Looking for support while trying to get healthy dealing with depression

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  • Niki_Fitz
    Niki_Fitz Posts: 947 Member
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    You are not alone! I'm coming out of a long postpartum depression myself, compounded by injuries over the winter. Some days not too long ago I could barely move. So I started back to exercise with things I could do lying down including, yes... yoga. Walking came back in later.
    angelelee000 wrote: »
    yoga yoga yoga

    do a begginers yoga for 10 to 15 min and it should give you wake up get moving mood i love it so much i dont feel down all the time its easy

    So I agree with the above! And I'm doing more and more now. Don't lose heart. Depression is hard.
  • claireariela
    claireariela Posts: 29 Member
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    rebruce449 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I have a cat that demands attention sometimes in the middle of the night! Ive tried different tactics including scaring him with a fan running in my doorway, that lasted a night. Im up early morning at 530am to feed him or listen to him scream. Then Im awake and have something to eat and typically fall asleep again at like 10 or 11am. It not a good thing I can relate to feeling Ive done nothing all day. I went grocery shopping today so I feel like I have my nutrition set for the next week. I will exercise one day, :)

    "One day" never comes babe! I don't know about you, but I recently discovered that I have a very long "one day" list of things that I really want to do but never did... Some which have been on the list for more than a decade! But what they become when they are not fulfilled is guilt or regret.... Which is an irritating emotion! So make today the "one day"! :) it will help!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    edited May 2017
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    @rebruce449 Dang it, I had this big long response typed up... and my dog decided to pester me and it somehow got deleted in the process :neutral: speaking of pesky pets!! Lol. Have you tried just staying up when you wake up at 530? I find I am happier when I do this, even if it means I only got one or two hours asleep. If you really hate that idea, could you lock the kitty out and wear earplugs? I'm sure you have already tried this, but it's worth mentioning. Cats can be so persistent, and impossible haha.

    Nice work on the grocery shopping! It always feels so good to get that done and have good meals on hand. They do say abs are made in the kitchen :wink:

    Do you have any daily rituals? Do you brush your teeth every morning, or make coffee when you wake up? For me, with my dogs, I obviously could just take them to potty and not walk them (that would make me a bad dog mom) but instead I made going for a walk a ritual/habit. It's something I just DO. Habits take the thinking out of things, so it makes it nonnegotiable. For me my rituals include breakfast, cleaning the house, walking the dogs. Unfortunately and fortunately for me these habits are so ingrained that it's a compulsive behavior, I cannot leave the house until I have cleaned it, and I can't do anything extra curricular (such as shopping or errands) until I have walked the dogs... this is great because I always get those things done, not so great if I wake up at 12 and that's all I have time to do that day.

    My point is that it is worth making a small walk first thing in the morning (you know after your other rituals) a part of your habits, it gets it out of the way and is both simple and rewarding. I know it's hard, but once it's a habit it stops being hard, and just is part of your life, just like feeding the kitty cat or brushing your teeth. Maybe that cat wants to go on a walk too :smiley:
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    claireariela wrote: »
    rebruce449 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I have a cat that demands attention sometimes in the middle of the night! Ive tried different tactics including scaring him with a fan running in my doorway, that lasted a night. Im up early morning at 530am to feed him or listen to him scream. Then Im awake and have something to eat and typically fall asleep again at like 10 or 11am. It not a good thing I can relate to feeling Ive done nothing all day. I went grocery shopping today so I feel like I have my nutrition set for the next week. I will exercise one day, :)

    "One day" never comes babe! I don't know about you, but I recently discovered that I have a very long "one day" list of things that I really want to do but never did... Some which have been on the list for more than a decade! But what they become when they are not fulfilled is guilt or regret.... Which is an irritating emotion! So make today the "one day"! :) it will help!

    This is so true, which is why I have been up since 4am haha!!! But it's so worth it, I am already feeling so much better. Have you stuck with the good sleep hygiene so far?
  • rebruce449
    rebruce449 Posts: 23 Member
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    @WickAndArtoo , thanks for the tips, it would make sense to just stay up, I do make tea and let dog out, I have little guy and fenced yard so he just goes out. He can walk but not too far as he has back issues,I used to walk the legs off him and vet said that was a no no.

    Today I did manage a walk for 20 mins took little guy and he told me it was time to head back so I went with it. Its nice today so I may head back out after dinner for another 20 mins. I'm still trying to figure out the cat thing, he just scratches at my door if I lock him out and screeches, he's my daughters cat and she sleeps though the whole thing. We tried feeding him late ( midnight daughter says) that did nothing. He wants to hang out and play.

    She is lobbying for another one so he "can have someone to play with", ya right, then I'd have two of them while she is away at school.

    Thanks for all the support I really enjoy logging in.
  • rebruce449
    rebruce449 Posts: 23 Member
    edited May 2017
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    @wellnesschaser , post partum must be HARD. I was lucky to not have experienced this but I cannot imagine feeling so down with a newborn. I hope you have lots of support and are on the mend. Depression sucks and for those that haven't experienced it, it is so difficult to describe in words. As Churchill said, its the Black Dog. Just makes everything so dark and negative. I'm feeling better with the new mood stabilizer so I'm hoping its only up from here.

    I hope you can enjoy your new babe and remember how fast they grow. ( not to add to the frickin guilt of depression) My baby is 20 and I can't believe the time has flown. Hugs to you. It will get better.
  • claireariela
    claireariela Posts: 29 Member
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    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    claireariela wrote: »
    rebruce449 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I have a cat that demands attention sometimes in the middle of the night! Ive tried different tactics including scaring him with a fan running in my doorway, that lasted a night. Im up early morning at 530am to feed him or listen to him scream. Then Im awake and have something to eat and typically fall asleep again at like 10 or 11am. It not a good thing I can relate to feeling Ive done nothing all day. I went grocery shopping today so I feel like I have my nutrition set for the next week. I will exercise one day, :)

    "One day" never comes babe! I don't know about you, but I recently discovered that I have a very long "one day" list of things that I really want to do but never did... Some which have been on the list for more than a decade! But what they become when they are not fulfilled is guilt or regret.... Which is an irritating emotion! So make today the "one day"! :) it will help!

    This is so true, which is why I have been up since 4am haha!!! But it's so worth it, I am already feeling so much better. Have you stuck with the good sleep hygiene so far?

    @WickAndArtoo
  • claireariela
    claireariela Posts: 29 Member
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    @rebruce449 Yes! I saw! Awesome! This is where we should dramatically quote some motivational passé thing like "a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" or something like that. XD

    So happy for you! You did it! :)

    Think happy thoughts!
  • nevadavis1
    nevadavis1 Posts: 331 Member
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    Yes, everyone is different, meds help some and make others worse and different meds all act differently. No judgements.
  • claireariela
    claireariela Posts: 29 Member
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    @WickAndArtoo somehow my text didn't post. But anyway, what I meant to say was that I'm slowly weaning myself toward 10pm. :) it will take some time, but I think if I plan activities that I love for the next day (instead of fearing and dreading something), sleeping generally gets easier. ;)

    I've planning a hike for tomorrow so I'm getting sleepy now around 1am. :) Okies nights!
  • Kimberly_Pena
    Kimberly_Pena Posts: 62 Member
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    I'm in the same boat. :neutral:
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    @rebruce449 haha I'm sure if you go a second cat they would just scheme together and wake you up at 430 instead :wink: I had a roommate in college that had a cat, and it would do the same thing every morning to MY door and yowl until I let it in and then it would jump on my bed and fall asleep... they are just ridiculous.

    I would be totally screwed if my dogs couldn't walk, I would never leave the house! I would just get more dogs in that case :smile: that's great you went on a walk, and I agree it is so nice to login and see replies :smiley:

    Hope you are having a Good Friday.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    claireariela wrote: »
    @WickAndArtoo somehow my text didn't post. But anyway, what I meant to say was that I'm slowly weaning myself toward 10pm. :) it will take some time, but I think if I plan activities that I love for the next day (instead of fearing and dreading something), sleeping generally gets easier. ;)

    I've planning a hike for tomorrow so I'm getting sleepy now around 1am. :) Okies nights!

    Have fun in your hike tomorrow! Pictures if it's pretty, you must not be in the US if it's 1 am there haha.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    Kimberly_Pena wrote: »
    I'm in the same boat. :neutral:

    Sadly it seems like it's more common than we would guess. You are in good company here though. Nothing like real support to help motivate us :smiley:
  • Kimberly_Pena
    Kimberly_Pena Posts: 62 Member
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    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Kimberly_Pena wrote: »
    I'm in the same boat. :neutral:

    Sadly it seems like it's more common than we would guess. You are in good company here though. Nothing like real support to help motivate us :smiley:

    Yeah definitely glad I decided to communicate more on here. Lots of very motivating people for support!
  • claireariela
    claireariela Posts: 29 Member
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    @WickAndArtoo the hike went we'll! We covered something like 10km I think. Though the downward steps were really bad on the knees. I unfortunately didn't keep the photos in my phone, but I have one on insta. I'm at claireariela if anyone else is on insta, let's connect!

    I had a little bit of a meltdown tonight after a family gathering. In short, I remember being very bullied as a kid by this one aunt I had. I didn't remember the memories, but I remember the emotions of being unloved and rejected a lot everytime I visited my grandmother's house because of how this aunt treated me. Basically, tonight she also reminded me how I cried a lot as a kid - that I would cry until I fell asleep and wake up and cry. It brought a lot of pain when she shared that because she seemed completely oblivious that she was one of the main reasons for it. She made a comment that I must have gone through some emotional trauma... I don't know why, but imagining ANY child constantly crying themselves to sleep is enough to make my heart break. I guess I felt sorry for myself because I remembered the emotions I had back then, but now I have some memories which makes them more evident. I might be in my 30s now, and it might have been something like more than 25 years ago (I think I was about 4 or 5 then)... But the feeling just felt so real tonight. I just ended up leaving the meeting and breaking down in the car. NO CHILD should be treated like that or made to feel like that. :(

    Anyway, I decided to deal with it by going for a run and ended up running 5x400m (2KM). I'm proud of myself tonight that I dealt with it in a healthy way. Running is a way I express love and care for myself and my body now.

    I will have to eventually forgive her and get over it... But yeah, just wanted to share my emotional, but good day anyway. :)

    Hope everyone is doing well!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    claireariela wrote: »
    @WickAndArtoo the hike went we'll! We covered something like 10km I think. Though the downward steps were really bad on the knees. I unfortunately didn't keep the photos in my phone, but I have one on insta. I'm at claireariela if anyone else is on insta, let's connect!

    I had a little bit of a meltdown tonight after a family gathering. In short, I remember being very bullied as a kid by this one aunt I had. I didn't remember the memories, but I remember the emotions of being unloved and rejected a lot everytime I visited my grandmother's house because of how this aunt treated me. Basically, tonight she also reminded me how I cried a lot as a kid - that I would cry until I fell asleep and wake up and cry. It brought a lot of pain when she shared that because she seemed completely oblivious that she was one of the main reasons for it. She made a comment that I must have gone through some emotional trauma... I don't know why, but imagining ANY child constantly crying themselves to sleep is enough to make my heart break. I guess I felt sorry for myself because I remembered the emotions I had back then, but now I have some memories which makes them more evident. I might be in my 30s now, and it might have been something like more than 25 years ago (I think I was about 4 or 5 then)... But the feeling just felt so real tonight. I just ended up leaving the meeting and breaking down in the car. NO CHILD should be treated like that or made to feel like that. :(

    Anyway, I decided to deal with it by going for a run and ended up running 5x400m (2KM). I'm proud of myself tonight that I dealt with it in a healthy way. Running is a way I express love and care for myself and my body now.

    I will have to eventually forgive her and get over it... But yeah, just wanted to share my emotional, but good day anyway. :)

    Hope everyone is doing well!

    That is heartbreaking, I am so sorry that you had to be around someone that causes and caused you so much pain. You are right, no child should have to go through that and you deserve to feel those emotions when remembering it. People like that unfortunately are also the type that aren't aware of how they hurt others (or don't care, I'm not sure which) she will probably never change. I completely understand how it is to have family members that don't see their own painful actions, we just have to remember that it's is them and not a reflection on who we are as individuals.

    That is really amazing that you channeled that into a run, nice work! That is so awesome that the hike went well too. I will go add you on Instagram now, I use mine often, although be warned...mine is completely full of my dogs on our hiking and walking adventures... and them in the house :smile: lol I'm a little obsessed with them!
  • Niki_Fitz
    Niki_Fitz Posts: 947 Member
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    rebruce449 wrote: »
    @wellnesschaser , post partum must be HARD. I was lucky to not have experienced this but I cannot imagine feeling so down with a newborn. I hope you have lots of support and are on the mend. Depression sucks and for those that haven't experienced it, it is so difficult to describe in words. As Churchill said, its the Black Dog. Just makes everything so dark and negative. I'm feeling better with the new mood stabilizer so I'm hoping its only up from here.

    I hope you can enjoy your new babe and remember how fast they grow. ( not to add to the frickin guilt of depression) My baby is 20 and I can't believe the time has flown. Hugs to you. It will get better.

    Thanks @rebruce449 Thank you! Just by putting one foot in front of the other, it is getting so very much better in my health, my business, and at home. The background noise is there with the thought of, "don't get too excited. You can slip back into it again." Can anyone relate? I must shut out those thoughts! ...And glad to hear of your walking!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    @wellnesschaser I think I kind of understand what you are saying, about not wanting to get excited. For me the depression has always been there, so instead of being worried that it will come back, my battle is that I sometimes dread the good feelings because I KNOW they will come to an end.

    But the answer to both our issues.. I think ...is the same, to change our mind sets and get even more excited about when we feel good and milk it for every second we get of that happiness. From what I understand one of the most effective ways of working through depression and anxiety (non pharmaceutical) is CBT and that involves changing our thought process and breaking that negative cycle. I think (personally not scientifically) this should also involve choosing to repeat things that made us feel good, even when we don't want to because of negative thoughts.

    You deserve to feel good and excited right now, regardless of what may come in the future!

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