Where do I start? This last week or so hasn’t been too great, a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with more downs than ups and I’m starting to lose faith in everything to be honest.
It’s starting to feel like everything that I try to do or touch goes wrong. Nobody has to say anything specific and I end up an emotional wreck. I’ve been getting really fed up and frustrated with everyone/everything then get annoyed with myself for being so fed up? As for crafting… I have loads of ideas and inspiration for things but then when I sit down to start something it all ‘goes’ and then I just lack any inspiration or motivation?
I’ve been feeling like this a lot lately and although I’ve been on anti-depressant medication since 2004, I haven’t felt this low in ages… usually I can give myself a kick up the butt and start to get back into some sort of routine but at the moment I just seem to be stuck in a rut and it’s really getting to me. I’m on Sertraline 200mg (once a day) and have been for about two years now. I have tried to come off it on several occasions without success… I have seen several different counsellors from different organisations over the years and each one refers me to somewhere different… a bit like being passed from pillar to post – very frustrating!!
I recently saw a new doctor to our practice who was great, extremely helpful and as soon as she read through my records and I went over everything with her, she immediately said that I need to see a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist as oppose to a counsellor so she sent the referral off and I’m had confirmation that I’m on the waiting list, though there’s apparently an eighteen month wait for CBT.
With regards to the long term use of anti-depressant medication, then it does cause me concern that the doctors keep telling me to “keep taking the pills” until I have seen the CBT specialist but knowing this could be a long while away, it seems that it’s the easy cop out for the GPs to continue to issue a prescription instead of offering any alternative help.
Some days I have no motivation to drag myself out of the house, no ‘reason’ to do anything and feel really useless which I know is stupid but I just can’t seem to help how I’m feeling… other days I get out of bed but the idea of going outside, shopping, etc sends me into a complete panic and I end up staying indoors anyway… it really does get me down that I can’t seem to do the simplest of things without huge repercussions.
No matter how low I feel, I always check in with the Crafts Forum, at least once most days, as I know that there are people around there that I can talk to without being judged and who aren’t involved in my situation and having talked over this situation it is worrying to hear just how many of us are in, or have been in a similar situation… depression affects far more people than we realise.
There have been lots of helpful ideas suggested as well as a huge amount of support than I am really grateful for and everyone advice, hints and ideas are definitely being considered and hopefully will help me to feel a bit better over time.
My first ‘biggy’ is having a mass sort out both of my craft supplies and in the house in general… everything needs either tidied, sorted or thrown away and I’m hoping that by doing this it will help me to get rid of anything that’s holding me back, while at the same time give me some inspiration for some new crafting, recycling, etc… we’ll see if that works.
I definitely think that getting our more is defintiely the key to being a bit more positive and starting to get out of this rut, even if it’s only a walk round to the park with hubby and the dogs or a drive somewhere different with the camera… with having three dogs there’s always an excuse to go out for a walk!!
I have tried exercise classes in the past and going to the gym before but these just increased my anxiety as I felt very uncomfortable so at the moment I don’t think these are for me though it may be something to look at in the future. A local venue is looking into starting a craft club though which I’d be quite interested in as it would help with the social aspect while everyone would have something in common to set off conversation, etc, so it may be something worth considering… time will tell I suppose.
Someone else suggested a weekly/fortnightly/monthly allocated ‘me day’ where even just for a few hours, everything gets put aside and it’s time just for me to do what I want or what I enjoy or do something different… I definitely think this sounds like a fab idea too… not really sure what kind of thing I’d plan, though it’s definitely something worth thinking about and something to look forward to when I’m feeling low so I will have to have a think and perhaps note down some ideas, etc.
I really am grateful for all of these fab ideas and everyone’s support… I think the hardest part for me is trying not to hide my true feeling from those closest to me. Close friends and family rarely know how low I feel as I tend to put on a happy-smiley-confident act as I don’t want to worry them as they all have enough going on but there is only so long that I can keep the act up for without completely falling apart.
The main key to all of this I suppose is trying to accept that depression is something that I don’t really have much control over… I can try to find ways to cope with the different aspects and trigger factors, but there will always be good days and bad days and it’s a matter of finding coping mechanisms for the bad days to try to deal with it in a better way than self harming, which over the last few years is something that has been happening more and more.
For now, I think I’m going to start with a long soak in a warm bath and then perhaps a little craftroom sorting, a bit at a time and then see how the day progresses from there… I’m not making any big plans or trying to expect too much, but I need to take one step at a time out of this deep dark place and slowly find my way back onto an even keel.
Onwards and upwards, as they say… hopefully that’s the way we’ll be going
Laura xxx