Depression, what works?

What works is a really individual thing. For me therapeutic walks and talks with a close friend. Counselling didn't work for me, but possibly didn't find one that I gelled with (v important). Trying to feel positive made me feel worse. Antidepressants, occasional sleeping tabs when very anxious, and time. Talking, talking, talking to close friends was best, and in recovery started Buddhist Meditation which has helped to maintain my equilibrium - mostly.

Years&years ago...had acupuncture for really bad post natal depression and it worked

Agree with Annie

I think this is a useful thread - airing and sharing ideas you have tried or read about that might help, without needing to go into too much personal detail

Anyone with depression or anxiety who needs support can find it on The Black Dog Thread, it’s the second thread for
The Black Dog

www.google.com/search?q=what+depression+looks+and+feels+like&rlz=1CARGUX_enGB781GB783&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwix7tLpj6riAhUNSxUIHZBNCiwQ_AUI

I wonder if it might be worth people contributing organisations or ideas or anything that they have found helpful and we could ask HQ to pin it on top of health?

If only it was a matter of think positive.....

crazyH doesn't work for clinical depression.

rosec l like that you say 'effort' but how do you stop thoughts coming into your mind?

SirC you are right, different things in different cases but not sure it can always be totally cured.

Salsa yes

And don't listen to anyone who thinks there is an answer, for some their isn't. It is so easy to tell others what to do and it is easy to be 'depressed'. However there is a massive difference between being 'depressed' because you are going through a tough time and being genuinely clinically depressed. If you don't know the difference you haven't been there. If you do know the difference you will know that the greatest help is to understand and be there for the sufferer.

What to do instead? Nature, fresh air, sleep-hygiene, purpose.....
..... can all help with mental health as they do with physical health. But once you are actually unwell there is only so much they can do. Touch base with your GP. That does not mean you will be automatically treated medically, but they can monitor and advise if lifestyle changes dont help. Some areas offer referrals to free mindfulness classes etc. There are free "health referral" gym classes at my local council gym for people referred for physical or mental health reasons.

We all get under the weather. Sometimes self care is all that is needed. But if it doesnt, as with a persistant cough, GP! Even if you are already on depression meds they may need to be changed or adjusted

Self care takes all kinds of forms. It might be a hobby or saying "no" more, OR saying "yes" more, personally lots of natural daylight and nature help.

Exercise which ever you like , positivity ,look for the positive in everything even if it’s as small as you managed to get up or you saw a color that you like etc. write the positives down every night , be kind to yourself and get out in the fresh air as much as you can I do all these when the black dog comes visiting and find even though they are very hard to do they do work for me. Hope this helps

This is about the problems of "positivity" in business motivational jargon but the pit falls are transferable
www.forbes.com/sites/janbruce/2013/11/19/how-positive-thinking-creates-more-problems-than-it-solves/

recoveringyogi.com/count-me-out-of-the-positivity-cult/

neofili.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-positive-thinking-trend-not-cool.html

www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/10/smile-or-die-barbara-ehrenreich

^ reasons to not beat yourself up if you are not the embodyment of a positivity mems

I so agree with your post notanan2! (the exclamation mark says a lot doesn't it? )

Focussing on the positive

^ plenty of arguements that that causes mental health problems.

Dont put pressure on yourself to be "positive" all the time. That is not natural or healthy. Its a trend.

It is normal to have a range of emotions. With depression you dont but the answer is not to go too the other way

Hope & purpose are well documented to help depression.

Being "positive" is unattainable and unhealthy, particularly in the current trendy way it is presented

Spending the day MEN free.

I battle depression on a daily basis. I try and keep busy especially with my crafts.

Take care xxx

nanny2507...............you could try chair-based exercises. Make sure you get good pain relief medication (see your doctor). Are you on antidepressants? Toast for dinner is not great - how about a packet of minced beef, and cook half with red kidney beans, tinned tomatoes and some tomato puree, onion and chilli powder. With a jacket potato, that would be substantial. You could cook the other half of mince with gravy granules, onion, tinned tomatoes again and peas, put mashed potato on top, for a shepherd's pie.

Nanny - have you ever tried doing exercise videos from Youtube? If you search for 'exercise for arthritis' on there there are lots of videos on there that you can do in the comfort of your own home, in your own time

salsaqueen i am the same. I dont eat well at all or exercise. one factor of this is money , no money to join a gym or buy healthy good quality food, and arthritis, I cannot exercise as i have it in my hands and feet, and another one is motivation..i have zero. Last nights dinner after work was toast as it was the night before. with various toppings

There are different types of depression, and the treatments will depend on the severity.

Reactive depression (caused by a bereavement, divorce, some stressful event)is natural and doctors won't always prescribe medication for it, but may suggest things such as exercise, being "kind" to yourself, talking to others, etc. I would think that the majority of us know how that all feels.

I suffer with what used to be known as Endogenous depression - there is no reason for me to feel so utterly miserable and awful, it is a depletion of certain chemicals in my brain.

I exercise, I eat well, I talk to others, I work, have a loving family, etc., etc.... and I wish all those positive things had an effect on my mood, but they don't. I have to take medication to treat my depression. After 30 years of being on and off antidepressants, I don't think that reading a book or doing some gardening is going to cure it (more's the pity)

It depends on the level of depression. For mild depression exercise, positive affirmation, good food, talking therapies and so on, and medication for more serious depression (plus exercise etc during recovery).

Many thanks.

Lily65

here are a couple of good ones, but try googling depression forums and see which ones appeal

www.dealingwithdepression.co.uk/
www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/supportforum
www.depression-chat-rooms.org/depression-forums.htm

fizzers, could you provide a couple of links to the forums please?

A few years ago, when I reached rock bottom and had to take a lot of time of work, I found the only thing that helped was taking medication, it took a couple of different medications to find the right one for me, but they did help me climb out of the dreadful mire I had gotten myself into. Tried 2 different types of counselling and that did not help at all, though for some people it is beneficial and can and does work. I joined a couple of online depression forums and they helped immensely and I made some lifelong friends. I also did something everyday that I liked - something for me

Lifestyle change and making an effort to refrain from ruminating by way of noticing you are ruminating and guide your mind towards other thoughts- Try not to seek out company with the specific intention to reinforce misery-

Have a nice day!

Focussing on the positive