Well it is in some ways otherwise we’d have a magic pill and no need for the psychiatric profession. That’s because we are all unique, no brain the same and no lifestyle identical.
But if we leave that aside for those professionals , everything else to do with our depression is standard stuff, some things harder than others to process. Some “standard” things are often overlooked. I have a friend that said yesterday “yes, I know” and “yeh, I suppose you’re right” but taking that step to the next stepping stone is often never taken. "It's too hard".
Basically improvement for your depression (you might know more ideas?) are- proper diagnosis (very important lets not undermine that but denial is still a problem), treatment including medication and professional care/therapy, sleep a minimum of 8 hours, diet and exercise, relaxation by multiple means eg classes, muscle tensioning exercises, music, holidays, lifestyle changes some being radical (google- Topic: be radical- beyondblue), seeking peace by spiritual harmony (Google- Topic: inner peace, the glory of being YOU). Your goals- to function, to seek basic happiness, to be realistic.
That’s basics. Then there are some particular topics to address in my view that are essential- putting in personal boundaries (Topic: fortress of survival- beyondblue), Building confidence, avoiding toxic people and identifying your triggers (Topic: depression triggers- beyondblue)
So if these are mostly logical steps why the need to list them? Because in my own experience and observing loved ones with their journey of life with MI they aren‘t obvious to us. Also our mind doesn’t spit out obvious remedies. We read here daily, members asking these basic questions of what they can do. Being mentally ill often results in learning the hard way. But that way can result in arriving at a black hole and not recovering, it isn’t ideal is it?. Use self help ideas from those that have been there. Birds of a feather think together.
The “cake” of Mental illness has many wedges to recovery. Just medication from diagnosis is a great start, ongoing therapy is another essential slice but without all the other basic self help pieces of the cake you are only consuming a portion of the cake.
Eat the full cake, approach depression in a calm methodical and persistent manner for the best possible chance at a better life taking into account any suggestion that can help you.
Have you got self help ideas? Post please.
Tony WK
