Depression Support Thread

Tulip

La-Cara wrote: »

thanks Katie, I think being off uni since the 12th of December hasn't helped, really bored being stuck at home for so long. My timetable is a bit pants because I have classes back to back from 9-2 on Fridays :eek: I had this last semester too so I know that by the time 2pm comes I'll be starving because I don't have time to eat between classes!
Thanks for mentioning that missing girl, I didn't know she had been found, that's great news! :T

it sure is great news watching Waterloo Road at 8pm,its my favourite programme

Katie

rosepink1984

Hi everybody, had a good day today - went to work today and yesterday - don't know what I was so worried about over the weekend. I think I'm still scarred by how I felt in my old job! I'm absolutely exhausted now though! going to rest tomorrow.
Thinking of you La-Cara, hope you feel better when you get back into a routine at uni. Are you feeling ok about going back? I always felt awful when a holiday ended! It is tough though if you are at home too much.

Whitevanwoman - well done for doing the first aid exam, hope it goes well. That's such a wonderful thing to be involved with. :T I've been a first aider at work for years, and now I'm a carer. It really helps me to help others, takes my mind of my own problems. But I know what you mean about not being able to go out and do things, I was really panicing yesterday about going to post a letter until I remembered it was already posted. Somedays I can do everything, others I can hardly get out of bed let alone the house. Nevermind, we'll get there in the end won't we? Take care hun.
Hi Katie, how are you today?
Hi to everyone else, hope you are all ok today.

La-Cara

rosepink1984 wrote: »

Thinking of you La-Cara, hope you feel better when you get back into a routine at uni. Are you feeling ok about going back? I always felt awful when a holiday ended! It is tough though if you are at home too much.

I've got mixed feelings about going back. I'll be glad to get back because it'll keep me busy, but I'm worried about the compulsory module that I'm taking this semester. I need to write a report based on either a placement, part time job or volunteering position- I don't have any of those! Found it really hard even to get shopwork/waitressing because I hardly have any experience, and because of the state of the economy I don't see why employers would employ someone like me just now. urgh :undecided

rosepink1984

La-Cara wrote: »

I've got mixed feelings about going back. I'll be glad to get back because it'll keep me busy, but I'm worried about the compulsory module that I'm taking this semester. I need to write a report based on either a placement, part time job or volunteering position- I don't have any of those! Found it really hard even to get shopwork/waitressing because I hardly have any experience, and because of the state of the economy I don't see why employers would employ someone like me just now. urgh :undecided

How about volunteering? In this economic crisis a lot of charities are worried about not having much help, because people are working more, so they would probably bite your hand off. Or hopefully not, as you might need it to some work! If you worked in a charity shop, that would give you experience to put on your CV as well, or I'm sure if you don't want to do charity shop work you could find some other kind of volunteering to do for your report. Just a suggestion, ignore it completely if you don't like the idea!

La-Cara

rosepink1984 wrote: »

How about volunteering? In this economic crisis a lot of charities are worried about not having much help, because people are working more, so they would probably bite your hand off. Or hopefully not, as you might need it to some work! If you worked in a charity shop, that would give you experience to put on your CV as well, or I'm sure if you don't want to do charity shop work you could find some other kind of volunteering to do for your report. Just a suggestion, ignore it completely if you don't like the idea!

thanks, I've been looking into volunteering this week, been quite inspired after watching the secret millionaire on tv. I've found a few interesting things, not sure if they would be relevant for my report though because they seem to want me to write about specific things. Hopefully things will become clearer at the lecture next week, if not then I'm sure I'll find someone to ask.

whitevanwoman

I got back into work after nearly 4 years off with depression through doing voluntary work, and I think alot of employers will be impressed with voluntary work on your cv. What about contacting your local branch of Mind to see if they can help? Where I live Mind has alot of volunteers and they are really keen to have people with experience of mental distress as volunteers as well as paid staff.

The other thing to look at is Timebank which is an organisation where you register as a volunteer but for every hour of work you do, you get an hour's "credit" which you use to "buy" services from other volunteers. It's a kind of moneyless trading scheme. They look for people with all sorts of skills - for example, you may be able to be spend an hour reading the newspapers to a blind person, or helping out for an hour in a charity shop, or helping with a local school fete etc. Here's a link to their website http://www.timebank.org.uk/

I'm feeling really pleased with myself :T (despite being cross when I woke up because I'd slept in until 1.30 this afternoon:mad: ) because I've just finished doing a job application. It's taken me a week to do it, bit by bit, and it's been really hard trying to promote myself but it's done and I'm going to hand it in tomorrow. Strangely enough bearing in mind what La-Cara's been talking about today, its for a Volunteer Support worker with Mind (a paid job supporting volunteers). They want someone who ideally has personal experience of mental health difficulties. Maybe it's karma that we've been talking about this today.

rosepink1984

That's great Whitevanwoman - that job sounds really good. Well done for applying, even deciding to apply and filling in the form is a big step. Let us know how you get on.
This is going to sound weird - I've just had a bath - does anyone else have trouble telling the difference between hot and cold water with their foot? I wondered if the hot water had run out as I was topping up the water, and I put my foot under the tap, and I couldn't tell if it was hot or cold! :rolleyes: I've noticed this a few times before, maybe there is something wrong with my foot!! Or with me! :rotfl:

La-Cara

thanks for that link whitevanwoman, I've registered with Timebank and I should get something in the post within 10 days apparantly. I found a couple of internships with a charity on the uni website, but there was nothing to say how to apply so I emailed them, will hopefully hear back soon.

whitevanwoman

La-Cara wrote: »

thanks for that link whitevanwoman, I've registered with Timebank and I should get something in the post within 10 days apparantly. I found a couple of internships with a charity on the uni website, but there was nothing to say how to apply so I emailed them, will hopefully hear back soon.

Well done - I hope you find it worthwhile and useful. I'm sure that you will find both something that you can volunteer to do, and hopefully you will benefit from the skills of others too, all free!

Savvy_Sue

La-Cara wrote: »

My timetable is a bit pants because I have classes back to back from 9-2 on Fridays :eek: I had this last semester too so I know that by the time 2pm comes I'll be starving because I don't have time to eat between classes!

Box of breakfast bars in your bag?
Or :money: make a bread pudding or tray bake and freeze individual portions, take them out in the morning and they'll be fine to eat by lunchtime.