What helped you through depression?

[HopingForAMiracle1]

I've decided today that I'm going to try and make some changes. I've just had the last in a long line of miscarriages confirmed and have put myself on the IVF waiting list with my hospital as per my other thread.

Can I ask what you did/do to help with your depression? I want to change some things, try some new things etc...

I've deleted all my social media today for a while so I can concentrate on me and not what anyone else is doing. It was a source of the emotional pain seeing people moving on having babies etc... So I've cut that.

I'm considering trying acupuncture as I've heard others say this helped them.

Is there anything else you swore helped you through? I'm sick of being in this hole and oddly this latest miscarriage has given me a kick to try and make some changes. I want to grab this before I spiral again.

Try to do just one small thing a day for yourself that you enjoy. Then occasionally when you're up to it/having a good day do something bigger.

Medication.
Counselling.
CBT.
Going no contact with my abusive parents.
Reading everything about personality disorders, psychopaths, abusive parents and improving self esteem.
Forgiving myself for inflicting my abusive parents on my dh and dcs. I tried really hard to make a relationship with them.
Exercise.
I hope that helps you.

Just read you are thinking of running. That's what I do, slowly!

3 weeks as a patient in The Priory.

Mirtazapine
Exercise
Jigsaws with my daughter
Box sets (sounds frivolous, but working my way through a good TV show gave me something to look forward to!)

Also a supportive wife.

@HopingForAMiracle1 I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like that. Well. Maybe 'glad' is the wrong word because it's sad that someone else feels so low. But... well hopefully you understand.

I hate running but I love walking. I walk for two hours every day and I'm pretty sure it's helping to keep my OCD at bay.

Walking rescue dogs -the fresh air, exercise, and seeing the dogs so happy to be out gave me such a feel good factor.
My depression eased almost instantly.

After my miscarriage, I hired a personal trainer. I felt so shit about my body that I needed to take back control. I enjoyed getting my strength back. Gave me something to focus on.

I also read lots of useful books. The book written by Izzy judd on her fertility journey was massively helpful. As was the book called “ask me his name”.

I started a period of self reflection, writing my thoughts down in a journal and generally being kind to myself.

All of these things helped. I felt totally alone like I was the only one who understood what I was going through. The books helped me realise I wasn’t totally alone.

The thing that also helped me was getting pregnant again and it working out this time. But that takes time and it is a long wait.

Exercise from me too. I started with brisk walks and cycling too. Also, trying to eat a good diet. Try to have a personal care routine, regular showers, clean clothes etc. I guess I kind of used a fake it till you make it route. Many times I didn't do something, just didn't want to move, eat well, wash, you have to push yourself to do as much as you can and start again if you failed. Don't beat your self up about it either. Later when I felt better I started to introduce socialising goals too.

CBT and then buying myself a Cineworld pass. If I knew I was having a bad day I’d force myself to go to the cinema, i would make myself watch a film, maybe buy a snack and not think about anything for a couple of hours. I’d get home a few hours later always feeling better than I had when I’d left the house. It worked every time.
Also arranging to see at least one friend once a week for a social.

Prozac has really gotten me out of a big hole. Was in a pit of despair.
Tidied up my home, ('depression pit'- examples are on reddit, made me feel awful because it's usually immaculate).
Been on it 2 weeks, wish I'd realised sooner! I didnt know depression can cause physical exhaustion.
I feel really normal again, havent felt like this for so long that it feels odd.
Can start the routine I'd wanted to set up of healthy habits, some mentioned above. Kinda wondering if I'll just stay on prozac longer term, cos I'd hate to 'relapse'. (Was on sertaline in 2017 and didnt like it much)

Yoga and going to the gym. It was hard trying to get the energy to actually go to the gym, but after I feel so good for going

When I had clinical depression
ADs And therapy
Volunteering - mostly I didn’t feel the same pressure as with a paid job
Exercise