I'm not an authority but I've coped with depression quite a few times now and if my plan can help anyone else then it'll turn a negative into a positive.
My depression was the paranoid, delusional, self-loathing type where I found it hard to function on a basic level, but this plan really helped on a day to day basis.
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Confide in someone.
I told my best friend and she helped, still is helping, enormously. I was afraid that I'd be told I was stupid, or pathetic, when she didn't it gave me confidence to finally tell my dh, who has also been very supportive. It really does help to have someone to call when you need them.
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Do ONE bit of housework every day.
Living in a mess is depressing in itself and it can seem like a huge task when you list all the housework you have to do. But if you concentrate on one room, so for instance you vaccum the living room, it's done then and tomorrow you can mop the kitchen floor. It's a small sense of achievement but it really does help.
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Buy some tonic.
You get depressed, you don't eat, your body feels run down, you get depressed, etc etc. You need to break that cycle. If you have no appetite then go to the chemist and get some tonic to take every day so you are getting some vitamins in you at least.
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Get a diary or notebook.
Tie it to your telephone or somewhere obvious so you don't lose it and write down all your appointments in there.
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Plan ahead.
Use your diary to plan events for every single day. You can go to the library one day, the supermarket the next and so on. Work a week ahead so that you always have something to do and you are not getting out of bed with that dread feeling of not knowing what to do that day.
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Make your weekends special.
If you're not working, weekends are just like any other day. Well make them something to look forward to again. Wear a bit of make-up, do something different with your hair, save some special weekend clothes to wear, buy some lovely underwear. If you look good on the outside you'll feel good on the inside.
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Get some ME time.
Make sure that at least once a week your partner/friend/family member takes your children off your for at least an hour. Use this to watch a DVD you want to watch, or have a long bath, or even just Mumsnet.
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Read a book.
It's amazing how a book can take you out of one world and transport you to another. Turn off the pc and get stuck into a book. Good books can lift your mood.
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Get out of the house every day.
Even if it's just to hang the washing out. Get out of your front door and breathe the air. Drive to the next village to use the shops. Go to a different supermarket. Take the kids to the park. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
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Book yourself into the Well Womens Clinic. Most surgeries have one, or just ask for a check up. Knowing you are physically ok stops the hypochrondia that usually comes with depression. Or it can highlight a possible cause such as thyroids, low blood sugar or anameia. It's worth getting yourself checked out.
The key to depression is slowly starting to get your confidence back. Once you have that you can start to deal with the problems that caused the depression in the first place.
Hope this helps.