S.A. eLetter (5-23-11)

[John P.]

Greetings S.A. family on the Internet,

We continue our discussion of the S.A. Guiding Principles. Here is
the sixth such principle.

Guiding Principle #6: Decisions affecting SA as a whole are derived
from the group consciousness of its members; we rely on our Higher
Power to work through this process.

We expect that the method of leadership for SA will evolve over time.
In its earliest days, SA founder was the sole source of policy-making.
A new era was marked with the production of the Blue Booklet. SA
members drafted the content and wording as a group. We will continue
to depend on our “Higher Power” to work through our group
consciousness in future policy-making meetings.


SOURCE: S.A. Blue Booklet (program text, first published in 1989)


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--Stress Management, part #49

Reducing Stressful Social Interactions

Being around people can be so stressful. There are social skills
needed to have initial interactions (stuff I'm not too good at). Then
there are the even more difficult things like tough conversations,
where there may be disagreements. Some kind of emotional intelligence
is needed in these situations. Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves have
written a book about this, entitled aptly--Emotional Intelligence 2.0.
USA Weekend magazine a while back discussed the stress management
ideas found in this area of social interaction.

The authors give six tips for handling stressful tough conversations.
They are:

1. Focus on agreement.

2. Listen well.

3. Resist your urge to rebuttal.

4. When it's your turn, explain your side.

5. Keep the conversation flowing and open.

6. Keep in touch to check progress.

Related to the above, the authors state that it helps if the
discussion seeks out common ground. The other person's point of view
is important in the discussion, and it is important to understand it
while managing your own feelings. When an opposing viewpoint is
presented, the discussion will break down if you pop out a counter-
argument before the person has had a chance to explain himself or
herself. Say the authors: "Direct your attention to the person in
front of you--especially if you feel yourself getting defensive."
Explain yourself and your perspective, along with your discomfort,
fears, and the reasons behind your ideas. Keep talking and trying to
find more common ground. Work towards resolution, and keep
communication lines open for feedback.

These ideas are very much like the concepts presented by the Harvard
Negotiation Project, and found in the book Getting to Yes, by Roger
Fisher and William Ury. This is really pretty advanced stuff in
social skills. The kind of thing it could take someone like me a very
long time to learn. But it does sound better than a shouting match or
trying a reach agreement during anger bursts. So much awful stress
piles up when the anger thing takes over. Maybe this is a way around
it.


SOURCE: USA Weekend (Dec. 10, 2010), article by Christine J. Kim

Stress Management Series Prior Editions

Below are links to the first 40 parts of the Stress Management Series
to
date. The more recent parts are at the S.A. eLetter site at Google.

Stress Management Series I (Parts #1 to #16):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/584aa4af7b45c502

Stress Management Series II (Parts #17 to #29):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/f240f7bad9902a81#

Stress Management Series III (Parts #30 to #40):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/e0f98e3ce6dafc7f


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--Website of the Week

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonprofit, non-
partisan, organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness
in the United States.
Their website:

http://www.endhomelessness.org/

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--Our Suffering in Perspective

The suffering of schizophrenia patients is real. And other people
suffer too. We wish to also recognize the struggles of other
suffering people. For instance:

Drought

There have been numerous weather calamities in this country this
season. Another of these is drought.

Some states in our nation's midsection and mountain states have had
drought conditions for quite some time. For instance, in Texas it has
been the worst drought in a century.


We do not suffer alone.


SOURCE: Associated Press reports

--------------------------------

--Quote of the Week

"There's nothing like a gleam of humor to reassure you that a fellow
human being is ticking inside a strange face."

-Eva Hoffman, contemporary Polish-Canadian author (now resides in
London)

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Bye for now, and everyone have a great couple of weeks.
--John P., member of S.A.

=============================================

For more information about
Schizophrenics Anonymous.:
The new S.A. website is at:
http://www.sardaa.org
----------
For the Google information group for S.A.:
http://groups.google.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous
------------
For the Yahoo discussion group for S.A.:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous
NOTE: Earlier editions of the S.A. eLettter and the Schizophrenia News
Links are posted at the Google information group for S.A. (link given
above). Also, the S.A. eLetter will come
to your e-mail inbox when published by signing up at the S.A.
Information Group at Google.
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Fact Sheet Information about Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective
Disorder--
* National Institute of Mental Health--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml
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* Mental Health America ( formerly the National Mental Health
Association):
--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/schizophrenia
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* National Alliance for the Mentally Il
--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedP...
--description of schizoaffective disorder:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedP...
(Organization now called National Alliance on Mental Illness)