Chasing the black dog
Lothlorien
Glory
in All Saints
Support for those with depression
Comments
It does help my sleep.
I'd encourage all to try it. And, with everything, if it works, keep it, if it doesn't, change it.
Kipling had it right, though he wasn't (AFAIK) specifically thinking of depression:
Cameelious Hump
Yes, I do appreciate that this s not the whole answer, but, if it works, do it.
IJ
Try this:
http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poems_hump.htm
IJ
IJ
(Wanders off to practice codes, linkies, and other geeky stuff)
IJ
IJ
I am still on the EMDR programme, though it's dropped to once a month. I continue to be both amazed by it and grateful to the NHS for providing it. It's not easy; the last session left me exhausted, but it is so worth it!
(Any link to that...um...dubious poem, by any chance? Purely for research, you understand).
IJ
I am delighted for you. I'm in the middle of a course at present (not EMDR) that is really demanding, and I was whinging to myself about how difficult it is, then I caught myself and realised there are no magic wands, and that the work I am doing has already caused significant changes that the two people who know me best have remarked on.
Huia
Well done to NEQ and Huia on their perseverance and progress!
Ian,
enjoying the poetry.
Keep pressing on, Comrades all, and full marks for perseverance!
IJ
I'm feeling much less low than I have been, but I seem to be having problems sleeping. What's really annoying is that I didn't think I was stressed or anxious last night but...not much sleep for me. I'm trying very hard not to worry about it, as I don't want the fear of not sleeping, which then makes going to sleep even harder. Bah.
Or a rather less pleasant remedy - catch the flu. I got it when I was back home recently, and it's made me so tired I haven't needed rocking for weeks.
Hot milk helped me, Jemima. Sometimes. As does a hot shower at night. Apparently cooling your body down helps with sleep.
If I can ask, is it that horrid sleep where you wake up at 1am or 2am fully energised and not a bit tired? That impacts me. I went to see my doctor and needed help for a while with that via tablets. I hope sleep comes to you tonight. It is very frustrating.
I often have a herbal tea before bed which helps with sleep. Part of the problem is that I’ve had a virusy thing and haven’t been able to exercise properly which also helps with sleeping.
It’s not getting off to sleep that’s the problem. Better night last night, thank you. I just need to get better at doing all the things that help, and that requires quite a bit of self-discipline.
Alas, this is all very well, but it means that I wake up at silly o'clock (3am), and then stay awake until not-quite-so-silly-o'clock (6am), at which time I'm supposed to take my first hydrocortisone of the day. After that, I can usually count on 2-3 hours' more sleep, so not too bad.
If I steadfastly resist the afternoon zzz, and go to bed at a reasonable hour (11pm), I find I can then sleep through to the 6am pill-taking time!
<votive> for all whose sleep patterns are odd or chaotic, for whatever reason, especially those whose Black Dog (or Slug) is growling (or crawling slimily around) whilst they are awake when they don't want to be.
IJ
Prayers for good sleep and good sleep patterns for you, and for all.
Are the pills new (if I can ask)? Is there a settling in period where side effects may be more extreme?
Still, I could be dead.
Or having frequent fits.
Which I'm not!
IJ
I did once decide I needed to vacuum at 3am, but decided my apartment neighbours would not be impressed.
A drag indeed, BF. I hope sleep comes at night for you.
I had a bit of a tough day, particularly having to explain mental health issues during my performance review (to account for lapses that were brought up in my work -- not making excuses, I don't think at least: explaining). Speaking about them can make me upset and today it did.
Oh well. Trivia tonight. That gets me out of myself for 2 hours at least.
Re insomnia--
IANAD, and this is from my own experience:
--IANAD.. For me, night-time insomnia was helped by taking anti-depressants before bed. (With doctor's approval.) I still had some insomnia, but it wasn't as wearying or nerve-wracking IANAD..
--Nature/environmental recordings on all night, usually at a fairly low volume. Ocean especially, without music. But there are many options. I used cassettes, back then. But YouTube has some good ocean recordings--some 11 hours long!
--Radio all night keeps my mind from getting tangled in itself, when not sleeping, and helps me sleep. I usually listen to NPR (similar to BBC), which is at a fairly even volume and pitch. Sometimes a classical music station, instead.
--Mentally reciting things (even the alphabet). Mentally playing word games (e.g., the sort kids play during long car trips).
--Lights off in the bedroom, late in the evening. Sometimes, TV is manageabl.e. Don't turn lights on when you can't sleep. IME, not a good idea to leave the TV on all night--produces a different atmosphere than radio or audio recordings.
--IANAD.. I'm really sensitive to meds. I have to start with the smallest possible dose, and work my way up. If I have a negative reaction, I need to back the dosage down, and work my way back up. I tolerated capsules and liquids better than most tablets. MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING THIS!!!
--IANAD.. If you use any detox teas/supplements *and* are on any kind of meds, be careful. MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING THIS!!! I find the detox helpful for just-started colds/flu, and general health. HOWEVER, taking them for more than a day evidently affects the level of meds in my body, So I limit that to very occasional use. It did save me, one day, when I woke up with a bad reaction to a psych med that I was gradually increasing, and was half out of my head. I drank detox tea, and it knocked the problem down by about half, within an hour or so, and the rest dissipated over the rest of the day, IANAD..
FWIW, YMMV.
Seriously, though, some useful suggestions. As Spring arrives (said he hopefully), I intend (DV) to do a bit more physical exercise - light gardening at church, outside painting of the Episcopal Palace etc., so that will doubtless help to tire me out in the best possible way!
IJ
:P
Sorry. Was a) afraid I might get yelled at; and b) wanted to make sure Shipmates understood the cautions.
Hope you find whatever will help you in your situation.
As it happens, the past couple of nights have been somewhat better, and a blood pressure test on Tuesday ('It's absolutely perfect!' in a superb Edinburgh accent) may well have helped!
ISTM that we worry about things sometimes unconsciously, perhaps exacerbated by stress, latent depression, or whatever, which does not at all help ameliorate the growlings of the Black Dog, or the slimy slitherings of the Black Slug.
IJ
Thanks for all your thoughts, GK.
IJ
And I love the imagery of the Black Slug, BF.
Hurrah for good news, and may the upward swing continue.
It's the slow, slimy, persistence of a Black Slug, as it slithers balefully towards its goal, which rather appealed, IYSWIM.
IJ
Thank you very much!
We could start a black beast zoo of the different kinds of creature which exemplify the way depression can manifest itself.
As with BF's slug. On Sunday I woke up at 3am needing to pee and noticed a slug crawling out of the shower drain to pay a visit. It was gone by sunbreak. Not quite the noon-day demon, but disturbing enough.
That's ignoring the European wasps which set up home outside my door. Angry little buggers. That's me coming down off a high.
A baby magpie in spring sat outside my door screeching for some worms. It never let up until mum finally came. Not sure I act like that when I want to talk: hope not!
There are my 4 animals for the zoo Jacobsen.
I think.
IJ
Between now and the final meeting, she wants me to be more focused on "self-care" in the form of exercise, fresh air, etc. Plus, she thinks that the North East Man and I need to work on our relationship. She pointed out that our relationship has very strong roots, but we don't seem to be producing much in the way of fresh foliage, flowers or fruit. So that's a challenge.
I cannot praise the NHS and EMDR enough. I have felt guilty that so many hours of EMDR were provided for me, when soldiers struggle to get treatment for PTSD, but she said that it is obvious quickly whether EMDR will work or not. I got such a long course because it was obvious that it was going to work for me.
Since starting I have been able to increase my working hours (YAY!). The future is feeling slightly scary in an about-to-get-onto-a-rollercoaster way, which is so much better than the sort of scary it used to feel.
Also, I feel that something has shifted / is shifting, faith-wise. For a long time, my faith in God was strong, but my faith in my own ability to discern God was pretty much non-existent. I was intellectually committed, and ticking the boxes, but shying away from anything more experiential. And now, well, who knows?
(We didn't discuss faith at all in the sessions, btw)
IJ
And thanks for sharing the faith side. I can identify with what you wrote.