Holiday Blues

[Psyched]

Greetings everyone!
I have been a member of this board for over a year and this is my first thread ever! I routinely post to them, but I have never started one until now. I wanted to remind everyone about the upcoming holidays and what they mean for some people.
I am NOT a doctor, but I do work in a psych hospital. I wanted to take this time to ask everyone to keep an eye out for their fellow-man (or woman) this holiday season as this is a very stressful time of year for, especially with the added stresses of the economy. If someone you know, even casually, talks to you about suicide or even hints at it...please get involved. If you do nothing more than ask the police to make a courtesy check on someone, please do so if the person has been acting depressed and/or hopeless.
I realize we are not our "brother's keeper" and that our society has put us in the mind set of "looking out for number one", but please do what you can to lend an ear or even spend time this holiday season with someone you feel might be a danger to him/herself. Christmas time is the most likely time for people to take their own lives and often times, it can be prevented.
I personally want to extend an invitation to anyone who needs to talk with someone to post here to me; as I have said, I am no doctor but I have been an orderly in a psych hospital for over 10 years. I'm a great listener and I will do my best not to be judgmental.

Sincerely,
Psyched

[doc.rose]

I agree with you! My best friend committed suicide when she was 20 years old! It happened twenty one years ago! She drove her car off the mountain!! Miss her dearly!! People get lonely and depressed at the holidays. I am so thankful everday that I have a great husband and my in-laws are great too! Not everyone has what I have. I do charity work as much as I can. One thing I do at the holidays is go to nursing homes and just talk to the patients. A lot of them have no family and never have visitors. It is sad to see. No one should ever be alone!

[Anonymous]

Hi Ken
I hope you don't mind me saying this, but we are are brothers keepers or we should be...If I can support you with your thread I would be very greatful...
and it is nice to see you around...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[Robert_325]

Ken ...... Hey buddy! Good idea for a thread. Christmas season is rough for lots of people already suffering from depression when they are alone and things get to where they are totally overwhelming. People alone who have lost their loved ones and things like that have a tough time with lonliness at Christmas time. It's natural. I miss my dad, my brother and others this Christmas, but I'm stable enough where it isn't going to make me suicidal. Some people aren't so fortunate.

This IS the time of the year with the most suicides, armed robberies, burglaries, all kinds of things because people feel so much financial and emotional pressures. Lack of money is serious for someone lacking stability to begin with, add lonliness to that and it's a recipe for disaster.

It's too bad that people have turned Christmas into a financial thing rather than what it was originally meant to celebrate. But it's so easy for it to cause terror for someone who is emotionally imbalanced. Merry Christmas to you my friend. You always post good, relevant information. I appreciate having you on this forum. God bless.

[doc.rose]

Hi Robert!! How have you been? Nice to see you post. I know you have been taking more time for yourself and are very selective in your posting. But I always enjoy reading your posts. You give a lot of useful advice. Have a nice holiday, my friend!!

[newyorkgal]

Psyched,
You are a very very nice person to bring this up. It's a great idea for a thread. People who are lonely always feel it the most at this time of year, because its such a family time. And the economy adds that extra little punch in the face to so many who are hurting financially. Maybe not having as much money will remind people of what the holidays are really about. You have reminded me to be aware of my neighbors, relatives, strangers even. You're a good guy.
NYG

[Robert_325]

Hi Robert!! How have you been? Nice to see you post. I know you have been taking more time for yourself and are very selective in your posting. But I always enjoy reading your posts. You give a lot of useful advice. Have a nice holiday, my friend!!

Thanks for the kind words. This will be Melinda's and my first Christmas together as a family so it's kind of special for us. Her children will be here, I'm baking some goody sweets, it will be a great Christmas for us. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. God bless.

[doc.rose]

Thanks for the kind words. This will be Melinda's and my first Christmas together as a family so it's kind of special for us. Her children will be here, I'm baking some goody sweets, it will be a great Christmas for us. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. God bless.

If you are gonna be baking, you should make Red Velvet Cupcakes!! I posted the recipe on a thread! They are delicious! Great for the holidays!! Have a great Christmas with your loved ones and I can see it will be extra special this year with Melinda in your life! Take care!!

[Psyched]

Thanks everyone, especially Robert and Melinda

I work a lot, especially during the holidays because it helps me not focus on missing someone special. My mom thinks it's a great idea because I focus on helping others instead of giving myself time to feel sad, which in my case would probably lead to drinking again. Melinda, you are correct in that we are our brothers keeper, it's just that society has numbed so many of us into thinking only of ourselves.
Merry Christmas to everyone!!! Happy Birthday to me; Dec. 24 !!!

Let's all keep working hard to make drugs.com the great site it is!