Dear Pancake~
I'd like to join Geoff in welcoming you here. I think many of us here can relate to that sudden plunge from OK to not-OK, and very often it is something tiny, or for no understandable reason at all. Frustrating and bewildering.
Whether one has depression, anxiety or some other illness it is just about impossible to convey the feelings to someone who has been blessed by never experiencing it themselves. You can point to information such as is given in The Facts menu above, and this can help, but even so it can be a real boon to talk to people that have been there too.
I can see from our talk of medication that you are already under treatment, and for most people that is a very big help. I do think that in my own case I get benefit from trying to maintain a lifestyle that minimizes my background stresses. This in turn tends to reduce the number and frequency of ups and downs.
Such things as exercise, eating well, good sleep avoiding matters that I know have stressed me before and most importantly having regular sessions of distraction, hopefully with self-reward built in. I read, and look forward to reading, it distracts me from thoughts of everyday life and is enjoyable. Hopefully there will be an equivalent for you.
I can well understand with children plus work it can be hard to do this, however the benefits can be pretty good.
I'll also mention with people that do not understand but want to help it can be quite discouraging for them if they do not have a realistic idea of what they can do. Many start off thinking if they talk they can make an obvious difference straight away, something highly unlikely after all. Just a presence is probably the best thing to aim for, and does away with feelings of frustration and a sense of failure.
Croix
