To ask what actually helped when you were suffering from depression?

[iamelectrogirl]

Hi, quite a self explanatory title really.
Just wondering if there was anything that really made a difference to you when you were suffering from depression.
I'm really really struggling right now and I can't easily take Anti-Depressants due to pregnancy/ breastfeeding plans. I'd really like to hear if anything helped from anybody with any experience


(Chose this forum due to high traffic but can delete/move)

[Justgotosleepnow]

Omega oils. Good quality.
Do a bit of research but they can help as much as Prozac.

Exercise. Even just a little walk everyday.

Talking it though with a trained councillor.

Antidepressants do work, but they can be a sticky plaster when what you need is a fundamental shift of how you think & react to things.

[Justgotosleepnow]

Re the councillor- did you know there is a specific mental health service for pregnant people & new mothers?
It's called the perinatal mental health team. You get referred by your GP. Your area might not fund it, but you could be lucky.

And do be aware that loads of people have antenatal depression but it seems everyone only talks about PND. And AND doesn't necessarily turn into PND, so try and not worry about that.

[EmMcK]

Counselling. NLP in my case, suddenly the sky was blue again. It was wonderful. And running regularly, although that doesn't sound like an option for you right now ;-)

[EmMcK]

And I second what Justgo said. I had AND, hasn't realised it even happened. Take care of yourself, I know it is scary but you will get through it x

[BlameItOnTheBogey]

I'm sorry to say that the answer for me was exercise too. Sorry because when you are feeling depressed the absolute last thing you feel like doing is getting up and exercising. But when I was in a bad place it was the single thing that made the biggest difference and now, several years on, exercise is the main thing that keeps me in a good place.

[Coughle]

Sunshine and yoga.

[Paddington68]

Sunshine, talking, walking, time to myself, and a supportive partner and friends who were all brilliant.
Being told it was ok to cry, ok not to be strong. The only 'rule' my partner gave me was I had to get washed and dressed and go outside everyday.

[Tikimon]

What helped me:

• Exercising
  
• Volunteering for a cause you believe in (for me it was animal shelters)
  
• Journaling to get thoughts off your chest.
  
• Getting a pet (which in theory, caring for a life sounds counter productive)

[CoolCat2014]

Antidepressants - sertraline
Getting out the house - exercise
Lightbox

[overslept]

Second everybody who said animals have helped. If you can't or don't want to have your own pet then walking a friends dog might be helpful. I find horse riding brilliant when I'm feeling down.

Depending on if you are in introvert or extrovert, making enough time for yourself, a few hours alone a week can work absolute magic, doing anything at all you enjoy, I find if I don't get at least some time totally alone I get a bit overwhelmed. If you find social time helps you wind down then spending time laughing with a friend over coffee/outings with friends and family you don't get to catch up with regularly.

At this time of year I tend to get down, sunshine really does help. I have never tried one myself but others have suggested I try a SAD light which some people swear by.

Hope that helps

[ilovelamp82]

Exercise. It's the last thing I wanted to do but it absolutely is the best thing you can do.

[MaryAnnTheDasher]

Not sure if your depression it's a long standing thing but if so, I'd highly recommend cognitive behavioural therapy, it was the only thing that worked for me after many years of depression. And yes to ADs, there are some you can take while pregnant I'm sure? Finally, walking has helped me alot in the past.

[scarletforya]

Medication, cbt.

My doctor allowed me to continue medication throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding btw. Thankfully all was well with the baby. We were both monitored carefully.

Weirdly, exercise didn't help me at all. Though I was going to a gym with no natural light.

[mumster79]

Exercise, no alcohol and no processed foods / eating clean.

Worked far better for me than AD's.

Good luck!

[KoalaDownUnder]

Exercise.

Sunshine.

Eating very, very well.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Medication
Exercise
Meditation
Cbt
Journal
Being my own best friend
Cleaning
Netflix

[deepbluetr]

Exercise. The single most important thing.

[wigglesrock]

Time
Anti depressants
Focusing on very small tasks that I could do over a day to give me some sense of doing something
Going outside for a bit every day, not necessarily huge walks but even standing at the back door, walking to the post box

[polomoomin]

Sorting my diet out. I was severely depressed for six years. My diet was essentially take aways, instant noodles, Doritos, buckets upon buckets of Pepsi max and fast food. I wasn't overweight because I smoked cigarettes which suppressed hunger so often my day would be: skip breakfast, have a packet of Doritos or instant noodles and Pepsi max for lunch and then eat nothing until maybe 8 or 9pm when I'd have a pizza. I used to drink a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi max a day. Never had fresh food, fruit was completely alien to me.

Exercise too, especially yoga. That one was the toughest to break because as a depressive I never wanted to leave the house. Just wanted to sit around smoking and drinking the Pepsi all day, maybe watching a film or listening to the smiths and slipping further and further into a dark hole. Very rarely left the house. So I started really slowly, introduced yoga at first so I could do it at home. At first I was completely sceptical but after a couple of weeks of both that and sorting my diet out- introducing fresh foods, cutting back on the ciggies (which I eventually quit and stayed off!) and Pepsi max, I started to notice the difference in my mood.

I tried two different anti depressants and counselling but neither seemed to work. I'm completely sold on diet and exercise being main causes, especially artificial sweeteners and additives. I know a lot think it's mumbo jumbo but I'm kind of living proof it isn't. anyway, hope you're lifted out of the darkness soon.

[Elisheva]

Time, supportive friends, CBT, art therapy, fresh air and exercise, and structure - planning my days so it wasn't all one big black hole. I'd plan one activity for morning and afternoon, even if it was just have a bath, go and buy and read a magazine, watch a DVD etc.
Having something to look forward to in the future, dinner with friends, trip to the cinema, visiting family.
Giving myself treats/rewards for achieving something e.g. Have a shower and get dressed and you can go to Waitrose and choose a cake from the cake counter
I found easy craft activities very soothing, things like hama beads or paint by numbers.
Having a list of ideas for lunch and dinner pinned up so I didn't have to think too much and ate a variety of healthy foods.

[CatteLady]

Psychotherapy. Drugs. Time off work. Some future plans (but nothing anxiety inducing). Rewatching old comedies. Simple crafts. Reading when I could concentrate. Writing.

Hope things get better soon!

[googoodolly]

CBT, getting out everyday and doing something "for me" everyday as well.

[McPie]

As many others have said exercise, I really didn't want to but knew I had to and in less than 12 months I had a huge group of people I talked to on a daily basis (where before I was lucky to say hello to a couple of mums at the nursery) and one of whom is now a very, very good friend and my training buddy and I was off my tablets.

[reup]

Oh god I have a dog and go running, done NLP counselling (though that was for worrying and anxiety) and they havent helped. There's must be no hope!