Getting Over Monday-Itis (Depression Awareness)

Do you feel like you have Monday-itis,
more than just on Monday?

Image File - 

Creative Commons 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Depression.jpg

"Blah! Monday!"

"Blah! ......day!"

Do you feel in a "funk?" 

Low energy?

Have you felt this way for a couple of weeks? Are you ok?

If you've felt like this for a couple of weeks, you feel like you've got nothing to look forward to, and you feel like everything is an enormous effort - you may need to get thee (pun intended) to a medical checkup.

Depression is still a somewhat misunderstood subject. But according to beyond blue statistics, one in six men may experience depression within their lifetime, and women are twice as likely to experience depression than men are.

On the subject of mental health - in November men's mental health programs are supported by the "Movember" campaign. 

De-Stigmatising Depression and Anxiety

Recently, R U Okay day was celebrated. The word is getting out in the media that depression and anxiety do affect a lot of people, but it is nothing to be ashamed of to get medical treatment for it!!!!

A couple of men (and women) in my group of family and friends go to counsellors, and I closely know people who have been treated for depression. 

Stigma is a real issue for perhaps preventing people from seeking treatment, so if you know anybody who is not ok, then please be supportive, not dismissive of their problems.

It is a kind of fallacy that people who say they are "depressed" are seeking attention - if you have to say it to get attention - then you really are asking for help and need to go and get medical assistance. Anybody who says that somebody is just doing something for attention needs to get a real understanding that depression and anxiety are medical conditions!!!

Reasons for depression

Depression and anxiety can begin to happen as a result of a reaction to an external issue, such as job loss or a recent illness, or it can be the result of an underlying medical issue. It may also occur that a series of minor stressors are adding up, and it has been difficult to take care of yourself properly such as getting adequate rest, sleep, nutrition and exercise. It can be a combination of factors that can cause anxiety, stress and depression.

Getting a thorough medical checkup

In any case, a medical check up is in order to assist you to get back to wellness. I recommend seeing your primary health physician - they can help you with a number of different treatment modalities. If you prefer alternative therapies there are some doctors who are holistic medicine practitioners, and can help you develop whole of lifestyle programs such as nutritional support, physiotherapy and massage, exercise physiology, talk therapy with a psychologist or registered counsellor and sleep assistance. 

It is very difficult to treat depression with just a prescription, and a doctor who is responsive to the whole person and their wellbeing is a good start. You may need to book an initial appointment with your doctor, and then you can rebook a double appointment so that you have more time with your doctor to investigate the underlying cause of your depression.

Depression can come about as a result of a nutritional deficiency, so don't rule this out either. Depression is a medical condition, not just a made up "imagined state of mind."

How you can help yourself:

Firstly, be gentle with yourself. You may need to lower your self-expectations. Are you being realistic towards your goals right now when you are medically unwell?

Do, however, set goals that are achievable, and that will give you a sense of satisfaction on a daily basis. For you this may include getting dressed and getting up out of bed, and attending to personal hygiene. Eating nutritionally balanced food and getting gentle exercise every day are good goals to adhere to.

Enlist the support of people you trust. If you know that there may be some people within your social circle who have experienced depression before, or that of a loved one, and have been supportive, then you may feel you are able to trust that person to support you.

Do focus on positive aspects of your life. Think of the things you are grateful for. For me, some days it is a case of being happy about having dirty dishes to wash, because that means I have food in the house, and haven't gone hungry. If you have achieved at least one of your goals, such as getting up, then do be grateful and celebrate that achievement!

Spend some time watching comedies, looking for jokes on the internet or reading joke books - laughter is really good for you, and will help boost your mood.