I've been off medication for a long time now. I worked out a way to naturally feel better. I've been educating myself on nutrition and health, and also formulating simple systems to get things done. One of the easiest systems and something I finally encapsulated in a simple way.
I have a list of all the things I need to do in a day, and it goes like this:
- Rest well
- Eat well
- Exercise
- Socialise
- Laugh
- Get tasks done
It looks very simple but you would be surprised how many people don't get the basic start to the day right. I understand the technical details behind all those tasks listed so I haven't listed them for myself, but basically explained:
- Rest well - If I'm still tired, I'm going to continue sleeping. Same with being sick, I'm going to stay in bed. Resting well means listening to your body first beyond everything else. Within whatever scope you have for resting, do it. If you are currently working then you must continue doing it if you have to, but if you have a chance to take a break, do it. Depression and chronic sickness is one thing that never gets well if a person doesn't make chances first. You need to heal first so that is most important above all else. The world still moves, but you have to find your ground before you start running with it, otherwise you head is gonna spin and you'll feel lost and not really 'in it'.
- Eat well - If only people knew what that meant! It's not eating for taste alone, and there are many things that aren't healthy for you, even non-obvious things. For one thing, nearly everyone is allergic to wheat. If you can cut this out of your diet, you can save your gut some work. Also fruits are so crucial and essential, fresh fruits, for the enzymes and antioxidant content. I can hardly digest my cooked food without eating fruits. Make sure you eat a variety of fruit, and the more 'exotic' ones, with more vitamins. Eat something that isn't an orange, apple, banana, for a change. Cut out any saturated animal fat, and most common vegetable oils (soy, corn, peanut etc).
- Exercise - One that is easy to miss, I don't mean just going for a walk or carrying groceries. I mean something that will make your heartrate go up and your lymph nodes moving. It means something different for everyone, you can choose whatever you want, karate, cycling, wild dancing, just as long as you are really moving and blood is pumping through your veins and oxygen is going around.
- Socialise - Antisocial behaviour is one of the symptoms of depression, that you want to draw away from people, you hate people, you get tired of things. But socialise for socialisations sake, it brings up the endorphins and really reverses the trend of being all alone. Put yourself with some people. Once you feel you are not alone you will start to normalise this feeling even if you don't even care or enjoy being with those people all the time.
- Laugh - This is the fun part, (though all the other parts should be fun also!) but everyone needs a good laugh. Laughter is therapy. Enjoy life.
- Now after you have done all those things, you will probably be back in the mood to get things done. Still need a push? Get it done anyway because then you feel better!
I feel great after doing all six steps. I'm missing a bit of exercise but trying to catch up.
See ya!
I am going to my doc who wants to put me on an antidepressant.
ReplyDeleteHe put me on Zoloft which I did not tolerate well at all. He likes me to put input into things, and I would like to have an idea of which antidepressant for my panic attacks would be. He of course would make the final descion, but he does ask my opinion.
Any expierences out there?
I'm not a medical professional, so you can just treat this as a comment from someones who's been depressed and emotionally messed up for years (and still kinda decompressing it and getting it out). I don't have panic attacks, only when I was under severe emotional or physical distress. I'm sorry the url of my page is kind of misleading now, I mean I did try antidepressants but definitely no, my body and head just rejected it. Hated it. I would rather feel my highs and lows. When I have lows I can buffer them, I take st johns wort in a tea, or/and i eat chocolate. Ive been using Alpha-stim too, its an electric device, it was great for clearing the head fog. I mean I'll just try to mention that whatever the problem is, sometimes therapy can help alot, to at least try. I've talked to both professional therapists and friends who could lend an ear. Friends don't have as much time and patience to listen but good friends do for you, and ones with empathy and affection and people you have been good to. But hope somehow you'll find the right choice for you!
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