The depressively optimistic moneysaving thread

ameliarate

I suffered from depression a few years ago and as I started to get better I reached an in between point when I felt it was almost better to be depressed because it was easier to give into it than to fight it. Fortunately I did get better.

Sometimes now I find my mood can drop very quickly and I have to force myself to get back up and refuse to become depressed, which can be hard work sometimes. (I wish I could the same willpower to stop smoking but that's a different thread).

One of the things I learned from my depression is that actually I am quite a nice person and don't deserve horrible things happening to me in fact I deserve good things and I try to remember that when my mood drops now. I remind myself how awful it was being seriously depressed and make myself look at whatever it is causing my mood to drop and find a way to stop it so that I can pick my mood up again.

A bit gibberish but I think the gist is clear.

pukkamum

My biggest defence against depression is how i look.
I spent all my adult life looking bad and feeling bad.

I was severely overweight and made no effort with my appearance at all, i would get out of bed throw on the first thing i saw brush my teeth have a wash and that was me done and i wondered why i felt so down when every time i looked in the mirror i hated what i saw.

I then had a very honest talk with my DH i was once again bemoaning my weight and how it was the cause of everything that was wrong with my life.
He had previously been the sort of husband to tell me i was beautiful, not fat etc etc.
However, this time he turned to me and said "you know you're fat, i know you're fat, i still love you i still fancy you and i think you are gorgeous, but if it makes you this unhappy then do something about it!".
For me this was a turning point, i went to weightwatchers and lost 6 stone it wasn't easy but i did it.
However losing the weight didn't make my depression go away as i thought it would i felt happier with my weight but still depressed.
I was still getting up in the morning feeling like cr*p.
Until i started making an effort with how i looked.
I started putting on make up and wearing my 'best' clothes during the week and i liked what i saw when i looked in the mirror every morning and looking good in the mirror went a long way towards feeling good inside.
I would have a spring in my step knowing that i looked the best i could and that i had nice clothes on.
It also gave me the confidence to go to toddler groups with my son and mingle with the mums without feeling like the 'poor relation' so i now have more friends than i ever had which in turn lifts my spirits.
It's lovely when i come downstairs and DH says how lovely i look and i know he isn't saying it just to be nice.
Now i'm not saying that all people with depression need to do is put make up on and some posh clothes i'm just telling you one of the tools i use to keep the dark at bay.

Sssssss

absolutebounder wrote: »

Im dying to know who and why it was moved

now AB the negative is going to wonder why it was moved, whilst AB the positive is going to say hey what the hell at least they didn't delete it

see even I can look on the bright side of things.

poorly_scammo

I've found that for me, sugar is the devil's spawn. It really seems to bring me down. If I stay away from it, then I find I feel a lot better.

Unfortunately, no chocolate eggs for me on Sunday but seeing as I haven't had any sugar anyway, I don't feel too bad about that!

absolutebounder

poorly_scammo wrote: »

I've found that for me, sugar is the devil's spawn. It really seems to bring me down. If I stay away from it, then I find I feel a lot better.

Unfortunately, no chocolate eggs for me on Sunday but seeing as I haven't had any sugar anyway, I don't feel too bad about that!

Thats an interesting one. Chocolate usually has a calming effect on women as it releases nice calm brain chemicals. have you tried diabetic chocolate?

beachbeth

absolutebounder wrote: »

Thats an interesting one. Chocolate usually has a calming effect on women as it releases nice calm brain chemicals. have you tried diabetic chocolate?

That must be why Im so short tempered then. Im not that keen on chocolate and don't eat a lot of it! Im eating M&M peanuts at the moment though but its more for the nuts than the choc!:p

absolutebounder

beachbeth wrote: »

What does all this mean? You're all talking in code. DT, SP,PMSL???? Its a conspiracy to get rid of me I know it! Now Im even more depressed.:p

Ive worked out that DT is Discussion Time but don't know what the others are. Who is studentphil?:o

Ha Ha we'd love you to stay. i will interpret for you PMSL = p'd myself laughing SP = studentphill just have a look at a few of his woe is me threads and you will realise on a comparative scale you are in a permanent state of elation rather than depression.
And yes DT is discussion time. It can be a scary place which is why I didnt want the thread moved but hey we are a nice bunch here and all the fights are just play. Stop around and have fun.

poorly_scammo

absolutebounder wrote: »

Thats an interesting one. Chocolate usually has a calming effect on women as it releases nice calm brain chemicals. have you tried diabetic chocolate?

I have problems with all sweeteners. They really affect my mood. If I avoid them I feel cheerier and less tearful.

The therapist helps too of course.

beachbeth

absolutebounder wrote: »

Stop around and have fun.

Ok, if you insist.:D

absolutebounder

beachbeth wrote: »

Ok, if you insist.:D

Are you feeling better about being a specialist parent yet and giving your hubby the freedom to do man things like be a breadwinner.