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Volunteerig - a good therapy

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Posted 7/18/2007 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
 I thought I'd share a good experience. Recently I reluctantly agreed to volunteer at a local Hospital - to do crafts with a group of hospitalized seniors suffering from schizophrenia. It was the most humbling experience of my life. Just four moths ago I was an Executive Sales Professional spending time with C-level executives - and here I was stringing buttons with some very simple individuals, who wanted nothing more than a button necklace or bracelet they made themselves of precious buttons. It dawned on me that when there is nothing left in life there is dignity in what we can do with our hands and what we give to others. I spent over 20 years in the Corporate world and that left me depressed and desolate. Now when I am deep in my depression and ready to give up, I go and string buttons with a wonderful group of women.
Posted 7/18/2007 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Angie,

It's great that you are spending your time volunteering.  I just started about 2 weeks ago, and it has been going really well.  It is great knowing that my work is helping someone else.  

Olivia

Posted 7/18/2007 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
I agree that volunteering really helps. I volunteer at the library. It makes me feel useful and I meet people and that takes my mind off myself. I also crochet afghans for the cancer center at the hospital. They really appreciate them and it makes me feel good. It makes you feel good about yourself and that's what we need. yeah Dee

Posted 7/18/2007 3:40 AM (GMT 0)

You bring up another great point, Dee. "Meeting people" is also very important. It is too easy to go deeper in depression when you are alone.

I think crafts really help - doing something that you can be proud of and can help someone... maybe we are on to something. We should create blog on things to "create" to feel better - I have to think about this.

Thanks for your feedback. Angie

Posted 7/18/2007 3:49 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Angie:  I am so glad that you shared your experience.  I have actually been thinking of volunteering for quite some time now.  There have been several things holding me back and they all revolve around scheduling.  But you are right, helping people will make us feel better. And meeting and being around people will help to take away some of our own lonliness while we are giving back to the community.

I hope I can figure something out soon!  But, "way to go" yeah .

Cass

Posted 7/19/2007 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi AngieMin,
I think its great that you do volunteering and that you have shared this experience with us. Volunteering can be very rewarding knowing that you are helping someone and can also help you to understand the people better as well. I hope it continues to go well!
Darren
Posted 7/21/2007 11:58 AM (GMT 0)

good morn i would definenitly agree that volinteering your time really makes us feel like we have done somthing good for somone else...i volinterred my time at a local school with kindergarden kids and i loved it...then i got really tied up with som many things going on in my life i didnt do it last year...but i do need to get back to it ... i have my house up for sale and it goes off the market aug 1 so then i can maybee focuc on doing it again ...there is a seniors residents close by that I did inqiure about ...im new to this form  can any one tell me if ther is a spell checker ...well typing in these forms ...im not the the best spellerrrrr....lol tks  have a great day :-)

Posted 7/21/2007 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Volunteering is a wonderful experience and it gave me a purpose to get out of the house and be with adults when I was a fulltime Mom of 4.

I worked on fund raisers to raise monies for community needs. We adopted a Vietnamese family and cleaned their "to be" new home from top to bottom and stocked it with essentials before they moved in. We put on holiday parties at our now closed Mental Facility as well as the nursing homes. We raised money to present a scholarship to a high school senior.

There are many needs out in the communities. I would love to do the Red Cross volunteer, but I have a 10 lb. weight restriction and a Right thumb waiting for surgery.

I am still looking at ideas as they are out there. I love to meet people and to help people so to each of you I applaud you and admire you immensely.

Volunteering is about giving your time to partake in activities that benefit others. In the long run, I believe the volunteers may gain the most out of the experience.

Bless you and gentle hugs
Posted 8/2/2007 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
All the things you guys have done sounds wonderful, but helping people is not the only way to make yourself feel better while giving back to the community. I've been volunteering at a local horse rescue for the past 7 years, and there is no place in the world where I feel better. It is my haven, and I love knowing that I can make a difference in the lives of beings not as fortunate as I am.


Volunteering is it's own anti-depressant.
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