Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Do you ever get “stuck in a funk” when it comes to
maintaining your energy and zest for your family, job,
exercise or even just being with yourself ?

No matter how passionate you might be about your life, you
may find yourself dragging once in a while and if you
don’t make an effort to address it right away you could
wake up one day and realize 6 months has gone by
and your still stuck!

So how do you keep your attitude fresh and uplifted
over time?

I have 3 new ideas to share with you.

1. The first is very basic SLEEP. For many mood disorder sufferers this can become a question of which came first the extreme mood swings or the nocturnal lifestyle but it is very, very (should I ad another very to make my point) important to get enough sleep every single day! 6 hours or less a night of good uninterrupted sleep is a prescription for psycho behavior, 7 hours is mentally functional (by the bare minimum of standards) but always feeling or complaining of being tired, 8 hours is really good for most people especially if you are in bed by 10:00pm and 9 hours is excellent for most people who are already emotionally compromised, experience adrenal fatigue or have extreme responsibility or burdens in their life.

Before you say I’m nuts give it a try. You will wake up energized, accomplish tasks easier and more efficiently and your family and friends will start talking to you again AND most importantly you will be better equipped to implement ideas 2 & 3.

2. Become a non-conformist and enjoy it! Do whatever it takes to break out of habitual behaviors. If the words “I never” do that or “I always” do this are part of your everyday vocabulary it’s time for something drastic. As long as it ‘s not illegal (or at least don’t get caught) do something out of character for you. This can be as simple as not responding to emails for a couple of days or not returning phone calls if you are “always” a hyper-responsive person or arriving early to work and appointments if you “never” seem to get anywhere on time. If you are someone who is a care taking martyr to the very core of your existence you may try not being available to everybody who asks you for a favor. Let your self worth come from self love instead of the outside approval of others you feel when you are addressing others needs over your own. This is especially important for people who tend toward depression.

3. Take a brain break. Develop a daily practice, 5-10 minutes a day is plenty, that is devoted to consciously resting your brain. If you experience anxiety or stress you know what it feels like to always have your mind thinking, worrying or stressing. For others if they randomly check in with their thoughts they realize they have been having an argument in their head for the last 10 minutes with their spouse or boss while they were driving (which is especially confusing for the poor spouse or boss who doesn’t even know there is a problem).

It is sometimes extremely difficult for mood disorder sufferers to be alone with their thoughts. You may find yourself with a song you can’t get out of your head or not be able to eat a meal at home without the television blasting or reading a book.

Treat your mind like a little child who is trying to keep it’s mommy or daddy happy but has no idea or the skills to do so. You need to soothe the child and acknowledge achievements. And most importantly you must give your child a nap or else it gets cranky and makes everybody around it miserable.

Do this by sitting quietly for 10 minutes each day with no agenda. It doesn’t matter if its in your car or in your home. Eyes open or closed is up to you. Morning, afternoon or evening are equally effective. This has to be a conscious practice. When thoughts come up, interrupt them and then go back to your 10 minute break.

Practice, practice, practice living outside the box and see how happy your mind becomes.

Check out this video by weatherman Flip Spiceland  to learn why:

http://video.about.com/mentalhealth/Weather-Moods.htm

What is heartbreak depression?

Lots of things can cause heartbreak. Some people might have had a romantic relationship that ended before they were ready. Others might have strong feelings for someone who doesn’t feel the same way. Or maybe a person feels sad or angry when a close friend ends or abandons the friendship.

Although the causes may be different, the feeling of loss is the same — whether it’s the loss of something real or the loss of something you only hoped for. People describe heartbreak as a feeling of heaviness, emptiness, and sadness.

How Can I Deal With How I Feel?

Most people will tell you you’ll get over it or you’ll meet someone else, but when it’s happening to you, it can feel like no one else in the world has ever felt the same way. If you’re experiencing these feelings, there are things you can do to lessen the pain.

Here are some tips that might help:

• Share your feelings. Some people find that sharing their feelings with someone they trust — someone who recognizes what they’re going through — helps them feel better. That could mean talking over all the things you feel, even having a good cry on the shoulder of a comforting friend or family member. Others find they heal better if they hang out and do the things they normally enjoy, like seeing a movie or going to a concert, to take their minds off the hurt. If you feel like someone can’t relate to what you’re going through or is dismissive of your feelings, find someone more sympathetic to talk to. (OK, we know that sharing feelings can be tough for guys, but you don’t necessarily have to tell the football team or your wrestling coach what you’re going through. Talk with a friend or family member, a teacher, or counselor. It might make you more comfortable if you find a female family member or friend, like an older sister or a neighbor, to talk to.)
• Remember what’s good about you. This one is really important. Sometimes people with broken hearts start to blame themselves for what’s happened. They may be really down on themselves, exaggerating their faults as though they did something to deserve the unhappiness they’re experiencing. If you find this happening to you, nip it in the bud! Remind yourself of your good qualities, and if you can’t think of them because your broken heart is clouding your view, get your friends to remind you.
• Take good care of yourself. A broken heart can be very stressful so don’t let the rest of your body get broken too. Get lots of sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly to minimize stress and depression and give your self-esteem a boost.
• Don’t be afraid to cry. Going through a break-up can be really tough, and getting some of those raw emotions out can be a big help. We know this is another tough one for guys, but there’s no shame in crying now and then. No one has to see you do it — you don’t have to start blubbering in class or at soccer practice or anything. Just a find a place where you can be alone, like crying into your pillow at night or in the shower when you’re getting ready for the day.
• Do the things you normally enjoy. Whether it’s seeing a movie or going to a concert, do something fun to take your mind off the negative feelings for a while.
• Keep yourself busy. Sometimes this is difficult when you’re coping with sadness and grief, but it really helps. This is a great time to redecorate your room or try a new hobby. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about what happened — working things through in our minds is all part of the healing process — it just means you should focus on other things too.
• Give yourself time. It takes time for sadness to go away. Almost everyone thinks they won’t feel normal again, but the human spirit is amazing — and the heartbreak almost always heals after a while. But how long will that take? That depends on what caused your heartbreak, how you deal with loss, and how quickly you tend to bounce back from things. Getting over a break-up can take a couple of days to many weeks — and sometimes even months.

Some people feel that nothing will make them happy again and resort to alcohol or drugs. Others feel angry and want to hurt themselves or someone else. People who drink, do drugs, or cut themselves to escape from the reality of a loss may think they are numbing their pain, but the feeling is only temporary. They’re not really dealing with the pain, only masking it, which makes all their feelings build up inside and prolongs the sadness.

Sometimes the sadness is so deep — or lasts so long — that a person may need some extra support. For someone who isn’t starting to feel better after a few weeks or who continues to feel depressed, talking to a counselor or therapist can be very helpful.

So be patient with yourself, and let the healing begin.