Skip to main content

Just for Today

For many years I've struggled with symptoms of depression and fight hard to control it. Low mood can manifest in several ways. For me, depression is war on energy, motivation, hygiene, concentration, productivity, anxiety, memory, and the pain of it all. Not being able to function at the level I'm capable of. The inability to finish tasks which used to be second-hand nature, easy and simple. After years of ongoing medication changes I've developed the right approach to conquer my depression with my doctor. Now I take two antidepressant medications, a mood stabilizer, and antipsychotic. Yet, that's only a fraction of the story to overcoming my challenges with symptoms.

    I fight the mind wars everyday. In fact, earlier today I fought with myself to get out of bed to take my medicine in order to control the day's battles. My mountain was the burden and challenges to gathering enough energy to get up and move. I laid in bed playing out the role in my head. I envisioned myself taking my medications and being rejuvenated into pressing forward. 

    I saw myself completing a lot of my things to do list, if only I could get out of bed to take the medicine. My strategy to win the day's hurdles were to practice medication management, walk my dog, and to wash the depression away in the shower. Fortunately, these activities work. Furthermore, my energy is picking up momentum, even as I document the challenges right now.

    As you know, depression can be a beast. Still, it's manageable. Yet, just for today, I could say I'm winning. 

How did you take control of the day? Are you managing your self-care? If not, what can you do to increase wellbeing?

To manage depression I encourage you to discuss treatment options with a mental health specialist. Also, exercise, consider vitamins, and talk to someone. Journaling can become your record of progress and changes to share with your doctor and therapist.

To support someone with depression, check on them, motivate them to speak with a therapist to learn more coping skills, and help them as best you can. For example, cooking, cleaning, or simply talking, etc.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

by A Guest Blogger: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life

If you’re struggling to maintain your sobriety, you aren’t alone. There are millions of fighters just like you working toward reclaiming their lives from drugs and alcohol. There are a few common traits that many successful recovering addicts share. Keep reading to find out what they are and how you can follow in their footsteps. They establish new patterns You can’t continue to live your life the same was you did when you were using. You must change and adapt to your newfound sobriety. Consider a career change; many recovering addicts find they have more success by starting their own business. One career that is easy to enter is dog walking. As a dog walker , you’ll reap many rewards including getting to spend time with dogs, which can actually boost your recovery efforts and stave off depression. Dogs have been used as part of a treatment plan for users as young as 11 and come with the added benefit of helping you stay physically active. Plus, being with ...
2 comments
Read more

What Is Remission?

Remission is the absence of symptoms for at least six months with the support of medication. In other words, a doctor who has never seen you before may not diagnose you as a person with schizophrenia anymore. Remission is also high functioning in several aspects of life, living independently, goinig to school or to work, and socializing with other people. However, this does not mean the patient is cured or the illness has went away, the illness is still present, however, under control. Remission is achieved with the assistance of medication. "Published studies suggest that 10% to 20% of people with schizophrenia have remission of their illness as they get older, 20% get worse, but in a large majority (60% to 70%), the course of illness remains relatively unchanged." To reach remission it is recommended that you aim for a stress-free environment. Therefore, do things to relieve stress such as journaling, exercising, talking to friends, listening to or creating music, making a...
9 comments
Read more

Religious Preoccupation

After a talk, a woman asked me if my faith contributed to my recovery because she noticed that I mentioned it throughout my speech. In addition to that, she told me that she observed people with faith as having a better outcome in their mental health recovery. First, I came from a family with Christian values. My faith in God started to get intense during the latter years of high school, which in my opinion, is when I started having symptoms. In my experience religion plays a major role in my mental health- its delusions, its coping skills, and in my recovery. In medical terms they call my religious rituals and delusions "religious preoccupation." Before I was diagnosed I was highly religious. In fact, I wanted to be an evangelist and to go to a Christian college. I would read my Bible for several hours a day throughout the day, listen to hymns, and meditate. Sometimes I would ignore people if they wanted my attention while I was meditating I was in such deep thought. Also, I...
15 comments
Read more