Words That Heal the Blues

50% of all Americans will experience a mental or emotional disorder sometime during their lives.

The US Surgeon General: The State of the Nation’s Mental Health, 1999

As with my previous book Healing from Depression, Words That Heal the Blues grew out of my personal experience as a depression survivor as well as my clinical work in facilitating depression and anxiety support groups. Although the affirmations and meditations in this book target those who suffer from depressive illnesses, I have found that they can be used by virtually anyone who is struggling with a mental or emotional disorder. This includes a great many people.

According to the surgeon general in the 1999 publication, “The State of the Nation’s Mental Health,” 22% of all Americans suffer a mental or emotional disorder in any given year, and half of all Americans are afflicted over the course of a lifetime. The surgeon general defined mental disorders as “health conditions marked by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior that cause distress or impair a person’s ability to function.”

These conditions include:

• depression
• bipolar disorder
• generalized anxiety disorder
• panic attacks
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• attention deficit disorder
• alcoholism
• drug addiction
• eating disorder
• phobias
• schizophrenia

Moreover, the self-care strategies outlined in the daily lessons can help you to deal with the following “situational stressors”:

• problems with health
• a work or financial crisis
• grief over the loss of a loved one
• the ending or beginning a relationship
• going through a period of transition

Thus, whether you are suffering from a mental/emotional disorder or are facing a difficult challenge, the practical coping strategies outlined in this book can make a positive difference in your life. I wish you the best on your healing journey.

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