Depression - recognised as a serious illness

It was interesting to hear on the news this week that at last depression is recognised as seriously debilitating. So many people feel embarassed when suffering the symptoms of depression, this leads them to ignore the early warning signs and resist going to the GP until the illness has developed significantly. When they finally do ask for help there is still a reluctance to taking medication. I've heard many people talk about feeling a failure.

I think it is significant that while many of us will take care to look after our physical well being, by taking vitamins and simple precautions to resist infection, we take little or no care of our mental well being. So perhaps it would be helpful to get together some ideas of how to look after ourselves during particularly stressful times. We all know we are living in very stressful times at present; from global threats of climate change and terrorism to our country's financial situation and right down to our own personal pressures at this time of the year.

Everyone will have their own idea of what is good for themselves but why not try to get a list together of little things that help lift your mood. It might be a long soak in a hot bath, to sit a read a good novel for a half hour at least, an opportunity to meditate for a few minutes, perhaps giving yourself a manicure, a trip to the gym, time to bake a cake, listening to a special piece of music, a run or walk in the country, etc.

Once you have made a list of your special treats then try to make sure you do one at least every other day.

Another good habit to get into is to review the day before going to bed and find three positive things that have happened for you. If three is too difficult then begin with one and build up to three. It may take some time to be able to recognise the positives, so often we are programmed to notice the negatives that positives slip by unnoticed.

STOP.......LOOK.......LISTEN.......

Earlier on today when I was returning from my daily power walk I was struck by the busy traffic and how rushed we all become at this time of the year. We are constantly reminded of how many shopping days there are left before Christmas and our thoughts about preparations and plans can force us into thinking very far ahead. People are busy making arrangements and days just disappear. How many times have you heard someone say "I don't know where this year has gone" I know that I have frequently said it myself. I find that my walk becomes an oasis of calm (if a little breathless calm) in the structure of the day.

With the media pushing us to think ahead it can be hard to remain in the present, we all talk about the plans we have made which again turns our focus to the future. In doing this we miss out on really appreciating and enjoying the present, it passes in a blur. So perhaps when you are walking between home and work, school, shops or wherever try to take time to actually think about your journey. STOP and LOOK around you, appreciate where you may be walking and practise being in the present - not thinking about what has just happened or rushing forward to the next thing in your day - just being in the now.

Maybe avoid the temptation of using your mobile phone to call someone and concentrate on what is happening for you right now. I have felt really sorry for dogs since mobile phones have been invented. Before mobiles, a dog owner and their dog would enjoy the walk together, the owner's attention would be on their dog and their relationship would be strengthened. Now the number of people I see walking their dog and talking on their phone is tremendous, the dog trots along beside their owner but for most of the time they are completely ignored as the owner chats away to someone who isn't present. Why not try taking our dog out and spend some uninterrupted time together, I am sure that both of you will benefit.

Trying to remain in the present moment even if it is only for a small part of the day will help us to preserve a calm centre which in turn will help us as we face the inevitable rush and panic of this time of the year.

So remember to STOP......LOOK......LISTEN and enjoy!!

Darker months, lighter thoughts

As I sit to write my first blog entry, the daylight is fading and my thoughts are drawn to the winter months of short days and long evenings that are fast approaching. Our mood levels can so easily be affected by the weather and I am aware that many people experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) symptoms to some degree. I know myself that when the sky is blue and the sun is shining I feel more relaxed, happier and more able to cope with the issues the day will bring. When the sky is grey and the light is dull then everything can seem more of a struggle.

So maybe we need to adopt some strategies to help ourselves during these darker months.

There have been many studies that show getting out in daylight even when the sun isn’t shining has a positive effect on our mood. Obviously this isn’t always possible but if we can make a point of a short walk outside as often as we can then we are taking positive steps to care for our emotional well-being. Using imagery can also help. We need to store up memories of days when the sky was blue with a few fluffy clouds and a pleasant warmth from the sun caressed our skin that we can tap into and recall at will. Then we have a resource to help combat the lack of natural light. Perhaps we have some recent memories of being in a wonderful place on a beautiful day; if not then we can create one during a time of relaxation. A day dream to our own special place is a useful tool.

We know that negative memories can affect us but perhaps we don’t acknowledge that positive memories can also affect our well-being to our benefit. I have found that the more I take care of my own well-being the better I feel and when I build up strategies I can use in certain circumstances then I feel I have choice and can take some control of my life.

Hello World!

I'm Diane Young and welcome to my blog!

As a professional, qualified and experienced counsellor, I shall be blogging about various aspects of counselling and the human condition which I hope people of all ages and backgrounds can relate to, as well as being of interest to fellow counsellors.