Early Warning Signs & How To Stop Depression Before It Starts? (Alt Title - f*ck Me... I’m Baking)

[hithere]

I didnt do sadness either so when it hit me Oh my F.! What suffering! .. I'm better with sadness now...it still is F'g shitty... but I allow it now and I let it flow. I stay in bed , I call off what I have going on, and I just suffer in sadness. it's a new thing for me...

I also started looking into Positive Psychology that the US Army and other branches use in boot camps. it is helping me a lot and I think it wards off depression. (for me)

 

[Sideways]

When I’m deep in it...

Anhedonia, hypersomnalence, then everything that follows a heady combination of those 2 things (not eating, showering, moving period really).

There is a downward trajectory though, yeah? Before you start sleeping 20+ hours a day, there’s perhaps a short period where you’re sleeping excessively, but not so much as to cause a re-write of the whole life script. Stuff like that...??

This has happened before, given you’re human and life inevitably has its ups and downs, is there any kind of plan in place to identify downward trends (apart from the ridiculous peaches dish in the oven)? If not, why not?

If you run well to clear rules, guidelines, & routines, do you have some kind of function-meter running to catch things before they become a catatonic disaster? Function meter: good objective workable aide to monitor and sustain mood balance.

 

[Warrior Chicken]

Some incredible experience and suggestions/support here... for sure! I don’t have focus to read it all through. Sorry. I will

Why do you bake? Not for you.
What have I seen/read about how you are, what motivates, what drives @Friday? It’s not self serving...EVER. It’s about others, always, them first.

Will putting yourself first change depression? No, I don’t think so.

Will serving others? Yes. You’re a healer, a fixer, compassionate, and don’t stop me yet....wise.

I have applied your wisdom to my own life, I have improved my situation from things you’ve written. Shit no...you can’t argue that. Thank you.

I dunno...baking is never just for ourselves.
Who doesn’t love cookies?

We pull thru. Together. No matter what.

 

[The Albatross]

To stop the slide... I self examine my recent habits and behaviors & put em under the microscope. If the disturbance is mine, then I gotta do something/some things different. Then I pick a couple to a few and see how I am a couple weeks later. If I don't then I keep hittin' that list til the landscape changes.

 

[Scarlet13]

So, I can get pretty bad. Where suicide seems like a relief and then I feel sad at the thought of my own death.
Here are the things that work for me:
1. Put one foot in front of the other.

There’s just no fight left in me, my get up and go got up and went, and I’m just tired. Too tired to care, too tired to bother, to tired to notice.

When I feel like what you said here, I lower the bar way low with goals. I take it one body movement at a time. I say to myself, "All you have to do is just sit up. That's it. Now just stand up. That's all. Now put one foot infront of the other."

2. Work towards self care. I use the one foot infront of the other to push towards self care like making a cup of tea.

3. The other thing that helps is getting really good gut bacteria. I have really been struggling with suicidal thoughts and depression. A test revealed I have gut inflamation and low gut bacteria from antibiotics. This can really trigger depression.
I recently purchased kefir grains and have been drinking that and what a huge difference! I also got some fresh camel's milk from a local farm.
I dont know if you are ready to start chugging camels milk, but my point is that so much of depression can be biological and can be fixed fairly easily (one step at a time of course).

 

[Starfire]

Depression sneaks up on me. I only recognize it after it starts...too late. Tried keeping a daily activity/feelings log. But darn Depression has so many sneaky ways of worming itself in unnoticed.

 

[NatBird]

What helps me:

- Getting outside into the world and/or by trees on grass within 30 mins of waking

- RAIN meditation. I used to dislike Tara Brach but I am finding this way of checking in helps to find out where I'm at, allow it and meet the need. And sometimes that need has been to stay in bed!

- Exercise. Give me a sense of competence. I think things that provide this are worth doing daily, even for a few minutes. Also things like boxing where I am getting pent up energy out. Often my depression is about suppressed emotions and they just implode

- Food. If I am eating things I am allergic too, too late this can send me off

- Social. I need to connect. I struggle with this but I know it makes such a difference

- Sunlight. Vitamin D. I also try to make sure I am up on vitamins as this can add to things. 5HTP helps A LOT. I often start taking this when I sense it coming!

- Water and Sleep. I'm crap at both!

- Focusing. This is HARD when depressed, well it is for me but working on something in 20 minute blocks helps to distract fron the thoughts that are driving the depression and builds momentum in another direction

Sending support Friday

 

[Teasel]

Think everyone has said all the things I woulda. Am really sorry to read you're going through this x

 

[Freida]

@Friday - you doing ok??

 

[MrMoonlight]

sure thinking about you @Friday . I hope you are getting on okay and doing a little self-care.

you got this

 

[siniang]

You've been on my mind @Friday , sure hoping you're ok!

 

[Deanna]

Friday- Be good to yourself and come back when u can!