September 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

DepressionHurts.ca provides is an extraordinarily helpful symptom quiz to determine if you're clinically depressed (depressionhurts.ca/en/checklist/thinking-concentrating).

This site explores the following components of depression:

Emotions - Prolonged sadness, loss of interest, feeling overwhelmed/hopeless, trouble concentrating, an inability to make simple decisions for most of the day, or thoughts of death or suicide, all can be emotional symptoms associated with depression.

Fatigue - Feeling tired or fatigued nearly every day may be associated with depression.

Sleep - Sleeping too much or not enough may be a symptom of depression.

Weight - A weight change of more than 5% (up or down) in a month when you haven’t been trying to gain or lose weight may be a sign of depression.

Unexplained aches and pains - Being bothered by unexplained aches and pains (such as headaches, stomach pain, joint pains or other pains).

Thinking and concentration - Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions may be associated with depression.

Not to be substituted for professional help – but useful nonetheless!

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  

September 18, 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

Did you take your pills?

You're feeling shaky and like you're going to cry. You're not sure you took your meds today and don't want to take them now in case you'd be doubling up.

What to do?

Ride it out. Eat some grounding food like potatoes (preferably not chips) or whole grains. Avoid sugar. Cry if you have to.

Having a wacky mood-regulating system sucks, sometimes!

Solution? Make sure your pills are in clearly labeled daily containers and put them right by your hair brush or toothbrush so you are reminded to take them.

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  

September 17, 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

You don't have to do battle every day. 

Some days just making it through without an episode of melancholy is quite enough.

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  

September 16, 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

Per an article in the online The Daily Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk):

“People with depression could see their condition improve if they adopt an upright posture.

“That was the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Auckland, due for publication in the March [2017] issue of the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry...

“While previous studies have found that sitting or standing up straight improves self-esteem and mood in healthy people, the new study sought to investigate whether people with mild-to-moderate depression would also experience a benefit.”

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  

September 15, 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

Music can soothe the savage beast, and it can work wonders on depression.

The masterpieces of movie, theater and television theme music can instantly transport you into your favorite fantasy. Here are some beautiful musical passages, to get you started.

ET – The Extraterrestrial – flying bicycle theme

LOST – Moving On

Hamilton – An American Musical has had the entire world singing along with joy for several years now. “There’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait!”

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  

September 14, 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

Studies show that people who regularly eat dark chocolate are less likely to be depressed.

According to a January 2020 article in PsychologyToday.com:

The mechanisms that may explain the antidepressant effects of dark chocolate are:

• Flavanols. Brain-protecting nutrients that are also found in red wine, berries, apples, citrus, and green and black teas, all foods associated with improvements in mood and cognition.
  
  
• Caffeine and theobromine. These deliver rapid effects on energy and cognition. Cocoa is the main source of theobromine, while caffeine is found in many foods other than coffee.
  
  
• N-acylethanolamines. This fatty acid has euphoric effects and shows promise in treating bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. It also exhibits anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
  
  
• Phenylethylamine. It increases the release of dopamine which tells the brain that whatever it just experienced is worth getting more of. Dopamine also helps with reinforcement -- motivating an animal to do something again.

Though the scientific studies are ongoing, it seems dark chocolate in moderation is a great weapon to have in your arsenal.

Because... chocolate.

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  

September 13, 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: Medication

healthline.com has a comprehensive overview of types of medications to treat depression:

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) including brands like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and Paxil
SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) such as Effexor
TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) like Anafranil and Norparamin
Tetracyclic antidepressants, Naprotiline
Dopamine reuptake blockers including Bupropion e.g. Wellbutrin and Fortivo
5-HT1A receptor antagonist vilazodone
5-HT2 receptor antagonists like Oleptro
5-HT3 receptor antagonist Brintellix
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) including Marplan and Nardil
Noradrenergic antagonist Mirtazapine (Remeron)

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  

September 12, 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 is not self-pity.

You may think you're wallowing in self-pity about your life circumstances. It's quite possible, probable even, that you're battling 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  

September 11, 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

On the morning of September 11, 2001, as the terrorist attacks on the United States were ongoing, a co-worker despondently said “It's a horrible world.”

I responded instinctively, “It's a wonderful world. This is a horrible thing.”

Sometimes when you're depressed it's really, really hard to believe that the world is a good place, especially when terrible things happen, especially in the age of COVID-19.

You need to decide to not let distress or genuine sadness become intractable depression. For your own health and safety, turn off the TV, get some exercise and fresh air (take a walk), meditate, love on your grand-kids.

Life is beautiful. Drink it in! At least for a little while today, love life.

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