lifeafterdepression

If you go to the doctor for treatment for your depression, you will likely be given an antidepressant as part of your treatment. Antidepressants have gotten a bad reputation over the years because many people become addicted to them or abuse them when they are not actually clinically depressed. However, these are an important part of your treatment, so you should know how they work.

 While there are several types of antidepressants on the market, most of them work in a similar fashion. Basically, these medications slow down the uptake of neurotransmitters in the brain. This makes them more available to the brain, helping to stabilize the chemicals in the brain. So what about you? What depression medications did you take, and how well did they work?

If you are someone who has been depressed at any point in your life, you need to get some exercise! Exercise is as good as some medications for many people who are recovering from depression. Research has shown that exercise also helps prevent depression relapses.

Starting an exercise routine is not easy, especially when you are dealing with the physical and emotional exhaustion that comes after depression. Here are some tips you can use to get on the move!

•  Pace yourself - Don’t start training for a marathon at first. Simply start with walking, and gradually work your way to more intense exercise.
• Get enough - Aim for 3 sessions of 30 minutes per week at least. If you have trouble exercising for 30 minutes at one time, break up your exercise sessions into two shorter sessions.
• Have fun - Choose an exercise that appeals to you. If you like being outdoors, walk outside. If you like people, go to the gym.

You will be surprised how quickly you will notice a difference in how you feel after you start exercising. So, get up, get outside, and get moving!

OK, I have a confession to make. Some days I am very afraid that my depression will come back. I have good reason too - in just a month and a half I will have baby number 2. My depression was post partum depression, and it create a ton of problems for my family. I am so scared it will happen again!

So what do you do when you get scared of a recurrence of your condition? For me, it helps to talk about it. Also, I have made sure that my doctors know about my history and they are ready to prescribe medication quickly if needed. I also find that prayer helps. I am curious to see what my readers do when they battle this fear? What has worked for you in the past?

As I’ve said in previous posts, getting outdoors and having a hobby are both important for those recovering from depression. Well, gardening is the perfect fit! Whether you enjoy growing beautiful flowers or want to grow some vegetables for the family table, gardening is a great hobby for us! Just remember, don’t expect your garden to be perfect. Like most hobbies, gardening involves a learning curve, and you will need to give yourself the time to learn the needed skills before your garden will be perfect. Just get outdoors and enjoy the soil, and soon you will have a garden you can be proud of, even if it isn’t perfect!

So, readers, now it’s your turn. What are other good outdoor hobbies we can enjoy this summer? Do you have any great gardening tips for the new gardener?

According to a study done by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, people who work overtime are more likely to experience depression then those who work normal hours during the week. In the study, overtime was considered anything over 41 hours per week. However, the highest tendencies for depression occurred in those who worked 49 hours or more per week. Interestingly, men seemed to be more likely to be depressed if they were overworked.

So what does this mean to you? If you are getting over depression and find that your job requires you to work long hours on a repeated basis, it might be time for a change. Either talk to your boss to see if you can work out a different schedule, or consider a career change. This can help your depression to stay away as you heal. 

When you start to recover from depression, you may be discouraged by the times that it seems to be coming back. I recommend having a journal. Write in it every day, even just a few words or sentences. This will give you something to look back on when you are wondering if you are getting better. It will also give you a place to “vent” when you feel that your spouse, friend, or other relative has heard enough about your depression. Sometimes writing down your feelings will allow you to analyze them logically. You can also see how far you have come by looking back at older entries. So get a notebook, and start writing.

This may sound like a trite thing, but having a hobby is essential if you are going to battle depression and the after-effects successfully. Having a hobby gives you something to look forward to each day or week, depending on how often you are able to work at it. Choose something that pleases just you.

Think back to a time before you got married, had kids, and started your career. What really made you happy? What was it that you looked forward to doing. No, not the parties that you attended in college. What would you do when you had time just to yourself? Think if you can start doing that now.

 My hobby is writing, but that’s also my job. In order to stay out of the depression cycle, I need something else. So I scrapbook or read. I don’t get to do it much, but I do it. You need something that you can turn to when the darkness starts swirling around you. Get a hobby!

Perhaps you are not struggling with depression yourself, but you know someone who is. Being the friend of a severely depressed person can be very difficult, scary, and trying. Many times the sick individual is unwilling to seek treatment, and you often don’t know what to do.

First, find little ways you can help your depressed friend. Be there to listen when she needs to talk, even if she makes no sense. Do not try to rationalize with her, because it will do no good. Don’t remind her how good her life is and tell her to look on the “bright side,” because she honestly cannot do this right now.

If you can, help out around the house. A depressed person is not able to take care of the very basic tasks that need to get done. This is not laziness, but is due to the illness.

If your depressed friend talks about suicide, listen! This is a serious thing and you need the help of a professional. Do not overlook these comments as wasted threats or attempts to get attention. Many depressed individuals do commit suicide, and getting professional help can stop this from happening.

 Finally, encourage your friend to seek help, and make sure she is following the treatments prescribed. Remember, depression is a medical condition and needs to be treated medically. You can provide the support necessary, but the medication will bring about the real change, so make sure that your friend is getting help.

Yes, children can get depressed. Have you ever known a depressed child? Nothing is quite as sad as a child who is not bubbly and happy about life. Children can be treated for depression in similar manner as adults, but they have to have an adult in their lives who will take them to get treatment.

How can you know if your child is depressed? Some common symptoms of childhood depression include:

• Low self-esteem

• Not interested in normal activities

• Change in eating or sleeping patterns

• Anger or irritability issues

• Concentration problems

• Sudden change in behavior that has no cause

• Physical ailments, like a headache, that has no cause

If you know a depressed child, have him evaluated by a qualified physician. Chemical imbalances can be treated, and emotional difficulties can be helped with therapy. Depressed children can enjoy life again, with a little help from the adults around them.

Hello everyone!

Sorry for my lack of posts over the past few days. We were out of town and offline for the weekend. Did everyone have a great holiday?

Since we visited family over the weekend, I got to thinking about the benefit of family support when you are dealing with depression. For me it was my mom who saved me from my disease. When I was being stubborn about treatment, she insisted that I get it. How was your family when you were struggling?

 If you don’t have great support from your spouse or significant other, try to find another family member you can turn to. You need someone you can call at a moment’s notice. My mom was there for me. Was someone there for you?