CWD Daily

December 24, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day... 'Tis the Season

On the 12th Day of Christmas Depression Gave to Me:

12 Fights with Loved Ones

11 Bouts of Guilt

10 Moments of Exhaustion

9 Outbursts of Anger

8 Feelings of Inadequacy

7 Overwhelming Problems

6 Resentments at Being Told the Meaning of the Season

5 Crying Jags

4 Panic Attacks

3 Overdrafts

Two Broken Toes

And the Exasperation of Decorating the Tree.

CWD Daily is written by Julie Aiken, a layperson whose only authority lies in 40 years of coping with depression. Nothing in the newsletter should be taken as medical advice. Please do no self-diagnose or self-prescribe. Above all, please get help if you need it.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 23, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

A walk in the snow can be invigorating and almost magical. Followed with a cup of cocoa, a walk can turn a dark, gray day into pure delight, and help you beat those “winter blues”

Mental Health Effects of COVID: Nevada

"In nearly 2,300 hours of hotline conversations, COVID-19 was mentioned as a stressor during about half the calls, and depression, anxiety and social isolation was mentioned in about 80 percent of calls.

"'There will be some people who will never get over this. They’ll always have some kind of anxiety,' Reedy said.

"The good news, as she sees it, is that more people are taking mental health seriously and realizing what it's like to suffer from a mental illness.

"Many of those enlisting help from Nevada crisis call centers are first-time callers, Reedy said. People who have never battled with their mental and emotional wellbeing are struggling to cope, and others who have suffered from mild symptoms previously have conditions that are now exacerbated."

- reno gazette journal

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 22, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

Sit in the sun. From healthline.com:

“Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused...

“Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of major depression with seasonal pattern (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD). This is a form of depression triggered by the changing seasons.”

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 21, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Winter Solstice

“Light is Returning
Even though this is the darkest hour
No one can hold
Back the Dawn.

“Let's keep it burning
Let's keep the light of hope alive
Make safe our journey
Through the storm.

“One Planet is turning
Circle on her path around the sun
Earth Mother is calling
Her children home.”

Tip of the Day

Winter Solstice is the turning point. We have reached the darkest point of the year, and the light is returning as the hours of daylight slowly -- almost imperceptibly at first -- begin to grow.

For those suffering from depression, this can be both a literal and a symbolic turning point. SAD, seasonal affective disorder, increases depression in many people, with darker days contributing to darker moods. And symbolically, hope is returning with the light. We can recognize that after darkness there is always sun. Always.

This year, as the wheel of the year turns once again to awakening, growth and new life, the entire world embraces the sunlight of hope in dark times. Allow the promise of the arrival of the vaccine that will protect us from the horrible scourge of COVID-19 lift your spirits. Light is returning. We will hug again.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 20, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

“Each year, people are always in such a rush to the light – that seems to be the point of winter solstice for most people. Instead, sink into the dark, feel yourself as the seed resting in the ground before the hard work of growing in the spring; understand yourself as the roots of the tree intimately connected with Earth instead of the more obvious parts people focus on above ground – the green leaves on the branches in summer, the lack of leaves on the branches in winter. And snuggle even more than usual with the people you love!”

- Facebook post

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 19, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

Get help.

“The Holidays” and the winter months are hard for many people who suffer from depression. Don't isolate yourself – connect with others and get help!

Churches, doctors, clinics, your school counselor, a teacher or other trusted person in your life... Many people can point you to the right help.

Feeling dark in the darkest days of the year is not crazy, it's natural. Get help if you need it to get through.

Reach out. Don't pull in and don't shut down. Never give up.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 18, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

It's the fricking holiday season! The scotch tape keeps getting stuck to itself! The strings of lights are always impossibly tangled no matter how carefully they were put away last year! Nobody RSVPs anymore! How can a person forget to go to the liquor store until Christmas Eve every blasted year?!?

Does frustration lead to depression or does depression lead to frustration? And does it even matter?

Take a break.

Take a walk.

Put on music more relaxing than “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” (Try some jazz.)

If you send your cards out before New Year's they're still on time, right?

Sound Advice

(not my creation - no attribution found)

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 17, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

One popular Christmas tradition is also a great depression fighter: a bowl of nuts.

From nutstop.com:

“Although other nuts such as cashews, Brazil nuts, and hazelnuts are helpful in supplementing omega-3 fats, walnuts seem to be the winner in this category. Walnuts are known to support overall brain health, being one of the highest plant-based sources of omega-3 and a great source of protein to help keep blood sugar levels at a healthy balance.

“One study found that depression scores were 26% lower among those who consumed about 1/4 cup of walnuts per day. Researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which draws from a large sampling of more than 26,000 American adults.

“They found that adults who ate nuts, and specifically walnuts, were more likely to have higher levels of optimism, energy, hope, concentration, and a greater interest in activities.”

Two New Studies Shed Light on Depression

"Recently published UT Southwestern research reveals new insights about risk factors for depression based on data from a landmark longitudinal study focused on heart disease.

"One study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, shows a link between an inflammatory molecule in the blood and a person's likelihood of depressive symptoms. The other study, in the journal Maturitas, indicates which symptoms of menopause are most predictive of depression.

"Both studies are based on data from the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), which since 2000 has tracked the health of thousands of participants with the goal of improving the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of heart disease."

- EurekaAlert!, December 14, 2020

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

December 16, 2020

CWD Daily

Tips for Coping with Depression

If you are in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -
1-800-273-8255.

Tip of the Day

Give yourself a break. Take care of yourself to the extent that you can, and be gentle with yourself if you feel down or stress about money or sleep all day. The holidays will do that to the best of us! And COVID sucks. Just do what you can.

Say it Ain't So! Increased Social Media Use Linked to Depression in Young Adults

"Young adults who increased their use of social media were significantly more likely to develop depression within six months, according to a new national study authored by Dr. Brian Primack, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions and professor of public health at the University of Arkansas.

"Compared with participants who used less than 120 minutes per day of social media, for example, young adults who used more than 300 minutes per day were 2.8 times as likely to become depressed within six months.

"The study, which will be published online Dec. 10 and is scheduled for the February 2021 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, is the first large, national study to show a link between social media use and depression over time."

- Science Daily, December 10, 2020

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com