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Default Jun 18, 2019 at 12:28 PM
  #1
Though many struggle with anxiety, periods of depression, agitation, anger, and other uncomfortable feelings, not all qualify for a diagnosable mental health disorder. However, I assume most here do. Either way, there are several strategies that can be helpful to ease psychological issues. For those without a diagnosable disorder, such strategies may be sufficient. For those with a disorder, they can be great adjuncts to medication treatment. How often do people on medications complain that it’s not working well enough? Unfortunately, it’s not always enough to expect a pill (or pills) to do a whole job or solve all problems.

Everyone here with bipolar disorder has had hypomanic or manic episodes, and most all have also had depression and perhaps mixed states. Anxiety, agitation, stress, and other symptoms are also common. What are some things we can do as “adjuncts” to medication(s) to increase efficacy against mood/psych symptoms? I’d like to offer a few that help me. Please post more for this list, if you would. I am just starting with depression.

If people like this idea, maybe future threads could focus on other symptoms (i.e. hypo/mania, agitation, anger, anxiety, etc.) What do you think? Please share your “adjunct” strategies for wellness.

Depression

Some of my initial ideas, include:

Challenging dysfunctional thinking – Situations are rarely as hopeless or terrible as they seem, and bad situations will eventually ease. Have you ever used a Dysfunctional Thought Record to challenge negative/catastrophic thinking? A description and link to one is at Putting Your Thoughts on Trial: How to Use CBT Thought Records | International Bipolar Foundation

Pushing yourself to be (more) active can help – I don’t like the saying “Fake it until you make it”, however, there is something to pushing yourself to be more productive than you’d otherwise be, during depression. Even the smallest accomplishments or the smallest little pleasures help over time. My experience has been to set a short list of doable tasks with a short list of “would be great, if I could” tasks. Even achieving some (not all) of the doables is an accomplishment, when I’d otherwise do none. Doing a “would be great if” task is stupendous! Exercise, unloading (but not necessarily loading) the dishwasher, or sending one email are examples. Exercise could be walking just one block. My therapist tells me to ask myself “How long would it really take?” When you remind yourself that unloading the dishwasher takes only 5 minutes max, the task doesn’t seem like such a mountain to climb. Then, you may be on a roll, and load the sucker, too. Triumph!

Figuratively “vomiting” out some of the depression – Sounds yucky, but can work for me. Spilling out depressive symptoms onto a page/computer or someone’s ear (like a therapist), or dancing it out can be a welcome form of relief. Let it out and then try to separate yourself from it, if possible.

You look/smell better, you might feel better – We can’t all manage perfect grooming when depressed, but even the smallest self-care tasks can make a difference.

Don’t let yourself seem/be totally alone – Depression can make us isolate, but too much isolation can be bad. Don’t have friends or family around? Pets are great emotional support. Going to a café for just 15 mins and seeing a smile or hearing “Hello” can help. Or even just being around others can be a comfort.

Don’t be blind to the beauty in the world – Nature, music, friendly people, soft sheets, coolness on the underside of your pillow, the smell of cinnamon or coffee. Practicing mindfulness can take us out of misery for bits of time to varying degrees, and remind us that there is beauty in this world. This stuff matters!

Humor, even dry or sarcastic – I know it’s hard to laugh when depressed, but sometimes a bit of humor does cut through. Ever try to put on your favorite comedy show to see if the comedian/iene can succeed on you? Ever try to make a little joke about your own situation (self-deprecating humor)?

Just like meds, not every positive attempt is going to work, or it may take a number of tries to see results. The point is to keep trying.

If people like this idea, maybe future threads could focus on other symptoms (i.e. hypo/mania, agitation, anger, anxiety, etc.) What do you think? Please share your “adjunct” strategies for wellness.
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Default Jun 18, 2019 at 05:53 PM
  #2
Thanks for creating this thread @BirdDancer.

I have been depressed for 18 months now and needed a way to help myself while I waited for my pdoc to find a good combination of meds that worked. So I kept a journal of the things that I did and stayed positive. I can't say it was always easy and I admit I failed a number of times but I can say I'm helping myself and feeling a little better because of it.

I took all the things I learned and wrote and published a book about it. These tips are from my book. They are habits that you practice each day in the hopes of helping yourself feel better.

Here are some of the habits...

* Have a regular sleep schedule and try to keep your sleep to somewhere between 8 and 10 hours

* Watch those recurring thoughts

It's easy to fall into thoughts like "will I ever get better", "I'm so depressed" and related thoughts. While it's ok to have those thoughts they do tend to be recurring and can end up fulfilling themselves. If you find yourself repeating the same thoughts, just acknowledge them and let them pass by you.

* Find your strengths

Everyone is good at something and sometimes it takes work and time to find what it is but the search is worth it. Keep a journal and explore your abilities - you might be surprised at what you find!

* Reflect on your past

Think about everything you have done to get to where you are now and you might just find that you were brave, thoughtful, insightful, or many other positive traits. Sure we have all made mistakes but this reflection is about the good you did to get to where you are and give yourself some credit!

* Have deep conversations

They can be in person or online. Deep conversations help build relationships and your confidence. They also show you just how much you know and might not give yourself credit for when you're feeling down.

* Try a hobby

If you had one maybe try it again. I gave up my hobbies when I fell into a deep depression but I forced myself back into it. I hoped to spark motivation again. It was a long road but it worked. I'm able to persue my hobby now - it still takes effort some days but at least I'm doing something that interests me.

* Give your life a meaning

It could be something religious, or volunteering, or maybe mentoring someone, or even taking care of a pet. Give yourself a reason to get up and get going, even when you're feeling bad. For me it was my work. I just kept on going and found meaning in it for myself. I admit it's not always easy but at least I can get up knowing that I'm making a difference and that helps when I'm feeling bad.

* Enjoy the small moments

We tend to overlook the things that go well in our lives and the little things that are easy to miss. Like the way the sun comes through the window, or the fact that we were able to get out of bed this morning.

That's all I can type on my phone for now but I hope it helps you. Pick one or more of them and do them every day. Track your progress in a journal and reflect on your successes.

I'm still struggling with depression but I feel I'm helping myself now which is making a difference.

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Default Jun 18, 2019 at 05:58 PM
  #3
This is kind of negative but I don't mean it to be, but, stop looking for something or someone outside of yourself to "fix" you. You gotta be active in useing coping skills and other adjuncts to smooth off those edges.

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Default Jun 18, 2019 at 07:32 PM
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@Scooter9 and @Nammu thanks so much for adding to this list. Your additions are great. We all have to pick what works for us, as individuals.

Regarding the hobbies, I actually developed a couple new ones over the years. I still love my old hobbies, but I have changed and changing a bit over the years is natural.
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Default Jun 18, 2019 at 10:51 PM
  #5
Thanks for this wonderful thread and for the link. I’ll be looking into many of the suggestions here.
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Default Jun 19, 2019 at 01:14 AM
  #6
Thanks for this.

I will admit that I have a sarcastic sense of humor even when I am suicidal or so low It’s not funny.

It’s a law in my head that i shower every single day no matter how I’m feeling. I only wash my hair twice a week , as daily is just bad for your hair anyway.

End of my day I just take a quick look at my day and see overall how it was and see if I need to make any adjustments. Takes literally 30 seconds.

When things are just not going well I am one to pull out the “ fake it til I make it “ I mean why not give it a whirl??? If it doesn’t work you haven’t lost anything it just means you need to start flinging even more coping skills at it until something sticks.

Anyway this is just how over the years I go about my life.

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Default Jun 19, 2019 at 07:17 AM
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Thanks so much for the additions, Jennifer and Christina!

I noticed in the article about challenging dysfunctional thinking (a good one, I think), that the link to the free Dysfunctional Thought Record came up with an error. There are many free ones in pdf form online. Simply google "Dysfunctional Thought Record".
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Default Jun 19, 2019 at 08:14 AM
  #8
Thank you so much for this thread!! Really helpful ideas that I will definitely use.

One thing that sort of lifts me up a bit when I am in that dark place is grounding especially using nature.

I go out in the garden or to a park with big trees, a lake, tall grass or whatever. I walk barefoot. I physically feel the grass or dirt under my feet. I give a tree a hug, I smell the bark and the leaves, I touch it. I lie flat on my back and look up to the sky. I splash cold water in my face. Feel the breeze on my face. ect. I only think about my sensations, the here and now what I am physically feeling with regards to the object and the earth underneath my feet.

I do it in my back yard, or with my pet. It revitalises me.

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Default Jun 20, 2019 at 01:54 PM
  #9
When I was trying to get out of a particularly bad depression I set up a morning routine for myself to start the day: positive affirmations, meditation, visualization, stretching and walking to the mailbox to get the papers. I then made a list with only 3 MIT (most important tasks) on it and attempted to complete these during the day.

This helped me a great deal and I’ve added exercise, journaling and a healthy breakfast to the morning routine and a bedtime routine as well. I can’t do these every day due to depression but do manage some portion of them most days.
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Default Jun 20, 2019 at 04:41 PM
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Cut yourself some slack.

In my deepest depression I didnt shower for 3 weeks and could barely drag myself from bed. It is so easy to guilt yourself for what you dont do or what you think you should be doing. It is easy to compare yourself to others and wonder why you cant just pull yourself together.

Sometimes in doing nothing at all, you are actually practicing a very important skill, self care. It is okay to not be okay.

Also, celebrate every win. I once texted my friends a picture of my clean oven. I was so excited. It doesnt matter if it seems "small" because sometimes the smallest things are also the biggest.

When talking to yourself, imagine you are talking to a dear friend who is struggling. Show yourself that same compassion.

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Default Jun 20, 2019 at 05:39 PM
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Learning how to set boundaries is important for me, telling people what I want and remind them and calmly and spend less time with them if they dont comply. Try to have polite discussions about this issue. If it wont work, cut down contact with that person because they are telling you in an indirect way that you are not meeting their needs also. This sort of connects to goal setting—try to define my goals in various areas of my life and work calmly toward that. I’m usually a bulldog about following through if I can just set a goal.
Thank you Bird Dancer. You are a leader as usual in helping us with this! Hugs, girl!

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Default Jun 20, 2019 at 08:00 PM
  #12
In addition to all the above, I find getting out into the sun is helpful. If there is no sun I turn on every light so that I’m in a bright environment.
Forcing myself to be active helps.
Do one thing every day that gives you a sense of accomplishment. In my case I always make my bed adding all the cushions. It looks too good to mess up so I don’t return to it for the whole day.

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