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Storied Mind

Recover Life from Depression

patterns of recovery

Patterns of Recovery from Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Written by John Folk-Williams

I started learning about patterns of recovery when my mother survived two heart attacks but died twice before her death. That’s the way she saw it. Her heart stopped both times, but she fought her way back. The second heart-stopping attack occurred during an operation for a different problem. She was 94. I only learned about this complication when I visited her the next day. She looked a bit worn down but beamed at me […] Read more »

Depression Is a Free Fall in Slow Motion

Written by John Folk-Williams

Once my kids pulled me with them up to a water slide. I don’t like sliding through winding tubes and hadn’t done it before. But I couldn’t back out of it once I was standing in a dense line at the top of a 50-foot high platform. Nowhere to go but down. So off I went, speeding into a panic of flailing arms as I desperately tried to keep myself from crashing against the green […] Read more »

Barbed wire strand

On the Other Side of Fear

Written by John Folk-Williams

Fear has a way of setting boundaries that can’t be crossed. If you do cross them, you know you’ll pay a price – a pain or terror you can’t endure. The boundary is protection. Inside it, you’re safe. I think of the anxiety I feel when moving through depression as the warning sign. You’re getting too close. Watch out. Ahead there’s panic and the touch of that terrible thing you can’t handle. When I’m feeling […] Read more »

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A Mind for Life: From Depression to Living Well


Recovery from Depression Ebook

The inner work of getting your life back from depression.


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Surviving Depression Together


Surviving Depression Together

"John, this is a ... much needed resource. Thanks for writing it!"

- Therese Borchard, author of Beyond Blue


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Relationships in Crisis

One of the hardest challenges of living with depression is holding onto close relationships. This section features posts on how partners can work together to keep their relationship alive.
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Living Depressed

What's it like living with depression day in, day out? The illness affects emotions, mental abilities, self-concept, behavior, relationships and the entire body. These core posts bring to life the personal experience of living with the varied impacts of depression. Read More.

Choices in Healing

Everyone with depression wants nothing more than to get better, but that strong desire provides only a motive for recovery, not a method for getting there. This section has posts about therapies and healing methods you can work with either on your own or with professional guidance. Read more.

Living Well

If you can get depression symptoms under control, you may still feel the need for something more. You likely want to have a fulfilling life rather than one dominated by fear that the illness might return. In this section, you'll find posts about how to work toward that goal.
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About the Author

John started blogging about his lifelong experience with depression in 2007 at Storied Mind. Psych Central has twice chosen the site as a Top Ten depression blog, and Blogs.com has also recognized it as one of the top ten. In addition to Storied Mind, John blogs at MentalHelp.Net and the My Depression Connection community at Health Central. Read more »

Terms of Use

DISCLAIMER: None of the content on this site should be interpreted as medical or therapeutic advice about the treatment of depression or any mental illness. If you feel you need help, you should seek treatment from qualified professionals.

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