Eric Hysteric wrote:
The motorhome is my hobby and my adventure vehicle and it's a kind of relax when i work on it.
Are you similiar?
Yes.
'Tinkering' is a vital stress relief activity. Sedentary activity, like reading, crossword puzzles, knitting, scale models, and so forth, are good for diverting your attention from everyday issues. If it involves a higher degree of physical activity, it's even better for you.
My military service-connected disability rating is 40 percent. (Ten percent for chronic pain and thirty percent for clinical depression and PTSD.) This means the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has determined, on average, four out of every ten days are shot to hell due to my disabilities. (I believe their rating is 'optimistic' ... a higher rating would require greater Congressional mandated care and treatment. Because that would involve more expense, the VA is very resistant to 'granting' higher disability ratings.)
It's worth noting the VA determined my heart disease is
not service-connected, in spite of evidence in my military medical records and the determination of multiple doctors. (The VA medical system is controlled by bureaucrats, who are more concerned with money than medical care and treatment.)
The primary cause of both of my heart attacks was emotional and mental health issues. Interestingly, the VA actually makes things worse rather than providing even minimally adequate care. A vast majority of the stress that caused the second heart attack was due to the VA's policies and bureaucracy.
So, I'm much better off self-treating rather than depending on VA medical care. My various projects are a significant element of my self-treatment therapy.
I have to be careful to ensure these activities don't cause stress. When I encounter difficulties and start experiencing stress on one project, I temporarily drop that project and move to working on different project. As a result, I work on the various projects in rotation, moving from one to the next in a regular cycle.
Interior Alaska's climate and weather adds to the difficulty. So, I have 'summer projects' and 'winter projects.' (I'm now in a position where I can -- and do -- work on building the new house throughout the year ... including when outdoor temperatures are significantly below zero.)
In the winter, I always spent time -- daily -- in a brightly lit room or area, to counter the possibility of
seasonal affective disorder (SAD). (My family and I don't experience 'cabin fever' because we're just to busy to have time for that.)
I apologize for the rambling. My intent is to demonstrate how 'projects' -- i.e., hobbies -- helps someone with serious mental health disability. The same type of activity is equally, or more, beneficial to those with better mental health.
Eric - I'm not ignoring your loses. A large portion of my PTSD is the result of identical loses. (The death of my father and brother.) Unfortunately, the emotions I was dealing with weren't recognized and treated until much later in life. It's taken
years of treatment and therapy to partially offset that festering into full blown clinical depression, PTSD, and suicidal tendencies.
So, if you're experiencing difficulties dealing with what you've gone through,
admit it and get help!
