MDD Bootcamp - Week 1 results

[McNamara]

Earlier this week, I decided to try and control my MDD.  While it hasn't been easy, I feel tentatively ok about my first week.  Here are some of the main learning points for me:

• Going completely cold-turkey, realistically, was never going to happen.
• Leaving my iPod in my work drawer (30 miles from home!) was actually no big deal, although it is my best MDD ally.
• Being honest about how much I miss in my real life because of MDD is hard to take.
• Talking about the MDD with someone I love and trust was difficult, necessary and a good step in facing up to what I need to do to manage the MDD.
• Finding other things I really wanted to do was a big help in reducing MDD time. 
• Finding other things I really wanted to do, rather than think I really wanted to do was a bit tougher.
• Focusing on managing the MDD made me realise the need to confront other issues.
• Confronting myself about the MDD made the MDD less enjoyable and intense.
•  I also realised how much I love MDD and how ingrained it is in me - it's not something I'll just be able to stop.

Perhaps the biggest discrepancy in my MDD and my real life is how accepting my 'character' is of herself and others compared to me.  She takes much better care of herself and is much kinder to herself than I ever am with myself.  So week 2 of MDD bootcamp will aim to get me taking better care of myself - eating properly, working out properly and resting must all take priority over MDD. 

 

 

[McNamara]

Hi roxanna!  I think you're very perceptive in that our DD characters can teach us about our real lives, qualities and needs - and it's about time we got this in the real world!  I liked what you said about cultivating parts of MDD into our real world. xx

[McNamara]

Hey Gloriana (I really love your name BTW)!  How are you this week?  Thank you for keeping up with my very ordinary little life x  I agree with you that it's so much easier to daydream about fantasy people who really love you rather than real life people who might hurt you - I also have trust issues stemming from childhood neglect, my own personality traits, other experiences blah blah blah!  Sometimes I think I'm focusing too much on the past.  I've always been so scared - I was married before and like you, got a divorce.  Within 2 months, I had moved overseas, got a new job, house, life, friends, everything!  I couldn't believe my own courage.  I think we all have to remember that we're pretty strong underneath it all, and should give ourselves the kindness and care that our characters get in little ole MDD land.  Let me know how you are xxxx

 

[roxanne]

I think that is a very interesting insight - and one you can actually do something with.  I have compared my DD character with me, also, and realized we have many things in common - being bright & compassionate, for instance.  So have tried to give myself more credit for these qualities that I obviously so admire, and to cultivate them.  So I think comparing DD character to self - both in ways that we are the same & ways that we are different can be vital.  Let our DD's tell us something about ourselves.