Staying Positive while BEING POSITIVE

[rwt44102]

Hi guys,
Aids for 24 years now - healthy enough.
yet, I seem to be stuck in a nasty-ass rut.
How do YOU stay upbeat and, I dunno, optimistic?
I've been in this "Debby Downer" nasty negative mind-set for a while now; it's not fun and it's counter-productive [NOT attractive].

Suggestions?

[bear60]

Hi
There is a looooonnnnng list of positive moves.

from Tai Chi and other forms of exercise (gym stuff)

to prescription drugs, counseling, and 12 step kind of stuff.

Often HIV poz folks have more than one monkey on their back. (We used to call it triple trouble: drugs, alcohol and HIV)

all the way to acupuncture and massage

Good luck finding your way to a positive outlook.

[mitch777]

hi rtw,

i just posted today in the mental heath forum of my first visit with a phyciatrist.
i am very optimistic that this will help me.

the thought of doing this was worse than having gone.
i highly recomend it.

me: age 53 and will be 30 years hiv+ in a few weeks.

being able to talk to someone (if the fit is right) can be a BIG stress relief.

it was a big step for me to take but i think it will help more than i expected.

mitch

[wolfter]

Since you posted this same sort of thread earlier this year, I'd recommend returning to the mental health facility that you walked out of because it wasn't for you.  If a professional facility that specializes in these types of issues wasn't able to assist you with your challenges, I doubt our small support group can't offer any greater medical/mental health assistance.

I'd head straight to my ID doctor and discuss the issue.  They should direct you on the correct path.

Take care and best wishes.

[harleymc]

G'day,

 It's not easy to stay on top of depression issues 
I've have done some work with face to face counselling.

I have found that MoodGym which is a web based Cognitive therapy website is a nice free tool. I wouldn't use it as an only source of therapy, but after grafting away on it's suggestions for a month or so several years ago I found that I'm a  lot more resilient. Have recently returned to it.  The nice thing is it's free and available 24/7. It's not the sort of tool for those immediate suicidal times.... get immediate help from lifeline or similar and get company with you for those crisis times.

What it is good for is building longer term resilience.

https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

[LongTimeSurvivor]

I consider the alternative of "living with AIDS"...that I'm not there keeps me skipping down the pansy covered walk!!!

[TimmyT]

RWT, lots of great tips and advice. I hope you find something gets you back on track.

LTS, you're right. The thought of those dark days of '94-'96, living with full blown AIDS(Pulmonary KS, undergoing Chemo for almost 2 years), and being told to wrap it up and get ready to check out always snaps me out of a funk. The gym a few hours a week helps me as well.