S.A. eLetter (12-24-10)

[John P.]

Holiday Greetings S.A. Family on the Internet,

Here's a good S.A. step for the holiday season--

Step Four I Forgive....

I forgive myself for all the mistakes I have made. I also forgive and
release everyone who has injured or harmed me in any way.

Forgiveness is a choice. It is a choice that enables our emotional
wounds to heal, and endows us with the ability to drown out the anger
that can destroy us if left unchecked.

All of us can, if we want to, compose a list of those persons who have
hurt us. Sometimes these ghosts from the past have very vivid faces
and without much trouble, we can relive the pain that they have caused
us. Often anger and resentment soon follow.

In order to recover, we must stop this pattern of calling up
bitterness from the past. As one religious leader said, "If you want
to lose everything you have, remain angry." Harboring self defeating
resentments only reinforces the pain and inhibits one's ability to
break free as a whole person. If we are having trouble with forgiving
others, a spiritual approach often works where others don't.

Sometimes it is easier to forgive others than ourselves, especially if
our schizophrenic breaks involve bizarre or abusive behaviors. Yet we
must release ourselves from this guilt and go on living. If possible,
it can be helpful to ask forgiveness and try to make amends with the
persons, we have harmed. Ultimately, we must grow to view our mistakes
as learning experiences that can be drawn on when making life's
decisions in the future.

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

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--Quote of the Week

"God bless us. Everyone!"

-Tiny Tim from Charles Dickens' "The Christmas Carol"

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Bye for now, and here's to hoping that everyone has a great Christmas
and holiday season..

--John P., member of S.A.

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For more information about
Schizophrenics Anonymous.:
The new S.A. website is at:
http://www.sardaa.org
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For the Google information group for S.A.:
http://groups.google.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous
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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)