What to do?

[Mel234]

I guess lately I thought everything was going really well but I was wrong with that. It seems I'm just spiraling downwards and shatteredhopes gave me the idea of just seeing what you guys do when you feel like you're going down. I want to get better but I feel I spend the majority of my time, thinking about myself and my pathetic-ness. Just alot of negativity and it's really not helping.
So I guess just what helps you guys when you have a bad day/week or month.

[shatteredhopes]

((((((((Mel))))))))) Sometimes, all I can do is lay in the bed and cry and it is just enough that I don't harm myself...if I can just manage that much, that is enough.

When I can, I watch old movies I love or listen to music, take a bubble bath, drink hot cocoa, or whatever little things I can do to nurture or comfort myself.

I try to support as many as I can on this site with what little I can, sometimes just caring can be enough, and it takes me out of myself and my junk into focusing on another, and I realize many have it much worse than me.

Sometimes making a gratitude list or saying gratitude prayers...if I start with things like I have hot water, a roof over my head, food, I can walk, I can see, I can hear, etc. I can really get going...it doesn't eradicate the depression but helps me cope a bit better and get out of sheer negativity that just spirals downward...

Sometimes just getting out of the house and/or being around people, even if just going to the drive through to get a coffee and saying have a good day to the clerk, or recently for instance I brought my lunch to a park and just watched a bunch of Canadian geese. If I isolate too much, I get worse, so when I get out and do something, I feel better.

I try to feel proud of myself for whatever little things I accomplish or do, even something as simple as preparing dinner as that's sometimes huge when depressed...I have been so bad that I couldn't prepare food or eat properly, so if I can fix food, or do a task around the house...somedays I can be more ambitious, but try not to be hard on myself and acknowledge what I can do and accomplish.

Writing helps, spilling my guts and 'bleeding in ink' helps me get things out that are bottled up...I have been tormented by some memories lately and writing them out helps me let them go and stop fixating on them in my mind and move on a bit.

Let others inspire me...whether watching a uplifting movie or even on this site, recently ((((((((((tacking))))))))) inspired me to get back to working on my novel that has been left undone for years!

Try to dream a little, fantasize about what I might like to do or go to a different place in my head to take me out of my circumstances. Have come up with some of my better ideas and thoughts in doing this...just taking a mental vacation. Personally, I like to think about world problems and what might be done to solve them, or community problems...I have been able to come up with some ideas that I have published and have been well received...

Try to do something for others less fortunate...whether participating in an action network and signing petitions over the internet for causes I care about or when I can (which I haven't been lately) volunteer a bit.

I am trying to change things up, looking for a job, trying to improve my mood by watching more what I eat (the more I learn about diet's effects on emotions, the more I am convinced I will do better if I eat better and take better care of myself)

Don't know if any of that helps (((((((((((Mel)))))))))), but that's how I try to cope...sometimes little things are the only way I can get through...but most often, if I reach out and try to help someone else, I end up ironically getting back more than I could ever give...feeling better about myself and improving my mood when I try to help others...

[rachelsnv]

I guess lately I thought everything was going really well but I was wrong with that. It seems I'm just spiraling downwards and shatteredhopes gave me the idea of just seeing what you guys do when you feel like you're going down. I want to get better but I feel I spend the majority of my time, thinking about myself and my pathetic-ness. Just alot of negativity and it's really not helping.
So I guess just what helps you guys when you have a bad day/week or month.

Well, what I am actually feeling is you are getting too stress of everything, just be calm and dont get levy on things, and if the situation is some where scaring you so be strong at that point and dont low down. believe in your self. You know there was a time when I was going through the same situation as yours but then I tried not to get that situations to overrule me and then I recovered soon and now I dont really find any problem and I am just happy, try to face the situation strongly and see you will recover soon.

Thanks