10 Things that might just help with Depression

 

Here are some of the things you can encourage your Sufferer to try, in order to keep on top of depression. Some of them we've mentioned before but here they are, all in one place.

In no particular order!

1. Routine - To avoid feeling as though one day is just a continuation of the day before's drudgery, it's good to establish *some* sort of a routine. I realise that's easier said than done some times! But it makes sense that a bit of routine will give shape to the days and weeks so at least they don't blend into each other. I'm going to try to do this with my sufferer as we have virtually no routine from day-to-day or week-to-week!
2. Goal-setting - Start small but start nonetheless. Depression leaves the sufferer feeling incapable so each day that trickles by with nothing accomplished only makes it worse. Setting a goal - even if it is something as basic as loading the dishwasher every day - begins to fight that sense of uselessness. And, as each goal is achieved, their coplexity can be increased to slowly bring your Sufferer back up to speed.
3. Exercise - Healthy body, healthy mind. Very true. But better than just that, the chemicals released in the brain when we exercise - endorphons - are nature's natural highs. They make us feel better by flooding our brains with loveliness. Exercise can also tie in very well with forming part of a routine and with your sufferer's goal-setting.
4. Food, glorious food - avoiding lots of fat, sugar and caffeine can help. Also, eating bananas promote feel-good chemical production. There has been research that suggests that a low-carbohydrate diet is not helpful for depression and rather eating a good amount of carbohydrate by way of rice and pasta (not so much from potato) is beneficial.
5. Sleep - Get enough of it but don't get too much. That goes for both you and your Sufferer. Napping during the day isn't usually helpful. If you can get your routine in place, sleeping should form a part of that. If your Sufferer struggles to sleep, try to avoid watching TV/using a laptop in bed. Keep the bedroom as your sanctuary for sleeping only. (Well, and for baby-making practice - that counts towards exercise!)
6. Responsibilities - Make sure your Sufferer has some. My Sufferer has been struggling with work but is beginning to take on responsibilities at home, over and above those I refuse to ever adopt myself! [Bins are a boy job!] Tie these in with your routine and goals.
7. Negativity - Trying not to let it take over is hard enough. What your Sufferer needs to try to do though is focus on their negative thoughts in order to rationalise them and then, eventually, find a different way of looking at them the next time they crop up. Mindfulness courses might help - my Sufferer has undertaken one recently but only time will tell if it's going to help him to think differently!
8. Medication - There are many different anti-depressants available now which can help to avoid the very lowest of lows. They tend to keep the Sufferer on an even keel. There are other supplements thought to help such as Omega-3 and folic acid which you could talk to your doctor/pharmacist about.
9. Try something new - anything goes really! This is a tricky one though. Although there's a lot to be said for the feeling of satisfaction we derive from trying something new - excitement, satisfaction - for a sufferer of depression, the perceived risks associated with it and their generally negative outlook can make this impossible. If they can be persuaded though, there are rewards to be had.
10. Fun - It sounds glib to suggest you tell your Sufferer to try to have fun. Depression's main aim can often seem to be to strip the joy and fun out of the Sufferer's life, leaving it devoid of pleasure and happiness. Try really hard not to let it. I've noticed that we're having more fun lately - just silly stuff like dancing around the kitchen with the kids or laughing at silly pictures on the internet. It all helps release a few more blobs of happy chemicals in the brain. And we ALL need as much of that as we can get!

I'm going to start implementing some more of these suggestions tomorrow - starting with drawing up some kind of schedule/routine with my Sufferer. I'm hopeful this will provide the framework for a lot of the other elements to slot in to. Here goes!
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GOAL!

There is nothing more intimidating than a blank page.

This is true in blogging as it is in life.

Sometimes having too many possibilities leads to a lack of focus.

It can be overwhelming.

Depression can feel just like that. And it is something my Sufferer struggles with. Everything in life seems so huge that there’s nowhere to begin. The end aim is just too huge and distant it seems entirely unachievable. And so, nothing happens. Nothing gets done. Day after day, the same pattern emerges and it is soul-destroying.

One way to overcome this is through goal-setting. Many of us have come across the concept of setting SMART goals. To be SMART, a goal must be:

Specific            “I want to lose 10 lbs” not “I want to lose weight”

Measurable       “I will be able to cook 5 new recipes” not “I will be a better cook”

Attainable         “I want to learn how to play euphonium” not “I want to grow wings and fly”

Relevant           “I will learn French before our holiday in France” not “I’ll learn Greek…”

Time-bound      “By Friday…” not “…soon”

There are variations but they’re basically making the same point with alternative vocabulary! It’s just common sense really but it helps to have a little mnemonic as a reminder.

This method works by breaking down the enormous task ahead – climbing out of your depression hole – and allows the Sufferer to focus on a teeny tiny step – but a step in the right direction no less. Each goal is achieved and then another is set. The mind is re-trained to realise that it can still accomplish things.

Not only is this a way to begin taking those little steps towards recovery, there are other excellent reasons to set goals.

1. We have a focus.
2. We become mobilised – we have a direction to be heading in.
3. We gain persistence.
4. We are motivated to find ways of achieving each goal.

The first goal my Sufferer has set himself is to eat one banana every day. [If this seems entirely random, please read my post regarding the connections between food and depression!] I’ve helped him to achieve this by buying plenty of them! But I know I can’t be the one to set the goals for him – that would defeat the object and leave him with yet another reason to feel he is being put under pressure and at risk of failing – and nobody needs that. 

All I can do is encourage him to keep setting new goals that fit the criteria. And, little by little, he will hopefully find things gliding back into perspective and our lives will be able to start moving forwards once again.

Please feel free to share your experiences. Or just leave a comment to say you dropped by. Good luck all!

Follow on Facebook and Twitter @PondersNeverEnd or use #CrazyStupidDepression