Special in a Good Way

By James E Lauderdale Jr.

Have you ever wondered what those who struggle with mental illness are thinking? This book sheds light on one such human being. The author shares his insights, hopes, dreams, and fears. Through a series of poems and essays, he illustrates how those who struggle with mental illness are still special in a good way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504950589

James E Lauderdale Jr.

James E Lauderdale Jr., is a Christian, a blogger, and a preacher and teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where he seeks to make a difference in his community and serve God.

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© 2015 James Lauderdale. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/17/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-5057-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-5058-9 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Introduction

So Special

About the Author: Still Special

How Did This Come to Be???? A Preventative Plea

After Relapse

Isolation

Hope

A Head-On Confrontation

Warning Signs

Balancing Act

Planning Ahead

What Do I Mean by Low Energy/Motivation?

Writing

If I Publish These Thoughts

Religious poems

Despair

Success?????

The Conflict?

Praying for a spark

Incapacitation

Religious essays

Finding Myself

The Reset Button

Source of Problems

But they that wait!!!!!!!!

The Need for Childhood Preparation

Finding Myself

Job

Delighting in the Lord

The greater the ability

Ideations

Opposition

Evil

Sin

Visions for the Future: Mental Health Advocacy

A Preventative Plea, Part 2

Caution: for those who love the mentally ill

Education

Making a Difference

Greater Opportunities

Learning from Mistakes

Park Center

Park Center, Part Two

Learning from the Past

Aiding Those New to a Mental Illness

Easing the drug epidemic

Mental Health and the Black Church

Abraham Lincoln

The pivot: From Regular to Worse!

Special in a Good Way

Six Month Mark

Stigma, the Beginnings

Back in the Saddle

I’m Still Me!

I’m still me! An apology

Lowered Functioning

Silence

Questions: Looking for Answers

Where things completely went horrid

Expression

Is this the new reality?

Quitting Worrying

Am I repeating history?

How was I to say?

Verbalize Feelings

Stunted Growth

Better Thinking and Interventions of the Tortured Soul

Communication

Hope

Be Grateful!

Dream Bigger!

Trusting in God Even More

All in God’s Time

Really????

What should I do now? [intervention at the end]

Not Meant for Me [intervention at the end]

Poems and Essays of the Tortured Soul

I Wish

Why Such a Cycle?

Rumination

What Happened????

What happened, part two

Something new again

Getting worse

The anger…

Fallen

Father’s Day

Father’s Day, part two

Move Along

I ask myself why

Disappointed

An Attempt to Trap

A problem

Satan (the devil’s attacks)

DisAPPOINTED

The Beginning of Mania!

Seventeen

The Emotional Narrative

Discovery: Head in the Clouds

Scenario Planning

Scenario, part 2

The Cost of Greatness

Faith and Psychology

Eighth Grade

Medication

Confidence

Fear of Hell

His grace is sufficient!

The residue of isolation

School

Am I ready?

Disappointed

The Risk

Calling

The Path

Lawrence Avenue Church of Christ

Lipscomb University Entrance Essay

Dedication

This book is dedicated first to the Lord, from whom all blessings flow, as well as those who live with and/or care for a person living with a mental illness. May this book be a step in the right direction towards better mental health and wellness for all.

-September 10, 2015

Introduction

So Special

Welcome to a very special book. This book aims to shed light on the struggles of the human spirit in terms of mental health. I hope to raise a variety of issues dealing with both mental health and wellness.

Many people are not aware of the truth about mental illness. No, those struggling with a mental illness are not more likely to be criminal or dangerous. This struggle seems to be more internal than external for most people.

I would also like to help prevent the development of mental illness in the lives of others yet to be diagnosed. I believe giving links to articles and organizations in the field would prove beneficial as well.

January 25, 2014

About the Author:

Still Special

Since being diagnosed with a mental illness at age seventeen, the Lord has still blessed me to graduate high school and go to college. He has allowed me to travel the Louisiana, Mexico, Brazil, Honduras and Alabama for mission trips. I have preached on many occasions as well.

Still, there have been many setbacks. I am yet to