When People Want to Talk About Your Embarrassing Bipolar Memories

May 29, 2017 at 11:01PM April Krueger
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by bp Magazine

Use these five strategies to stop depression’s negative thought loop from taking over:

 

#1 Don’t believe everything you think

Your mood can easily blur your vision. Feeling depressed often means feeling life is hopeless, but it’s important to realize these views are symptoms of the illness and do not reflect reality. It’s not an objective look at your situation, which is likely far from hopeless. Try thinking back to a time you were optimistic about the future and remind yourself what you thought then about your life was a more accurate portrayal.

 

#2 Avoid focusing on the negative

When we disregard the positive and instead concentrate on the unfortunate aspects of a situation—dwelling on our losses and forgetting our victories—it can be difficult for our mental wellbeing. Instead of focusing on your limitations, think about what a friend would say to you to contradict this negative line of thinking.

#3 Ban over-generalizations

How many times have you concluded, on the basis of a single failure, that you will always fail? Don’t fall prey to overgeneralized thoughts such as “No one cares about me” and “I’m never going to be able to get a job.” Instead, let the words ‘always,’ ‘everybody’, ‘never,’ and ‘nobody’ serve as red flags that you’re probably overgeneralizing.

 

#4 Create a gray continuum when you have black-or-white thinking

Black-or-white, or all-or-nothing, thinking involves inappropriately categorizing objects, situations, or people into one extreme or another. When you are depressed, it is easy to think of yourself as a total failure, or as completely worthless. Remind yourself that the world is made of shades of gray, and people who are all good or all bad are rare.

 

#5 Break up catastrophizing

Catastrophizing involves noticing one unfavorable fact or unfortunate situation, and making it mushroom in your mind into a chain of hypothetical circumstances ending in disaster. Examples: if you have a cold and then this leads to an imagined death from pneumonia or a minor mistake at work results in the nightmare of getting fired. When you predict calamities, ask how probable each event is, and how likely it is they could occur together.

 

 

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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by bp Magazine

Practicing gratitude can act as a buffer against depression; here’s eight ways to use this power:

 

#1 Pay attention

Even the simple experience of gratitude may give you a dopamine boost and help depression and anxiety. By noting the things and people in life that you’re grateful for, it inspires you to pay attention and increase your awareness of what you will add to your journal or list, either in that moment or at the end of the day.

 

#2 Focus on the positive

An appreciation for what you have makes it easier not to worry about what you don’t have. This helps recognize the positive aspects, which provides a calming effect—this in turn can make it less stressful to deal with mental health issues.

 

#3 Count your blessings

Practice the “three good things” exercise daily and keep a running list throughout. Many people find putting pen to a notebook with a gratitude journal gives the needed ritual experience that encourages an intentional focus on the day’s events. When journaling, you can write more detail about the events that made you feel appreciative. There are also numerous phone apps that are also gratitude journals and reminders.

 

#4 Dinner thanks

One of the most popular and powerful tools for cultivating thankfulness is to say it out loud. When you speak about gratitude instead of just thinking it, it engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which in effect increases serotonin and produces feelings of peace and calm. Many people make a habit of talking about the positive things from their day around the family dinner table.

 

#5 Give thanks to others

Practice appreciating others. Write regular thank-you notes one or twice a week—whether cards, letters, texts, or emails. The act of telling another you are grateful for him creates connection and spreads a feeling of validation that will hopefully be paid forward.

 

#6 Say it in a picture

For some of us, unless it’s always in front of our face, we may simply forget, despite our best intentions. If you are a visual/creative type, you could use visual reminders: Post pictures of loved ones or meaningful experiences in places where you can see them regularly. You could even create a gratitude wall in your home to act as a constant reminder to savor the wonderful people and moments in your life.

 

#7 Your own gratitude style

The best route to success is choosing a gratitude practice that fits with your preferences and style. Experiment with several until you find the one(s) you find most enjoyable and that you’ll stick with. What works for one person may not for another so you need to personalize and customize.

 

#8 Make it a habit

To count your blessings when in a state of depression or anxiety is challenging and takes a conscious effort. However, if this is a habit and part of your every day routine, like brushing your teeth, you will be more successful. In fact, some people associate two daily routines like thinking about what you’re grateful for while brushing your teeth.

 

Read more: “Gratitude: ’Tis a Gift to be Thankful”

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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by bp Magazine

From droll to dark, here are five larger-than life films that made it to the big screen:

 

The Hours (2002)

Starring Hollywood powerhouses Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nichole Kidman all of different generations whose lives are interconnected by Virginia Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway. Woolf (played by Kidman) struggled with depression and mental illness while writing this novel in 1920s England. Based on the 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Hours received nine Academy Award nominations, including best picture and a win for Nicole Kidman as best actress. [click here to watch the trailer]

 

 

Sylvia (2003)

Starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig, this biopic tells the true story between poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, their marriage and tumultuous ending. Beginning in college and after the death of her father Plath began suffering from bouts of extreme depression. These episodes re-emerge after she discovers the infidelities of her husband and she plans her suicide in 1963. The posthumous publication of her final book of poems Ariel, brought Plath greater fame. [click here to watch the trailer]

 

 

 

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

United with both a strong cast and script, this comedy-drama focuses on seven-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) who wants to win the Little Miss Sunshine crown beauty pageant and her family tries as best they can to make this dream a reality for her. The melancholic Steve Carell does a standout job as Olive’s uncle who’s staying with the family after a suicide attempt. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best picture, and won two: best original screenplay for Michael Arndt and best supporting actor for Alan Arkin. [click here to watch the trailer]

 

 

 

Helen (2009)

The movie follows professor Helen Leonard (played by Ashley Judd) as she overcomes severe depression following an extreme breakdown. Judd’s stark portrayal of a middle-aged woman suffering chronic suicidal depression has been described as very realistic by people who also struggle with this severe illness. [click here to watch the trailer]

 

 

It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

The film follows Craig (Keir Gilchrist) a clinically depressed teenager after contemplating suicide and then landing in the hospital ER to seek help. He ends up being admitted to the psychiatric floor’s adult section while the youth ward undergoes renovations. Bobby (Zach Galifianakis) provides comedy relief as a fellow adult patient who says he’s only there on vacation. He also takes Craig under his wing and a relationship ensues. The movie also stars Emma Roberts. [click here to watch the trailer]

 

 

 

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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by bp Magazine

Depression can sneak up on you; here’s what you can do to convince yourself to take action:

 

#1 Don’t retreat

Have a plan with someone you trust to tell that person if you start to feel depressed and then ask this friend or partner to check in with you every few days. By going it alone, it opens the door for shame to creep in and silence you if you begin to judge and blame yourself

 

#2 Schedule an extra session as soon as possible

Call your therapist, psychiatrist, and/or support group right away, says social worker Judy Eron. “Your inclination will be to shrug this off and postpone calling—but don’t. Your health professional will likely have some clues as to whether something physical or chemical or hormonal might be contributing to your sinking mood.”

 

#3 Maintain healthy sleep habits

Many people who live with bipolar disorder are prone to sleep problems so it’s important to pay attention to your schedule. A change in your sleep quality can be a symptom of something lurking. It’s important to place sleep hygiene a high priority as sleep deprivation can trigger a depressive episode in people with bipolar disorder.

 

#4 Embrace nature

Go outside. Get some fresh air—just getting outside your own four walls can be a good thing. Eron suggests that by being active, raising your heartbeat­—especially outdoors—can produce changes that can lift your mood. “Maybe you start by sitting on your front steps, then you work your way up to taking a brisk walk around the block.”

 

#5 Breathe

Sometimes it can be a relief to get away from thinking. Put on some soothing music, sit comfortably and still your mind by focusing on your breathing. Breathe in for 8 counts, then breathe out for 8 counts. The main thing is to concentrate on your breathing, to free yourself from thinking even for 10 minutes during the day.

 

Related: “Lesson Plan: Learning From Relapse”

 

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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by bp Magazine

Those prone to depression and social anxiety can use these tips to make the most of your introversion:

 

Let go of assumptions

Introverts often wrestle with expectations—from others mostly, at times from themselves—about how they should act in social situations. Let go of assumptions and own your introversion. The best thing to do is to put yourself out there, to step outside your comfort zone,” advises James Murch, MA, a licensed therapist in private practice in Nova Scotia. “But people shouldn’t be aggressively trying to change their personality. If someone is introverted, it’s almost inconsistent with the principles of good mental health to apologize for it.”

 

Practice as an extrovert

The more you do something, especially outside your comfort zone, the easier it becomes for you and the more your confidence is built. Intentionally try and take on things that will help build this comfort i.e. accept invitations to do public speaking, or to go to parties where you might not know anyone.

 

Introversion or isolation?

There can be a fine line between introversion and isolation, and those prone to depression and social anxiety need to recognize when they’re near it. It’s one thing to enjoy your own company; it’s another to start rejecting the social connections we all need to live a full and healthy life. Straight-up introversion means you likely prefer a quiet night at home to group activities, while isolation is an active retreat from everything and everyone.

 

Set your own terms

Parties are a lot easier to go to if you give yourself permission to leave when you’re ready to leave, according to introvert Sophia Dembling. “When you decide it’s time to go, you can let those, ‘Oh, you can’t leave now!’ comments float over your head. Parties are supposed to be fun.”

 

Read the full article: “Realizing the Personal Power of Introverts”

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
(This and our other articles are provided by some of our curated resources. We encourage readers to support them and continue to look to these sources in times of need and opportunity.)