Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
What are some ways to cope with depression?
2) there's the medication/therapy route
3)there's the herbal remedy folks
4) meditation
5)nature therapy
6)art and hobbies
7)exercise
8)practicing positive thinking
9) lots of combinations of the above
Anyway, I'm a self-help junkie. I have way too much material so my goal is to finish 1 book and do all the activities before actually looking for another. I figure if I fill my head with the information contained in those books, I won't have enough room for negative self-talk. I also exercise and do slow walks on the treadmill with non-self-help audiobooks.
Routine things may bore you so do something which is not routine. Hobby is good if you have one. If not cultivate one it will enrich you.
For the diet, try to not eat very much sugar or refined carbohydrates because that makes your blood sugar peak then crash lower than it was to begin with and that can make you grumpy, irrritable, tired, and confused. take a multi-vitamin and take good care of your hygein, and dress in ways that make you feel comfortable and feel good. treat yourself well by thinking good things about yourself. It's easy for negative thoughts to overshadow the positive ones, so maybe write down some things that you like about your life and about yourself, and make a list of what you can do to help the areas that need improvement, and make a game plan. Usually when you accomplish those things you will feel better, too. Outlets like writing or drawing, or cooking, or sports, or going on an outing are all healthy ways of coping, too.
I really hate exercising, but it does make you feel good when you see you're making some type of progress with yourself. Looking and feeling healthy makes me feel good about myself.
I let myself feel my good feelings too. This can be hard when I want to just stay numb inside from all the pain, anger, sadness. But I need my good stuff to feel joy and love and loved.
I try to control what I reasonably can and work on letting other stuff go. It is a hard lesson to learn we can't manage others (esp when we do it to control our own pain).
I was making grateful lists too..this helped alot..did it other day when overwhelmed. I come here from time to time to offer and receive support. Helping others makes me feel better, and I have life experience now to back up words.
And I read up on depression/negative thinking and realize logically this is alot of MY problem and can then refocus on better thinking. It really helps alot.
Get out too. Getting out (despite that deep need to stay put and cocoon or blank out) is best therapy. It helps sooo much. And helping others...like in my job...this gives me positive focus and joy. I enjoy the moments too.
Hope this was helpful.
Personally I find that the following things are very helpful for me:
- Getting regular exercise - I walk 40 minutes a day and, with the exception of right now due to a busted wrist, I snowboard most weekends in the winter and play soccer and flag football in the summer. Also do a lot of hiking
- Being outdoors in general - the fresh air will always do you good, winter or summer .. and in the summer the vitamin D from the sun is like an anti-depressant all on its own!
- Eating enough fruits and veggies! I make a fruit smoothie every morning and I can actually feel my mood slip the more days in a row I go without one..
- Writing. I write poetry and once in a while I just write out whatever is on my mind
- Aroma therapy - a hot bath along with some scented candles works wonders!
- Thought recognition and control - I have, with years of practice, learned to recognize irrational thoughts and tell them to STFU. It doesn't always work.. and a lot of times I recognize that my thoughts are irrational, but they still hurt. However, being able to discern between reality and whats just in my head helps me to at least retain some feeling of control
- Reading - it calms me, and allows me to escape for a while. Nothing like a good story to draw you into a world of excitement or whatever world you want to be in. I loooove fantasy novels!