I'm not sane but sanity is over-rated (and over-estimated!)

'normal people scare me' my vest says

I chose the name of this blog (Samantha, the sane vegan) with a bit of help from my brother in response to one of the vegan meet ups I went to where I encountered some vegans who were not so sane and perpetuated the stereotype of vegans as being puritanical, extreme and judgemental.  I've been very honest about the fact that I've had episodes of depression and have had hypomania (a lesser form of the full mania of bi polar 1 disorder) so it could be said that I'm not sane.  

Sometimes when going for a doctor's appointment or a therapy session I felt a bit upset and as if I was being labelled as having a problem or that there was something unusual about me.  What I've realised is that a) no one is labelling me, b) mental health issues are far more common than people think and c) it helps me to humble myself  and hopefully others will be able to relate to me.

I prefer to look at my hypomanic and depressive episodes as just another aspect of my individuality, what makes me unique.

I do not wish to undermine the seriousness of how horrific some mental illnesses can be. I'm fortunate to have never suffered to the extent that I was unable to work but it certainly has impacted on my work and studying. My aim is to be more open about my experience of mental illness and how to manage life in the midst of it so that stigma can be reduced and more people can open up. So here's my tale of my most recent episodes of depression and hypomania and what I've taken away from the experience.

Unexplained or hidden causes?

When doing Psychology 'A' level we were taught that depression could either be; a) reactive (depression that occurs as the result of life events) or b) endogenous (that with a physiological basis).  I don't really think it can always be categorised into one or the other and it's usually a mixture of both nature and nurture. I do have a family history of depression and bipolar disorder which makes me genetically susceptible. Lifestyle wise, my depressive or hypomanic episodes have not always occurred following anything particularly significant in my life and I thought it was just totally random and unpredictable like the weather (and therefore outside of my control).  I felt like my depressive episodes were a bit like British winters and every time they came they appeared to last longer and it felt like summer was never going to come.

'it was horrible, they called me 

chicken boy!' Therapy can help

you make peace with your past!

 I've found (though it took me a really long time) that the triggers can be found if you dig a bit deeper and once they are found you have a starting point for addressing the depression and no longer feel powerless to combat it. As we were taught on my course, the key to successfully tackling any illness is to find and treat the root cause, not just the symptoms.

Therapy is not necessarily helpful for everyone but it's helped me to recognise my triggers and helped me become a lot more self-aware.


2013- 2 of my triggers: Stress & Sloth!

When I started my nutrition diploma I was very excited and passionate about it and thought it was one of the best decisions I ever made to go back to studying. My second year, however, was incredibly stressful, with having clinic sessions in addition to all the essays, exams, assignments, seminar homework, personal development portfolio with no break between September and June. Fitting all this in alongside work paired with the pressure to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle that comes with studying for such courses left me truly mentally exhausted. (It's no wonder the drop out rate for my course at the time was 48%!  They have since reduced the workload!)

so true, better to just do something!

When I finally got a break and could do the things I enjoy again I was overwhelmed by feelings of excitement and really enjoyed myself. But the break was too long and by late August/September I'd done all the things I could afford to do, was just working 18 hours and really didn't know what to do with myself the rest of the time. I noticed the depressive symptoms coming back and knew I needed to get busier. I knew there were plenty of things I could do to make myself busier I waited too long to address it and my decision making ability was impaired. I would have a long list of things I could potentially do but I would over-think and end up doing nothing because I couldn't make up my mind and I was too worried about doing the wrong thing.  I know it sounds ridiculous but depression can make you behave and think in ways that are illogical and counter-productive to one's well-being.

Waking up in the morning and having nothing to do can make you feel over the moon after a long period of stress.  At the same time, getting up in the morning and knowing that if you stayed in bed all day it wouldn't matter to anyone whatsoever can also be the most depressing feeling ever.  I ended up losing my confidence and by the time I started back in October I was in an absolute state and crippled with doubts. I was thinking, I can't do this Nutritional therapy thing, what the hell am I doing? it's too hard. what on earth am I going to do with the rest of my life? I'm not good at anything and I can't be a library assistant for the rest of my life, why am I here? I really seriously considered dropping out of the course but something told me to just go along with it and see how it went.

'You're not rubbish, it's the depression talking!'

My first day back in clinic in my last year was in November. I was so crippled with anxiety I couldn't sleep the night before and on the way there I was fantasising about being involved in an accident (not one that would kill me) or something so I didn't have to do it. Many times before I've felt nervous prior to doing something but then once started I've been ok. This time I didn't feel ok at all. I was stuttering whilst talking and I just felt like it was such a disaster. I came out and was saying 'oh my goodness, that was the worst consultation ever. I'm so embarrassed, please apologise to the client for me'. To my complete surprise, the students observing me and tutor didn't think it was a disaster at all and had many positive things to say. I found it impossible to believe them though.

My first assignment was also a serious struggle. I felt like I didn't understand it at all and would wake up with a feeling of dread and just want it to disappear and really resented my course for making me so stressed and miserable around Christmas time! I was convinced what I was writing was nonsense but I just handed in what I'd done and hoped for the best thinking, 'I've most probably failed but maybe by some stroke of luck I can scrape 40% and pass'.  When the marks were out I couldn't bear to look but when I did I was very surprised to see 68%!  Which just goes to show although whilst in a depressive episode I might feel like I've completely lost my mind and that I'm totally useless at everything but this is not so!

when you first finish a course you
feel like this!

By late January I got my enthusiasm for the course back and felt more confident in my ability to get through the last year.  It wasn't easy at all but in June I finished, passed with merit and felt on top of the world, full of excitement about my career ahead of me, never thinking that the depression would come back again.

I'm on top of the world!

Sadly it did, and it came back worse than ever. 
Autumn 2014 - Post-University Depression 
(this should become a recognised medical condition!)

I started feeling a bit low around mid August, when I felt as if I should be getting on with my nutrition business, but I didn't really know how to address it, so all I did was procrastinate.  Every time I would think about the sheer number of things to do to start a Nutritional therapy business I would just feel completely overwhelmed and panic.  People would say to me to break it down and just take it step by step which I tried, but it didn't stop me from being overwhelmed by it and every time I tried to think of business ideas my mind just went blank.

I should have been feeling great at my graduation in September and I saw that the majority of graduates hadn't started their business and weren't sure exactly what they were doing. But I didn't feel proud, I would just look at all the people who had already started their business or got a distinction rather than a merit and just think 'there's nothing special about me I'm just a part time library assistant who lives with her parents at the age of 30, what a loser'.

It got into a bit of a downward spiral and by around November I reached the anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure in usually enjoyable things) phase. My favourite vegan foods didn't taste nice and I didn't have the motivation to cook, bake or eat properly at all so I began to binge eat on extremely unhealthy foods including non-vegan cakes, other baked goods and chocolates.  (Yes, for a long while I was neither sane nor vegan, which was why I didn't write on this blog for a while!)  My favourite music sounded horrible and I didn't want to listen to any music. I didn't want to watch TV series or films because I would just compare myself to the characters and dwell on how inferior I was in comparison to them, the same went for going on facebook. My brain fog (many do experience this during depressive episodes) was so bad, I couldn't read for pleasure.  Exercise didn't give me the same buzz either. It got to the stage where the only thing I found pleasure in was over-eating and sleeping. Most of the things mentioned in http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/5-things-to-do-when-black-dog-strikes.html wouldn't have worked. I felt like I didn't care about anything (animals, ethical living, the environment, my appearance or my health) and kept asking my siblings how they would describe me to someone else because I didn't know who I was any more.

I decided, however to count my blessings. Whilst I certainly wasn't where I wanted to be in life, I had a job, I was living in a safe and comfortable environment, I didn't have any financial burdens which meant I could at least afford my only source of comfort (food) when I needed it, I had (and still have) a good relationship with my parents and siblings.  And whilst many depression sufferers experience insomnia, I experienced hypersomnia, (excessive sleeping) so I was glad I at least had sleep as some escape from how I was feeling.

This didn't mean I wasn't entitling myself to feel negative or that I was punishing myself for how I felt, but I just realised I was very lucky in some ways and that I didn't have any problems that weren't fixable, and I had no reason to give up.

I was fortunate to have a very good GP who first referred me for the Guided Self Help therapy.  It was actually me who came back and suggested I probably should take medication because I felt I needed it. I was given a 2 week trial of fluoxetine (better known as Prozac) but it made me feel nauseous.  I had a further assessment and was prescribed escitalopram and instructed to take it for 6 months.

UNEXPECTED EARLY RECOVERY!

Around early to mid January I started feeling more like my usual self, all the depressive symptoms had lessened and my cravings for junk food were significantly reduced.  By the end of January I found myself waking up at 4 or 5 am (having gone to bed at midnight) full of energy and excitement. My state didn't feel like just an absence of depression, I felt sort of 'high' and how I would imagine illegal drugs make one feel despite only consuming caffeine in the form of green tea and dark chocolate and minimal sugar and alcohol.  I decided to stop taking my medication and go to my GP to see if he thought I had bipolar disorder or seasonal affective disorder, as I had seen similar patterns with my mood previously.

HYPOMANIA!!!!!!!!!!

Wheeeeeeee!!

When I went to my GP I described my behaviour and feelings. I was expecting to be diagnosed with bi polar disorder, given that I'd gone from one extreme to the other in such a short space of time. The best way I could describe it was like the feeling of an overexcited child at Christmas.  My favourite foods and drinks tasted amazing, music sounded better, I would be overwhelmed by the beauty of scenery, my nephews and niece looked cuter, colours would look more distinct. I would get fits of the giggles and struggle not to burst out laughing whilst walking down the street. My mind would be racing and instead of having no business ideas I had so many I couldn't switch off.

anyone remember the film American Beauty?

 Although I've had hypomania I have

yet to be overwhelmed by the beauty of a plastic bag

Hypomania does not mean that one feels happy all the time, it's more like an obsession with engaging in hedonistic activities and an intolerance of displeasure. It can result in serious irritability and impatience.    Although being overwhelmed by positive emotion is certainly more pleasant than being overwhelmed by negativity, it's still uncomfortable. In a hypomanic episode I feel overstimulated and overexcited about everything, I really resent my job for taking up my time up and stopping me from doing the things I enjoy (whereas in a depressive episode my job is one of the few things keeping me going).  At work I get over excited by all the interesting books I see and take out several but then I don't read them because I'm too restless and can't sit still. I can't watch films either because I have too much energy. I end up spending too much money because I get overexcited about everything I see and then end up getting frustrated for having to wait so long for the next pay day.  I have lots of pent up energy and get really frustrated if  I can't release it. I can even remember being jealous of people saying they were tired!

Although hypomania has its disadvantages, it can be quite a pleasant feeling. I think my hypomanic episodes are the reason I've never had any interest whatsoever in taking illegal drugs,  I see my ability to feel high naturally as a blessing. I become more creative and my brain is a lot more sharp and I'm sure my hypomanic phases helped give me the energy to fit my studying in with work and are responsible for some of my good marks.

Depressive episodes are certainly unpleasant but for me, the fact that I went for the therapy meant that I'm left with useful mind tools for when I see it recurring and I can empathise with and help others.

think I'm the 3rd one from the left
at the moment!

My doctor mentioned (but didn't diagnose me with) a milder form of bi polar disorder called cyclothymia. Some people find labels helpful, others don't. Personally, I feel that we are all prone to fluctuations in mood as we go through ups and downs and transitions in life, (who feels 'neutral' all the time?) I think that being a HSP or 'empath' as I've talked about in my blog: http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.
co.uk/2015/05/depression-part-2-food-mood-and.html just means they are more pronounced in me.  It can make life a bit more challenging to deal with but as you become more self-aware, you can learn to manage better and stop your condition from over-ruling your life.

If you have or think you might have a diagnosable mental health condition, don't be afraid to seek support from your GP, mental health organisations or read some mental health blogs. But remember there is nothing wrong with or 'freaky' about you and having a mental health condition does not make you not inferior.

You are not alone :)

Depression Part 2. Food, Mood and Personality

My most recent blog was also on depression but it's a subject that truly fascinates me and is close to my heart as it affects me from time to time as well as many people I know.  

My last post literally scratched the surface of some of the countless factors that can possibly contribute to depression. Genetic susceptibility, chronic stress, financial and housing problems, family and relationship issues, bullying or exclusion at school, college or in the workplace, bereavements and other difficult life events, physical illnesses in which there is inescapable pain or discomfort, unemployment and the daily pressures we face can all have an impact. 

HOW FOOD CAN AFFECT YOUR MOOD

Diet is also certainly something that can affect our mental well-being as it has a vast impact on our biochemistry and this is often not considered or addressed at all. It is a highly complex subject so I'll just give a brief, simplified summary of the main factors.  For anyone interested, Patrick Holford's books explain the subject of nutrition and mental well-being very well. 

user friendly guide to
 nutrition and mood

Biochemically speaking, depression is thought to be caused by a lack of or faulty signalling of 2 main neurotransmitters: serotonin (associated with feelings of calm and serenity) and dopamine (associated with motivation and drive).  The dietary choices we make over extended periods of time can dramatically alter our body chemistry, including that of the brain.  

Neurotransmitters (hormones of the nervous system if you like) are made from amino acids which come from protein, meaning consuming adequate protein (on average around 0.8g per kg body weight) is crucial.  B-vitamins, particularly vitamin B6 (sources include nuts and seeds, wholegrains and bananas) are needed to convert amino acids into neurotransmitters.  In order for these neurotransmitters to signal correctly, the correct quantity and type of fat is essential. Omega 3 (usually associated with oily fish but are also found in flax and chia seeds and their oils and algae supplements) and omega 6 fatty acids (nuts and seeds, vegetable oils) are both required by the brain but our current diet tends to be far too high in the omega 6 kind in comparison to omega 3. In addition to this, many of us also consume unhealthy fats found in deep-fried food, take-aways, poor quality baked goods and processed foods, which further impairs this signalling process. Think of your brain as a train network whose tracks need oiling with the correct kind of oil on a regular basis in order for the serotonin and dopamine trains to travel from one brain destination to another doing their job of making you happy, calm and motivated (if it helps!). 

antioxidants galore!

In addition to this, antioxidant rich foods (deeply coloured fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, dark chocolate) are essential to protect these fats from damage and keep our cells healthy.

What is becoming more widely researched in recently is an amino acid in the blood called homocysteine of which high levels are associated with depression (amongst many other illnesses including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimers). Folic acid and vitamin B12 are essential for keeping homocysteine at safe levels.  Vitamin D3 deficiency (very common due to the lack of sunlight in the UK!) is now also thought to play a part in the aetiology of depression and is being researched. No causal relationship has been established yet but it's definitely something worth investigating.

unhealthy foods give us a temporary 'high' but in
the long run they make us feel like this!

As you can imagine, long periods of eating the wrong kinds of food or failing to identify and correct nutritional deficiencies can seriously hinder your brain's ability to keep us mentally well. Nowadays many of us are so busy and stressed that we feel we don't have the energy to devote attention to our diets and can rely on unhealthy foods and alcohol to relieve stress.  

The likelihood is, most of us, whether we're omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan are deficient or have less than ideal levels of one nutrient or other. My view is that vegans should not be singled out as at risk of suffering from depression due to dietary factors. Antioxidants, folic acid and vitamin B6 are plentiful in vegan foods, providing you eat a wide variety and in my post http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/you-can-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-under.html, I've mentioned about some of the vegan sources of protein and omega 3 fats. That being said, there are some nutrients that need attention. 

It's crucial for vegans (and everyone else!) to get enough vitamin B12 in order to keep homocysteine levels sufficiently low to avoid the risk of depression and other illnesses. Some foods and brands of dairy alternatives to milk are fortified with vitamin B12 and there are some kinds of algae that claim to be sources. I personally eat predominantly organic food (which cannot be fortified with B12) and it is not safe to rely on algae as a vitamin B12 source so I take a supplement. 

I've encountered many vegans who have the attitude of 'well I've not taken vitamin B12 in years and I feel fine!'   The trouble with this is, high homocysteine or inadequate vitamin B12 status might be symptomless and so it's not something you can assume is ok without a test. I've not had my homocysteine tested yet as it's not widely available on the NHS at the moment (I'm currently a nutritional therapist who can't afford nutritional therapy, haha!) but I take a B12 supplement daily and I've had my level tested recently by my GP. There are some vitamins and minerals that are harmful in excess but vitamin B12 is not one of them.  It's far safer to take it than to not take it. B12 supplements are also widely available and affordable.  

Vitamin D is also not widely found in plant foods and deficiency can affect anyone.  It's advisable to get one's levels tested in order to ascertain whether supplementation is necessary.

Specialist nutritional therapy and tests for potential nutritional causes of depression can be provided at the Brain Bio centre in Putney, London http://www.foodforthebrain.org/brain-bio-centre.aspx.

These nutritional factors are certainly something people should be conscious of, but as I've mentioned our nutritional status is one of many factors in depression and therefore nutritional therapy should never be used as a sole therapy without addressing the other issues.



ME, FOOD AND MOOD

If I'd had this ingrained in my brain all my life that
would have saved me from a great deal of  misery!

Some people might wonder why as a nutritional therapist I didn't cover this in my first blog on depression.  Everyone's experience is different and as I'd made it partly about mine I wrote a little about some of the factors that affect me most and how I've dealt with them.  

My personal most significant contributory factors are: genetic susceptibility (depression and other mental health issues run in my family) having had a difficult upbringing (poverty-wise), feeling excluded and different throughout my life (which contributed to low self-esteem) work and studying-related stress, comparing myself with others and putting unnecessary pressure on myself. 

don't compare yourself with
others Samantha!
certain recipe for depression!

Although the vegan diet might appear not to fare well in terms of mental health, looking at my history I don't consider this to be one of my main causes.   I've suffered from depression on and off from as long as I can remember, going back to when I was a meat eater and as an adult I've seen myself sink into depression or climb out of it without making any significant dietary or supplement changes (so far I've tested my B12 and vitamin D levels, both of which were fine). 

The other reason I've not used nutritional therapy to treat my depression is the lack of motivation that commonly accompanies depression. Making positive dietary changes can be challenging for anyone whether they have depression or not. Some sufferers might be willing to improve their diet and make positive changes whilst suffering from depression which is wonderful, but in my history I've always waited too long to address it and ended up at the stage where I have very little motivation to do anything. In my last episode I took an antidepressant of the SSRI class (escitalopram) for 6 weeks and had a kind of therapy called Guided Self Help which worked for me (in fact too well, I have hypomania now!). I was extremely lucky!

I've yet to research whether vegans are more susceptible to depression than others but even if this is the case, I doubt that diet is the sole cause.  I believe there may be another reason:

THE 'EMPATH' OR 'HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON'

I score 21 out of 23 on the 'Highly
Sensitive Person' scale!

Where there are psychopaths, on the opposite end of the scale, there is such a thing as an 'empath' or 'highly sensitive person' (HSP).  This personality type is characterised by a higher than average level of empathy, tendency to feel overwhelmed, low self-esteem and introversion (not in all cases, I don't consider myself an introvert). It doesn't appear to be very widely researched but reading Aron's book made me feel much more understood.  

I was considered shy as a child, I find it difficult to watch horror films, anything with cruelty or extreme violence, I'm a bit of an ignoramus when it comes to politics and current affairs because I can't cope with reading newspapers or watching the news, I support several charities and non-profit organisations, always try to do the right thing and wish I could solve all the problems in the world.  I always felt like I was strange because I didn't really know other people like me.  I'm very happy to know there's nothing wrong with me, it's just a personality type (that has its merits as well as disadvantages!).

It has been said that it's not necessarily the case that HSPs are more prone to depression but it would make sense.  As I said in my last blog what I feel most when I have an episode of depression is an overwhelming sense of being unable to cope whether it's with stress, measuring up to my self-imposed standards, sad or depressing life events or situations that happen in the world beyond my control.  In my opinion having this personality type has almost certainly contributed to my depression. 

anyone remember this episode of
Friends? me at the moment! 
hypomania is fun!

It's not all bad though.  It also means I sometimes have the ability to feel overwhelmed by positive emotions and excitement which I'm very grateful for!

I also believe that there might be some association between the HSP personality type and the decision to adopt a vegan diet. 

I'm sure it's not necessarily the case that all vegans are HSPs, you certainly don't have to be to be appalled by factory farming once you've read or seen videos about it. I'm also not suggesting that all non-vegans are psychopathic and insensitive. Given that an estimated 15-20% of the population have this personality and only about 1% of people are vegan, of course there are non-vegans who are extremely sensitive, caring people who feel more strongly about different causes.  But it would make sense that those who decide to adopt a dietary choice and lifestyle aimed at reducing suffering in the world would likely to have this personality. Where nutritional deficiencies have been ruled out in anyone, this personality type should be considered as one of the contributing factors to depression.

Being a HSP is not a mental disorder or something or something that needs 'treating'. It can, however make life slightly more challenging in some ways. Elaine Aron's book 'The Highly Sensitive Person' has useful advice on how to manage life as a HSP and view one's personality trait as a gift, not a flaw.

So, the moral of this very long story is: food can definitely be one of many factors contributing to depression and eating the correct foods and correcting nutritional deficiencies can certainly be of help.  But as it's such a complex illness, there is never one simple cause and as follows, there's no one simple treatment.  Anyone encountering a health practitioner who insinuates one's depression (or any health issue) is solely the result of not eating oily fish (I have encountered MANY with this attitude!) remember this blog!

5 things to do when the black dog strikes........

Me as grumpy bear!

I might appear annoyingly chirpy in some of my blogs but depression is something I suffer from on and off and that affects many people I know. As my t-shirt shows, even the care bears recognise that it's ok to not feel great all the time but somehow there is still a strong stigma and misunderstanding of depression.

People who have never been through depression themselves might not fully understand what it's like (through no fault of their own) but it's more than just general feelings of sadness. When I'm going through an episode I feel empty inside, I'm over-sensitive to criticism, I feel apathetic, I can't make the simplest of decisions, my brain just doesn't work, my memory's bad, I'm clumsy and nervous and make stupid mistakes.

What is most prominent for me is an overwhelming feeling of being unable to cope (which made doing the nutrition diploma whilst working extremely challenging for me!). 

I've not found a permanent cure and for me, desperately trying to drag myself out of it has only ever made it worse.  Certain things, however I have found to help manage an episode whilst I'm in it.

Everyone has different strategies for coping & what works for me might not work for another person but here's some things I have found useful: 

1. Try to recognise the signs early and intervene as soon as possible.

If you find yourself feeling really negative, overwhelmed and exhausted, unable to cope or being over-sensitive to criticism don't be afraid to seek help.  Your GP may be able to refer you for a talking therapy and/or medication if necessary. Talking to a trusted friend or family member may also be of help.  If this is not an option there are many helplines (and online communities if you're uncomfortable talking to someone on the phone or in person) that offer a non-judgemental support service.  They may not be able to offer you a solution to your problems but sometimes it's just helpful to let it all out. It's far easier (as with any illness) to treat it if you recognise it early.

2. Keep the right balance between working too much and too little
Through having a kind of therapy called Guided self-help (that was available to me free on the NHS!) I was able to recognise that my depressive episodes were triggered partly by either working too little or too much.  

My most recent episode occurred because after 4 years of the stress of my course I wanted to give myself a relaxing break (which is fine!). My problem was I took too long off (I'm ambitious but I do have a bit of a lazy streak!) and when it came to time to start my own business I just felt completely overwhelmed and panicked. I ended up just working 18 hours per week in my part time job and doing less and less as the weeks went by. I lost my confidence and sunk into depression.  I found it extremely hard to motivate myself to do anything but I decided to start doing some volunteering at my local food bank once per week, which really helped. I became a bit busier with small things like Christmas shopping (not such a small task if your family is the size of mine!) and helping look after my nephews and niece and this gradually made me feel much better.

If you are unemployed or have too much spare time for any reason try to do at least something whether it's helping out family or friends or volunteering in a charity shop.  There are so many things you can do and it can really help increase your confidence and well-being.

On the other hand, if you are over-working with no time for relaxation, this can also trigger depression.  When I first started doing the nutrition course I was working full time but I felt pretty euphoric and excited at the prospect of having finally discovered my passion and purpose in life. At the beginning I was full of energy, got high marks and coped pretty well. But the way the course was designed at the time was such that there was literally no break from studying between September and June. By April/May I was going a bit crazy and my grades were getting lower and lower! I managed to make it through somehow and had a lovely holiday in Portugal in the summer as a treat!

not trying to be supergirl, this was a fancy
dress birthday, just a bit of fun!

If you're in a situation where the stress seems inescapable (perhaps you're a carer, a new parent or a working student), remember that there is help in some form available if you ask for it.  There are all sorts of people and organisations that can offer help and support and sometimes just having a good ol' moan can be therapeutic. No need to try to be superman/woman.

3. Seek out sources of comfort!
Don't be afraid to indulge in the things that make you happy as long as it's not hurting you or other people. 

Marian Keyes found baking to be of  help
when she had severe depression.  She shared and gave
the cakes away rather than eating them all so that's ok!

Be careful with depending on food or drink as a source of comfort as this can lead to addiction unless you have a healthy relationship with food (which I think most of us don't!).  I would be a complete liar if I said I haven't succumbed to this but I do try to find other means of comforting myself. 

Examples include:

• watching your favourite TV series. I like to watch Peep show and the Inbetweeners to laugh at the (fictional) misfortune of others when I'm feeling really crap! Inspirational, funny or favourite films from your childhood can also be a source of comfort.
• listening to cheesy music that you secretly like! One thing I like to do is listen to Christmas songs when it's nowhere near Christmas! Not especially cool but it helps bring back nostalgic feelings of when I was young, really happy and excited & it's a source of comfort to me.  I use headphones!
• looking at beautiful images on Google to remind yourself that there is positivity and beauty in the universe 

When I'm feeling down I like to view beautiful pictures of
 like this on google images.

• spending some time in nature can be really therapeutic. I love to go to Regent's park in London and look at the beautiful flowers
• I personally love exercise, especially ice skating.
• Talking to my friends and family. I have quality rather than quantity when it comes to friends which I'm happy with!

I once read about a guy who celebrates Christmas every day, which I think is a bit over the top but hey! whatever floats your boat! In all seriousness I think there is far too much sadness and suffering in the world so if people can find things that make themselves happy without hurting other people then that's great.

4. Let go of guilt!

whether you're religious or not, this just
 makes so much sense!

Allow yourself to be upset about your problems, whatever they may be. When we hear about disaster, extreme poverty and terrorism in the world, we can often feel like our problems are insignificant and that we're not allowed to ever complain or moan.  Whilst it is true that there are always people far worse off and it's so important to appreciate what you have, this kind of thinking has worsened my depression. 


But, importantly, if the problem is something that affects your life negatively try to think of what practical steps you can do about it.  I've been guilty so many times of spending so much time dwelling on something that I haven't tried to do anything about it. Like for example, when  studying for my diploma my laptop would have an annoying tendency to freeze when I was trying to complete an assignment and had an impending deadline, the first thought in my head has often been 'this sucks but most people in the world can't afford a laptop, so I can't grumble'.  A much more useful thought would be 'Can I get my laptop fixed?'

I've written about letting go of guilt in a broader sense in my blog:
http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/more-guilty-nutritional-therapy.html

5. Read 'Sane new world' by Ruby Wax! 

She's a comedian (in case you live under a rock and haven't heard of her) and she somehow manages to make depression humorous! Genius! A fun, very useful and easy read! Visit your local library for this book and many other self-help books that may be of use!

UK based Organisations that may be of help:

Samaritans - A helpline for those with depression or suicidal thoughts. www.samaritans.org
CALM - a phoneline specifically aimed at males with depression to help reduce the incidence of male suicide. They also produce a magazine and have an online community. www.thecalmzone.net
Maytree - a London based sanctuary for those feeling suicidal. www.maytree.org.uk
MIND (run free or inexpensive courses and support for those with mental health issues) mind.org.uk
Rethink - Offer various support services for those with mental health issues. www.rethink.org

turn2me.org Online support for depression and suicidal feelings.

NHS-based mental health services: - http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/MentalHealth/Pages/Mentalhealthhome.aspx

IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). NHS based talking therapies for depression and anxiety. www.iapt.nhs.uk

This list is not exhaustive and these are only a few examples but my message is that there is help out there!