Day 5: I Got Help for Depression When I Needed It

This is Day 5 of my 30 Days Proud Project. In the above video, I share some very personal things that I wouldn’t have dreamed of sharing with you years ago. But after what I’ve experienced, I feel the message is incredibly important.

There continues to be a huge stigma about mental illness in the United States and around the world, and I believe talking about it honestly and openly is important so other people who are struggling understand that they are not alone are are encouraged to get the help they need.

I am re-sharing a blog I wrote about a year ago. In it, I share what life changes helped me get better in addition to undergoing therapy. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come in my recovery by continuing to implement these steps.

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  • Practicing Gratitude Daily. This has made a HUGE difference in my life. I highly recommend One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by the amazing Ann Voskamp. In 2013 I made it a point to count my blessings daily and to be joyous for others’ successes. I didn’t realize how blessed I was until I made time to document life’s large and small blessings and thank God for them.
  • Trusting God. Even when I stopped believing He was present, He was still there. While God didn’t magically appear in front of me Old Testament-style, He showed up through my husband, my friends, my therapists, my family, and more. God put the right people in my life at the right time. He also taught me important lessons when I was ready to receive them.
  • Exercising and Eating Right. This has been so important to my overall happiness. At the beginning of 2013, I had to force myself to go to the gym and work out. Now, my day is not complete without exercise. I’ve also noticed how much eating right contributes to my happiness. Whenever I eat fast food or other unhealthy options now, I notice how depressed and lethargic that food can make me. Energy-inducing food like proteins, fruits, vegetables, and “good” carbs are important to one’s overall well-being.
  • Changing Location and Environment. For various reasons, where I was and what I was doing at this time last year was not making me happy. My daily environment had the tendency to be negative, and it greatly contributed to my unhappiness without my realizing it. While it was already part of our plans to do so, moving and changing jobs this year were the best things my husband and I could have done. We are much happier in our new environment and the future feels bright.
  • Recognizing Triggers and Avoiding Them When Possible. People who struggle with depression and anxiety often have “triggers” that can jump-start negative feelings. I’ve learned to recognize my triggers and avoid them when possible. Sometimes that means doing something really hard, like cutting people out of your life that you recognize as toxic, or keeping those people at arm’s length. I’ve done this. It’s been hard, but worth it.
  • Getting Enough Sleep. I joke with my friends now that 9 p.m. is past my bedtime because I’m “old.” But I’m serious! Not getting enough sleep makes me really moody, and I recognize that. It is so important to get enough sleep. I understand this isn’t an option for everyone, but try to sleep more if you can. It will bring out the best in you.
  • Forgiving Myself and Others. I am not naturally a forgiving person, but I’m trying. I’ve learned forgiveness is the hardest thing a person can do, and sometimes the person you need to forgive the most is yourself. I’ve found forgiveness to be fluid, but that’s probably because I’m not smart enough yet to really get it. One day I forgive everything and love everybody, and the next day I don’t. This is something I continue to work on and attempt to fully understand in God’s time.
  • Living Presently. Living presently means you focus on today. You aren’t depressed about the past or anxious about the future. You recognize that what you did in the past doesn’t matter very much, because you were doing the best you could do with the knowledge you had at that time. This has helped me forgive myself for making stupid mistakes in my past. Each day, I try to do better with the knowledge I have.

snowface

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