ANSWERED BY LOU FARRELL loufarrell.co.uk lou@loufarrell.co.uk As a member of Quora, I answer a lot of questions about depression and bipolar disorder. I thought for those who are not members then I will combine my answers to some of the most common questions and hopefully you will be able to benefit. The advice here, in this ebook, in no way replaces the advice you would get from a psychiatrist or your doctor. But I talk from the viewpoint of an experiencer of depression and as a person who has bipolar. I hope the questions on depression within this ebook will help someone. I decided to offer it for free as some people are young and can't afford it and others have been off work a long time with depression and are on a limited income. I hope even if it helps one person then my time on this will be worth it. loufarrell.co.uk 01 QUESTIONS The questions I have generalised but I have answered them or their type many times so I thought I 10 QUESTIONS would take my most popular answers and merge them together. loufarrell.co.uk 02 How Can I Stop Being Depressed? Each person is different what works for one might not work for another. I find taking Vitamin D, Iron tablets, Folic Acid and my medication Sertraline all beneficial. I would also say exercise even if it is a walk in the local park when the weather is nice or investing in an exercise bike when finances permit. Also making sure you do at least one thing a day which you used to take enjoyment in and hopefully you will regain that enjoyment again. I think it is also good to play word games to keep your synapses firing, you can get free apps to do this with or play scrabble with a family member. Smell is also important and I would say to buy an aromatherapy kit of some sort aimed at those with depression, ideally an oil so you can rub some into your wrists and smell when you need to. It works for me, it makes me feel a little lifted. loufarrell.co.uk 03 How Can I Get Help for Depression if I'm Young? ’m sorry to hear you are depressed but you can get help. I don’t know which country you are from but Wikipedia has a list of helplines for different countries that you can ring here. The link is found at the back of this ebook in the help section. There is also another list for Global Mental Health Support, please see the back of this book. The first thing you need to do is get help and hopefully one of those two links will help you. If you are unable to talk to your parents, do have other family members you can talk to? Or a friend? I’m not sure of your age but if you are at school or college please approach one of your tutors as that may be able to help you. loufarrell.co.uk 04 What Can You Do Every Day to Improve Depression? Make sure you get enough sleep, spend less time on social media, make sure your vitamin D and Iron levels are good by taking supplements. Spend at least an hour doing something you enjoy and at the end of the day writing in a gratitude journal the things you are thankful for. If you are spiritual, spending time in prayer and if you are not then spending some time doing what you love. Creating an environment where you live with peace and tranquillity. A place you can relax in when the world is going mad. loufarrell.co.uk 05 Can You Reduce Depression Daily? I think this is a great question, as sometimes you can turn it off. You know those times when you become absolutely engrossed in something and for several minutes you haven’t thought about anything other than what you are doing. Living in the moment and the depression is not there, it disappears briefly. I can sometimes remove my depression when I create graphics on the computer, I have a smile on my face and I am totally involved. Depression does not exist at that point. Living in the moment is key to having moments of relief from it. loufarrell.co.uk 06 What is the Best Treatment for Depression, Therapy or Medication? I’ve tried both and found most therapies unhelpful for me however many people have found it extremely helpful. I use Sertraline for depression and I’ve tried them all but this is the only one that suits me without sending me hypomanic, well not too much anyway. I have tried occupational therapy for anxiety and this was very useful, doing stuff to alleviate depression and anxiety is more beneficial than other therapies for me. Each person is individual and needs their own plan, what works for some might not work for others. loufarrell.co.uk 07 How Long Did It Take You To Recover From Depression? My depressive episodes last a long time, my current one has been five to six years and I wasn’t even aware of it. I might be melancholic in nature these days but in general, with the right treatment people can recover within six months but it’s finding the right treatment. For some, it is not in tablet form but experiencing life and all it has to offer and pushing outside of boundaries to release the feel-good endorphins. For others it has to be medication, we are all individual so a definitive answer is difficult. I’m starting to come out from my depression now over the past several weeks but it is to do with medication more than anything else. Before when I’ve risen from the ashes, life returned to my normal, I worked, had a kid, went on holidays, the usual stuff. But you never quite forget which is good as you need to spot the signs in case it returns. Recovery can be quick or a long haul it is down to the individual. loufarrell.co.uk 08 Can Depression Cause You To Stumble Over Words? Yes, it can, I’m not sure why but it can cause a bit of brain fog and then to make it worse you worry you are not going to say things right and because of the worry, the fog gets thicker. The way I deal with this is to take a deep breath before I speak and to pinch my thumb and finger together behind my back to remind me to keep calm. It doesn't always work, I still stumble over words but it does help on occasions. loufarrell.co.uk 09 How Can I Reduce Depression Brain Fog? Try stimulating your brain with word apps on your phone such as scrabble, it doesn't matter if you win or lose, you just need to try and get your brain firing. Also, smell some strong perfume or aromatherapy oils to get the smell part of your brain working, this in my experience can help alleviate brain fog for a bit. Exercise will also help, especially dancing. I know it is a lot of effort but it will clear your mind and make you feel better. loufarrell.co.uk 10 How Can I Change my Life, I'm So Depressed and Useless? The first thing you need to know is you are not useless. The second thing you need to know is you have the ability to do whatever you want. As the saying goes the world is your oyster, but the problem is when we are in a world where many things are possible it can be consuming. There is also the pressure of social media and you may see others your age who seem to have everything together. Believe me when I say this is not the case. No matter what age you are we are all thinking how can I improve this or how can I improve that, even if it is outer appearances such as the home or garden. You need to decide what it is you love and aim for this, if you love animals aim to work with them in some form or another. If you like fashion look at ways you can get into it, like writing a fashion blog and making a name for yourself eventually. Maybe you are interested in business, start your own company, many online businesses are easy to start and cost very little in initial outlay. loufarrell.co.uk 11 Should I Tell People About My Depression? I used to hide my illness but now I do not, I don’t go out of my way to mention it but if it comes up in conversation then I will say. It is like any other illness, if I was a diabetic I would say so, I should feel no way different about bipolar disorder and depression. It is a part of me and I should not deny part of myself to please others. When it comes to getting a job full disclosure is recommended, you never know when you will need adjustments made at work for your condition. Such as more flexible hours or computer screen with filters on it for brightness etc. loufarrell.co.uk 12 Samaritans UK – 116 123 or use their app, you can also email them. List of Suicide Crisis Lines Worldwide – Wikipedia Mind UK – 0300 123 3393 Global Mental Health Support – They list the main mental health charities in your county. Phone your doctor Phone Your Psychiatrist Phone a friend Phone a family member loufarrell.co.uk 13
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