Update

I just thought that I would give the 63 people who viewed my blog on the subject of living with mental illness an update. No, I am not dead. Thank God. However, I am a lucky one. One of my acquaintances, a man of about sixty I would guess, has killed himself. He walked into a lake.

I keep my mind occupied with mathematics, video games and drawing. I have since given up alcohol almost entirely. One of my friends convinced me to have a glass of whiskey at the weekend, and this was a pleasurable experience. Many of my peers in the mentally ill community take to drinking, smoking and gambling unto the entire ruination of their health. To be one of the 0.01% of people who actually heal from mental illness and begin to lead semi-productive lives; perhaps hold down a menial part-time job, say, I need to avoid the pitfalls of others. I do not desist from drinking smoking and gambling out of a sense of Pharisaical pride: in my experience, people with mental illness ought not to do these things.

There is a public house in Monaghan Town called Jimmy's.  It is the Tavern of choice for those Monaghonians afflicted with mental illness. To behold the clientele of Jimmy's is testament to my belief that Alcohol and mental illness do not mix. The women patrons in particular have lost all self respect such that somebody once remarked:

"Jimmy's should have a red light hanging outside of it!"

I have given up smoking. Hypochondria has its benefits! I entirely enjoyed the ritual of smoking cigarettes, but now I detest the mere whiff of tobacco smoke. I have been off them for about two years now. I found the Alan Carr book on the subject most helpful. He takes every single myth concerning the supposed pleasures and benefits of smoking, and demolishes them one by one. After reading the book one says to himself:

"Why am I needlessly inhaling the residue of combustion?"

I have begun listening to The Lyndon Method Compact Discs. These C.D.s are excellent. They are visualisations and breathing excercises that can arrest a fitful spell of rumination.  I have included the Kakariko Village Theme from The Legend of Zelda: a Link Between Worlds as a suitable lullaby.

I have begun listening to music in 3/4 time or 6/8 time. I heard a woman on Youtube say that lullabies have the power to ease the mind into a meditative state.  Through experience, this seems to work.

That is enough of an update for now. See yiz later.