I don't know how to cope with this depression, it's making life so pointless and hopeless, and my self harm has got really bad the past week, it's getting more often and sort of worse :/ (don't want to go into detail)
How do you guys cope with depression? I'm really struggling, I don't know how to do this without turning to self harm more and more, really losing hope.
Please help me
Keep your chin up, and we might just get though this together.
Hi there, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so low right now. Depression can be extremely debilitating so you've done a good thing by reaching out for support here.
Do you speak to anyone professionally about the depression and/or self-harm? If not, I would encourage you to perhaps go and speak to your GP and see what they can offer you in the way of therapies or medication.
Do you know what kind of triggers set off the self-harm? There are many distractions which can help you in trying to keep your mind occupied. Does anybody know about your self-harm?
Sorry for all the questions!
Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world awaits in darkness for the light that is you.
I have good days and bad days. If I'm having a bad day, sometimes all I can do is wait it out and hope I will feel better later. I keep myself distracted with games and shows. I know it's not always possible, but it's nice if you have someone to talk to. It helps even if you don't feel like talking just to have someone to sit with.
I know it can feel absolutely hopeless and it's hard to realize it at the time but it isn't true.
when i was deep in depression, part of what helped me was to stick to a schedule. having my day on a sort of framework helped to keep me moving through things that needed to get done. it was so so important that i not isolate myself. isolating feels easier, but only intensifies the depression. even when i wasn't really feeling it i had to try to get out and around people at least once a day. i also had to really work on getting myself on a good sleep pattern which really paid off... it also helped me to restructure my thinking so that my thoughts helped me see things realistically instead of all spun negatively, and i can give you more information on that if you would like it
with avoiding harming, i used various different techniques. i had a multi step plan to use to avoid harming, as well as reminders of what my goals were and the reasons that i didn't want to harm.
this is my magical medicine cabinet. Left to right they contain: courage, hope, calmness, and strength.
The magical part: They NEVER run out, so borrow some any time you want.
Hey guys, first of all thanks for replying to my thread,
it can feel almost disabling can't it? Depression is just so hard to get through and most people can't understand or simply won't which is frustrating. :/ I've seen a GP and I'm on a CBT course (not technically therapy but a course, I must stress that point) and on the medication Sertraline (also known as Zoloft)
I haven't really been offered anything else in the way of help but I have got the support of people at college and home/friends etc, it's just that I don't really have anyone I can talk to about everything that goes on in my head because sometimes it's either pretty graphic self harm or just very upsetting, and I definitely can't do that to my parents or friends or anyone I know, it'll just be too much to put on them.
I didn't know whether I should get a councillor.. I'm in the UK so I didn't know if as an adult you had to pay for one or could access any services through the NHS?
Sometimes I don't even know what triggers my self harm, I think it's just my way of coping with bad days, but I'm sure that when the cat scratched me the other day that seriously triggered me, just seeing them on my arm sort of set things off. People know about my self harm but they don't know any extent or detail with it, they just know that I self harm and that's it, I don't like to tell them what I use etc so I normally dodge the questions.
It does help to have company, because a lot of the time when I'm really down I just can't face being with people as in, talking to them and striking up conversation but if I sit with them it can sometimes help. It's just that most of the time things seem hopeless :/ I'm trying to make sure I get out and do things that need doing but I'm at the stage in life where I'm ending college and need to know where I'm going from there, it's just really stressful and I'm not sure what to do with it all.
I know I need to keep reminding myself that the feelings do pass, even if it means they're still there, they do lessen to be more bearable, I need to remember that so thanks for saying.
I will try to get out more and do more things, it's just the motivation to force myself again and again. And PassedExpectations, if you can send me things on how to change my thinking, I'd most appreciate it. What's this multi step plan you use for avoiding harming? Do you think you could PM me more details please?
Hi Simka.
If you're already seeing a CBT therapist, I'm not sure a counsellor on top would be helpful. You can see one on the NHS but it would be highly unlikely to be offered one concurrently.
When you feel triggered, is there anything you think you could do to avoid cutting, like distractions?
KatieP has amazing advice/techniques, so I'd really suggest giving them a go when you hear from her. :)
It doesn't matter where you come from; it matters where you go.
No-one gets remembered for the things they didn't do.
We won't all be here this time next year,
so while you can take a picture of us.
We're definitely going to hell,
but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
