whoisjohngalt
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:12:07 GMT -5
Posts: 9,140
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Nov 10, 2014 17:56:21 GMT -5
@sroo4 - Yes, thank you!! That's exactly what I was trying to say!
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thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,749
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Post by thyme4change on Nov 10, 2014 19:11:51 GMT -5
My personal thought process with friends in this situation was always to be there - I would do anything I could to be around them - they needed to study - hey, me too! They need to eat - what a coincidence, I just made a whole chicken and a pound of mashed potatoes just for myself! Etc. It was all I could do as a teen / college student. I am a big believer that personal connections improve mood. So, I am in the camp that says you should make sure he is tending to other relationships at this time. But, I don't know how to push that in a teenager. Maybe offer to pay for some thing he and another friend might like to do - bowling, or sky diving or something in between those two drastic examples. Maybe you could "happen" to get a gift of a movie-theater gift card from some weird, unexpected place, and would he like to take it and see the stupidest comedy he can think of?
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thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,749
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Post by thyme4change on Nov 10, 2014 20:01:24 GMT -5
At 16, I didn't have time to be moody or depressed. Between classes, sports, clubs, homework, a job, social life and family time (minimal)- there was no time to sit around and mope or dwell. Maybe he has too much free time or "unscheduled" time? I heard a comedian do this bit, and I totally agree. I know that mental illness is, in fact, a disease. That said - We do say some of this to people. In particular, if you are diagnosed with diabetes and you eat a crappy diet, and not take charge of your insulin levels and just keep pumping yourself full of drugs, while eating cake on the side - you aren't really going to have success managing your disease. Just like if you have depression, exercise, eating right and strengthening interpersonal relationships are three of the best things you can do to manage the illness. So, in fact, you do have to try and do something you don't want to do to manage depression, just like you need to try and do something you don't want to do to manage diabetes. Same with heart disease - diet, exercise, salt intake - all things you need to do. They say you should meditate if you have high blood pressure. So, yes, a different frame of mind can change your body. I've heard a lot of people tell people with colds and flus to suck it up and keep going. I'm not a fan of the advice - but some people aren't very forgiving of anybody's health problems.
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