Mental Health Support Thread

[Noghri Sloth]

Aye Gath and Sinner! Well said.

Getting out and staying active is huge. Just talking to someone you normally wouldn't can make you feel accomplished for the day. Working out or getting some kind of physical exercise (I like walks and day hikes personally) can do wonders for the dopamine levels. Another big thing for me is remembering to take my medication, I know it doesn't work for some people and it can be over prescribed but for me it tends to work fairly well. The idea of being chained to a bottle of pills for the rest of my life does frighten me, usually I try not to think about it and do my best to focus on all the good that has come out of my life because of it.

I guess that's the key to it, while I might be afraid of being chained to a prescription for the rest of my life, I don't really have a life if they're not there. So a blow to my pride (which let's be honest, could use some knocking down) for a long-term gain I think is good.

[Gath]

Heh, I've got thirteen bottles. Some of them maybe not for life, but probably for a long time. It can certainly be humbling and it definitely depends on the situation and the individual. My advice is that if you're on it you should stick with it because it probably will take some time to notice a change. And by then, you won't remember to notice the change.

[Captain Devonin]

Yeah, I hate that feeling of not having gotten anything done in a day. But for me at least, some days, it just is unavoidable. I mentioned two things I usually try, but those don't always work (like today... ) and since Gath asked so nicely, I suppose I'll include a few other things I try.

One is listening to music. I'll find a song with a nice tune, and understandable lyrics, and just listen to it. Over, and over. You'd think I would eventually get sick of it, but I don't, usually, and once I've listened to it enough I tend to sing along. Off-key and horribly, but I do it anyway. If my friend didn't have the I-hate-with-a-passion earbud headphones I probably wouldn't drive her so batty doing it when she's here. Haha. Usually they tend to be slower, happy songs. My current song of choice right now is this one.

Two was mentioned, but I'll say it again: movies. I'll watch anything that has someone I like in it, or sounds even remotely interesting. I've been a lot pickier as of late as to which movies I'll watch (no idea why), but I still take a chance on a movie here and there. The upside to not having any expectations is it is hard to disappoint me: a movie has to be REALLY bad to make me feel like I wasted two hours, though some movies do make me walk away wondering what the hell I'd just watched, at least I'm doing that instead of anything else.

Three is games. On days where I'm really feeling out of it, I lean toward open-ended RPGs (think: Skyrim, Fallout), or JRPGs. Or, barring that, anything difficult. Anything that really requires me to focus to overcome given challenges. I wish I hadn't played the heck out of Dark Souls to the point where it is now quite easy for me, as that game was a good one while it lasted.

I wish I had more I could add or contribute to this thread, like the links some of you have, or such, but I don't. :/

[Unko Talok]

Originally Posted by Captain Devonin

movies.

YES! I love having these going while I'm doing homework.

Originally Posted by Captain Devonin

though some movies do make me walk away wondering what the hell I'd just watched,

"Antichrist".

Shudders. I don't know what the **** it was supposed to be, but I know I didn't like it.

[Noghri Sloth]

Music can also have a profound affect. I try and stay away from all "sad" music when I am depressed, however it can literally be anything that strikes my mood as being sad at the time. Depression isn't picky on what makes it worse. I find that fast paced stuff, rock or pop usually, tends to do the best and keeping my mood elevated and flying high. When I'm in a good mood and I know my mind won't interpret a sobering song in the worst personal way then it's fine. But until then, I try and keep it lively and bright.

[loki_ragnarock]

When I feel down I'll actually go out of my way to listen to the most depressing music available. I sing along, loudly, voice cracking with emotion.

You see, for me, doing things that highlight how utterly ridiculous I'm being ensures that - out of sheer, unadulterated shame and embarrassment - I get my buck up.

This might lead others down a dark spiral... it works for me. But then, I'm an odd duck. What with the lack of feathers and the opposable thumbs.

[Gath]

Ducks don't need thumbs. They have beaks and feathers.

[Noghri Sloth]

Lies! The entire animal kingdom is jealous of our thumbs! JEALOUS I SAY!

One thing I do find that helps, even if some say it's sad, is Blues music. Love it. For me Blues music is joyful, it's celebrating surviving something you didn't think you could.

[Gath]

Well, it's been a severely uninteresting day for me today. So I had to dig deep and pull out one of the greats. Terrible download quality just seemed to add to this classic action movie. First time I saw it I was eight years old. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure this is only my second time around.

[Medesha]

I just watched that a few weeks ago! So much fun.

My therapist wants me to keep an anxiety journal. I told Jason and he said, "Well, you wanted to write 5000 words a day." Such a supportive guy. But that just goes to show how much friends and family are noticing my distress. In a way that's comforting.

[Gath]

So I was just at therapy and was mentioning this thread. When I talked about some of the sites and resources that have been linked to here well we had a little moment where we exchanged some information. She wasn't familiar with the dbsa link that I provided (located in first post now) so I gave her info on that. Then she offered something of her own. I haven't read much into it but I think it is kind of self revealing. The site is based in British Columbia so it doesn't always pop up for American google searches. Anyway, there is some specific interest in dealing with anxiety, so here you go:

AnxietyBC.com

Much like the dbsa and NAMI sites that I offered, this one has a load of information, self help, life stories, some information on how to start with CBT - or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - (that's probably something you'd want to check in with a therapist about, before, during and as you make progress).

Anyway, it may not be the right thing for you, but it's all about anxiety, so it's at least a place to start.

[hvg3akaek]

My therapist wants me to keep an anxiety journal. I told Jason and he said, "Well, you wanted to write 5000 words a day."

wow, yeah,i could relate to that. Not sure I really want to chronicle all my anxiety anywhere, its a ...worrisome thought.

Do you know the aim of the journal writing? To discuss afterwards, to make you more aware of it, other?

[Medesha]

It's more of an anxiety record than journal. Where, when, what I was doing and thinking, physical reactions. To look for patterns and triggers.

My first anxiety was "worried that I'll forget to write things down in my anxiety journal."

[hvg3akaek]

sounds like a good idea - though i'm worried that i would spend too much time writing it up

in my last session, when we were looking at worry and the thoughts / patterns behind it, I had to say that I was worrying that I was taking to long to answer the question, and thus wasting session time... The silence, with the *tick* *tick* *tick* of the clock in the background wasn't helping things.

[Noghri Sloth]

So rough day today. Anxiety a lot. Time seems to slow down and I become super aware of everything around and I start worrying that I am going to get attacked, like i'm getting expecting a fight. The dysthemic aftereffects of my last depressive bout are still there, and I may actually be in the midst of a full bout but the meds are keeping it off; hard to say.

I overdid it on the caffeine yesterday and I suspect that is what is influencing me today and my body is trying to adjust and fix the imbalance today. But other than that I am not sure what might be causing it. Any thoughts?