Getaways that Help my Depression by guest blogger Tina Barbour
Meet guest blogger Tina Barbour. She is a victorious veteran of living with depression. Here's her story and some great tips.
I have had depression since I was a teenager, perhaps even earlier, but I wasn’t officially diagnosed by a doctor until I was 26 years old.
Since then, I have been in treatment for it. That treatment has included medications and therapy.
Recently, I was diagnosed by my therapist as having not just episodes of depression, but chronic depression.
Medications have helped me tremendously, but I have learned that they can’t help with every aspect of depression. So I have learned other tools for helping when the darkness descends and I need relief. Here are some of those tools:
*Time with my husband. I tend to want to be alone when I’m feeling at my lowest. But I have learned that I need to make an effort to be with supportive people. The most supportive person in my life is my husband. He doesn’t expect me to put on a happy face. And his companionship and gentle humor help remind me that I’m not alone.
*Time with my cats. I have two cats, Sam and Chase. I love watching them move around the house on their mysterious expeditions. And I love playing with them and cuddling with them (when they allow it!). Their unconditional love and affection soothe me and help me to think of things other than my depression.
*Time with books. I have loved to read ever since I was a child. Books take me to different places and teach me about the world, about people and about myself. When I’m particularly down, I can delve into a good mystery or thriller and get lost, at least temporarily forgetting my feelings of hopelessness and pain.
*Time with God. In addition to depression, I also have OCD. My OCD scrupulosity made my spiritual life more of a heartache than a help for many years. But in the last several years, I’ve been able to come back to my spirituality and my search for peace in God. I enjoy the order and liturgy of my church service. And I am finding new peace in mindfulness meditation, when I sit quietly and try to stay in the moment.
*Time with my therapist. This might seem obvious to others who are in therapy. But sometimes I just don’t want to take the time to go to therapy. There aren’t any instant results, and it takes away time from work and other responsibilities. But I’ve learned that sticking with a program of therapy—in my case, Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), which targets chronic depression—is important to its success. I have to give it a fair chance. And I can see progress that I’ve made.
Things like eating a healthy diet and exercising are also important to feeling better with depression. But sometimes, when it’s just too hard to gather much energy, the five getaways that I’ve listed work quite well.
Thanks Tina for sharing tips that have worked for you.
Go and visit Tina at her first blog on mental illness 'Bringing Along OCD...' She has a way of describing symptoms that makes you feel as though she really understands the experience, because she really does!
She has not moved on to a new blog talking about her love of cats 'Following Cats'. Writing is clearly a depression getaway for Tina.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you doing today? Are there people or animals or things right in your own house that could provide comfort and support and a little getaway for you?
Don't give up! There is hope for depression.
