In most General Practice consultations there is at least a fair chance you will need to know a bit of medicine to get by. The key here is to stay persistent in your quest for change while you are trying to pass life’s tests of patience and willpower.

Shit-life syndrome captures the truth that the bald medical statistics have economic and social roots. Patients so depressed they are prescribed or seek opioids – or resort to alcohol – are suffering not so much from their demons but from the circumstances of their lives. They have a lot to be depressed about. They, and tens of millions like them teetering on the edge of the same condition, constitute Donald Trump’s electoral base, easily tempted by rhetoric that pins the blame on dark foreigners, while castigating countries such as Finland or Denmark, where the trends are so much better, as communist. In Britain, they were heavily represented among the swing voters who delivered Brexit. It is better to just own your mistakes and strive to do better going forward. 15. Be willing to take risks. Just take it one day at a time. Find something you enjoy or used to enjoy outside of work. Hey, buy an adult coloring book from Dover Publishing, go to Target and buy some Crayola coloring pencils, the big box, and color when you feel your worst. Art is good therapy. Don’t dwell on the problems. Relax. Go somewhere no one will bother you. Have some quiet time for yourself. This is the setting where the answers & the directions come from. I practically lived at the library. Now my life is simple. I found that the nighttime was the time I could relax & feel some relief. I am now use to the darkness. My chronic pain is now my friend. I am used to the emptiness & being alone. And that is OK. I am still engaged in the world but I am not a part of it, of its gossip or it's drama. I try to stay out of the games others play. If you have four things going well and one thing that isn’t and claim to hate your life, you’ve lost perspective on reality. I, the author, can’t rely on my feelings or empathy to make good decisions. If I did that, I would be doing far more wrong things than right. And in this case, wrong as in things that I don’t want to do or have associated with myself. So, I rely on external moral compasses to keep me pointed in a better direction.I filter a lot of my choices and actions through Virtue. Is it fair and just? Is it wise and reasonable? Is it in moderation? Is it courageous? If the answer is no, then I don’t do it. And let me tell you, after years of doing this, it’s completely changed my decisions and how I conduct my life for the better. You’re the one who always makes the call to hang out, and when your friend does answer your texts (which does not happen often), it always feels like they're doing you a favor. “Yeah, I guess dinner works for me on Friday. I’m going to be a little late. Oh, and I need to leave early. Is that cool, too?” If that sounds all too familiar, you're allowed to ask for better communication. 4. The Friend Who Doesn't Respect Your Time Here’s the thing, people are not static beings. As human beings, we are forever changing, evolving, and transforming. Forgive me for waffling on but it's the time of year when it hits me hardest too. Treasure your time with him, tell him everything you have to say to him, support each other & be there for one another. Life is wonderful no matter what form it takes.

Life can be shit and sometimes being a GP means putting away the pills and being substitute friend, parent, priest, and yes, even Jezza. Are you over-extending yourself and getting bogged down by too many commitments? Learn how to notice your energy levels and step away when you’re getting too overwhelmed. Ask yourself questions such as: Don’t let people rent space in your head. Make the decision to stay away from any environments that don’t serve you. Hang around only those who help you grow and are positive and encouraging. 2. Shut Down Social Spaces If you only think about where you want to end up, you’ll lose touch with where you are right now. Every step of the way offers important lessons and insights.And by wrong, we don’t necessarily mean wrong in a societal, religious, or cultural sense. Instead, we mean acting wrong, as in being out of tune with how you want to act, what you believe, and what you feel is right. Instead, you can take the time to learn more, consider your actions more, and then take action more in tune with who you want to be. 3. Do better. You are what you do. You might believe you have everything under control, and you just have hit a rough patch. But is it possible you are going in the wrong direction entirely? As young people, how many of us felt empowered and encouraged to take a proactive approach to our life, and to be and do whatever we desired, even if that went against “the norm”?