Travel:  A Cure for Depression

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Leaving her old life behind seemed to be one of the most effective things that helped Abigail Butcher to cure herself of depression and escape the clutches of antidepressant dependence.  Her entire journey seemed to involve leaving her old life behind and traveling around the world in order to meet new people, enjoy new cuisine, and live life on her terms. 

How This Started

She began her first experience with profound depression once she had witnessed a deadly car crash then became involved in a second car crash and was sent to the hospital for two months.  She soon broke up with her boyfriend, her animal companion died, and her doctor diagnosed her with pre-cancerous cervical cells that would need to be watched closely.  Her physician ordered her to reduce her stress levels in order to maintain optimum health, but she soon found herself using sleeping medication at night and eventually the regular use of antidepressant medications.  Soon she found herself overwhelmed with suicidal thoughts and escalating levels of guilt that were connected with the responsibility that she felt for missing work – Lights out and curtains down, her home was a dark and dreary place.

Antidepressants

She found herself completely dependent upon the antidepressants, but with no real progress in her condition, her guilt increased, she cried constantly, and she experienced profound overwhelm.  Although she owned a great house in London and had a great community of friends, family, and professionals who worked with her at a company where she was a leading member, she experienced more lethargy and guilt than she had in previous years. 


Take A Trip!

How it all changed:  Looking for a solution to her problems, she moved to another country and began attending exercise classes while taking time to relax in the sunshine and enjoy herself.  One day one of her co-workers told her to “Go home and set yourself goals. Just small ones; don’t try to go for the big one. Immerse yourself in the things you like, and get off the pills — you don’t need them”.  She booked a ticket to tour the world for 3-months and reduced her anti-depressant intake while learning how to regain control over her emotional states.  During her trip to South-East Asia she decided that she would resign from her high-powered and high-stress job in order to live life on her own terms as a freelance journalist – Now she lives life with far more well-being and happiness than before, and why not?  If the high-stress and high-powered job is leading you to think about killing yourself, why not choose to do something that inspires you to live?

What changed her life?

Choosing to lead a reduced-stress lifestyle.
Traveling the world.
Finding out what she loved, and doing that.
Following the guidance of wise friends and therapists.
Finding a new place to live and a new way to live.
Taking total self control over her thoughts and actions.

What were her new life tenants?

“I will do what I want to do, when I want to do it and not worry what others think. 
I will listen only to the opinions of people whom I value and love.
I will take time to live, maybe working longer hours for myself, but ultimately fewer days in the week, leaving more time for pleasure that relieves stress.
I will leave behind people and experiences that have a negative impact on my life, taking with me only the positive.
If people hurt me, it will be because I have allowed them to do so and I will no longer apportion blame to anyone but myself. I am in control now.
If life is overtaking me, I will sit and look at the sea, take a breath, remember this journey around the world — and give myself a damn good talking to!”

Original Story:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1375491/Beating-depression-One-woman-tells-travelled-ends-earth-inspirational-results.html

-Anonymous Contributor