Rebuilding Yourself (Slowly) After Depression

The previous month has been a toughie. If my happiness were a golf ball, it would have been so far from the fairway that you'd have sacked your caddy and retired to the clubhouse for a stiff drink with the curtains drawn. Golf analogies aside, from May through to June, I was improving. Genuinely going out and handling my symptoms. WIN. However throughout August, physical health problems grabbed me by the ankle and yanked me right back into bed. Cue depression. This particular visit from the ole' "Black Dog" peaked at around the 3 week mark of not getting dressed or washed where I was slumped in bed, greasy haired and resuming the fetal position (aha!).

Eventually with the help of my Mum, and long-distance encouragement from friends, I've started to get back on track to a more positive daily routine. My mindset is lagging, and I'm exhausted, but the smiles are returning and the laundry is getting done. I'm still dysfunctional, but I'm slowly emerging from the throes of a bad episode and back to my autonomous, low-grade depression.

My Tips For Slowly-But-Surely Rebuilding Yourself After a Depressive Episode

Start with a list
Write down everything you'd like to achieve- however simplistic! 1. get out of bed, 2. wash face, 3. eat breakfast, 4. shower etc. It will make your day seem less overwhelming and provide a sense of achievement when you go back to tick off your progress.

Take on small projects around the house (extra points: gardening!)
I find DIY jobs to be particularly helpful because it involves being practical. Repainting furniture or basic objects is therapeutic because it requires concentration but no skills. The picture at the top of the post is me tackling the garden fence panels in my scruffs, and it was a pretty manageable activity when I'm still getting back to a regular baseline mood. And if you have any outdoor area to work with, I highly recommend planting bulbs or anything that doesn't require much upkeep. There's a reason why Alan Titchmarsh is always so bleeding chipper- and gardening is probably something to do with it.

Spend as much time around people as you can 
You've probably holed yourself up in your house and switched off your phone as isolation is a key symptom of any anxiety or depressive disorder. In traditional English style, a hot beverage will provide a short but sweet opportunity to catch up. Some people prefer to chuck themselves back into partying, but this varies from person to person- if you've been extremely low, or just a naturally shyer person, you'll probably want to ease back in a bit slower. The point is to just BE around people; the activity is up to you.

Actually eat, like, proper meals 
Me and a close friend were just talking about this- and how pasta ala tomato sauce is not the key to happiness. Yes, its scrummy comfort food for bad days, however its nutritional benefits are disputed. Obviously what you put in your gut won't solve all your problems, but I found 24 Meals To Seriously Boost Your Mood to be nutritionally enlightening- however some of the recipes were a bit fussy so personally I'd deconstruct the key "mood ingredients" and adapt to meals I already make. Would personally recommend buying in canned stuff like kidney beans, sweetcorn, tomato puree, lentils etc. for baaaaaaaaaad episodes because that crap stays can-fresh forever and you can throw it altogether with couscous and pitta breads for easy meals.

Get a haircut, have a shave, moisturize 
Personal appearance gets put on the back burner when you're not feeling great, but its very important to take care of your outer-self because it can improve self-esteem. Emphasis on CAN. But fake it until you make it, huh? Wash your face, brush your teeth, give yourself a good scrub in the shower. And wash those bloody jogging bottoms so they're soft and fresh again.

Book an appointment with your GP or counsellor to discuss the next step
Top of the agenda for me. I feel like not enough self-care lists include the advice of a professional. Sure some folk might be able to bounce back, but don't be too hard on yourself if you can't. Talk about how you've been feeling with a doctor or trained counsellor; they may suggest medication or a course of therapy to help you manage your problems.

So it's a work in progress readers. For example, I found it very hard to get out of bed this morning and putting on make-up felt like an uphill battle but this afternoon I'm pushing against the "feeling" and helping Mum out in the garden. Keep going.