Apathy....

[DOGMAN]

Originally Posted by AVENGED

I Spent A Year Out Of Work. I Had Family For Support. But I Still Had To Ask For Help, And I'm A Very Prideful Person. But In The Situation The Whole Nation Is In Thers No Shame At All Asking For Help. Even The Most Money Stockpiled People Are Feeling The Length Of The Economy Storm. The Goverment Will Help Pull Us Out Of This. But Its The People Who Will Help Each Other Through This Storm.

I can relate to this. I went from having busy enterprises with great cash flow, and in alot of ways was living the dream...

Now, this year I have had to ask my parents for some help to keep the dream alive. And at approaching 40 years old, and being known as a really independent and self-reliant guy, it was hard to swallow the pride and ask for help. I realize however, that I am extremly lucky and if it wasn't for my family-I too, would have been in complete ruin.

I look at this all though, as learning experiences...I am smarter, tougher and more solid now, and after having my weaknesses exposed, I have had to shape things up- to get rid of those weaknesses.

[Sourdough]

If my fears are valid, this has just started. I fear we are in for eight to twelve years (Maybe twenty years) of negative economic adjustment. This will not start to get over till many years after the President tells the Nation the truth about the honest state of the world economy, and the awesome damage that has been done by Derivatives, greed, and pathetic government oversight of the nations financial system.

[Rick]

That was incredibly helpful given the OP.

[hoosierarcher]

Well I was starting to pull myself up by my boot straps from all the positive re-enforcements and then Sourdough went and stuck a pin in my baloon.

[Sourdough]

Originally Posted by Rick

That was incredibly helpful given the OP.

Sorry, But telling people the recession is over, blue skies are coming, we will have full employment next month......to me that does not help. When your lost in the wilderness, the first step is to tell the truth. There are Millions more American's who think they are safe, and they are not safe.

[BENESSE]

Originally Posted by Sourdough

Sorry, But telling people the recession is over, blue skies are coming, we will have full employment next month......to me that does not help. When your lost in the wilderness, the first step is to tell the truth. There are Millions more American's who think they are safe, and they are not safe.

Thanks!
If you hadn't told us how it really was, we'd be all still dancing in the street,
with ne'er a care in the world.

No one was saying anything of the sort you've brought up.
And IMPO when you're lost in the woods, the first step is not tell the truth,
but keep a positive attitude while trying to get your s out of there.

There's a whole thread on keeping a positive attitude (Sarge?) if you want to take a peek.

[DOGMAN]

Actually, i think what Sourdough said, needs to be heard. As I said, in my little confessional,

"I look at this all though, as learning experiences...I am smarter, tougher and more solid now, and after having my weaknesses exposed, I have had to shape things up- to get rid of those weaknesses"

Things might not get better, for the economy or the nation in general for a long time. BUT, that doesn't mean we can't make things better for ourselves. My weaknesses where spending too much, and not saving enough...and believing that more money would be coming in tomorrow, as it had my entire adult life.

This current economic situation has made be evaluate everything- my lifestyle, my spending habits, etc... and its making become what I really want to be- SELF- RELIANT. I am done with living on credit, and not living to the bone...this recession has forced my to be- who I want to be. The days of being an over-fed and under challenged American are over....and that's a wonderful thing.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Originally Posted by Jason_Montana

Actually, i think what Sourdough said, needs to be heard. As I said, in my little confessional,

"I look at this all though, as learning experiences...I am smarter, tougher and more solid now, and after having my weaknesses exposed, I have had to shape things up- to get rid of those weaknesses"

Things might not get better, for the economy or the nation in general for a long time. BUT, that doesn't mean we can't make things better for ourselves. My weaknesses where spending too much, and not saving enough...and believing that more money would be coming in tomorrow, as it had my entire adult life.

This current economic situation has made be evaluate everything- my lifestyle, my spending habits, etc... and its making become what I really want to be- SELF- RELIANT. I am done with living on credit, and not living to the bone...this recession has forced my to be- who I want to be. The days of being an over-fed and under challenged American are over....and that's a wonderful thing.

Well spoken Jason! I think what hope is saying is you can't just stick your head in the sand and hope it all goes away. You have to do something to adjust and to do that first you have to admit the problem. My earlier post reminds that everything always works out but it isn't because you ignored the problem. You have to face it head on!

[Sourdough]

Originally Posted by BENESSE

Thanks!
If you hadn't told us how it really was, we'd be all still dancing in the street,
with ne'er a care in the world.

No one was saying anything of the sort you've brought up.
And IMPO when you're lost in the woods, the first step is not tell the truth,
but keep a positive attitude while trying to get your s out of there.

There's a whole thread on keeping a positive attitude (Sarge?) if you want to take a peek.

Well, I am fairly sure I have spent more time lost in the woods then you have. And the first thing is stop kidding your self, that if you keep going the way your going it will work out lovely. NO....I say stop, tell the truth, "I AM LOST".......Inventory your tools, Develops a plan, take action. But, you know way more about it than me.....so you live life your way, and I'll live life my way.........

[Rick]

I don't think you toss a rock to someone struggling to stay afloat. A hand works much better in my opinion.

HA - I think you have a couple of decent offers on here if you're interested. By all means, take advantage of any/all that are of interest but please do seek out some help for the depression. We go to the doctor for strep throat or pneumonia. Depression is just another illness that is best served with professional, medical help.

[Rick]

What the hell does being lost in the woods have to do with depression? It's no where near the same. I suppose if someone had a gun to their head you would stand there and tell them all the bad things that are going on? You could probably stop right after they pull the trigger. You don't paint it black with depression. You attempt to paint it as white as possible. They already see the black. That's often all they see.

[Nativedude]

Hoosierarcher wrote: "Apathy. . .is trying to grab hold of me. The inability to find work, the state of the economy, the continued grab for power in Washington and thus that loss of our individual Liberty all are causing a feeling of ,"Why bother?" in me. I gave a good share of my stock piled can goods to Family Aid Charity. I've had to sell a lot of my survival/camping/hunting gear that I had. All of which had already been deminished from the loss of EVERYTHING on my so called secure storage facility. My disabled car and the inability to raise enough money to get it repaired, insured and licensed ,aka get it back on the road, prevents me from seeking greener pastures elsewhere or even have the recreation and restorative activity of going hunting. All of this conspires to make me wonder, "what's the point?"
I've been fighting depression for over 10 years and I've been pretty good at holding it at bay. Here lately however circumstances have given that mindset a firmer foundation from which to launch it's attacks on me. I'm real close to being homeless again and Winter is just around the corner. I did a voluntary homeless stint two years ago to see if I had enough know how to pull it off. I basically did the hermit in the woods bit. A two hour walk from a small town, I wasn't near other homeless and didn't have to deal with that part of the equation. Oh and I had both my car and a place to live set up if I couldn't hack it. I didn't test myself through a Winter, taking advantage of my safety net around Veteran's Day when the night time temps were getting cold enough to kill.
I guess I just need both some cheering up and a kick in my....complacency."

Hoosier,

The point is, no matter how bad things look it could be worse! You could have a long term and painful terminal illness, or be missing a limb, or not able to hear, or see, or any number of other things. I'm not trying to drag you down, I'm trying to get you to see the light my friend!

As for those bureaucratic Washington idiots. WHO GIVES A S**T WHAT THEY DO! I don't live my life worrying about what some scrawny half-cocked liberal moron is doing or those around him. I'm living for me. For what I want to do and enjoy in my life. I could care less what the other guy is doing!

Home is where the heart is. It is not defined by having 4 walls and roof over your head. A home is where ever you make it. I haven't owned a vehicle for 9 years. It is absolute freedom not to have to worry about putting gas in it, repairing (or paying for repairs) for it, insurance or license plates for it. It was, and is, a huge sense of freedom being without it.

Human power (our 2 legs) are most adequate for travel, just about where ever we want to go. I have lived off self-powered travel for years now. Whether it be by walking or canoe (paddling).

There has to be some sort of day labor work around you? Or, how about woodworking, crafting, etc. to earn some money?

If you're not up to living the nomadic lifestyle what about friends or family that can house you temporarily?

There's ALWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel my firend, no matter how dim it may look, it will get brighter!!

[Sourdough]

It has everything to do with being lost, it is the exact same thing. You see what options you have, and take action. The worst thing is NO Action. And My point was not to depress HA, but to point out the gravity of the situation. HA has done the right thing, in coming here and stating, not for us, but to state publicly and clearly for himself, the gravity of the situation. Hoosier Archer my point is that there are millions others in the same boat, and anyone smugly watching the boat and thinking that it is Not "THEIR" Problem, needs to be aware that we may each be next into the boat.

[TucsonMax]

Hoosierarcher:
You live in the most prosperous, safest and best country in the world. Stop watching the news, turn-off your TV and radio, stop worrying about domestic and worldwide events and concentrate on yourself. Stop all of this talk/thinking of homelessness and dispair. Think about it, you could be living in Chad or Nigeria or Burma or North Korea. Those poor people are the truly desperate.

The opportunities are everywhere... you just have to go out and grab them. You were a Restaurant Manager, so you know how to do that, plus wait on tables, bus and clean-up. You can do that, probably with your eyes closed. I don't know how close you are to this, but the Evansville Courier & Press lists lots of jobs in it's classified section: http://www.courierpress.com/classifieds/

Search on Yahoo Hot Jobs under Restaurant Evansville turns-up 26 jobs:
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/job-search;...2&industry=RFS

Now, I know you don't want to do Mystery Shopping or Get Paid to Take Surveys, but according this this: Rally's, Dennys, Firedome Pizza & Wings, Ginny's place, Pizza Hut all need MANAGERS and Applebee's, Army National Guard, Pizza King, plus a bunch of others need other restaurant help. What are you waiting for? Go get um!

Even UPS Evansville is advertising, they need Driver's Helpers... YOU COULD DO THAT. All you do is sort by zip code and when the driver stops the truck, you run the package to the front door. The pay is good and UPS is a supurb company that if you work hard, you will be rewarded with good pay and benefits. And UPS likes to keep good people working for the company, forever! Plenty of their drivers and sorters work there for decades.

Don't think of these jobs as you future, (though if you hussle at Dennys you really can make good money) think of them simply as something to do now, to earn an income and get back on track, until something else better comes along... and it will! But you have to go out and get it.

Benesse is right, you do NEED a schedule. A reason to get up and get out and work and be productive... get you mind on taking care of your head and body, reject ALL negativity you hear and see. You can do it, so many others have, the only thing stopping you is you.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I have dealt with depression both personally and with a loved one. IMO it takes a bit of tough love, medication may resolve things short term but I can't see where it fixes anything long term.

[Rick]

As have I. I couldn't disagree more.

[BENESSE]

Originally Posted by Sourdough

But, you know way more about it than me.....so you live life your way, and I'll live life my way.........

Well no reason to pout about it, Sourdough!
I know you've spent more time in the wilderness, but I've spent more time
in the urban jungle. Seems like we both survived OK and have something to contribute.
I know we all mean well for our forum buddy HA even though we come
at it from different sides.
And you and I don't really disagree when it's all said and done.

[Rick]

"Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. Depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out of." Depression, formally called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. It affects how you think and behave and can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may not be able to go about your usual daily activities, and depression may make you feel as if life just isn't worth living anymore.

Most health professionals today consider depression a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. Although some people experience only one episode of depression, most have repeated episodes of depression symptoms throughout their life.

Effective diagnosis and treatment can help reduce even severe depression symptoms. And with effective treatment, most people with depression feel better, often within weeks, and can return to the daily activities they previously enjoyed.

It's not known specifically what causes depression. As with many mental illnesses, it's thought that a variety of biochemical, genetic and environmental factors may cause depression:

• Biochemical. Some evidence from high-tech imaging studies indicates that people with depression have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain but may eventually help pinpoint causes. The naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are linked to mood, also may play a role in depression. Hormonal imbalances also could be a culprit.
• Genes. Some studies show that depression is more common in people whose biological family members also have the condition. Researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing depression.
• Environment. Environment is also thought to play a causal role in some way. Environmental causes are situations in your life that are difficult to cope with, such as the loss of a loved one, financial problems and high stress.

Numerous treatments for depression are available. Standard depression treatment options include:

• Medications
• Psychotherapy
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Emerging treatments for depression include:

• Brain stimulation
• Complementary and alternative treatments

In some cases, your primary care doctor can treat your depression. In other cases, you may benefit from treatment with a qualified mental health provider, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker.
Try to be an active participant in your depression treatment. Working together, you and your doctor or therapist can decide which treatment options may be best for your situation, depending on your symptoms and their severity, your personal preferences, insurance coverage, affordability, treatment side effects and other factors. In some cases, though, depression is so severe that a doctor, loved one or guardian may need to guide your care until you're well enough to participate in decision making."


http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175

[hoosierarcher]

My depression is more than a "dang, my life sucks!" teenage angst. I know it's not genetic in my case because I'm the only one in my extended family I know of having it.
I have had insomnia since I got out of the Corps. Partly because of some things that happened while in, mostly because I didn't have the regimented lifestyle anymore. The late night study sessions for college and the working two jobs(because The Corps no longer paid) while going to college full time. Part of my insomnia is probably genetic as my mother suffered from it as well. I have studied insomnia to the point that I know more about it then most doctors. I haven't had the drive to do what is nessacary to beat it of late. I've been running on 1 -2 hours of sleep or less a night. You see when the quiet dark surrounds me the self recriminations fill my mind. I have a genius IQ. I'm college educated. I'm a chef with 30 years experience not just that I'm actually a good cook and creative in the kitchen and have worked in 700 dinners a night restaurants. I'm a published poet and short story author. I've got skills in management and logistics. It is just hard to fight the shadows off and stay enthused after placing over 1000 resumes in person and online in 6 months without a single reply.
I'd take that Survival show host gig if I wasn't so danged unphotogenic(aka fugly).
Can you tell just getting all this off my chest has made me feel a bit better?

[Sourdough]

Originally Posted by hoosierarcher

Can you tell just getting all this off my chest has made me feel a bit better?

Yes.......and your going to be fine. I'll bet with your skill-set you could have five jobs with-in 24 hours in Anchorage, Alaska. Hell you could always split firewood for me, don't pay very well, but you will sleep goooder.