Cheer up...

Change gears

Some days are really hard when I begin to feel the sad, discouraging and overwhelming feelings and thoughts start to creep into my being. I really try not to entertain the thoughts that want to come, because the more I do, the worse they get....and the worse I get. I need to change gears and quickly try and force myself to think of happy things, different things....anything that will divert the onslaught of another depression episode. Even hurriedly changing the activity I am engaged in at the time and doing something totally different, really works.

Finding life worth living, through the example of others

No persons troubles should be minimized, as we all are unique and we all handle things in a different way with our own strengths. We all have seen people who have made the most of their lives even against tremendous odds.

Meet Nick Vujicic. Watch his following videos...he is an inspiration of hope, faith and courage to all of us. He put me to shame with my whining and complaining:

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=59e9501a8f551df9ff67

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9bc6025b51155e26f6ce

A new year and new determinations

The end of one year and the beginning of a new one seems to bring with it a renewed determination to do better and to try harder.

I hope this is where you are at, in your feelings. I hope that this past Christmas season was good to you and that you felt love and gratitude and know in your heart that you are not alone with your struggles.

There is always someone worse off than we are

No matter how we are feeling on a particular day, there is always someone else that feels a lot worse. Let's try to reach out to that someone else and see if we can help lift that person up a little bit. In the process...we are lifted also.

Tis the season......

The Christmas season with all of its busy-ness and stress can really put us in a tailspin towards depression as we struggle and tend to get overwhelmed with it all. But try to keep Christmas as simple, easy and stress free as you can...it will greatly help.

Some days.......

Be sure to celebrate all your good days and moments

It is important to make a big deal of all the good days and moments that we have. Reward yourself some how, maybe buy a little treat or whatever works for you. By looking for, and recognizing our good moments, we are more conscience of them and will work harder at trying to have those good days. Besides...we sure like the feeling we have when we are up.

Whistle a happy tune

When days are bad and you’re feeling really down...force yourself to whistle or sing a happy tune. Find a song that you like very much and which is catchy and fun, memorize it and whenever you need to give yourself a lift, just whistle or sing it.

Try some midi music:
http://notendur.centrum.is/~sih/midi/

There are also many happy children’s songs that might do the trick for you, so find one of those:
http://bussongs.com/animal_songs.php

My new discovery

Within the last month I have made a very important discovery pertaining to my depression.

For months now, I have been doing tons of writing, including beginning a book, and also reading a lot more fiction books. Surprisingly, I have noticed a pattern developing which I certainly hope continues throughout the winter months.

All this writing and reading has hugely helped improve my depression. Generally this time of year I am well into the depression blues and not having any motivation to do anything. Of course, when we are depressed everything seems to bother us and it all turns inward, to ourselves. But all this writing and reading has just accomplished the complete opposite...all my feelings and thoughts have turned outward away from within me.

My writings help me to delve within myself and pull all my feelings and thoughts out from within the depths of me and put them onto paper. Reading helps me escape for awhile into another time and situation, thus providing me with an outlet with which to ponder, enjoy and get lost in, for awhile.

So, the secret is...to find something that you enjoy SO MUCH that it will enable you to bring all your feelings and thoughts out of you and center them on something that can take you away from your pent up emotions.

Stop thinking of self, and go do something for someone else

When we are depressed, all our energy and thoughts are turned inward to our self. If we can muster all our strength to break out of that process and go do something for someone else, then we will be surprised at how much better that little act of kindness for others can help us feel.

What is your hobby or something you thoroughly LOVE to do?

....whatever it is, immerse yourself in it; get lost in it; get renewed giddiness with it. Do all you can to use that hobby, activity or interest to help you through your rough days of depression. Don’t feel too guilty if other things do not get done. Just know, and help your family to know and understand, that this is a temporary outlet to help you get through those days of darkness.

Yes, I know that when the bad days come, we generally do not feel like doing ANYTHING AT ALL...that’s why you must choose an activity that will strongly work for you and be like your medicine.

The activities that I LOVE and which help me are: watching movies, and doing my various writings including my 10 blogs. Yikes!...10 blogs? ...yes, I am addicted and also I love knowing that I can help other people through my various kinds of blogs.

I dread this time of year

As we approach fall each year, I start to get nervous and glum. Something begins to work inside of me filling the spaces with the dreaded anticipation of what looms before me in the coming months.

I have more pronounced depression this time of year because I suffer with SAD...Seasonal Affective Disorder.... due to the fact that the daylight hours are all whacky. Through the last several years, I have been collecting my arsenal of ways to handle the increased depression when it comes.

This blog is all about how and what I do, not only in the fall and winter when my depression is at its worst but throughout the whole year. Hey...it works for me and I hope you can find help with these ways also.

I found a very helpful website on depression

It is called “The Depression Guide”.
http://members.fortunecity.com/depressionguide/

click on the chart below to enlarge...

For what it's worth...

...... a YouTube video on depression:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G19oeJD8Nc

Depression...such an elusive illness

I wish I could completely and fully understand the complexities of depression. Without medication, I deal with mine…and I know my depression is very mild compared to other peoples.

One of my friends, who also has chosen NOT to take meds for depression, is right now suffering terribly. For now, he has shut himself off from others, saying that his depression and mental pain are more than he wants to deal with.

It is so puzzling to me. Why does it have to be such a varied problem? Why does almost everyone suffer with depression in different ways and degrees? Why does one person that I know, who is ON depression meds…still does not feel and act right and has trouble functioning in his life? Why does another person I know, who is also ON meds…lives a fairly normal life, contributes to society and can enjoy doing the things she likes?

The human mind is so complex.