World - Lupus Awareness Day

It is a special day today.

Today, May 10th is the Worldwide Lupus Awareness Day.

In common with mental illness, this is a silent disease.

The actual cause is still not known.

(We need to find a CURE)


What is Lupus ?
Lupus is an chronic illness that can affect people of all ages, races and gender.
However, adult women are the highest number of pacient suffering from it.
(90% are women , between 15 and 40 years old).

It is considered an auto imune illness because the body does not have enough defenses to fight infections
and attacks itself. Lupus is not a contagious illness, but a chronic disease.

Useful Websites / Sources :

http://www.lupus.pt/

http://lupus-tratamento.blogspot.pt/

http://lupus.no.sapo.pt/o_que.htm

http://www.hibbslupustrust.org/

What I would like to challenge you

(And ask you too)

To wear a purple ribbon to help this cause

And the ones who are battling, every day.

NOTE : I am with you.

Some Symptoms

World - Women Rights

Good morning , my readers

After a while gone, I am back...

Before speaking and writing about other topics,
I decided to show you a rather interesting game/app on Facebook
That I saw (only a bit) yesterday afternoon.

The name of the game is Half The Sky Movement - The Game

It has a different approach on Women's Rights.
Action is taken in India, where your character is a woman
and you have to make decisions on a daily basis.
Your decisions have influence through out the game itself.

The goal is to bring awareness not only about what I mentioned first,
but also about Education, Health and Human Rights.

I hope you like it, as much as I did.

Lastly, the link to the game Half The Sky Movement - The Game

Kind regards...

Happy Mother's Day

Good evening,

It is a bit late here where I live,

But, better late than never, right?


I wouldn't finish the day without posting this...

To every mother 

In each corner of the World

Young mothers until the one's 

Who raised wise men and brave women

Know that you are loved and always will be.

And admired by your strength, unconditional love and kindness, you are

You are a wife, a mother, a grandmother, someone's special daughter

Even if gone too soon

You will always be treasured and reminded for 

Your beauty inside and out!

For you matter the most.

And...a Mother is a special being

To be one is to have Bond of Love

And Protection for Eternity.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! 

God bless you all.

Life´s Advice - Inner Strength

The only thing I know is this:

I am full of wounds and still standing on my feet.

— Nikos Kazantzakis​

Dear readers,

How are you doing?

I want you to know...


You are stronger than you can ever imagine.
We often figure that out, 
When we do not have any other option than being strong.
I believe in all of you that 
Come across this page and read each word that I post
Or even if it is the first time you are reading me...
Know that I believe in you.

I look forward to hearing from you...
And am glad to be making this journey with you...
Despite of any wounds that you have, on your skin, flesh, soul...
Let time heal, let God heal, allow yourself to heal.

Give time, allow your thoughts to settle in
Think about the one or ones you love.
Think about your relatives
Or even your mother or father, the ones 
Who made your birth, your existence possible.

Reflect about One that makes you whole, 
Whole as a woman/man or as a human being.
You are loved , and you can make it through.
I believe in you!

World - Mental Illness POV

Good afternoon!

For this day, I thought about a diferent point of view
And approach on Mental Illness.

It is not easy to have mental illness, nor it is something we choose to have.
Mental Illness, such as chronic illness as well,
Tend to be labeled by people and society
And, still until this very day it is frequent to judge, and talk/write
Unacurate information and statements about these.

It is easy and rather quick to judge when you are not going through the situation.
Everyone's path and life journey is different.
Each human being is diferent.
And that is what trully is wonderful in life, too!

How boring it would be if we thought the same way,
Dressed the same way and all?

We cannot fully know how someone's path is until we walk through their shoes
As in, going through one's similar condition or situation.

We feel diferently, 

We act diferently,

We demonstrate affection, love, kindness, in our own special way.

We suffer diferently and we react diferently through pain.

It is not easy to have mental illness, nor it is something we choose to have.
Sometimes, it just happens or it is triggered by events or people around us.
Often it is not "socially acceptable" to be sick.
As it is not "socially acceptable" anything that is either different or unknown.

People either despise, ignore or fear the unknown.
So I leave another question :
What if that unknown become known and even, familiar?
Would it have an impact or would you act the same way?

I had the first symptoms of my condition in 2007
But I was only diagnosed with depression three years later.
I researched, read because I wanted to know what was happening to me.

To seek knowledge is optional.
To seek help, is needed
Because your Health, your life is precious
And so are the ones around you.

Note: There were triggering events, yes, that I wrote about in the blog
Since 2010.

Nowadays I am not ashamed to say that I had depression
And/or that I have anxiety problems.
No one has to feel shame.
No diagnosis defines people.

People cannot allow a condition or illness to put a limit to their dreams.
Instead, that must be a reason to push forward
And redefine his/her own goals.

I am not depression.
It was a condition, that, as many others can and must be controlled.
It has not have a physical spot where it hurts,
But it is real pain...ache that has a reason.
That reason can be figured out imediately or it can take time.

Again, it takes time, yet I learned that
Instead of feeling sorry for what I went through
Instead of whining about what I do not have
Instead of feeling pity of my old self

I decided to spend that energy
On the Present. Because Present is a gift.
And thanking for what I have.
And dedicating to my former self.

-- Carpe Diem,

Seize the day. 

It is valuable to find proper help and support.
Professional help is advised.
And follow your doctor's instructions.

Our life is a blessing,
We are lucky to wake up each day.

Some, are not as lucky
And if we are alive,
Let's live with quality and truly live
Not survive!

God bless you all!

Tips to Deal with Anxiety

Good evening dearest...

I usually write during the night or during the afternoon.
Then I either post at the moment or allow Blogger to do its magic.
There is this subject...that I felt unconfortable in the past to talk about.

It is night over here and I chose to write out what I was thinking about
It is a quite personal post.

Anxiety.
Again... Anxiety.

Okay, better this way, with smaller font.
I considered anxiety to be something that held me back for some years.
As a matter of fact, it gave me quite some headaches.

I must admit, I still haven't fully tamed this
But I am starting to find ways to cope and deal with it.

NOTE : Anxiety does not have to be a monster!
In a normal situation, it is acceptable or «normal» to feel nervous and worried

(To feel alarmed/nervous/insecure is a mechanism of the human being
To be aware of risks, to be grounded and focused to his/her surroundings)

BUT when it affects and disturbs your life, whether socially or psychologically
It is time to react and seek help!

POV :
When I am anxious I tend to think too much and barely function.
With these wrongs... :

«What if...?» , «I should have done/said (usually added with «more») » , 

«I could have done» , «What will happen?»

«It was my fault» , «I was not good enough» , 

«I am not ready for this...» , «I cannot do» ...and so on...

Over and over again...

Are few examples I can give out to you.
I found and sorted out some ways to deal with it
And other ways/tips to ease my mind.

When I get TOO anxious, my stomach aches
and I honestly feel like I want to cry.
Other times, eating and sleeping gets affected.
We don't have to live like this!

So I rushed to seek help and advice...
Oh and found out some ways to deal with this on my own.

What I do...not in any particular order

1. Think about good moments.
Anyone who you deeply love or inspires you greatly.
Someone you held dearly to your heart.

2. Have a lucky charm.
I once went to a store and a black stone caught my attention.
Onix. So I bought it and ever since, I carry it along with me.
In my pocket and near me when I am going to sleep.

3. Light up a candle once in a while.
Stare at the flame, keep an eye on it.
Just sitting and connecting with your «self»
Or even, thanking for the day.

4. I have...conquered . I have...achieved .
I confess I am still slowly adapting to this way of thought
Due to the fact that I had these negative thoughts
And reversed thinking pattern for so many years
That it is hard (NOT IMPOSSIBLE) to change.
It will take time, but I believe! I am trying this !

So the tip on point number 4 is to,
At the end of the day to say or think to yourself :

TODAY , I have conquered... (fill in) . 

TODAY , I have achieved... (fill in).

It does not matter if it was a silly or small achievement.
What matters is that your mind gain focus on that type of thoughts
So that it may feel at peace whether it is at night, before going to bed
Or whenever you need so.

An example : 

TODAY , 
I have conquered my goal of making through the day and learning properly.

TODAY , 
I have achieved what I had planned : to write for this blog.

5. RESCUE Thought.
When I am really, really anxious and I have the chance
I usually go to my bed and just stay there.
And try to breathe. Slowly...

Then , (can be a solution in other cases and combined to 5) 
I think to myself over and over and over again
As many times as needed , this :

« IT IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT »

« IT IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT »

« IT IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT »

« IT IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT »

« IT IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT »

NOTE : 
Thoughts are very powerful and can have a strong influence in us.
We have to reverse them, in case they are harmful.

6. Balance and Organize.
I know that something either unknown
Or unexpected is more likely to cause anxiety.
Now and then you can learn to organize your thoughts
Or your projects. That will help you deal with insecurities.

You can organize at a) mind or b) by writing out.
It can be used once in a while as a guideline or resource.

If you know what you have to do or what you will say
(for presentations) you will feel slightly less nervous
By practicing too (you can try in front of a mirror, for instance)
Presentations will become something simple.
Achievement? Your confidence will boost!

7. Write out or Talk out
I used to write my heart out or talk out with someone when I felt anxious.
It helped too... However, now
I am trying by myself to find ways (mentioned above) to cope.

8. Letting it all out
Lastly, if I do feel like I want to cry, I do cry.
If I get nervous to that point, I will...
It is better to become aware of this
Than to let those emotions burst and get out of control.

9. Reading
Reading can prove to be relaxing.
Choose your favorites
Or maybe you can choose to read a diferent type of book
One that you usually don't read.
Or you can pick Self Improvement or Guidance books.

This was my POV and Tips for the moment.
I shall add new tips from time to time
Feel free to add any suggestions or even contact us, if you would like.

Wishing you all best.

Depression - Meds, recent POV

Good afternoon, everyone.

It has been a while since I last wrote about Depression.
I was quite skeptical on this matter [using meds for Depression]
Truth is, I feared the unknown and the past experience was not pleasant.

I grew impatient for any results or improvements to arrive.
Which did not happen as I was not able to give time to it as well.

Note : If you are reading me, this is only my point of view regarding this
However, the right medicine for me , might not be the right for you and so on.
If you are experiencing depression, besides reading
(Which is one step already!) I advise you to seek professional help
Whether it is from a psychologist or a psychiatrist, Hospital or natural alternatives.

I would also like to add and ask you not to rush things as I did.
We all aim for a solution to our problems. I know.
I have been through it. I been through ups and downs, highs and lows, «hell and back».

But I am here. And so are you.
I have plenty to write and tell right now, at this very moment.

My point of View
[...] I decided to go to my family doctor as I was feeling very anxious
and had trouble sleeping and eating (due to stomache aches, too).

She prescribed me sleeping pills, an antidepressant and some meds for my stomache.
I started taking one antidepressant [....... toLife] it says.
I was already aware some side effects, while others took me for surprise.

OUTCOME :
Over three weeks have passed since I started treatment
The first days and until at least half of the second week I felt ill as in, nausea...
I lost appetite and 5kgs at the time. I continued to have trouble sleeping.
Some even said I was reaching the point of exhaustion.

But I kept on this treatment and held on onto it.
Plus I was still having appointments at a local psychology college
Giving up was and is not an option. Ever.

So I mainly took the decision of finding ways, tools, resources to relax.
To send any traces of anxiety away. I had to learn to wait.
Because I found out that if I was not that anxious,
I was going to be able to eat and sleep properly, with time.

Afterwards, I am still having a bit of trouble with eating
But my goal is to gain the weight again
Besides feeling better in all the other aspects of Life.
I noticed that I have been feeling calm and I am gaining energy again.
It is getting easier to sleep.

I am hoping to be back on track, renewed.
That and all the other steps I took ,
I shall leave them for another post.

Blessings.

Relationships - Expectations

Good evening everyone ,

I usually since I started to post on Tuesdays and Fridays,
I wasn't making posts in other days.
BUT today is a holiday here and I decided to make an exception.
For today (and somewhat related to the post "Treasure" on Life´s Advice)
I chose Expectations. There is more than meets the eye.
I am going to share a story with you, about my current therapy.

I go once per week at a local college of Psychology where we talk
And sometimes we have some exercises and there I gained more tools to deal with life.
I am always learning and open for changes. (Will tell more in other posts)

Therefore, the first step was to recognize a problem or a possible situation happening.
In my case, carrying high expectations had proven to be devastating.
So I told her. (The situation will be told below, I promise)

And it is, specially when one has such high expectations,
That anything the other people do isn't enough.
It never seems enough.

So I thought about the issue itself and there may a reason for it.
Lack of self esteem or affection.
Personally, if we have low self esteem
People can help us, can try to heal those wounds
But we have to find love inside of us too.
And that can prove to be quite a chalenge.

SITUATION :
I arrived to college and I had high expectations
« I am going to feel fine after this, it is all that I want and I hope it doesn't take much time »
My thoughts exactly. Then, more and more expectations were added.

I wanted so badly to feel refreshed and changed
For my loved one, for my family, for my friends
That I unconsciously overwhelmed everything with expectations.
Plus, neglected myself. I thought about nothing else.
And I was growing inpatient!

Outcome : 
Instead of draining my energy on thoughts as, for example :
«It has to be good» , «I have to feel okay» , «TODAY I have to tell x , y and z»

(They become warmful because in those cases
You are organizing things so much OR forcing something to happen
Even if it is only in your mind.
Even if it is with a good intention,
Things don't always work out the way we want)

When I stopped carrying such expectations...I NOTICED!

And if at least you throw some of them away
You will feel the diference, I guarantee.

(Because those can and seriously warm your relationships 
And you can lead yourself to disapointment
Instead it is better to be surprised through out life!)

...I just thought of nothing and went there
As in « Appointment today , we'll see how this goes »

My goal and the goal of the psychologist is for me to improve as a person.
However, there are ups and downs.
When we feel happy, unhappy, tired, annoyed, and so on...

I still want to feel fine and be the best I can be for the ones I love,
And I know I am going to reach what I have planned!
But I am not carrying the weight of the expectations with me.
I will let the appointments take their course and take one step at a time instead.

Blessings.

Relationships - Expectations

Good evening everyone ,

I usually since I started to post on Tuesdays and Fridays,
I wasn't making posts in other days.
BUT today is a holiday here and I decided to make an exception.
For today (and somewhat related to the post "Treasure" on Life´s Advice)
I chose Expectations. There is more than meets the eye.
I am going to share a story with you, about my current therapy.

I go once per week at a local college of Psychology where we talk
And sometimes we have some exercises and there I gained more tools to deal with life.
I am always learning and open for changes. (Will tell more in other posts)

Therefore, the first step was to recognize a problem or a possible situation happening.
In my case, carrying high expectations had proven to be devastating.
So I told her. (The situation will be told below, I promise)

And it is, specially when one has such high expectations,
That anything the other people do isn't enough.
It never seems enough.

So I thought about the issue itself and there may a reason for it.
Lack of self esteem or affection.
Personally, if we have low self esteem
People can help us, can try to heal those wounds
But we have to find love inside of us too.
And that can prove to be quite a chalenge.

SITUATION :
I arrived to college and I had high expectations
« I am going to feel fine after this, it is all that I want and I hope it doesn't take much time »
My thoughts exactly. Then, more and more expectations were added.

I wanted so badly to feel refreshed and changed
For my loved one, for my family, for my friends
That I unconsciously overwhelmed everything with expectations.
Plus, neglected myself. I thought about nothing else.
And I was growing inpatient!

Outcome : 
Instead of draining my energy on thoughts as, for example :
«It has to be good» , «I have to feel okay» , «TODAY I have to tell x , y and z»

(They become warmful because in those cases
You are organizing things so much OR forcing something to happen
Even if it is only in your mind.
Even if it is with a good intention,
Things don't always work out the way we want)

When I stopped carrying such expectations...I NOTICED!

And if at least you throw some of them away
You will feel the diference, I guarantee.

(Because those can and seriously warm your relationships 
And you can lead yourself to disapointment
Instead it is better to be surprised through out life!)

...I just thought of nothing and went there
As in « Appointment today , we'll see how this goes »

My goal and the goal of the psychologist is for me to improve as a person.
However, there are ups and downs.
When we feel happy, unhappy, tired, annoyed, and so on...

I still want to feel fine and be the best I can be for the ones I love,
And I know I am going to reach what I have planned!
But I am not carrying the weight of the expectations with me.
I will let the appointments take their course and take one step at a time instead.

Blessings.

Life´s Advice - Treasure

Greetings, my readers.

One lesson to learn is that we have to give value to other people.
Because, we may be giving attencion to ones who are not actually there when needed.
At all. We might be expecting too much or even,
Overload others with (often unrealistic) demands.

ALSO and very important too...
We are probably missing out much
And losing the ones we love the most because of those.

How much do words carry in value , over time ?
Quite a part of value, but not all of of it
Atitude means way more, to run that extra mile, to call your significant other
To do crazy things.
To text, to message that person and let him/her know that you are there.
To wait.
To have the guts to change and admit the wrongs, and turn those flaws around.

Because I , you , we are human.
We all make mistakes.
We are not perfect
We all carry regrets along
But what makes the diference is to actually change and fulfill that promise.

P.S.: I promise you, W.

Blessed be.