Things that help me through depression and I hope could help you

I've been feeling pretty positive lately and I've learned quite alot about myself and my mental health on the road to recovery, so I thought I would share a few things in the hope that they might help someone else. I'm not trying to belittle anyone's depression and say these things will cure you, they may not help you as a person at all but I hope at least one person can get a little comfort from knowing these things have helped me and they might you.

First thing I want to say is....You are not a bad/terrible person, you are important, you are loved (by family/friends) and you are most certainly worth the fight!! So please never give up 💜

You are also not crazy, weird, abnormal or going mad in a sane world. There is a medical reason why you feel the way you do, you are not being oversensitive or overdramatic....You have an illness and should not be or feel judged or like any less of a person for this!! You have been too strong for too long and your body and mind just need some time and love to recover or you have a chemical imbalance in you brain and with the right anti depressants and some time and self care you will be on the road to recovery.

You are not alone and should never be afraid to tell someone how you feel, it's how u feel and you have no need to feel ashamed or apologize for that (there's nothing to apologize for).

Haha if that first part came across as bossy it wasn't meant to. It's said with care and compassion towards you and I just wanted you to know if you feel these things, don't beat yourself up about it because you are not to blame and you are not alone!!

Ok, onto what has helped me deal with depression over the years....

(1) The first thing and the most important for me and my personal experiences was to tell someone what was happening, even tho I didn't know what was....I just knew I was falling apart at the seams and couldn't cope any longer. I spoke to my family who actually at the time also had not alot of info about depression so it was hard at first with not alot of understanding there but they got me to talk to my doctor who referred me to a phycologist. I can hand on heart not recommend speaking to a phycologist highly enough!! It is uncomfortable and I don't trust easily so was very difficult for me to do at first but it is so worth doing if you fully commit to it and pour your heart out!! Just let it all out, all ur fears, anxiety, past experiences, sometimes I would say things that I didn't even know was bothering me until the phycologist dug a little deeper and emotional s would come out you have hidden for years!! I'm rambling now lol but I honestly would recommend this if you haven't seen one before. They work through everything with u and are there helping u , but I'm not going to lie....It's hard work at times if you're facing feelings you have never faced before, but it is so so worth the fight. After most appointments (not the first few but the rest!!) I felt like a load had been lifted from my shoulders and i could walk a bit lighter. Someone understood everything I was saying, everything I was feeling and they actually KNEW how to help me!!

(2) Do what you have to do to get yourself through. If you have to lock urself in a room for 2 days not wanting to see anyone, do it but don't get used to long periods of isolation as it is bad for ur mental health (it's how I became agoraphobic....Which i have now beaten yaay me). If u have to eat chocolate to help, do it!! Just don't end up eating too much, moderation an all....A little of what u fancy does u good.

(3) try and find joy in what u used to. I'm not saying it will be easy, I had joy in nothing but eventually little by little things start to click back into place and u see a glimpse of the person u were before!! If u used to love having a pamper night (bath, face mask, doing ur nails or whatever) do it....U might only feel like the bath and sod the rest but you'll feel fresher and a bit more human again!!

(4) Have compassion for yourself and your situation 💜💜 be as kind and compassionate to yourself as you would a friend. What advice or things would you say to a close friend or family member in your situation? Give the same love and compassion to yourself because u are more than worth it!!

(5) instusive thoughts ruining your life?! Don't try to push them out your head, trying to not think of them will only make u think of them more!! They upset you and make u feel uncomfortable right? You are not a bad person for having these thoughts, at all!! No matter how bad they are, as long as u don't actually act on them you are not a bad person and the reason they upset u so much is because u are a good person and don't want the bad things to happen but feel guitly/ashamed/afriad of the thoughts. You feel like there's something wrong with u and nobody would understand or even look at u the same way if they knew the awful thoughts that popped into ur head!! Well like I was, ur wrong, drs and phycologists know about these thoughts. It's all part of the illness you have!! So please don't be ashamed or afraid of them. Face each and every ugly thought when they pop into ur mind, accept that they are ur illness talking and not ur true thoughts and u don't have to feel bad about them any more. The more u do that and keep doing that the better u will get at letting go 😊

(6) Routine, same bed time, lunch time etc. Don't do what I did and stay up till 8am because u can't sleep and then throw your whole sleeping pattern out of whack!! Don't drink caffine before bed or so housework or anything that will wake u up. Even if u don't feel like getting up, if waking up in the morning feels like the worst thing that could have happened to u....Get up and stay up.

I hope this helps someone and makes sense and doesn't just read as ramblings lol. Take care and remember you are more than worthy of the fight!! 💜💜

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