Slip or Slide?

[dbms]

I've been thinking about slips lately. Not about having one but wondering why I get back there so often. Looking back I have to wonder if a slip is a single event for me or a longer series of choices I make that puts me at risk of a slip. To put it into broad catagories what seems to happen is:

Feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated.
Thinking becomes more negative.
View the world as a threatening place.
Make poor choices that don't work out.
People don't seem to understand me.
Choosing to be alone more often.
Becoming depressed.
Repeat as necessary.
Slip (optional)


Excuse me if I am covering ground we have already been over but this is still new to me. I'm interested in what the rest of you have found. Is a slip one event or the result of many choices?

[mallie]

It looks like you've found a pattern that exists in your own life with SI.

If you're looking at stopping SI, or trying to prevent things getting to the point where you're wanting to SI, are there any of these steps where you think you can break the cycle?

[pretty]

For me it's definitely a series of events and choices that lead to a slip or crash. Working on spotting that pattern and fixing things before it gets to that stage is an important part of stopping si and making life a better place, at least for me. Looking at it like that, I think, makes it easier to avoid slips. It's easier to stop something happening once you've picked it apart and can see how it works and at which points you can make a choice to turn things around.

[Scatterbrain]

I've only slip seriously once, but I do see somewhat of a pattern in that and the other times I have gotten REALLY urgy. I think you are right about there being a set of events leading up to a slip and that it is not just an isolated incident.

~Megan

[dbms]

Thanks for you insight. It is easier in this regard to stand outside looking in or rather back in time and seeing the pattern. However in the moment when your wrestling with alligators it seems harder to spot the point at which you slide into the pattern.

There is that point along this continuum where we cease to be able to see rationally or be willing to take action and care for ourselves. I'm not attempting to negate my choice in this. I believe fully it is my choice but being depressed is known and comfortable for me. Unfortunately, it is like slipping on a warm blanket and seems very hard to want to let go of once it sets in. In an unfeeling world feeling bad seems better than no feelings at all.

Soory if I'm not making sense. I guess my point is that it is easier to see the pattern if your not on the inside looking out.