Background- 30 years of severe depression and suicide attempts plus multiple long term health conditions.
Medication- currently citalopram. Vit d and b12. Decent diet- veg, good protein, good fats, whole grain carbs. Kefir (homemade and v low effort) couple of times per week.
Exercise. Even if it’s a walk round the block. Fresh air and sunlight, even if it’s a gin in the garden. But hard when the weather is constantly cold, wet and miserable.
Low caffeine and none after noon. New thing is cold showers after exercise- have normal shower and wash then turn it to cold for 90 seconds. Supposed to help mood. Can’t do any harm. Feels crap when cold and miserable, feels actually vaguely nice after a cardio workout.
Low alcohol (difficult- couple happily drink a bottle of wine and a few spirits every day but it really doesn’t help long term).
Sleep routine- dark, quiet room, clean sheets, lavender pillow spray, no screen time before bed etc etc.
Spent years thinking all those stupid lifestyle things made no different but they do cumulatively when done routinely. Doesn’t stop you having severe clinical depression but does help manage it when the nhs help is basically useless. Would love to hide in a dark room eating crisps and chocolate, drinking gin and wine, never going outside and sleeping randomly through the day and night, but i know it doesn’t help me feel better. I’d still be suicidal without the antidepressants even with the best lifestyle in the world, that’s just me, so I do what I can to manage it.