A very helpful discussion thread was started at Group Beyond Blue at Beliefnet Community by Group Beyond Blue member Desertsutra called “Anti-Depression Measures,” where people have listed what helps them keep going. Desertsutra begins:

I know there are lots of folks here who deal with this or have in the past, so I’m looking for suggestions. I’m sure that these have been posted elsewhere, so forgive my request for repetition. 

When it gets so bad that every day you’re talking yourself out of it, what do you do to stop yourself? When you’re, say, waiting for your new antidepressant to kick in or, like Therese shared a few weeks ago in her video of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week (month?), you know you just need to wait it out, what tricks do you play on yourself when your brain keeps saying that this will last forever and it’s better just to stop suffering now?

This week, I’ve used guilt (just think how your sister would suffer) and intimidation (just imagine a hugely muscled security angel sitting in that chair between you and the kitchen knives) and responsibility (what will happen to that project that isn’t quite done at work?), not to mention gentler methods of deep breathing, walking in the woods, reading b’net’s daily joke, journaling and just plain staying at work so I’m safe from myself.

But I feel like I’m starting to get a little ridiculous with this . . . Anyone have any less embarrassing prevention methods they can recommend?

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