1. Exercise! - Studies have shown that regular exercise can be as effective or better than antidepressants or psychotherapy, says Dr. Mary Caracoglia.2. Gardening! is known for its meditative and relaxing effects. Medical News Today reports UK scientists found a helpful bacteria in soil that affects the brain in nearly the same way anti depressants do - by increasing the release of serotonin.
3. Ingesting good fats! like omega 3 have been known to produce a positive affect on brain neurotransmitters and is critical for the functionality of the nervous system.
4. Meditation! BBC News reports that meditation reduces depression by over 50%. -
(we know! ... not the best source - but we gather links from all over the web)
5. Natural Vitamins!. Studies show that vitamin B-12, Folic acid, vitamin D3 and Tyrosine are fantastic vitamins that naturally fight depression. You can find them in foods like: Fish, Oysters, Beans, Nuts, Whole Grains, and Leafy Vegetables.
What if you're too damn miserable to be motivated to do any of this?
ReplyDeleteAurgggghhhh!! This is frustrating. I wrote you a long reply with suggestions, and it didn't let me send it. (and erased it, of course). This is a test to see if it will send my message this time.
DeleteOK. Here goes again.
DeleteFirst of all, know that you are not alone. What some people call depression is very mild. For some of us, it is completely paralyzing. I've battled it all of my life.
There are many things not mentioned in this article. Little things...which are easier to do.
Try one or all of these:
1. Sit or stand up as straight as you can.
2. Breathe in as deeply as you can, and hold it for a second. See if you can take in any more air. Then let it out slowly. Hold a second, and see if you can push out any more. Do it again.
3. Drink a glass of water. Our bodies need water for many reasons, and a lot of people don't recognize thirst. Just taking care of yourself in this small way can make you feel better. If it's cold, you can drink heated water - it's comforting.
4. Stretch. No-not exercise. That's good too, but you don't feel like it yet. Just stand up and stretch.
5. Force yourself to smile, even if it is a grimace, and absolutely fake. Studies have shown that it makes you feel better to smile, even if you're not smiling because of anything.
6. Step outside for a minute. The earth vibrates at the same frequency as our brains. Who knows what effect this has on us, but we are somewhat cut off from this when we are inside buildings. It feels GOOD to step outside. Take a couple more deep breaths while you are out there.
7. Try to notice something small that you appreciate or that makes you feel good. It can be very simple. A soft rug on your bare feet. A cup of coffee in the morning. The sound birds make. Warm clothes out of the dryer. Now write it down. Keep your eye out for other things, and if you notice something, write that down, too. When you get a collection going, you can go back and read them, and these memories feel good. I kept a "happy book" for years, and just realized I should start that again. It helps to turn your thinking in another direction, just to LOOK for good things.
8. Find things that might make you laugh. Here's one that works for me. I've never watched it yet without laughing. It's even better if you can share it with someone else, and they start laughing, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM45JMTpkBU If it even makes you smile, that's a great start! :) Or maybe this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD4XAvRHpJU . Watch a stand-up comic. If you have Netflix, I recommend Joe Rogan. But I'm sure you could find many on youtube or elsewhere on the internet.
9. Keep your eyes open for a way to help someone else. When you help someone else, you help yourself. Taking your focus off yourself when you are depressed can be a huge relief.
10.Searching for and contemplating quotes from wise people can be helpful. Here are some to get you started:
"To live is to wrestle with despair, yet never allow despair to have the last word." -Dr. Cornel West.
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. -Lao Tzu
The lotus is a flower that grows in the mud.
The thicker and deeper the mud, the more beautiful the lotus blooms.
-(A Buddhist chant)
I said: what about my eyes?
God said: Keep them on the road.
I said: what about my passion?
God said: Keep it burning.
I said: what about my heart?
God said: Tell me what you hold inside it?
I said: pain and sorrow?
He said: ..stay with it.
The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
~ Rumi
11. Seek out people who give wise guidance. Here's someone I just found: http://rp.tigmonk.com The podcast on suffering on that page is pretty good. So is this one: http://rp.tigmonk.com/depression-and-why-its-fucking-awesome/
12. Again, if you have netflix, watch "What the Bleep Do we Know". This really opened my eyes to some things. Excellent.
And again, remember you are NOT alone.
Sending you sincere compassion and love,
Laurel
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DeleteThank you, Laurel. Good ideas that I will print and read every day to remember to keep on the right path. Some of the drugs I have taken were harmful and it is so much better to be more natural on the path to health.
Deleterecognizing that you're "too damn miserable to be motivated" is a good first step ... sometimes we just need a little nudge and a little help ... get a buddy to do some of these things with, someone to pull you out of being miserable.
DeleteVery nice Laudel. Thank you very much. Im another person whom appreciated your time to write this :-)
DeleteThank you, Laurel. All are good suggestions. Kasilversun, it is a good first step to recognize when we need outside help to motivate us. Being too damn miserable to be motivated describes it well.
Deletelaurel, you are a beautiful human. its people like you that give me hope
ReplyDeleteLaurel! Your so awesome, way better advice from you than from my dr today. Thank you, I have written your notes down, I appreciat your taking the time
ReplyDeleteLaurel, thank you !!!
ReplyDeleteI found that the best things for me that helped a lot with depression and anxiety were:
ReplyDelete1-Getting enough sleep (but not way too much)
2- Getting sunshine (vitamin d)
3- High carb diet (80% of calories from carbs (fruits is best(potato,rice pasta second best)),10%protein, 10% fat(cronometer.com to check what you eating) (you don't have sugar rush on high carb diet because there is no fat in veins blocking sugar to be absorbed...)
4- Avoid meat and dairy because they are full of hormones and for me seem to really cause hormone imbalances and anxiety that comes from nowhere, that I can't really control no matter what I did (seeing through 10 different perceptions how it made no logical sense in anyway that I was feeling this way in this particular situation..) yet I could only ignore it and wait till it went away. (plus fatty foods like that always seem to give me brain fog, could not think straight plus other physical symptoms overall feeling bad. Now my mind is much calmer and happy, yet I have more energy and can focus/concentrate and think better.)
5 - Positive thinking (loved writing deep positive thoughts when i was happy enough to get them)and positive music.
6 - Doing your best not to care about what you can't change or what doesn't matter. The past is just a memory it no longer exist and the future has not yet arrive so relax and live in the only true moment. When feeling an emotion you dislike instead of trying to ignore it if it doesn't work say 'give me more of this, I want more' emotions are finite and with any luck they will go away pretty fast, don't however concentrate on the reason why you are feeling this way but the emotion alone.
7 - Exercise (can help a lot)
8 - When possible always push myself to accomplish things I never did before because I did not feel like doing for any reason and never give up. For me I found to really stay very happy I can't just do the same thing everyday I have to push myself higher consistently in the emotionally positive (empathy, compassion...losing the negative like greed, jealousy etc if i have any because those negative emotions can't make me happy and will cause no good.) and logical direction I want to go perfecting myself never giving up.
It's by following these things that I finally after 7 years came out of consistently having no desire to live, to actually wanting to leave and being happy almost all the time.
This is just what worked for me I never gave up before but no matter how hard I tried nothing worked for more than a week until I changed my diet. Most people don't seem to realize it but when you think about it, its pretty obvious that what you ingest will play the biggest role in your health and your mood. I also realized that it's not just one thing that would solve the problems but many changes and never giving up, but once you pick yourself up it becomes effortless.
also 9)staying hydrated is important (I drink one to two large glasses of water in the morning just to start my day )
DeleteLaurel and positivevibrations, thanks for your suggestions, I'm in a funk and need to be reminded how to get back to normal, it's taking longer than it usually is which can depress a person even more. Great suggestions to keep on hand.
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I think these are amazing!!!
ReplyDeletelol smoke some weed. yull feal better in no time!
ReplyDeletei smoke too but im pretty sure that falls under the momentarily happy category like alcohol
DeleteActually it don't Nicole. (THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE - THERE ARE MANY OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS) When THC is consumed, it helps people who "suffer" from ADD & ADHD to relax their brains from "racing" so much. Which can cause mood issues as well. But the main point is it also stimulates our muscles in our bodies to relax causing a "sensation" within our brains (which chemicals are released) and keeps us relaxed for a period of time. Each person is different, so the timing is going to be different for everyone. The "happy" feeling you are sensing is the chemical reactions our brains are producing when THC is consumed.
DeleteLOL any consumption of smoke is bad ==' THC consumption into the blood stream through hemp oil is good, but smoking is bad.. Id rather eat brownies and not kill my lungs or slow my brain to a complete halt. lols.
Deletevitamin 5 HTP is FANTASTIC for dealing with that godamn dark cloud of depression. I took myself straight of meds and onto that (5HTP). It really helped put me back in control, which what I realised I was losing and further spiraling down. It's easier said than done to get up and get yourself physically active and such, depression can be a very dark place, the last thing you're actually thinking about is helping yourself most of the time. You just end up waiting.... for anything.
ReplyDeletethanks guys good work
ReplyDelete