10 Responses to “What Helps You Beat Depression?”

1. Faith Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 12:24 am

   Interesting poll, and I could have checked several more than just three. I wanted to check “Sleep” but it’s not on the list.

2. Cosmo - the black dog! Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 4:32 am

   Faith,

   Sleep would have been a good one. I don’t know how I forgot that one as few things feel as good as actually sleeping well all through the night.

   Feel free to suggest a poll question of your own. I think it’s interesting to see what other’s find useful in controlling their black dog.

3. John of Indiana Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 9:29 am

   Interesting that both therapy and meds scored higher than socializing.
   What’s working for me is anti-rumination. I still get stuck in a loop sometimes (last night) but it happens less than it used to.

4. Cosmo - the black dog! Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 10:30 am

   That’s good John. One of the new anti-rumination strategies I’ve been playing around with is to simply start singing a song in my head. It seems to work pretty well in distracting me and taking my mind off the black dog.

5. Lisa Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 1:38 pm

   Exercise is amazing! It doesn’t even have to be all that strenuous to benefit from it. It’s good for just about every part of the body.

   I agree with Faith, sleep is a big one. A lot of healing goes on when we sleep, so it is paramount to mental health.

   I wonder if petting animals goes under “alternative therapy’.

6. Cosmo - the black dog! Says:
   May 8th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

   Lisa,

   Definitely petting animals. I know I feel better when my dog comes up to me wagging her tail. It looks like she’s saying, “Hey, what’s up? Just thought I’d come by and see how you’re doing. Feel free to scratch me behind the ears.”

   She’s also the queen of sleep and she’s always in a good mood.

7. SteveA Says:
   May 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm

   The poll did not include the option of “Nothing”, so in honesty i could tick none of the boxes.

8. Cosmo - the black dog! Says:
   May 9th, 2008 at 8:14 pm

   SteveA,

   Nothing works? Not even a little?

   What have you been doing to get control of your depression?

   I hope you’re getting help. Please, don’t ever give up.

9. Faith Says:
   May 11th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

   Without knowing SteveA’s situation, sometimes I also have to say “Nothing”. At such times, it seems that I crawl into an inner cocoon in which some form of healing takes place, though outwardly I’m doing nothing. Sleep has the same cocooning effect.

   Back to the poll… I have to say that for me the two most difficult of the six elements in the TLC program have been social activity and anti-rumination. But I checked these two on the poll as being most effective for me - because whenever I’m able to get out with people and get involved in activities or mental occupations that divert my energy from rumination, I find that these two self-therapies prove to be the most effective in helping lighten my depression.

10. Cosmo - the black dog! Says:
    May 11th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

    I second that Faith, ruminating and socializing are the most difficult for me too but they’re also the most rewarding. It’s just a matter of getting over that hump.

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