Dotsie,
I have just joined this website and love it. It is just what I have been looking for. I read your post about mental illness and it struck home. I have had an experience with acute depression in my family and I can tell you it is real. My wonderful, strong, brilliant father had two bouts with it. Once in 1988, when we had to hospitalize him. Therapy and drugs did not help. The only thing that saved his life was Electric Shock Therapy. We were lucky to have him aroung for 16 more years. We lost my mother, his wife of 52 years in 2000. He was fine for a while, but to make a long story short, he sank back into a depression and took his own life this past December, before any of us could help him. I know he is at peace now, but it still hurts. Members of my family are attending support groups and consultations from a wonderful facility that is helping us. Mental illness and depression are real. Medications do help. Anyway, just thought I'd share. This has been the hardest experience of my otherwise happy life. Depression is hereditary, though, so we are all aware of it in our own lives. I love boomerwomenspeak! I have laughed at lots of the posts I've read. The best one was the one about slumber parties! I did try to lift someone off the ground while meditating. We also used to sit in a circle holding hands, closing eyes and someone would lead in trying to contact things in the after-life. How weird is that!! Mostly, we just danced and ate junk!! Hugs,
Sweet T.