How can I lift my mood when I am so depressed and sad?

Question

I have PTSD cause by a sudden & traumatic bereavement. I saw a psychiatrist earlier this week who told me I also have chronic grief and depression for which he has given me medication.

I am having counselling, which I could not survive without. We are dealing with a very traumatic event from my childhood which is giving me a lot of disturbing flashbacks and I am struggling to concentrate on anything else. This is mixed in with my grief for my partner who died.

I need to find something to get me through to my next counselling session on Tuesday. I can't go shopping because I get in panic in crowds and noise, so I spend most of my time stuck in the house at the moment.

I would appreciate any advice. I wish my partner was here to give me a hug right now.

Thanks.

Answer 1

My heart goes out to you in your difficult time, and I have also have suffered, like you are now suffering with similar problems.

I wish that I could tell you that there is an easy solution, I believe that you are already doing what is best for yourself right now, and speaking with people here on yahoo answers may also be possibly comforting to you.

Perhaps if you realize that while you are not alone, and there are many people who love, and care for you, and who have also gone through similar situations, like myself for example.
Then perhaps you can take stock in what I am about to tell you here and now on, yahoo answers.

Life is precious, and so far as we all know we are all going through life for the first time, yes I know some people believe in reincarnation of the soul, but I am not going to get into that right now.

The main thing that I wish to impart to you here is that living life is all about experiences, some are outstandingly wonderful, some are great, some are good, some are bad, and some are awful.

Please know that you have a great purpose here on earth, and through life you have the ability to do good and wonderful things, and know that all of the five circumstances that I mentioned above are only temporary as life is like a roller coaster with ups and downs.

Time heals wounds, you can lose your house, your car, or any possessions which you hold valuable, losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things for any singular person to go through, but know that your loved one would want you to go on and be happy, healthy, and wise, and Know that no matter what you lose in life that nobody can ever take away your memory of your loved one.

Most importantly know that your loved one is no longer suffering, and always remember that while life is sometimes difficult as it is for you right now, things will get better again.
For myself I try to look at life as a wonderful and interesting Book, and every time I experience a difficult change, well that is the ending of one chapter of my life and the beginning of a new chapter.

And please remember this one very most important thing, your worth here money cannot buy, and you are so important to me, and all of the people here who answered your question.

We are all perfect strangers to you, yet we have just taken the time out of our lives to impart our thoughts to you, with no real or tangible reward, or personal gain, and we do it because we truly care about you, and love you as a fellow human being, and the best reward for me, would be that you get through your difficult time now, just as I once did.

Answer 2

Hope you feel better soon. Good thinking to post a question on Yahoo. Just ignore any stupid responses though because there are a few people here that just dont care at all.

One thing i thought of is - think of what worked best in the past for you when you have felt this way. Then do that again. It can be different for different people.

Dark chocolate can help.

So can lots of sleep and good diet including vitamins and minerals and fish oil.

Exercise will give you seratonin which makes you feel good. Any kind of exercise at all. It will also help keep your mind more focused.

Say postive things to yourself. Like "I will get through this" and "I can do this". and "I am going to be fine" etc. Watch what you are saying to yourself.

Journal some of your thoughts and feelings. It can be like a counselling session.

Maybe an uplifting tv show like oprah or touched by an angel? Or something else you know uplifts you.

Pray for strength and comfort (if you believe in God)

Talk to a friend or relative - support is great if you have any good support that is!

Hugs from me and wish you all the best.

ps It sounds like you are doing really well considering what you have been through, Dont be hard on yourself - be proud.

:)

Answer 3

Hi tracey...So sorry for your troubles. I hope and pray that your problems will disappear soon. Here are some suggestions to ease the pain just a little bit.

First of all, be aware of the fact that you are depressed and somewhat weak. There is nothing wrong with accepting this. You are ill and like any other illness, you will need time and rest to recover. It is nothing to be alarmed about.

2ndly, whenever you sense a bout of depression coming on, remind yourself that this too shall pass. You have to let it come and go by you. Each such passing will make you more and more stronger when you are aware of it.

Finally, you are probably not getting much sleep, or perhaps you are getting too much sleep. This cycle needs to become normal for your physicall well-being. You can do this by setting aside some quiet moments of meditation, all by yourself. Pick any time of the day suitable for you to do this. Simply close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and keep whispering, "Relax" to yourself. If you fall asleep while doing this, then thats OK. If you go into a deep meditative state, thats even better. And if you do, then let your thoughts come and go. Don't resist anything. Just relax and let this happen. Your mind needs this help to organize your mental files so that eventually you can function like a normal human being again. Just be aware of these these deep thoughts as they come and go in and out of your mind. Just allow your mind to do it's own business while you relaz. You will recover sooner than you think. Nature is a wonderful thing, and you need to let it do it's work for you.

Take care of yourself, dear Tracey. And god bless!

Answer 4

The sooner you can accept , the sooner you can begin to make sense of your feelings .

Accept that your grief is selfish , you are grieving because your partner can't be here for you .

The medication will probably do nothing more than prevent you from thinking clearly , if you can't think clearly you can't work things out .

I seriously suggest you get a brown paper bag and try breathing in it , the calming effect is incredible (everyone laughed at me but it saved me from the nuthouse !)

You cannot force your thoughts into order so don't try .

Set yourself a physical challenge and make it your priority .

How far can you run without stopping ?

Set yourself a goal of about 5 miles and work towards it ,

It is a well known fact that physical well being is the first rule of mental well being .

Believe that when you can run 5 miles without stopping , or swim 100 lengths , or whatever challenge you decide upon , you will be better .

Make yourself fit enough to beat the negative force dragging you down .

I did without even realising what i was doing (because the doc gave me tablets) i worked every hour that i could
(5 jobs) , i never sat down , eventually i met a friend who asked me why i took tablets .

A question i had never thought to ask !

I wheened myself off the tablets (doc didn't want me to)

And now i have one job and couldn't be happier .

Good Luck you can beat it .

Answer 5

It sounds as if you have many problems to deal with all at once, and I am sorry that you are suffering so badly. It is positive that you have seen a psychiatrist, and been prescribed medication, which it is very important to take. I wonder if you have been given the number of your local Crisis Team, who are available during evenings and Bank Holiday week-ends. Counselling will help you a lot too, and it is important to try to be in the company of friends or family. If you are on your own, then it is important to get up in the mornings, and wash and dress and eat breakfast. I suffer with manic depression and have been suffering with mental illness for many years, and I find going out into the fresh air for a walk helps me. I also have two dogs and other smaller pets, and they help me too. It is important to get into a routine, even when you don't feel like it, because you are special and you will have lots of happy memories of your partner. I also enjoy writing letters to penfriends, and emailing friends too. Sometimes, I have felt that I don't need my medication, but have fallen ill without it, and so it is very important to take your medication. Feeling panic in crowds and noise is another common part of depression and anxiety, and there are many people suffering just as you do. We are only human, and it is very understandable that you are feeling depressed, and yet you have had the courage to seek help and for this I admire you. Please take care, and good luck for the future.

Answer 6

Music is one way to help; it can put everything into perspective and effect you in ways you never thought possible. Try watching comedy programs; i recommend Peter kay, Rowan Atkinson's live stand up, Black adder goes forth and Monty Python. Eat chocolate; this releases dopamine which is a 'feel good' hormone. See old friends. Laugh every day, even if you don't feel like it. Gather up all of the psychical evidence of the traumatic time in your child hood and burn them. This will help you to draw a line across what has happened. Keep going to your counseling; it helps to have someone to talk to. Stay away from alcohol, this will help in the short term, but destroy your life in the long term. Never forget that the past can not be changed, and that the present decides the future. Good luck and i hope this helps you.

Answer 7

Don't put pressure on yourself for feeling bad. The way you are feeling is connected to the things that have happened in your life. Tell yourself that, although you have lost your partner, you are still here, and your partner would want you to be happy and live your life to the full. Just remember a day will come when you will find yourself smile, because you will be happy again that's the way life works you may not feel it now but time is a great healer. Take a day at a time and accept what you feel now is normal and is a natural process. Good luck

Answer 8

I am sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. I can understand about your traumatic childhood I was sexually abused as a child and kept it inside until just over a year ago when I became seriously depressed and suicidal from keeping my emotions in. I am sorry for the loss of your partner. Some things that got me through, books, movies, sleep, talking to friends, writing letters to no-one, keeping a journal of my thoughts to share at my next psychiatrist session or to keep to myself, art - even if i let the 'bad' thoughts come out into my artwork, and overall just keeping myself busy. Even tho you panic in crowds, its not to say you cannot have fun at home. You could start scrap booking? you could garden (if you have one?), you could cook?, can you buy yourself a dog or a cat or other small animal - they make for great companions and are very loyal and make you realise you have a responsibility to life?

I hope you get some ideas. :)

Answer 9

You can take these Homeopathic remedies to ease your grief and sense of mourning and I can assure you, you will start lots feeling better within minutes after the very first dose and be rest assured without any side effects or complications of any sort complete relief. Take the remedies NATRIUM MUR and AURUM MET both in 30 potency, three drops of each in about 1/4 tumbler of water is one dose take them every 6 hours preferbly 1/2 an hour before or after meals. If you decide to take them now I am sure you will post a comment here that you are feeling better within the next 24 hours. Thats a promise ! And most probably you won't be needing any counseling anymore :o) Yes I am that sure of myself because I know how well these work.
Take Care,
God Bless you with patience and faith to bear this loss. Amen
Best of Health to you

Answer 10

Take each minute as it comes. If you concentrate on getting through the next minute, and then the next, and then the next, eventually you will be focusing on getting through the next hour.
Break things down into small sections or targets, that way everything won't appear as a jumbled mess. If you don't feel up to going out, a target might be to have a relaxing bath or just to get out of bed and get dressed.
If you can get out, try somewhere away from people like a park and have a short walk.
There's lots more I can say, contact me if you want.

Good luck.

Answer 11

Sow some seeds, go for a walk, play silly music that you can sing to, ring a friend you haven't spoken to for ages and be really cheerful with them, get on friendsreunited and contact an old school or work friend.

DON'T sit inside all alone.

I really hope you start to feel a bit better soon - but that will come from within once you are ready and have managed to find the strength to find your good places (and to find the best about yourself)