As mentioned this morning, my one aim for today was to put together a Depression-Busting Plan to help me in my recovery. It helps to have a focus and although I need to make sure that I am not setting myself up to fail by setting my sights too high, I also understand that if I am to emerge from this debilitating fog I have to challenge myself and my lifestyle.
My GP asked me to think about changes I need to make for recovery and when I see her this week I may not have a definite plan in place but I have managed to put some thoughts down in my new Depression-Buster notebook.
I have been mind-mapping.
Following the holistic approach, I chose 6 areas of my life which need careful attention and wrote down all the ideas/thoughts which immediately came into my head. There are likely to be many more added later but on the basis that the most urgent ideas came to mind first I didn’t want to over burden myself with too much information.
The 6 topics I chose are;
Work
Exercise
Diet
Enjoyment
Sleep
Mental Health
Over the next few days I will be working on all of these issues alongside my GP and my support network so any ideas/tips/techniques that you use and you wish to share will be gratefully received 🙂
Poppyposts 
For what it’s worth I think this is really positive way forward. I’ve always found it more helpful to think of a ‘basket full’ of different things to help rather than one ‘fix-all’ like medication.
Thank you- Medication has it’s place and whilst I am happy to take anti-depressants I understand that they are not a cure, but they do buy you some time to find resolutions. Well, that’s my theory anyway!
I developed 7 simple changes, 3 simple physical changes, 2 emotional changes and 2 spiritual changes. I then chose simple doable changes. I like the 1 degree difference. At 212 degrees F, water boils. At 211 degrees water doesn’t boil. Just the slight change of 1 degree gets things boiling. 1 degree doesn’t seem like much but it means all the difference. I like your map idea to see what are the issues nagging at your mind.
This is so similar to how I’ve been approaching my own healing, but I’ve never listed it all out like that. I wanted to add peace to your list. I’ve been trying to find peaceful moments each day, all through the day, when I close my eyes and just absorb the scene, whatever it is. Stop thinking, take a deep breath, and become your own observer. Hubby calls them my moments of Zen. They have been so helpful to allowing me to be mindful and not disconnected or numb.
O how I would love some peace from constant rubbish whirling through my head! I will add peace to my list- I have tried meditation but am not very good! Even the hypnotherapist couldn’t hypnotise me as my brain was too active 😦 I think that’s why I am currently seeking solace in sleep-it is the only time I am at peace. Mindfulness is my way forward I’m sure but I need to feel a bit better before I can adopt this approach and be successful. I am trying to be patient…..another word not found in my dictionary 😦
I wish you much healing peaceful sleep then. I know what it is like to get gripped by depression again, so just wanted to reach out to you and let you know I’m here and I get it.
Thank you that is so kind and much appreciated x it always means so much more when people understand what it feels like as its so hard to explain. Hugs x