Something That We Need To Be Talking About--Part Two

Note about this post:  I do not think I am an "expert" on this subject nor am I trying to stand up on some soapbox about it.  I genuinely want to write something that will help or encourage someone who may be going through their own struggles with depression/anxiety/whatever.  I have another post or two on this subject planned and then I will carry on.  Please don't think I think I'm some guru or know-it-all on this topic.  #nothusbandapproved  (got that hashtag idea from Sarah, loved it)

I felt supported and encouraged after my last post about my experiences with depression and anxiety.  My feelings were mixed as I hit publish that night.  Was this an over-share?  Am I giving too much of myself away?  Perhaps.  But I feel like it's for a reason, that maybe someone will read these words and feel encouragement, relief, or even better, hope.

People get depression and anxiety for different reasons.  Sometimes it's situational--the death of a loved one, a stressful situation, or a bad relationship can get you down.  Usually this type of depression is temporary.  Others, such as myself, seem to genuinely have an imbalance of brain chemistry. (Unless my situational depression has just happened to last 17 years, which I don't find likely.)

I think the hardest part, like many other things, is just admitting you aren't feeling right.  That can be a scary place--realizing that maybe "one of these things isn't like the others" and that thing happens to be you.  The first thing to realize is you aren't crazy.  You aren't alone.  You have a abundance of options available to you to help cope.  These are some that I tried.  (Note: While I am ridiculously intelligent, I am not smart enough to be a doctor.  So please, for legal reasons, because this is the society in which we live, consult your doctor on the best approach to handle your individual situation).

1.  Exercise--It's the best way to handle stress (my husband tells me there's another way too, but I am so not going there), and working out just a few times a week can increase the endorphins in your body and make you feel more confident.  If you are feeling a little down, get moving.  Try a Zumba class.  Take a walk.  Play Frisbee golf.  I will warn  you though that if you are more than just a little down, finding the motivation will be really, really hard.  Almost impossible if you are experiencing major depression.  Still, it's worth a try.

2.  Your diet--Eating good helps you feel good.  That should be obvious, but somehow it's not.  Taking good care of yourself by eating fruit, veggies, whole grains, and drinking enough water will enable you to be performing at  your best.  Depression and anxiety can make you crave foods that create like a false serotonin.  Some people crave doughy foods like pasta and breads  Me?  I'm all about sugar.  I can eat copious amounts of it.  Sugar is especially bad because it offers no nutritional value whatsoever.  Sugar also messes with your brain chemistry.  I stopped eating sugar for 6 weeks last year and I felt awesome.  But the cravings came back and like an avalanche, I found myself swept away in a wave of chocolate and apple strudel. 

3.  Taking care of yourself in general-- Talk to your friends.  Talk to family.  Don't have anyone?  Talk to a stranger.  You can call me.  Is that creepy?  It will be our secret.  That's even creepier.  Seriously though, talking things through and getting someone else's input can help relieve some of that stress, anxiety, and depression.  Remember--depression likes to isolate us--don't let yourself be painted in a corner.  Get a massage.  Go to a yoga class.  Go to church.  Pray.

4.  Holistic Remedies--There are a slew of pills/herbs/formulas that are touted as helping depression.  Vitamin D might help.  5-HTP (available at health food stores) might help.  Getting some sunshine on your body for 10 minutes a day might help. St. John's Wort might help (don't mix with BCP though, or your going to have another stressor on your hands)  I'm sure there are lots of options out there.  I've tried all of these things and though they didn't really help me, they might be just the thing you need. 

Up until now I've mainly been talking about things that would help someone with mild to moderate depression.  I'm all about doing things the natural way first and if that works, then that's great--food should be our medicine and we should be treating our bodies with respect.  Sometimes, however, there are times when these things can help, but not enough.  That was the case with me.  I tried all of the above, but I was very, very, depressed and very, very, very anxious after Brixton was born.  A jog, a  yoga class, a massage, dumping on friends wasn't fixing it.  I was getting worse.

In my next post, I'm going to discuss bringing out the Big Guns: Major depression, anti-depressants, and therapy.