by easyreader1970 25 Replies latest jw friends
1. Eat right
2. Sleep at least 8 hours a day.
3. Get some cardiovascular exercise. Go for long walks.
4. Get some magazines and make up some collages of happy scenes - scenes you enjoy
5. With regard to #4 make up a story-board of your "Best Day" and then see how you can approximate this.
6. Help someone else.
7. Recognize that you can't ratchet yourself to higher and higher levels of happiness. Our biology is such that accommodation sets in.
Sorry that you are dealing with this. Anyone suffering from depression or any mental illness should seek professional help from a PCP, LSW or Therapist. Barring that, there are some things that you could incorperate into your lifestyle that will make you feel better.
Journaling allows you to get your feelings out in the open, often times you already know the solution to an issue. Writing it out helps you to see it clearly.
Reading some of the books suggested on this thread.
Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, you will feel and look better. Yoga and pilates are good for the mind.
Supplements like EFA, St John's Wort, SAMe can have a mild chemical affect, not endorsed by the FDA tho.
Eliminating excessive caffein and sugar from your diet will help your mood.
HTH!
I ordered the Feeling Good Handbook on Amazon for a fellow JWN poster for less than $10. Of all the self help books I've researched, this one comes the closest to teaching the same coping techniques that a therapist would. Of course the suggestions of taking care of your general health are good, but your circumstances really warrant seeing a professional. Please just do it, whatever it takes.
Go to CVS or Wallgrens and tell the nurse practitioner your depressed and you want Bupropion.
It cost about 5$ a month. Most likely they will give it to you because you asked for it.
After you take it for a month you wont be depressed any more.
Thats the easy and effective way to deal with depression.
If you cant bring yourself to take a pill every day for 5$ a month.
Put a rubber band on your wrist and every time you think a bad thought that leads you to be depressed
snap the rubber band.
When you snap the rubber band, and it stings, the sting is to remind you to think a happy, non depressing
thought.
Thats called rubber band therapy it works if you work it. It takes more effort than Bupropion.
If you dont know what thoughts lead you to be depressed than your going to have to pay a therapist.
He wont tell what thoughts make you depressed, you will have to pay him and tell him.
When you tell him what those thoughts are
remember them,
then put a rubber band on your wrist
and every time you think one of those depressing thoughts, snap the rubber band and then think about something else.
Something good and happy.
It works if you work it.
easyrider... I am sorry to read you have depression. This life can be a tough one. If anti-depressants don't work you can try a protein supplement. I had been depressed and also had anxiety attacks for a while, went on Prozac which wasn't very effective. I did my research about depression and found that low lysine (an amino acid in protein) levels affect production of seratonin. So I went on a protein supplement (the one I take is a soy protein from Shaklee) and it helped immensely. It was way more effective than the anti-depressant. I also eliminated caffeine and refined sugars from my diet as they were triggering the anxiety attacks.
I also agree wholeheartedly with garyneal. It is when we put a plan together for our lives, and take action on this plan that we actually feel good.
I found Covey's books (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First) to be of great benefit to me in doing this. He points out that we have 4 areas of need (Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual) and when these needs are not being met, we are not happy. Start looking at what you can do to fulfill these for yourself.
Some free natural things that I have found that really do help (studies back up all of these too):
Force yourself to shower and dress everyday and go out and walk in nature for a bit, rain, shine, or snow.
Try to walk or exercise for at least half an hour every day. Working up a bit of a sweat is best. Just get the circulation going (helps the brain)
Go to bed at a set time every night and aim for 8 hours. Sleep deprivation can cause tiredness that mimics depression.
If you live in the north where there is not much sunlight, take a Vitamin D supplement. (Studies show it helps with depression)
Also, if in dark climate, put bright natural daylight bulbs around your house.
Take Omega 3-6-9 oil supplement (OK, not free, but cheap at Costco). Scientific studies show it improves depression.
Limit alcohol intake to one a day for female, two for male. Alcohol is a depressant and will not help your deep sleep patterns.
Do not watch the news, or depressing crime or murder shows. Watch lighthearted comedies and positive things while you are depressed.
Call a good friend to talk. Avoid negative complaining people like the plague. They will feed your depression.
If you are lonely, get a pet to nurture.
If you are grieving a loss, allow yourself some time each day to grieve, cry, or indulge your true feelings. Don't suppress them. Don't wallow all day though. When time is up, force yourself to do something else.
Do one nice thing to treat yourself every day. Read a favorite book, play game, music, bath, chocolate, whatever you enjoy.
