CWD Daily

August 27, 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

The summer's almost over and you haven't gotten to the shore?

Transport yourself with the sounds of waves and seagulls. The video linked below is 10 hours long so you can let it play all night while you sleep.

youtube.com/watch?v=E9w6_FjYcYs

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

August 26, 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

Have there been times when you knew you had to do something, personally or professionally, and could not do it? Really had to, must, must, must do it? As in if you did not do it there could be extremely dire consequences, such as losing a job or business?

And yet you could not do it? It might have been something as simple as making a phone call, but you physically could not pick up the phone. Just could not.

There is a concept called “paralysis of the will” or “motivational paralysis”.

If you can understand this inability to act and put it in context, you can recognize it for what it is if and when it happens again: a symptom of depression.

And then you can move through it and act. You can actually do things you are completely and utterly convinced you cannot do.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 25, 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

Sometimes when you are determined to make changes it seems like the old patterns put up a superhuman resistance. Like they are simply not leaving. They're staying and screw you.

It feels like you will never make progress against depression. It's here to stay. It has dug in its heels.

Try to be patient and force your way through to the other side. Keep going. Get help.

It will get better.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 24, 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

List 5 things you have done in your life that you are proud of, or that you feel really good about.

Come on, you can do it. Just 5 things! Did you win a prize in elementary school? Complete a difficult sporting event? Make someone happy? Take care of a stray animal?

Anything at all you have done that you're proud of.

Great job!

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 23, 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.

Participate in a Clinical Trial.

The National Institute of Mental Health supports research studies on mental health problems. Clinical trials are scientific studies to find better ways to prevent, detect, or treat illnesses.

NIH-funded studies recruit participants on a variety of mental health topics.

THIS WEBSITE provides answers to common questions about volunteering for mental health clinical research.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 22, 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

Starting to feel better can be dangerous. When we begin to feel better we may make bad choices.

We take on more, even if what we're already involved in is not complete, because we have renewed energy and because once everything is not so gray we begin to see possibilities, which lead to more ideas.

We think we ARE better and will always be better so we don't have to take our medications or do any of the things we've been doing to GET better.

We take our eye off the ball.

Recovery is a process, and interrupting that process is counterproductive. Stay focused!

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 21, 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 was a brief trend of following studies that linked eating pasta with higher incidence of depression. We were all doomed.

However, the researchers responsible for the study (singular) linking pasta to depression have said that the press over-simplified it, and it's actually inflammatory food that may be linked to depression.

Dr. Andrew Weil's anti-inflammatory diet includes pasta up to 3 times a week. Reasonably sized portions, of course.

Take a look at the anti-inflammatory diet’s food pyramid, HERE.

HERE is a brief video of Dr. Weil discussing the anti-inflammatory diet.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 20, 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

Make 2 lists:

What jazzes you? Revs you up and gives you energy? I'll go first...

Tangerines
Fresh air
Music
Accomplishing a task
Art
Travel
Nature
Family
A good cup of coffee
Conversation with good friends

What saps your energy and makes you feel burdened, weighed down?

Tasks undone
Too much to do
Stuff
Sugar
Internet idiots
Meanness
Violence
Screwing up
Not enough sleep
Too much sleep
A messy environment
Too much computer time

Try to bring a little more of the first into your life, and release some of the second.

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com

August 19, 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

Depression feels like failure, like weakness, like defeat. It feels like a cop out, an excuse. It feels like a waste of a life that once showed such promise.

None of that is true, but that's how it feels a good bit of the time.

You may work on overcoming your depression, but there's a part of you that feels like a loser because you're not better yet! Of course, it doesn't work that way, unfortunately. Getting better, whether mentally or physically (or spiritually) takes time and it takes practice.

And, yes, that sucks!

Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com