Depression recovery and signs of progress. (“Light at the end of the tunnel” by Paul Brook.)

Oct 23 2012 Published by under Determination, Hope, Inspiration

So, you’ve opened this blog post and found a rather poor photograph and half a page of solid, black nothingness. There is a point to this, and it’s about finding the light at the end of a long, black tunnel. Allow me to explain.

I was in my home city of York, stuck in traffic and feeling sorry for myself. I’d just had the latest of three disappointments in as many weeks and was wondering if I could pick myself up enough to be a cheery presence at the leaving do I was on my way to.

Pondering these rather gloomy, negative thoughts and staring straight ahead at the back of a car I’d been looking at for nearly half an hour, I suddenly realised I was beneath an arch – Micklegate Bar – and there was literally light at the end of the tunnel. The unexciting image you can see above is that light.

I scrambled for my phone in an attempt to take a photo before the traffic began to move. I must have lurched as I took the photo, and found I’d taken a blurred, wonky photo of a ‘keep left’ sign. I tried again, and the traffic lights obligingly stayed red, as you can see from the resulting image.

The view you’ve just been looking at inspired me. I know it doesn’t look very inspiring, but to me it was a revelation and it changed my mood completely.  Continue Reading »

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What can you do about depression just before Christmas and the New Year?

Dec 18 2011 Published by under Action, Attitude, Hope

The year is almost over. Christmas is just round the corner. The festive spirit is in the air: music, decorations, gifts, parties, great food, holidays, etc.

But…

How do you feel in the midst of these December festivities? Stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, isolated, powerless, useless, lonely and desperate, exhausted, or full of guilt and resentment?

What can you do to stop feeling that way?

You can do ‘I CAN DO’. This is the chosen attitude that despite feeling depressed, you embrace the approaching winter holidays with some planning, and most importantly, commit to do the things on your list.

So, here are an examples of ‘I CAN DO’ behaviours, as well as tasks and projects to try out this December:

Continue Reading »

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A brief guide to aromatherapy and depression.

Nov 02 2010 Published by under Inspiration

aroma copyQ. What should I know about aromatherapy and depression?
A.
Using essential oils affects your mood and mental state whether you believe in it or not. It will not cure your depression, but it could alleviate your suffering if used appropriately.

Q. What should I know about essential oils?
A.
You need to know just 7 things to begin with:

Continue Reading »

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Can you smell depression: 5 facts why having a good ability to smell really matters?

Sep 15 2010 Published by under Change

Smell is the most neglected of our senses even when we are not depressed. We take it for granted most of the time, as we no longer need it for our physical survival.

But does having a good ability to smell really matter?

Below are some facts (in bold) I enjoyed putting together to convince myself (and hopefully you) that consciously developing your sense of smell is vital in depression recovery. Continue Reading »

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Lift depression by making choices in favour of fascination

Apr 05 2010 Published by under Decision, Determination, Inspiration

Do you remember the last time you felt fascinated? Did you ever feel fascinated by a form or a colour, a reflection of the light or a natural phenomenon? What about by an intricacy of design? Or by people and their behaviour? It is probably not too hard to recall moments of total absorption before you got unwell. But what fascinates you these days?

Looking back at my own experience of depression, the magical feelings of being fascinated with the world around you fade away pretty fast once the depression descends upon you. The world rapidly turns bleak. Day dreaming, imagination and our innate curiosity evaporate. Emptiness invades our heads and hearts. We slow down. We shut the world out. We lock ‘the door’. We throw away or misplace ‘the keys’.  Continue Reading »

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