To ask you to tell me what’s making you happy at the moment?

[riotlady]

I’m going through an episode of depression at the moment and struggling to feel joy in anything, even my beautiful daughter. My parents have taken her for the afternoon to give me a break but nothing I can think to do makes me feel any better.

I would love to hear about some happiness in other people’s lives. What’s going well for you at the moment? What’s made you smile today?

DH found the most hilarious picture of himself in his Goth phase. He has eyeliner out to his ears

I hope things start looking up for you

Hi @riotlady I'm going through a tough time too with medication that is clearly not working. The only thing keeping me going is my kids. I am sorry to hear your going through a tough time too.

I think you need cats
My cat purring makes me happy. Can you think of anything that might be nice for you to do this afternoon?
Baking? Walking? Reading? Bubble bath?

I'm lying on the bed with the fan on with my DP, we are listening to the radio and surfing the web, I have my parrot snuggled under my wrap with his tail sticking out, dozing. This is nice.

@RickOShay I have two cats! They’re both out at the moment (toddler DD hit one of them with a wooden spoon this morning so I think they’re in hiding)

I’ve read and done some yoga. Sometimes I feel better for a minute but then I just start crying again. I got sent home from work on Monday because I couldn’t stop crying, it’s ridiculous!

Thanks for the responses so far :)

My cats are home. I had to put them in a cattery while I was on a trip abroad for work for a week and I felt so awful, I desperately tried not to cry when leaving them there. They've never been to a cattery before. They are now home and happy and I love them so much.

My house plants are making me happy! I bought 6 at the beginning of August and by some sheer miracle they're all still alive! I smile every time I see one

Poor OP :-( I hope things start looking up for you soon. I should add that I am on escitalopram so that probably helps.

My gorgeous dog makes me laugh. She jumps up on my lap, licks my face and makes a fuss of me. Unfortunately when she did it this morning, I had to put her in the shower and change my clothes! Poo!

It’s ok to cry you know lovely. Let it out. But be kind to yourself, that’s the important thing, the most important thing. It’s ok to be you, and it’s ok to feel how you do.

You are NOT ridiculous. Life is hard sometimes, it just is.

Knitting. It's absorbing enough to take your mind off other things, is relaxingly repetitive, feels nice in your hands and feels like you're doing something productive because you're actually making something.

I've just spent a lovely couple of hours chopping and stirring in the kitchen, while listening to music. Very calming. Hope things feel a little brighter soon

My dog always makes me happy, even when she's naughty. We've had her nearly six months and I can't imagine life without her. Since getting her, I've come off the antidepressants I've been on for the best part of a 10 years. I told my GP they should prescribe dogs on the NHS instead of antidepressants.

Here's Maggie.

I just want to say you're not alone and please keep trying to find the joy in the little things I love a face mask and also places like B & M do these foot pack things which are like booties you put your feet in and they feel really nice and soften your skin and they make me happy after a day at work! I started feeling my baby move recently and her kicks are getting stronger every day and that makes me smile (and wince, for when she's bigger!)

Plant some bulbs, op. A few hyacinths to force in time for Christmas or tulips in a pot for next spring. If they don't make you happy now, there is a good chance they will do in a few months x

Sorry to here you are feeling down, also I found the toddler years awful, really struggled. Alot has made me smile today but @StoatofDisarray has made me really smile, so the parrot comes for cuddle? Can we see a pic and @Spidey66 your dog looks naughty but lovely, defo got a sparkle in her eye!

Wow Spidey66 - Well done Maggie for helping you to come off of antidepressants.

Sorry Riotlady to read depression has got you in a pickle 💐. I am currently happy to be planting up autumn bedding plants in the kitchen as the weather is do grim outside.

I find music can lift my mood when having a down day.

Wishing you well soon

Glad to hear you've got some support and getting a bit of a rest
I had DGS overnight so was up early! He's been picked up and I'm now sitting drinking a glass of wine watching catch up tv. Lovely

When I get low the best thing for me to do is to tell people, it really helps. The thing that has really made me smile today was my dog nuzzling my ear to wake me up and then woofing in delight when I opened my eyes!
Little steps. Fake it til you make it.

Going to the care home to see a relative, it's his birthday tomorrow, not that he's really aware of it (or us). I've got a huge traybake for the residents, and some biscuits and chocolates for all the staff, I hope that will make them happy.

@riotlady
I’m so sorry to hear how you’re feeling, I was the same myself about 3 months ago, and didn’t think I’d ever feel ‘normal’ again. It does get better, I know people say that and I didn’t believe a word of it at the time, felt bereft and hopeless, but things got better slowly almost imperceptibly day by day. Yesterday I went for a walk with my 3 best friends for a couple of hours and just chattering nonsense made me feel a lot better😊
I hope you’re feeling more like yourself soon, my advice would be if you need to cry, fuck it, just cry and don’t worry about crying , things will improve x

Gym ,exercise,every morning at 6 am .
You wouldn’t think it to see me ,I’m err large
But yeah 6 am every morning I’m outside the gym waiting for it to open.
I do an hour
Today I didn’t get there as it opens at 7 and I didn’t get chance ,and I do feel shit I’ve not gone ,and I’ve eaten shit because I’ve not gone
I pay monthly by dd ,it costs me £1.30 a day to go ,( I go every day)
But mental health wise ,it keeps the Wolf from the door so to speek

I'm sorry to hear that you're not in a good place. I'm currently in Mallorca for four days. I'm here with my parents and my brother, leaving my DH and DCs at home.
We spread (chucked!) my little sister's ashes in the sea yesterday. She ended her life in May.
Today we had a lovely lunch in a place we spent many happy hours. We drank wine and chatted. We miss her so much, but we are thinking of her in the sun. Nothing will ever be the same but we are getting by.

Depression is a bitch. Not only does it suck the life and joy out of everything, it makes it so that you are aware of it. Ineffectual hugs to you.

Currently going through a low mood, but the following is warming my heart and mind with love and happiness:

• my bf. I have been married twice, and had plenty of relationships, but I have never felt love like this before. Not just the love I feel for him, but the love I feel from him;
• my cats - yep, these furry monsters make me smile every time I look at them;
• my latest parkrun time. I somehow stopped running after doing London and Brighton two years ago. I’m getting back to it, and have been doing parkrun every couple of weeks. I have been knocking off a little bit of time each week, and this Saturday I was 57secs faster than my previous run. Goes to show it’s all about getting out there. And I am so grateful that parkrun is out there for me to go to. I don’t know anyone there, not even to say hello to, but running helps me tremendously with my mental health.

I hope you feel better soon x