Getting over the Blues...

B_Hickboy

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Posts
10,059
Media
0
Likes
61
Points
183
Location
That twinge in your intestines
Dishes? You can come over and do mine!

I think the lack of sunlight in winter triggers a funk for me, that and I hate the cold weather.

I went to a lecture at the museum last night which seemed to get my mind off things. I am planning to go to the beach this weekend too.

Lot's of pearls of wisdom folks have posted here.
My depression is part seasonal, too. I find it helps for me to eat lunch at my desk while working, then take my break to have a walk around in the sunshine.
 
5

589189

Guest
Depression is a slippery slide that increases with velocity the longer you stay on the slide....My priorities are get off the slide as quickly as possible and to stay off the slide as long as possible....in the meantime...to enjoy living and being above ground...YAY
 

petite

Expert Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2010
Posts
7,199
Media
2
Likes
146
Points
208
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Female
I get down when I get lonely. This past year has been especially lonely for me. I'm a naturally social person and while moving for love is romantic, it has been isolating. Staying at home all day with an infant hasn't helped my cabin fever, either. A long distance call with a friend can give me a lift that lasts for days. Even visiting LPSG helps a little, sometimes.

I get the blues seasonally, too, but I think that's also related to not socializing enough when the weather turns cold. By the time holiday parties come around, I'm usually cheerful again because seeing all the people I love makes me happy. I'm hoping that this year we can visit and I'll see lots of my friends and they can meet my beloved child. That would really lift my spirits. Visiting my family last week really helped a lot, too, a great jolt of love straight to my heart.

Other than that, I try to avoid negativity when I'm sensitive. I turn to comedies for distraction and I read fun books like those by Terry Pratchett or David Sedaris. I listen music. I sing. It doesn't cure what ails me, but it helps keep me from wallowing, and that really helps a lot.

I also try to be much more Zen, consciously living in the moment, like really enjoying the experience of drinking this cup of tea right now, that beam of sunlight over there, how beautiful those trees look with their leaves turning colors, hearing my son's beautiful laugh and watching his eyes light up, and I attempt to fully experience what is happening right now. No matter what else is happening in my life, when I turn my focus to what is beautiful right in front of me, it enriches my day and that helps lift me up. I'm sure that it sounds so obvious, but when I'm unhappy, my head is full of worries and thinking about things in the past and what will happen in the future, so consciously clearing those things from my mind and choosing to look right in front of me helps me.
 
Last edited:

Bbucko

Cherished Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Posts
7,232
Media
8
Likes
325
Points
208
Location
Sunny SoFla
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
I have found that self over-medicating and passing out does the trick. Anti-depressants don't work for me, so Id rather just sleep and not be aware of the world around me.

I am a living testament to the value of an occasional sleep cure. Once I had one that lasted three days (with intermittent bathroom breaks and glasses of water). Barring that, I like to go out and raise some hell, either alone or with similarly-inclined friends.

If it's on the lighter end, several hours on YouTube have been known to work wonders, especially things like this :biggrin1:
 

B_Hickboy

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Posts
10,059
Media
0
Likes
61
Points
183
Location
That twinge in your intestines
I am a living testament to the value of an occasional sleep cure. Once I had one that lasted three days (with intermittent bathroom breaks and glasses of water). Barring that, I like to go out and raise some hell, either alone or with similarly-inclined friends.

If it's on the lighter end, several hours on YouTube have been known to work wonders, especially things like this :biggrin1:
Whoa! That double-breasted jacket! I gotta have one!
 

earllogjam

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Posts
4,917
Media
0
Likes
186
Points
193
Sexuality
No Response
My depression is part seasonal, too. I find it helps for me to eat lunch at my desk while working, then take my break to have a walk around in the sunshine.

I used to live in Ithaca NY and it would be common not to see the sun for 3 weeks at a time - a miserable god forsaken place for someone with SAD, not to mention it seemed it would rain every other day.

It's why I live in California now.
 

SprinkleMe69

Expert Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Posts
7,459
Media
0
Likes
244
Points
223
Verification
View
Sexuality
No Response
Blogging helped me alot when I had an onslaught of depression a few years ago. When it wouldn't go away I finally sought professional help. He helped me recognize certain things in my life and all the while, no medication. I refused to take antidepressants. I wanted to be able to feel all that I was going through and not just medicate and be about my day. My reasoning was, so that if or when it happened again I would know what it was. Actually I did take a sleeping pill to help me stay asleep through the night since I was also suffering with anxiety.

The other thing I used to do was take a 90 minute trip every weekend to the beach. I'd sit there for hours with my thoughts, write a little, snack, hop in the car and drive to another beach and repeat. Once in a while I'd even buy a pack of cigarettes.

Hope you get to feeling better. :smile:
 

earllogjam

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Posts
4,917
Media
0
Likes
186
Points
193
Sexuality
No Response
DAMN -- taken! Oh well, I can flirt w/two just as easily as one :)
We can tag team ya!

Blogging helped me alot when I had an onslaught of depression a few years ago. When it wouldn't go away I finally sought professional help. He helped me recognize certain things in my life and all the while, no medication. I refused to take antidepressants. I wanted to be able to feel all that I was going through and not just medicate and be about my day. My reasoning was, so that if or when it happened again I would know what it was. Actually I did take a sleeping pill to help me stay asleep through the night since I was also suffering with anxiety.

The other thing I used to do was take a 90 minute trip every weekend to the beach. I'd sit there for hours with my thoughts, write a little, snack, hop in the car and drive to another beach and repeat. Once in a while I'd even buy a pack of cigarettes.

Hope you get to feeling better. :smile:
Did your psychotherapy cure your depression?
 

witch

Experimental Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Posts
498
Media
0
Likes
3
Points
163
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
pets ..... gardening ...... reading ........... hanging with friends
 

Bbucko

Cherished Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Posts
7,232
Media
8
Likes
325
Points
208
Location
Sunny SoFla
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
Whoa! That double-breasted jacket! I gotta have one!

Barnabas Collins rules; Julia Hoffman saves!*

*One of my few attempts at having a girlfriend used to scribble that quote on bathroom walls everywhere. She kicked ass.
 

SprinkleMe69

Expert Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Posts
7,459
Media
0
Likes
244
Points
223
Verification
View
Sexuality
No Response
We can tag team ya!

Did your psychotherapy cure your depression?

Yes it did. There were a couple of things from childhood that I carried into adulthood that had to do with conditioning. I got past that and realized my triggers for depression. Also my biggest fear that was giving me the anxiety 24 hours a day, came on full swing and that was cancer. I feared that my biopsies would come out cancerous some day soon even though I was constantly told that in all likelihood the medical condition I suffered from didn't always turn out cancerous. Sure enough it did. I learned alot in therapy and I got through that phase. Do I get the blues now and then? Sure. But I've been through worse things and in a day or two I'm back on track. :smile:
 

earllogjam

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Posts
4,917
Media
0
Likes
186
Points
193
Sexuality
No Response
Yes it did. There were a couple of things from childhood that I carried into adulthood that had to do with conditioning. I got past that and realized my triggers for depression. Also my biggest fear that was giving me the anxiety 24 hours a day, came on full swing and that was cancer. I feared that my biopsies would come out cancerous some day soon even though I was constantly told that in all likelihood the medical condition I suffered from didn't always turn out cancerous. Sure enough it did. I learned alot in therapy and I got through that phase. Do I get the blues now and then? Sure. But I've been through worse things and in a day or two I'm back on track. :smile:

Thanks for writing that. Most folks don't think you can unlearn your habits that lead to long depressive spells and that depression coping skills can be taught and learned. If you don't mind me asking, what were your depression triggers that you discovered?

I do feel better after some great sunny warm weather this weekend.