Reaching out

[Zeeva]

I'm sure many of you suffer from depression and we all have our bad days...so what do you do on one of those bad days?

I know I've been a bit overwhelming in all my posts lately but I think this should be a positive one.

Here's what I do:
-Hang out with my doggies! Take them for a walk, train them, walky doggy with them, play tug, give them a bone and relax with them on the couch, pet them like crazy, groom them, yell at them for leaving piddle paddle on the floor, talk to them while they do their head tilts at me...etc
-Stay on the forum.
-Wiki whack
-Take a pep pill (only on some days where I feel I really need one)
-Look for places to volunteer
-Look for a job
-Reach out to people

My appointment is on the 20th. My GRE is on the 27th. I'm waiting for those days to pass in the hope that I'll feel better once they're over...Hopefully I'll relieve some of you then...

P.S. Thanks for all your support. I know it's corny of me to say this, but it means A LOT.

[kiya]

You have to remember "it's just a bad day". Sometimes I can't find the motovation to do much more than what I have to do. It takes a lot of effort for me to even post sometimes. You seem to have quite the list of things to keep you going. I actually enjoy just chilling, watching a funny movie.

[Gretchen]

Today is a bad day. But it does get a little brighter when I read positive things from people like you. Otherwise all I can do is pray.

[sashadog]

I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with more bad days I understand your pain and have been there myself. One of the best ideas my therapist suggested is making a "self-care list" and making sure that you do two things from that list everyday. This, along with some wonderful meds, helps keep the bad days fewer and farer between. Basically, I made a list with two columns; first column is things that make me feel good while I'm doing it (i.e. having a glass of wine, talking to my sister on the phone, cuddling with my pooches, taking a hot bath, etc) and the second are things that make me feel good after I've done the activity (i.e. going for a run, cleaning the house, watching a funny TV show, etc.)

Sending you hugs Hang in there and hopefully your appointment on the 20th will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

[GsdLoverr729]

On these days, I:
Sing
Draw
Write stories
Play and work with Koda
Play with Simi
Instigate a game with my boyfriend and Frienda
Read a book
Dance around with Nooo shame
Message Trey (from my pm)
Eat random food combinations
Cuddle with Matt
Try to talk to others who are feeling down

[Jax08]

Amina - I"m not sure if anyone has pointed this out to you but you are now in the northern midwest where we don't have the sunshine that you would have seen in Arizona. We have more pollution, shorter days. Along with prescription anti-depressants, you need to look into vitamin D supplements and maybe a course of UV light, either from a tanning booth or a light that you can buy. Seasonal Affective Disorder is far more common in the east than the west.

[RocketDog]

I agree with Michelle. One of my dearest friends is Scottish, she now lives here--she's told me Scotland has the highest suicide rate of all the UK, and there is a definite link to light. It's the most northern part, and even more northern than Spokane. Light is most DEFINITELY a factor.

[Syaoransbear]

The only thing I enjoy now is sleeping.

[Liesje]

I don't suffer from depression but I do get down in the dumps over the winter because it is so long and cold and during the coldest months we average only two days with sun. Going to the tanning salon once a week for about 10 minutes actually helps me a lot (and if you are worried about skin cancer just keep your clothes on and/or wear sunscreen - I do!). If by some miracle we have a sunny day I force myself to sit outside for a while and just watch the dogs play even if it's way below freezing. I also find that exercising helps, I feel good afterward and I sleep like a rock when I'm physically tired.

[LoveEcho]

I..sleep, a lot. Usually on bad days, I can't muster much energy to do anything, not even play with the dog. I get very needy. In the past, when I was younger and not really savvy in social dealings (I have Aspergers) I'm sure I weirded people out.... reaching out to people who I wasn't all that close with. I tend to keep it in, now. I used to post a lot on an Asperger's forum, when I needed to reach out. I usually just call my dad these days. On bad days, I either live on my computer or phone-- talking on here, on FB, or to my dad. Neither my husband nor I communicate feelings well, and usually he thinks I'm out in left field (he really does try, but gets frustrated that he can't help, and then I get frustrated).

I used to get even more depressed by the fact that I'd wasted a day, but since my AS diagnosis I've learned to just think of it as isolating myself to recharge my batteries.

I don't consider myself a religious person, but when I get super down/desperate I have the urge to go talk to a rabbi, for some reason. Why a rabbi, I have no idea-- my family was very (very) loosely "christian"... but my neighbor was a rabbi (or whatever the female version of a rabbi is) and I used to talk to her a lot as a teen. Maybe I associate it with peacefulness.

Usually I just try and talk to people online and wait it out. I hate that I can't ever do anything-- I feel like I'm made of cement.