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“He that can have patience can have what he will.” - Benjamin Franklin

Courtesy of @113N

Patience is the most underestimated aspect of recovery from depression. Sadly, modern society and emotive marketing are driven by the need of instant gratification. We are exposed by thousands of marketing messages and offers promising instant fixes.

Recovery from depression takes time. There are no instant fixes. In my case recovery took at least 4 years - 4 years of visiting my psychologist and facing relapses. In other cases, it can take a longer time or a shorter time.

But what kept me going was my belief that I would be free of depression in the near (but not immediate) future. I knew that if I learned to control my negative thoughts and regain my interest in hobbies and interests then my depression would lift. Strangely, I had formed this notion before I sought professional support. I knew at that moment that this persistent faith is what I needed to conquer depression.

From talking to others and with friends who had suffered from depression, this seemed to have been the common underlying belief. Regardless of what strategies they were using (which ranged from CBT and psychotherapy to holistic bioenergy sessions) they all believed that they would eventually be free from depression and they were patient with their progress. read more »

When you are suffering from depression it can be difficult to carry out tasks or engage in interests and hobbies. It is important to slowly reintroduce these tasks and hobbies during the recovery of depression and assess what tasks have a positive impact on the person’s mood. This allows you to increase your general mood and also to re-engage yourself in tasks that you find difficult to do.

The technique I am going to show you is commonly used as part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. By setting out a set of achievable tasks the night before and assessing your mood throughout the day, you will be able to take action and also be able to determine which tasks give you the most enjoyment.

It is important however that you take things easy and do not take a perfectionist attitude toward these tasks. Do not criticise your work or skill level as this will only create unnecessary stress.

I have provided a tool that will allow you to draw up your own Action Schedule which is available here.

read more »

Courtesy of a.drian

Approaching your family doctor (GP) can be one of the toughest things to pluck up the courage to do when you are depressed. Most people feel unable to attend their doctor for numerous reasons that I will discuss in this blog post.

Looking back I wish I had attended my doctor sooner. The support my doctor gave me really helped me with understanding depression and how to do deal with it. You must realise that depression is a common illness and your family doctor will have many clients with this issue.

‘I feel too ashamed to approach my doctor. I don’t want to be seen as weak.’

Most people suffering from depression find themselves unable to seek the support of others in fear of being portrayed as weak. This is generally the case in men. However your doctor is the person in the best position to give you good advice and regularly has patients under his/her care coping with depression. Even though visiting your family doctor might be a difficult thing for you to do, it will give you more peace of mind in the long run.

From my own experience I regret not “swallowing my pride” and not visiting my doctor in my first episode of depression. I would have been in a better position to deal with relapses if I had seen my doctor in the early stages.

Why should you feel less confident about visiting your doctor about depression than any other issue? Especially when depression is so common-place. read more »