EPISODE #110-"The Silent Struggle: A Day in a Depressed Mind"

In the podcast episode, "The Silent Struggle: A Day in a Depressed Mind," we delve into the intricate and often unspoken challenges faced by individuals grappling with depression. Join us as we navigate the complex terrain of daily life through the lens of mental health, aiming to shed light on the experiences that are often hidden behind a façade of silence.

We explore the nuances of waking up to a day colored by the persistent weight of depression. From the moment the alarm rings, the struggle to muster the energy to face the day becomes palpable. We unravel the emotional landscape that follows, where routine tasks transform into monumental obstacles, and the simplest decisions become daunting feats.

Through personal narratives and expert insights, "The Silent Struggle" aims to create a space for empathy and understanding. We share stories that resonate with those who experience depression and seek to foster compassion among listeners who may not be familiar with the daily realities of mental health challenges. This podcast serves as a bridge to connect individuals, break the silence surrounding depression, and promote a broader conversation about mental well-being. Join us as we explore the journey 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Hello and welcome to when over depression. I am your host, tamara Trotter. This podcast is dedicated to those who suffer with the mental illness but try every single day to feel better. It's also dedicated to those who want to learn more about the mental health condition of their loved ones in an effort to better understand this debilitating disease. The first thing I want you to know is that depression is a disease and in large part, it's due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. The brain of someone who suffers with depression is very different than the brain of someone who does not. There are natural things that you can do in order to keep the activity in your brain at a high and to increase the serotonin in your brain. One of the main things to do is to get enough sunlight. If you get 15 minutes of sunlight every single day, you are helping your mental health condition. If you can reduce your sugar intake by 50%, not only will you feel better, you're going to have more energy.

Speaker 1: 1:21

So today we'll be talking about what does a day in the life of someone who is depressed look like? So 24 hours in the life of someone who suffers from depression is much different than 24 hours in the life of someone who does not. So just waking up in the morning can be a struggle. Those who suffer with depression have difficulty getting out of bed due to the persistent feeling of fatigue and lack of motivation. Oftentimes you're not able to sleep very well, and so when your alarm clock goes off and it's time for you to actually put your feet on the floor, you just feel very tired. In the morning routine it may feel overwhelming, and then just the thought of facing the day can be daunting. So I know for me personally. I have two dogs who do not allow me not to get up in the morning because they have to be fed, and so I've often talked about how having an animal or a pet really does help you manage your mental illness, because the idea is that you are taking care of an animal that needs you and relies on you, so that is what gives you the motivation that you need to go ahead and get up. So throughout the day, you may have ups and downs, your energy may feel low, and then, all of a sudden, you may get a boost in energy, but it fluctuates throughout the day.

Speaker 1: 3:00

It's important for you to eat breakfast in the morning, but at the same time. Sometimes you don't feel like eating breakfast right away and you end up skipping breakfast and the next thing you do is look around and it's now three o'clock and you haven't eaten anything. And so your day has already started out really off kilter because you are not doing anything for your body to give it some energy. That's why getting 15 minutes of sunlight is so very important, and actually just consuming something in the morning whether it's a smoothie or just a piece of toast or oatmeal, just something in your system is going to help you with that mood. And then next, I talk about the importance of completing at least two goals every single day. They do not have to be extremely big goals, they can be very simple washing the dishes, going and walking your dogs, checking the mail, writing a letter any of those things are good, and when you get exercise it's also going to help you.

Speaker 1: 4:07

So the routine of someone who suffers from depression it really can vary from day to day because it really depends on how you actually feel in the morning. Some days you feel great, you have energy, you are ready to meet the day, and other days you just you're just not feeling. I can't really describe it, but you're just not feeling upbeat, you're just not really ready to interact with a lot of people and you just feel drab. And it's so important on these days that you push yourself, because if you do not, you will find yourself in an episode of depression. So that is where all the tools and techniques come in.

Speaker 1: 4:53

When you get up in the morning and you have figured out what your day may feel like, that's when you set up your day and decide what is the first step that I need to take in order to get my mental health elevated. So at that point is very important to take a shower. The shower is going to revitalize you and it's going to energize you. So the sooner that you take a shower in the morning, the better you're going to feel. Once you get out of the shower and dry off, you're now moving. You're getting ready to brush your teeth and wash your face, and that's going to help put you a little bit closer to that mood that you're looking for. So do not skip the shower, even if you don't feel like it.

Speaker 1: 5:50

The next thing you want to do is turn on some music, some music that is either some classical music or maybe some jazz music or even some rock and roll, whatever is your pleasure, because listening to music helps your mood and it energizes you. And that's really what depression does is it takes away the energy and that's why you don't want to get out of the bed and that's why you don't feel like interacting, because you have no energy. So when you take that shower and you're listening to music and you're walking around, that is going to help your mood and the level of serotonin in your brain increase. So if you do that, when you get up in the morning, you are setting up your day for success. And if you're able to pick out your clothes the night before, iron them if they need to be ironed, pull out everything that you need, that is going to decrease your frustration in the morning and it's going to increase your ability to feel like I'm ready, I'm going to be able to get out of the house and I'm not going to be rushed.

Speaker 1: 7:13

Because one of the things, unfortunately, that happens to people who suffer from depression is you aren't in the mood to get up and therefore you're moving slow and then you wind up getting out of the door late and then you're rushing to get to work and you're already frustrated on your drive to work before you've even arrived, because of how you felt when you got up. And I know that if I were to tell you if you could get up 20 or 30 minutes earlier it would help you. But I know personally it's a struggle. But if you can get up 15 to 20 minutes earlier than you normally would, you're going to put yourself in a better place and be able to really start off your day better. So it's really similar to you just setting up your plan at work and what you're going to do, use that same plan at home and be prepared and know what may come your way and what you may face on any given day. But again, I know that that can be difficult because you're just not necessarily used to getting up and getting going because of your mood, but sometimes we have to dig deep and figure out how can we get there. Now, if you're consuming a lot of sugary foods before you go to bed, that is going to affect your ability to get up in the morning. So maybe you need to not eat any sugary foods after 6 or 7 pm. And again, if you can decrease your sugar intake by 50%, you are going to automatically feel better.

Speaker 1: 9:12

It's also important to have something that you look forward to on any given day and during the week, whether it's going out to lunch with a friend, going to the movies, just meeting someone for coffee Simple activities like that are going to help your mood. Especially when you don't feel like it, that is the best time to do it, and I know it's hard to get dressed, figure out what you're going to wear and all of that. But I guarantee you that once you start this behavior and you do it over and over again, it will eventually become a habit and you will be used to getting up and starting your day in a specific way, because when we know what we want to do and we put that plan into place, then we are more likely to have a smoother day. And also throughout the day, there may be some negative thoughts that enter your mind. There may be situations or circumstances that you're dealing with that may cause your mood to go down. Do your best to put those to the side and set aside some time when you will think about the things that are on your mind and be able to address it then, but don't allow it to be a distraction during the day, because then it will affect your productivity, whether at work or at home, and then you will be behind in that activity and that's not going to cause you to feel good.

Speaker 1: 10:57

We always need to try our best to fill our life with things that make us happy, and when we can do that as much as possible, we're going to be able to keep our depression at bay. Sometimes there may be a song or a picture or something that reminds you of a sad event or something that happened in your life that just wasn't favorable. Whenever that happens, try and pause that thought and go back in your mind to a place when you were doing well, feeling well, and things were going in your life in a much better way. Concentrate on the good times and the good things. The only way that we're going to be able to suppress the feelings of negativity or situations that have come up that hurt us is to replace those hurts and those pains with positive feelings and the gains that we have experienced over time. We also may struggle with feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and that's why it's so important to not listen to those thoughts, because they are faulty thoughts, but unfortunately, those thoughts may permeate someone who suffers with the mental illness.

Speaker 1: 12:28

I know it sounds like a lot of work and I'll be honest with you it is a lot of work and that's why I tell you that on days when you just can't do it, you just can't muster up the energy, it is okay, because it is difficult managing and living with a mental illness. You have to give yourself some grace. So on days when you just need to sleep in a little bit longer, or you want to take a long nap, or you just decide that you want to stay at home, it's okay, as long as the next day you have decided that you will not have two days in a row when you are not being active. You cannot have two days in a row when you are not being active and getting up and managing your mental illness, because the two days will turn into four days, and then six and then 10. And before you know it, it'll be two weeks that you have been in an episode of depression.

Speaker 1: 13:40

Remember, being proactive is the key to managing your mental illness. Next, you want to have an accountability partner, someone that you can call and say, hey, I'm not doing too well today, and they can speak into your life and give you some encouragement. You need at least one or two people in your life who you can trust with your feelings, and if you can do those things, then you are going to continue to keep your depression at bay, and that is what we're looking for. Keeping our depression at bay. Now decide if you're going to take medication and again, I've always said that I take medication every night and I do it because I believe that it helps. The medication, in combination with other things that I do, other activities that I'm involved in, is what helps to keep my depression at bay. I look forward to every Friday recording this podcast and it brings me joy. So these are the activities that I perform in order to keep my own personal depression at bay, but I definitely am in the game with you. I still have my own personal struggles and I have not completely healed from depression. I can honestly say I have healed from chronic depression, but I still have episodes of depression. So hang in there.

Speaker 1: 15:17

I hope that you will go back and listen and write down some of the techniques I've shared with you today. I care about you. I want you to stay in the game of life. I want you to feel better and do better for yourself. I want you to be able to achieve the desires of your heart and get to whatever point in life, whatever pinnacle in your life that you are looking for. I want to see you on Mount Everest. I want you to get to that place in your life where you are unstoppable and I know you can get there. I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening.

Speaker 1: 16:02

Remember, when over depression is now on TikTok. Find us on TikTok, where we have over 100 motivational videos just for you. You can also like and subscribe to our YouTube channel called when over depression. If you are looking for the YouTube channel, you can type in my name, t-a-m-e-r-a, last name, trotter, t-r-o-t-t-e-r, and you should find the when over depression YouTube channel. Remember, you can find us on Pinterest at TTMentalHealthExpert. You can also find us on LinkedIn, twitter and Instagram at Tamera Trotter. If you would like to become a patron of when over depression, please consider going to wwwpatreoncom. That's P-A-T-R-E-O-N dot com. Backslash, tamera Trotter, and a one time donation of $110, which represents our 110th episode, or a monthly donation of $10 to $15, will help our cause immensely. Thank you for being the best part of when over depression and we will see you next Friday for episode 111. Take care, my friends.