Tag Archives: Addiction

A Challenging few Weeks w/New & Refreshed Lessons Learned Along the Way

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Caturday Saturday. It has been quite a couple of weeks of being challenging for me for various reasons and many of them I have had to deal with some eighth deaths in a matter of a two week period. Some of the folks I have never met but really admired in the animal welfare community especially locally here in the Seattle area who touched the life of many humans and cats. Sadly this person took her own life and wish I would have been given to meet her in person. She will be greatly missed especially in the animal welfare community.

On the continuation of discussing death. I can’t really discuss much about it due to HiPAA law but many of the client I work with overdose on drugs and alcohol. Sadly some pass away to drug and/or alcohol overdoses and It is challenging to deal with. Thankfully I have the support of my colleagues with this especially when people have been trying to get off drugs so they don’t have to have a stigma with an addiction.

Dealing with so many deaths is the last couple of weeks I have been reaching out to my support system such as my friends, family and my colleagues as well as my therapist. I am just beyond grateful that I have supportive people in my life to be there for me. Not many people have a good support system and I have a great support system.

Now on to what I do to help with my self care. One way I do self care is due at least two mindful meditations daily; once in the morning and another one before bed time. I am also trying to put in third mindful mediation in the middle of a work day to help me refocus during work. Another way I have been doing self care is spending time with my cat as well as walking two times a day; once in the morning and once the evening. Of course another self care act is going to volunteer at PAWS Cat City a least once a week. Of course working at my job helps as well. I have been reading a lot of books that I find helpful to help with my recovery journey. I also have been doing some art work and hope to show sometime soon.

As this post comes to an end just know there is always hope along the way. I want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you reading and/or following my blog, I most likely would be continuing to writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out World!!!!

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Everyday Inspiration, Day 1; I Write Because….

Posted on by Gertie

There are many reasons why I write. As far as the reasons I write my blog, let go back to why I started to blog and continue to do so. I started this blog for two main reasons. The first reason is to give hope to those who have not yet made the choice to be in recovery or struggling in their recovery and to remind people who are in recovery that they are not alone as I am in recovery. The second reason why I write this blog is to show those people people who do not have a mental health diagnosis and/or addiction that folks who do struggle with such issues can and do live productive lives however it looks to that individual.

There is a third and very unexpected reason why I blog. When I started writing it was to help other know that they are not alone and let people who don’t struggle that we are just like everyone else. Little did I know that blogging would help with my own recovery and I am so grateful for that.

Now you all know why I write my blog. I hope you continue you to read my blog.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 1: I Write Because…

Posted on by Gertie

I write in many forms for many reasons. But today, I will be writing about why I write my blog. I originally started my blog to help educate those who don’t struggle with a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorders (addiction) that we can live productive lives just like those who don’t struggle with those issues. I also started blogging to give hope to those who are still struggling with mental health symptoms and/or addiction that recovery is possible.

Little did I know that when I started my blog that it would end up helping me with my own recovery and became a form of both self care and self help. I am grateful for this unexpected surprise of blogging is helping me with my recovery; both the ups and the downs.

As you can tell, I write my blog to help others as well as myself. Most importantly, I write my blog in hopes to lessen the stigma by educating those with out mental health or addiction issues that we can be productive members of society.

Just a Random Middle of the Night Post

Posted on by Gertie

Good Middle of the night, World!!!!. I have not been able to sleep for various reason which includes insomnia and depression. Honestly, I think I could have some dependence on Ativan. I don’t want to have a dependence of Ativan because I don’t need any more issues than I already have.

I did email my doctor just in case because I don’t want another issue on top of other issues I already have. I know I may be a bit paranoid but I rather ge on the cautious side.

I do not have much more to say about this particular blog post. I do want to thankyou for reading my blog. I hope you have a great night. Peace Out. World!!!

Intro to Poetry; Day 4: Journey

Posted on by Gertie

Untitled Poem

by Gertie

Life is meant to be a journey;

a journey that is meant to be full of

love and support.

Love and support many people

sadly don’t have.

Some don’t have the

love and support

due to mental health and/or addiction.

That’s where peers come

in;

to give hope

as well as love and support.

Peer Support is key to

ones journey to

recovery.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 12: Critique a Piece of Work

Posted on by Gertie

Today, we are suppose to critique a piece of work which can be artwork, music or writing. It is hard to critique other people work as most of the time other peoples work is better than mine. I critique my own artwork, music and writing all the time. Sadly, the critique becomes self judgement so I try not to critique my own work.

So instead of critiquing, I am going to go on rant. A rant about how people in recovery get stigmatized all the fucking time. People who are in recovery from addiction and/or mental health challenges get stigmatize so much that some people choose to not share their struggles and sadly pass away from their addiction or die by suicide. People can live in long term recovery from addiction as well as mental health challenges. I just wish we weren’t judges so harshly for something that is not are fault. So, before you judge someone due to an addiction and/or mental health challenge think of how you would feel if it was you being judged.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 1: I Write Because…

Posted on by Gertie

I write for various reasons. Take this my blog for example. I blog to educate those who don’t have lived experience with a mental health challenge and/or substance use disorder in hopes to end the stigma that is associated with mental health and substance use. I also blog to give other people hope in their recovery. I may not have a substance use disorder but I hope that my recovery with mental health, self-harm and eating disorders can be of inspiration to those who struggle with substance use disorders. Another reason I blog and didn’t realize this till about three years after starting my blog is that it helps with my own mental health.

So, I guess, the reason I blog in hopes that with me sharing my journey that it will lessen the stigma of mental health challenges and substances use disorders as well as give others who struggle some form of hope. Being in recovery is not easy but it is well worth it. I just hope my blog can help lessen the stigma of mental health challenges and substance use disorders as well as give others hope. Thank you for listening.

Intro to Poetry; Day 4: Journey

Posted on by Gertie

Untitled Poem

by Gertie

Walking along side someone,

on the path to recovery

is very much like hiking

with a friend.

It’s just this friend is

someone you help guide

through the life of recovery.

A life of recovery which is a

life worth living.

A Cat That Has Me Reading

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is a Sunday evening in my corner of the world and it has been a relaxing Sunday for me. I came home from work and spent time with my new cat, Billie Dean before taking a nap. When I got up from a nap I had a snack before settling into a good day of reading.

I have noticed that when I have Billie Dean on my lap which is most of the time, it is a bit more challenging to have my laptop on my lap. With Lil Brooke I was able have both her and the laptop on my lap but with Billie Dean, not so much. It has made me realize how much I was on my computer before Billie Dean. I really didn’t need to be on the internet but sadly felt the need to be on whenever I was home. In a way it was and still in a way an addiction for me. Billie Dean is helping me with that and without even trying. He is being a real loving cuddle bug. A huge lap cat.

Since Billie Dean is such a lap cat I have come to realize, I have a great deal of reading to catch up on. So, I have been reading much of the afternoon and evening. Enough so that I forgot to eat a meal so as I write this blog, I have dinner in the oven. When I am done writing this I will go back to reading. When dinner is done cooking I will eat and then go back to reading. I really enjoy reading. It helps me get out of my head. Most importantly it helps me not be on the internet so much.

I don’t have much more to say. I just want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope you all have a great week ahead. Try not to work too hard. Don’t forget to enjoy the little things life has to offer. Peace Out, World!!!

Just Another Post w/Random Sh*t

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It is mostly a typical Monday for me. I, mostly a typical Monday as a couple things today aren’t so typical for me. Both of the things that aren’t that typical involve both of my parents.

Lets start with my mom. Today is her 63rd birthday. A birthday I wasn’t sure was going to happen more times I can count due to her addiction to drugs and alcohol. I feared for her life more of her addiction to drugs than alcohol because that seems to be the thing she goes to when things get too stressful for her. Even though I set some clear boundaries with in regards to talking with her on the phone, I did call her to wish her a happy birthday. She is my mom and I love her. If I were a parent, I would want my kid to make an exception in this case. My mom was happy I called her and thanked me for as well as thanked me for her birthday present.

Now on to my other parent, my dad. As I have informed you in other blog post my dad’s health hasn’t been the best and he is in the hospital. I have good news about my dad and his health. He is getting out of the hospital tomorrow (Tuesday). I am so grateful he is getting out of the hospital tomorrow and that he is in better health.

As much as I love both of my parents, I am beyond grateful that I learned about recovery from both of them. Granted my mom is not in active recovery while my dad is, I still learned about recovery from both of them. If it wasn’t for seeing them in their addiction as a way to deal with symptoms of their mental health challenges it made me acutely aware of how I don’t want to deal with any of my problems including my own mental health challenges. Even though I never had an addiction to drugs or alcohol I did end up having different unhealthy ways of coping with my problems and mental health challenges.

The unhealthy ways of coping are the reason why I learned how to make sure I do good self care. There are many ways I do good self care. One of the ways I do good self care is to take my meds. In fact I have to go pick up my refills today. While I am out and about one of the things I will also do is go buy some incense. I find incense soothing.

In fact one of the things I plan on doing later is to burn incense while I read a book called “How to Be an Antiracist.” I am really enjoying the book. I am learning so much more than I expected regarding race and how to be an ally from this book than I ever realized I could. I hope to learn more as I continue to read this book. In fact have more books about race I am going to be reading. Any way to educate myself about other experience is a way to become a better ally and friend.

I do not have much else to talk about. I want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great Monday. I also hope everyone has a great work week ahead of them. Don’t forget to do good self care. Peace Out, World!!!