
SUBJECT: Stephen-Read this message of thanks!
Bruce wrote,
Stephen:
I hope my subject line caught your attention, as I'm guessing you're getting tons of e-mail these days.
I wish to give you my deepest, sincerest thanks for helping me get a grip on a pathetically ugly depression I had suffered for decades.
Much time has passed -- I'm guessing a year, maybe two or even more -- since I found your Web site in the midst of one of my gray episodes; one in which I couldn't help thinking death would provide welcome relief. Your advice of countering the bastardly voices of self-loathing in my head that constantly and continuously told me I was of no worth with alternate voices that I was more, much more than worthy made a world of difference for me.
I credit you and your site with the fact that I can't recall a single episode in which suicide seemed like an option since I started practicing your technique of shutting those negative voices up.
I'll regret it if I never get to thank you in person, though I doubt I'll ever get that chance. To know I can thank you via this medium will have to suffice.
I hope my message succeeds in bringing a smile to you...it would be a small payment on a very large debt.
With much gratitude,
Bruce
(a lucky bastard with a great life in Sacramento)
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I am not presenting this e-mail in order to feed my ego, yet it is very rewarding to find that the considerable time and money spent on this project bore fruit even back three years ago when I first started. Instead I present this e-mail in order to convince you that Emotional Thought Stopping is a powerful tool when used in the context which I present on my Web Site.
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Some of the articles which I intend to present are:
* Emotional Thought Stopping
* Controlling Emotions
* Problem Solving
* Suicidal Thoughts
* Self Help Exercise
* The Flash of Anger and the Flush of Despair
* Negative vs Positive Thoughts
* Intermittent Therapies
* Chronic Depression
* The Placebo Effect
* The Illusion of Solution
* Conditioned Responses and Addiction
* Automatic Thoughts and Depression
* Cognitive-Emotional Self-help for Depression
* Genetic Influences
* The biological Unconscious Mind
* Misdirected Solutions
* Role of Others in Your Depression
* Role of the Past in Depression
* Undue and Unresolved Stress
* Other Self-help Resources
* Physical Exercise, Nutrition and Depression
* Future Expectations
* The Depressive Response
* The Dark Side of Depression
* Return of the True Self
* Drugs and Depression
* Religion and Depression
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© Stephen L. Bernhardt - 1996-2001
Depression Newsletter A *free* monthly newsletter exploring the relationship between the depressed conscious mind and the addicted unconscious mind. Includes the complete text of my Cognitive-Emotional Self-Help Program.
Please do something to help me, help you.
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I am delighted to see my guest book is being used by people to express their opinions about depression and thoughts of suicide, - check it out.
