10/2/11

Dear Tony,

I am sorry your life has been so difficult lately. I am sorry to hear that you have had so much trouble.
I have been psychiatrically ill in the past, and I hope I can help you. I would like to discuss some of my own experiences growing and staying better.

The first thing to realize is you can grow better. You can improve. Virtually anyone not in a coma can make his or her life better. There are things you can do.

But it has to come from you. Your family, your doctors and counselors, and anyone else who cares about you can help you with this. But the decisions about what to do and how to improve yourself must come from within you.

Try to figure out something you can do. It is probably not a big thing. That's okay. Even making a list or writing something down can be a step in the right direction.

Once you start, you will begin to see more and more things you can do to grow better. But the important thing is to start. After that it will grow easier.