Well, Cathie has a wonderful suggestion that is PMA.
If you want to access to her homepage, which I found quite encouraging, please click (My Lupus World).Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) is a basis for survival.
After visiting the Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, and the Japanese Room, etc., you have got some of the information about culture shock, homesickness, therapeutic trials,etc. Borrowing Cathie's words, "Now it is time to focus on you. Sometimes you will find it difficult to fight the pain and this only causes depression to set in. Once that happens you will have a problem pulling out of it. You are probably thinking I'm talking through my hat. That you have every right to be depressed because you are suffering. Maybe you're right."
She goes, "Sure there are some critical cases but I am speaking of daily life. If you can get out of bed; that's positive. If you can get dressed; that positive. If you can care for yourself; that's positive. Don't dwell on what you cannot do, focus on what you can. Tell yourself that you accomplished one thing today and maybe tomorrow maybe you can do two things!"
"I have also found that keeping a personal journal has helped immensely. You can write exactly how you feel, whether its anger or happiness, pain or remission. Be sure to date it and note the weather conditions. By noting the weather you can evaluate if it is connected to your feelings. Through time you will have built a solid medical and emotional biography on yourself. You may be surprised what you find out about yourself. Looking back we don't always remember things the way they actually were but by keeping a journal you will know exactly how you felt and what was happening."
Cathie continues, "Another tip I use is meditation. Take a few minutes each day for this. Sit quiet, close your eyes and allow your body to relax. This is good for stress relief. There are some tapes you can buy that offer sounds of the ocean, music, etc. if you feel you need them."
"Remember you are who you want to be. Take care of yourself, keep your journal and meditate. The rewards can be endless!"
Cathie
What else do you suggest that we could do?
Please bring your own ideas to the Forum of the Cross-cultural Counseling House!
How about reading these articles; Don't think straight (The Times)
Meditation May Cut Stress, Improving Mental and Physical Health
Changing your environment has also a kind of psychological effect.
You don't wear the same clothes for a month, and you change your clothes not only because they need to be washed but you choose the specific one for the day, then you feel better.
It wil also be good when you change the layout of your room occasionally, you never know which condition is giving you some uncomforts. If you have already realized that certain things are causing you troubles, then think and think and think ! to modify your environment and do it !
The first step is to think about what to do to get rid of stress, then to cope with stress.
The second step is to seek better life, even though you are satisfied with everything, do not stay at the same level, but let's move ahead.
What else do you suggest that we could do?
Please bring your own ideas to the Forum of the Cross-cultural Counseling House!
Suggestions in the first step of environmental modification (Under Construction)(Method) Here I will show you how to modify your environment when you have something already causing you trouble, in accordance with the 'Dr. Thomas Gordon's method' introduced in the P.E.T. book. (soon........)
Suggestions in the second step of environmental modification
Change the layout of your room, office, the colour of the bed cover, sofa cover, plates, tea cups.......
Entrance/Room
Layout
/Living Room/Dining
Room/Kitchen/Japanese
Room/Study/