Depression Coming Back

Whenever the conversation leads that way. I prefer to be honest and open about everything....and if they can't handle it, better to move on fast before things get serious.

 

I understand where you are coming from Chadderz, feel free to PM me if you need to chat it through.

I find personally that it comes from putting too much pressure on myself to do something that I'm not sure about, or something too far out of my comfort zone but we are all different and it could easily be something different for you. I find that if I reel myself in a bit, but still out of my comfort zone, then I get enough of a buzz from working towards that to help me out. If you are worse after training then maybe back off a little bit so that you aren't as tired? But keep doing some training as it's bound to help a bit.

It can be hard talking to people who don't understand depression as a lot of people just say 'Go do this, go do that' but it's often the drive to do those things that dwindles so it makes it super-hard. I find myself often saying 'What's the point in doing this, that or the other as it won't help' but it often does when I do it so just have faith and go through the motions and try to believe that things will help.

My advice would be to to talk to people anyway and get it out in the open, even if people are just sounding boards. Also try some pure fun activities that you do to provide some joy in your life. This can be hard as depression can sap the joy out of everything but try anyway and again, have the faith that it is helping.

Finally I take St John's Wort supplements through winter (my toughest time) and find that these can help lighten my mood a bit. But make sure you get the Lambert's ones (http://www.lambertshealthcare.co.uk/st-johns-wort-tablets-p8001/) as there are a lot of rubbish ones out there and I find these to be good.

Anyway, PM me if you need to talk things through bud.

 

Saunas and hot baths/showers can also help with SAD.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

That's why they have them a lot in Cold countries. Like the japanese have communal baths eugh

I tend to get the opposite to SAD, well depressed in the summer.

 

I have friends that suffer from this, but more importantly i suffered from generalized anxiety disorder. It's very similar to depression, not in how it feels, but in it's cause.

If it's a one of, then medication and some good advise and love can help, but if it is a recurring thing, then no meds can ever truly help. The problem then is one of chemical imbalance, but an imbalance that is created by your own thoughts. Meds can help temporarily (fixing the balance), but if the initiator (the thoughts) is still there, then depression, anxiety will return.

The solution for me was cognitive therapy. It is a sophisticated term for essentially changing the way you think and see things. The idea is that your brain comes to believe things regardless of what you rationalize. Some people call it the subconscious. It's where the things you truly believe are; it's what makes some afraid of some things, depressed, etc.

I live in an area were true professionals are rare and far between, but i was lucky enough to find the therapy online. So i suggest you start looking.

A fair warning though: at first it's going to feel silly. But it's really the scientific way of "fake it till you make it". You convinced yourself of some bad things that now force your brain to go in depression "mode", you can do the opposite.

 

Not exactly. They were used for numerous reasons in the past as well as keeping warm...bathing, child birth, washing the dead and IIRR performing small operations as the room was supposedly cleaner.

SAD is a massive problem here. Every year there's stuff in the newspapers and magazines reminding you what to do during the autumn months (go outside, eat healthily and take vitamins etc). It's easy to laugh, but it is quite serious. The weather affects me greatly, it's not the cold...but the dark in autumn. It usually goes in the winter. I've also noticed I get it to a lesser degree during the spring. I think it's a kind of fear that in 3 months it's all downhill again.

 

I get happy in autumn... I can eat more and TRAIN harder.

 

I liked what Arradia said about Music, it's a great tip. You don't want to feed the 'wrong' kind of feelings and some music can be dark, melancholy and or nihilistic. On the other hand emotion and what we bury in our subconscious is a big part of this so in my opinion it is possible to find music that is emotionally positive and uplifting. I don't really mean in a kind of "everything is roses" kind of way. Sadness, loss, emptiness, low self worth etc. are a part and parcel of human condition. Fo me, I particularly like music that can at the same time convey dual emotions like both sadness and joy at the same time.

Music can help find inner strength, that emotion inside you that wants to fight back against all the crap life can throw at you. It can be it's own little bit of therapy; I love uplifting music in that way. But everything in moderation, it's good to explore and feel your emotion, release emotion that builds up - because we often try to bury it, and guess what - it festers.. The goal would be to find a nice balance between reality and hope. I've always found music, on the whole, a good way to tap into emotion in a positive way. It is easy to feed certain feeling though, understanding that and working with it in a better way for your mental health can be positive in my experience.

So I guess, be careful but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Taking a break from music can be worthwhile if you feel you have a habit there that probably needs breaking/ is feeding the 'wrong' kind of emotions for you perhaps.

The post about Cognitive therapy is also an important one - in the end you are going to have to dig into your psyche and pin point the issues in your life that have led you to where you are with your headspace. Of course it could be something like chemical imbalance, something not really rooted in your life. But for the most part it will usually need some kind of evaluation and acceptance by way of the cause or root of the problem.

All the best

 

Spoiler

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o01fUwIX3PA"]Massive Attack vs. Burial -- Paradise Circus (Vinyl Rip) - YouTube[/ame]

I find this both relaxing. And also the lyrics are about love. Love can be a funny thing. 'I'd rather be a dog; than in love.'

 

Hey folks, just wanted to add something in relation to my post on page 2.

I came across some research today linking inflammation with depression. It's not so current, but I also havent seen anything contradictory to this:

http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v11/n7/full/4001805a.html

https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-11-200

In view of this research, and linking back to the practice I mentioned on this thread. It makes sense that such a practice which has been scientifically proven to significantly reduce inflammation in the body, would also have a positive impact on depressive conditions.

 

I never thought about the effect of nutrition on mental health.

 

Wow sometimes it's difficult to feel calm. Are there circadian rhythms to emotions?

Apparently there may be... from a quick google.

 

Just done a few pullups on a door frame. That's helped. Sorry for hijacking your thread Chadderz

 

Could we maybe make a sticky of this and possible add more organisations that can help out people in a bad way?

Maybe our non-UK based lot could add similar numbers to the thread.

Just got a message from a mate in the UK who's in bad way. it's horrible being so far away!

Edit: My apologies if we already have one.

 

Yes please sticky this

:mitch::simon::Aegis::saz::topic:

:evil:

 

Really Simon? Such hard questions!

I was actually thinking it would be good to have a 'help' or 'mental health' (can't think of a better and perhaps less negative sounding title) in the Health and Fitness section. We have a cardiovascular section, flexibility, nutrition....how about something for the old noggin'?

Perhaps a "mental health" (better phrase needed) section in H&F with a sticky with help lines and various organisations?

We're all going to need the info at one point in our lives.

 

I try to keep my thoughts focused on work, rest, pray or play. Then I ask myself; what do I want to do; what do I need to do? Reason vs emotion...

I read about that in Dan John's 'Intervention'.

 

I'll have to check that, but it always amazes me how the words 'want' and 'need' seem to be confused these days.

 

I'd recommend just talking face to face with someone and opening up slowly. Whether that be a doctor, priest, parent or trusted friend...

Just my 2 cence because some people can't leave the house. Myself included at times.