CWD Daily

February 8, 2021

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

Many people experience their first bout with depression as they enter adulthood – go off to college or the military, get their first job, move out of their parents' house, etc.

THIS video addresses that phenomenon, and how to “adult” with depression.

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

February 7, 2021

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.

Talk to someone. You don't have to jump in and go to a psychiatrist or therapist. Talk to a doctor, hypnotist, yoga instructor, minister, rabbi, exercise guru... Talk to someone who can help with your general physical, mental or spiritual health.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 6, 2021

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

There is so much horrible news that it can truly compound depression. So, focus on the positive news. Frankly, there is more positive news than negative... You just need to know where to look for it.

For instance, gun violence is constantly in our consciousness and we can miss the fact that violent crime has fallen dramatically in the United States over the past several years.

HERE is a wonderful site to shift your focus: Good News Network! And, no, despite its title, it is not religious.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 5, 2021

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

Getting enough sleep is crucial for beating depression. It's a great goal to work toward.

Try breathing exercises to relax and to get to sleep. The simplest one is to breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, breathe out for 8 counts.

HERE are 8 more fantastic techniques!

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 4, 2021

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

HERE is a great website called Depression Hurts. One of its sections is quite insightful about barriers to recovery – and how to overcome them.

“Recovery is a difficult journey for everyone but, for some, there are obstacles that can slow or even block progress. While it is easy to say, 'Make changes in your life,' some changes can be difficult to confront.”

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 3, 2021

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

THIS is a stunning article: I Was Depressed Before All of This. Now What?

“Even in my 6,000-person town, sadness about the pandemic is everywhere. It’s been hard to cope...”

“Since the coronavirus arrived, I’ve found it harder than ever to get out of bed in the morning – to feel that this life is worth getting up for. My anxiety has multiplied as the virus has become personal. Three family members have reported symptoms of COVID-19; my sister, a doctor, is exposing herself day after day; my grandmothers, both in assisted living, keep asking me with a wavering voice over the phone if and when we might be able to visit again.”

– Elizabeth Flock in The Atlantic

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 2, 2021

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

Quarantine Depression, or How to break up time when every day feels like Groundhog Day:

“A few weeks into my family’s quarantine, it started to hit me just how much every day felt like a carbon copy of the one before: wake up, make coffee, juggle the demands of my work and kids, remember to eat, go to bed, repeat. Remember that movie Groundhog Day? I can’t seem to shake the feeling that I’m living my own version of Bill Murray’s ordeal. The only difference is that instead of being stuck on a time loop in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, I’m stuck inside the four walls of my suburban home...”

Some advice:

Create a routine.
Manufacture spontaneity.
Find something to master.
Embrace the opportunity to change.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

February 1, 2021

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

Sniffing citrus – whether in the form of an actual lemon or a jar of Satsuma body polish – is a major stress reducer, according to science.

When participants in a recent study, LINKED HERE, spent as little as ten minutes inhaling yuzu (the super-tart, Japanese citrus fruit), they saw a significant decrease in their overall mood disturbance, a global measure that looks at tension, anxiety, depression, confusion, fatigue and anger. Whoa.

So, eat a grapefruit, light a citrus candle or spend a few minutes mixing up a batch of real lemonade. Just be sure to inhale…annnnnd…exhale while you do it.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

January 31, 2021

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.

An old, no longer available, article in Psych Central online listed “10 Excuses for Avoiding Psychotherapy.” The first was a doozy: “If I go into therapy it means I'm a loser and I'm weak and can't stand on my own feet. It's better to work on myself without a crutch so that I keep strong.”

There is actually not a smidgen of truth to that.

Just like you would if your car needed fixed, or your heart needed surgery, or you needed legal assistance, get professional help. You deserve to feel better.

HERE is an article from WebMD: What's Stopping You From Seeing a Doctor About Depression?

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com