Depression in Plain English

Depression, mild or sever, is on the rise worldwide. Why? Contribution from pressure from work, speed of life, finances, family issues, and societal/technological changes add to our ability to cope with and effectively process the mental, emotional, physical, and psychological demands on us. The good news is that these are triggers that can be eliminated.

The purpose of this blog is to share the techniques and tips that have worked for me and others I know who live with depression and their loved ones who support them.

Functional but Blue

Many of us with depression are highly functional which makes it even more difficult to decide on getting help. You don't have to go very far to see what I mean. Michael Phelps is arguably the greatest swimmer in history and also a spokesperson for talkspace , an online platform that offers convenient and affordable therapy. Functional doesn't mean healthy! Finding joy in our everyday activities, looking forward to the next hour and things that are coming, waking up with drive, and feeling no dread/fear/anxiety about what's coming is where your life could be... so start walking the depression road one step at the time. Tip: Put yourself to the test! 1. Ask yourself each evening what portion of the day you spent feeling that you did chores (this is not the activity but the general feeling of having to do rather than wanting to do). 2. Keep tabs for two week. 3. If you spend more than half of your time this way, it is time to change something and feel better. Only

Exercise is Natural Medicine for Depression

I know what some will say... I just can't get myself moving. If you need motivation, here is a reason why. Exercise increases neurotransmitters, the stuff in the brain responsible for regulating physical and mental well being. Here is some research you can read. For my money, you don't have to be an athlete or exhaust yourself to get some benefit from exercise. Start slow and small, then increase intensity as you get better. The most important thing is to do something every day so you body develops a 'need' for moving. I'd say you'll feel that 'need' in about 3 weeks at which point it becomes easier to get going. Developing this healthy habit will help with your depression. Many will also say that exercise takes time which they don't have. As my mother said, "you have time for what you make time for". You can do something just about anywhere! If you think that exercising requires money, I'll show you how you can get in sh

First Step Ideas

One of the hardest thing for depressed people is to take the first step for getting help. I know, I've been there. It took 10 years, 2 episodes with cancer, a break in career progression, and a ton of perceived physical pain (yes, it was not real but I was still hurting). Here are some tips to start on the depression road: Ask a friend or family member to help you to make an appointment and accompany you to see a doctor. You can see your general practitioner since depression is fairly easy to diagnose. They can get prescribe an anti-depressant immediately and refer you to a therapist. Educate yourself about treatment methods by reading. Learning about possible treatments (medical, psychological, life skills) is an essential part of developing skills to deal with depression. For example, there are a lot of misconceptions around what therapy is and can do which can lead to not reaching out, disappointment due to unreasonable expectations, and a plethora of other out

Depression Road

Search This Blog