relapse

[simonelia93]

Hi all , im new to this so not really sure what im doing lol.

i just wondered how to stop yourself from having a relapse with depression. I was doing good for 3 months, felt better and even stopped self harming. Now it feels like im back to square 1 again. The self harming, getting up in a morning, going to work, being at home all feels too much. I hate this feeling. When you have depression does it ever just go away or is that wishful thinking...

[Satsuma]

Do u live with anyone to chat to and let them know .. Or do u have any friends ? You can always ring the Samaritans or go to A and E. I would also advise an appt with your GP.

I do not think it ever goes away completely .. I may be wrong. All I know is that I have had it most of my life

[simonelia93 in reply to Satsuma]

I have people who I cant talk to but I just don't like talking about my feelings. Tried to get an appointment with my doctor but she wasn't in and I don't feel comfortable talking to any other doctor. But I will try again. I just don't want them to give me more tablets or say I have to go to therapy again.

[MattBuckland]

Hi Simone

Welcome to the forum.

I am not entirely sure as i am still the recovery phase from a breakdown a couple of months back.

But...

I have been thinking about this as I am feeling better than i was and the thought of going backwards is pretty scary.

So I am thinking in no particular order

1. Reel in expectations of myself

2. Actively work on building up confidence to use CBT techniques so that I can bring them out if I need them.

3. Work on my self compassion

4. Keep a regular morning and evening routine

5. Stay in touch with friends that I have and make an effort to be around people

6. Have a few hobbies that make me feel good and give opportunities for social interaction

7. Work on eating healthily without crazy diets

8. Do exercise when I can but don't beat myself up if I am not all of a sudden a top athlete.

9. Don't let work take over, do the hours, do a good job but leave it out of personal time.

10. Try a new experience every now and again to stop life feeling static

I don't expect to get all of this stuff down quickly, but I have started the morning routine, Joined a choir, am walking more, have had less takeaways, text a few people that I haven't spoke to in a while, booked an archery lesson, taken up canoeing and four weeks in to a phased return at work am starting to get a tiny bit of confidence back.

Hope you can, get things back on track, a trip to the doctor might be a good first port of call, it was mine.

By the way i am super tired and finding all this an uphill struggle but it seems to be paying off, I think I will be depressed and anxious for the rest of my life but at 35 I want to manage it now.

Wishing you all the very best, you can get back to where you were and maybe even beyond it. Happy to chat anytime you want.

Cheers, Matt

[equilibrium123 in reply to MattBuckland]

Hi Simone, Matt has knocked the nail on the head his advice is spot on.

[simonelia93 in reply to MattBuckland]

Thanks Matt there is a lot of positive things there. I really appreciate it. I tried to get an appointment with the doctor but my doctor wasn't there and I don't feel comfortable talking to another doctor. I've also tried therapy. But I don't like talking about feelings id rather just write it out instead. I'm doing more exercise but I've lost my appetite again :(. I'm still going to work so that I can keep my mind off the depression but it doesn't really work. I work for a great company who understands what im going through, there really supportive which is nice. I will try to get an appointment with the doctor again though cause I cant keep falling back into this state, it effects everything I do. Thanks for the reply im going to try some of these out.