Bad Episode last night

Hi Kirsty,

I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. Your cinema experience sounds exactly like one I had a year ago; my husband and I dropped my little girl off at her grandparents' and we were going to have our first afternoon together without her since she was a baby, we were really looking forward to seeing this film -- and it was packed out. I was very upset and I cried. Depression can make it difficult to deal with things like that, as you say even the simplest day-to-day things.

However, I think it's perfectly understandable that you are upset about the problems your parents are having. These are not insignificant and of course you'd be worried about people you love.

I have a couple of suggestions for you. First, if you feel you are affected by lack of sunlight in winter, you might benefit from trying a light box, if not now then in the autumn. Most places give you a month's trial period during which you can send it back if it is not helping.

Secondly, I would like you to consider how your diet is affecting you. Most people know that eating junk food, particularly on its own as a meal, is not healthy. What they don't understand is the profound effect this can have on both mental and physical health. You may say that the chocolate and fizzy drink were just comfort foods this time, that ordinarily you would not have them for breakfast, but my guess is that this is not the first time you've had them as a comfort when you feel upset. I used to be the chocolate and cream queen myself, I was always eating those things -- when I was sad, when I was happy, etc etc. Diets never worked for me and I craved those things, always thought I felt better when I had them.

Depression can make you crave them too, and I know that's hard to fight. However, it can be done, and you might go a long way to getting rid of your depression if you make some changes in how you eat. I've put some info in a topic here called Nutrition Info if you'd like to read it. I would ask you just to try to be open to some of the ideas there, even if you are thinking the connection between diet and depression is crazy. Many people seem to want to dismiss this and will go on feeling lousy and depressed because they are not willing to change the way they eat, or even consider that it is having an effect on them (witness the topic here called Your Favourite Carbohydrate Crave).

I hope you're feeling better soon Kirsty. Do you think it would help to spend some time with your mother and just enjoy being together? Or with your stepfather too?

My thoughts are with you Kirsty and I hope things are looking up soon. The answers are there if you keep looking. The last thing I would suggest is just please try not to panic at the doctor's. He/she will almost certainly give you another antidepressant to try. There are other ways to get at the roots of depression. I know how painful it can be, and in the past I went to the doctor several times myself in tears, utterly desperate, and I got on the antidepressant treadmill because as far as I could see, it was the last option available to me. If someone had been here to give me the info about nutrition and depression that I needed, I wouldn't have gone through that. My own depression has been caused by nutritional deficiencies/diet, and my life circumstances (being a stay-at-home mum doesn't agree with me and I'm trying to find a job).

I hope this helps, do let us know how you get on,
Linda.

Thank you Linda, your words and support are really a comfort!

No i wouldnt normally eat/drink that stuff in the morning and it definately was a 'pick me up' probably cos i feel so tired this morning.

Generally i dont eat too much junk food, i eat alot of fish (at least a tin of tuna a day) and i usually have fruit for my breakfast along with alot of water. I must admit in winter this food doesnt make me feel much better but in the summer im full of energy! I probably should eat a bit more fresh fruit and veg so i will try. Im 1/4 italian so eat alot of pasta, i'll try and cut down on that a little too.

As you can see from a previous post i am purchasing a light box that i can take to work with me when i go back and also have with me at home. I also have a dawn simulator alarm which is helping so much and a natural daylight bulb in my lounge lights. I am sure a light box will help a great deal!

Also i dont know if anyone else has tried this but i went out and bought lots of fresh daffodils and other flowers yesterday, just having them round the house and smelling them makes me feel cheerful and that spring is here.

Kirsty

Also i dont know if anyone else has tried this but i went out and bought lots of fresh daffodils and other flowers yesterday, just having them round the house and smelling them makes me feel cheerful and that spring is here.

I do this to, in the winter, when I'm not at my best, I allow myself lots of treats - maybe flowers, maybe an evening to myself where I don't have to answer the phone or communicate with anyone (in a positive sense!), long bath whatever - it's regarding these things as treats and getting that warm fluffy feeling that is important.

I've got a very nice (and cheap) little bunch of daffs on my work window sill as I type!!

I think I'm going to have tulips next week as they look lovely!

i definately have trouble keeping control of my problems!

at the moment im really upset and stressed because of the state my uni have left me in about accomodation next year. they failed to tell me about applying for uni accomodation for when i return after my placement year and didnt even bother to inform me that the halls accomodation on my campus is being closed down because it unsafe. this meant i ended up finding out the deadline was 3 days away by chance and in a panic i agreed to live with an aquaintance and his girlfriend and 3 strangers in a house in town because atleast id be living with 'rural' students from my campus and thy would sort out the house.

it was a mistake as my aquiantance and his girlfriend have now split up (after a year and a half together!) and the house arangement has fallen to peices and all of them are now sorted for places to live elsewhere. im way past the deadline for living in uni accomodation.

its a big issue for me, particulary not being able to live with people i know who can support me when im suffering from my SAD and not being able to live near to where my lectures are. i struggled to get to lectures on time when i was a 30 second walk from the theatre last year because of the SAD let alone living on the other side of town a stupidly long bus ride away. i also liked the chance to be able to have power naps between lectures. i no longer have that luxury. my studies are really going to suffer and i dont feel at all supported by my uni.

ive just emailed the disability support officer asking him for advice and help as im supposed to be garunteed accomodation as a disabled student, and i am hoping thats garunteed on my first choice of accomodation becuase it would suit me needs best.

every option is going to end up a compramise next year, but at the moment its possible i could be living in halls down in town, with complete strangers- quite possiby the foriegn students, who are all townies who dont get the 'rural' students (theres always been a big divide between the main campus and our rural campus). it would be aweful for me. :(