I've Been Trying + Reasons to be depressed . . . yet optimistic

Mental Health Monday

You've been reading about the depressive state I slipped into last April. It doesn't mean that I haven't been taking steps to try to climb back out of it. 

• Exercise. I've been walking Sammy regularly again & tracking my progress on my fitbit. I've also resumed my "at home" PT exercises for my hip . . . something I'd sadly let slip. [SEE Sidebar below.]
• Continuing my daily "quiet time," but taking some "precautions" to make sure that I don't let my OCD override the positive time with Jesus that has made a huge difference in my ongoing "recovery."
• Diet . . . let's not go there. It continues to be a "work in progress."
• Writing . . . I've mentioned before that writing has been very therapeutic for me . . . & is a "proven" strategy for lessening the symptoms of depression & anxiety. [Is it my imagination, or am I being OCD about quotational remarks?] So, I continue to blog--but I've tried to limit myself to 3X/week--& I continue to write devotionals for Orphan Grain Train.

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SIDEBAR:  My "target" [imposed by fitbit] is a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. Here's my log, beginning 7/24.

July 24:  4,579 . . . Significant, because we drove from Garrison to Des Moines, IA.

July 25;  4,215 . . . We drove from Des Moines to Lincoln to Norfolk.

July 26:  8,541 . . . Lots of serious walking at Mahoney State Park.

July 27:  9,187 . . . More serious walking at Mahoney State Park.

July 28:  6,526 . . . More walking at Mahoney State Park.

July 29-30 . . . My fitbit was MIA.

July 31:  5,873 . . . I took one "long" 2-block walk w/Lois & Sammy.

Aug 1:  8,159 . . . I mowed the front lawn & took Sammy for a short, solo walk. Later I went on a long walk w/Lois & Sammy but forgot my fitbit.

Aug 2:  7,886 . . . I took Sammy on 2 short, solo walks.

Aug 3:  10,395 . . . I took Samy on a long, solo walk. Later I went on a long walk w/Lois & Sammy.

Aug 4:  12,700 . . . Ditto Aug. 3.

Aug 5:  10,903 . . . I took Sammy for a long solo walk, mowed the front lawn & 1/3 of the back yard. Lois & I took a fairly long walk w/Lois & Sammy later in the evening.

Aug. 6:  10,789 . . . It's 7:54p. I've already taken Sammy for a long, solo walk. I also finished mowing the backyard & will likely take at least a short walk w/Lois & Sammy later tonight. *
Aug 7:  8,330 . . . I mowed the front yard . . . but sadly broke my string of consecutive days walking Sammy. OK, so I have to get back on track today! **
* Just for the record, I finished 8/6 w/13,295 . . . a P.B., to the best of my knowledge!
** If you suffer your own anxiety on behalf of either Lois or anxiety, you'll be relieved to know that Lois took him on a very long walk last night; Lois easily exceeded her 10,000 steps

Reasons to be depressed & anxious . . . political edition

• Check out "Waiting for the Pivot at the End of the Universe," the heading of my favorite partisan pundit's weekly "news" letter, the G-file, via the Drudge Report (8/6), offset to a slight degree by links found in his 'Various & Sundry' feature, especially the links to "Mother dog plays with her litter" & "Bear takes break in family's backyard pool." [I need to remind myself that I should be checking out political commentary rarely if at all, since it tends to add to my gloominess.]
• From Omaha World Herald (5/23): "Youths' apparent addiction to Internet is scaring families . . . One young man described dropping out of college to seek treatment for the crippling problem that brought them all here:  compulsive Internet use. It is easy to scoff at the idea of Internet addiction, which is not officially recognized as a disorder in the U.S. . . . " [Emphasis added. Inquiring minds want to know . . . why not?]

Reasons to be optimistic . . . 

From Sioux City Journal (7/4):  "Are extra-busy people happier? Here's something to ponder while relaxing on a long holiday weekend:  Time-starved people report being happier . . . " [Am I trying to say that all the while I was over-extending myself in the months leading up to my "burnout" I was actually happier? Saying "yes" to a ever-increasing plethora of demands . . . & perhaps stroking my ego in the process? Well, if I was, it certainly didn't have a lasting effect.]

From OWH "Live Well" section (8/1):  "Stress eaters, vicious cycle may end here. There are  many times during my day that I find myself stressed out & wanting  to eat everything in sight. I am pretty sure I am not the only one. This is an aspect of my life that i really had to take a look at, because I am a stress eater--& that caused me more stress, which would cause me to eat more. The vicious cycle kept repeating itself. If you, too, are an emotional eater, here are four tactics that I use. Try a couple & see if they help you. If not, try a different combination until you find what is appropriate for your life." [I am a stress eater. There . . . a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders . . . not really.]

1. Plan, Plan, Plan. [I try not to shop w/o using a list. It USUALLY keeps me from impulse buying. Usually . . . because otherwise my plan is usually . . . Stress eating!]
2. Avoid Grocery Shopping When You Are Overly Stressed. [Also, when you're hungry. I'm just sayin'.]  
3. Learn Different Coping Mechanisms. [Eating dark chocolate candies . . . just not a whole bag within 3 days . . . even if shared w/the woman you love.]
4. Make It a Team Effort. [The cashiers at Hy-Vee refuse to look at me judgmentally when I make questionable purchases. I appreciate their courtesy . . . There really is a friendly smile in every aisle.]