Recently I have been on a merry go round. Magically I have flipped my moods by different strategies. I'm impressed I have learned so much to finally be able to do this for myself. I thought I would share and give others the opportunity to share their successes.

The two latest successes both were the trick of distracting myself with a pleasurable activity.

One night I went to my craft table and absorbed myself with my beads. The second time I sat and watched a good movie - August Rush.

Both gave me a break from smoldering and stewing and redirected my thoughts to the present and what I could do next that would be positive.

I realize it's my job to choose which direction I go and make the path.

At the moment I can't seem to 'flip' myself out of the bad times.

I try every relaxation thing I know of, but still my brain goes back to my trauma. I try to watch TV, and part way through, I realise that I have no idea what is going on, because my mind has drifted. I sit in a hot bath, then sometime later I realise that the water is cold, because I've lost time due to flashbacks. I just can't seem to escape it at the moment. It's on my mind 24/7. I have a safe place in my mind - a beautiful beach - but I can't seem to get there. 'His' face (my rapist), just pops up, I can't seem to stop these intrusive thoughts.

Cindy, I'm glad that you have found things that help you. I'm still looking...

Forcing myself to do things, even when I don't want to is what helps me. Exercise is the biggest thing I do. I hit the treadmill at least 5 days a week, do walking away the pounds tapes too, when I get bored with treadmill.

Sunshine keeps my mood up. When the weather is dark and dismal, so is my mood.

I like to go on drives and sing along with my music or take a walk if its a nice day. Watching a bit of TV (I'm a huge Star Trek fan and I have that on DVD), taking a nice long shower, and sometimes playing a video game by myself or with my husband is good too. Sometimes I tell my husband I'm feeling bad and I need a distraction and he comes up with something different. Sometimes calling my Mom works well because at times she has a lot to talk about and I can just listen.

I know relaxation is often suggested but for me it doesn't work as the 'first' response.

Distraction is my first response. Distraction can vary greatly between something mundane like a household chore or a movie/puzzle. The trick though with distraction is to practice mindfulness. Whilst you are doing the task you have to be completely mindful of what you are doing, not thinking of anything else but what you are doing.

I wrote myself a 'prescription' for for my 'disease'. One of those things is 30 minutes of exercise every day, no excuses. Sometimes it's formalised - like 30 minutes on the tread mill, sometimes it's a walk and on busier days it might be in two lots e.g. 15 minutes here another 15 minutes later.

After the distraction & exercise, I then find relaxation well relaxing. But prior to that relaxation makes me more anxious. I also still sometimes experience flashbacks when relaxed so that puts me off it.

How about potting plants. Once I planted a bunch of seeds in a pot on a bad day not knowing what I was planting - flowers - and about a month later I had a pot of flowers to show me bad can turn into something good down the road. But if doing something with your hands and getting dirty isn't a problem it could turn into a project that you could start and stop without a problem.

I help myself shift from a bad mood to a good mood, in a number of ways, depending upon the degree of my bad mood. If it's a horribly bad mood, I will generally lay down on the couch, meditate and then fall fast asleep while taking in a good nap. Other times, I will try and claim my own space and a chunk of time and read; but the nap works best for these times.

When it's more manageable and simply a bad mood I'm in, then I make the choose that I prefer to be in a good mood and so I'll listen to music, ......or I care for plants and make new hanging plants and flowers and transplant others. I love yardwork and developing landscape, so I do that. ......or I take a shower and dress myself up, ......I go outside and occasionally take a walk. ......I read to learn and mindfully focus on learning new things I no nothing about. ......I take myself out and treat myself, or make myself a huge bowl of salad whether greens or fruit salad and I always enjoy this. ......Watching a biography and sometimes a documentary always improves my mood. ......Also, some chores I enjoy and in accomplishing these, as well as the more dreaded ones then my bad mood changes for the positive and I'm encouraged.

......The sunshine and the water are great, so during the summer when I can push myself to get to the beach, this is sure to improve my mood; But this is not always an easy decision.

......Oh' and when my mood is sucky, bad, or I find it most difficult tolerating myself, then when I am willing I will talk to God or pray, then this generally greatly improves my mood and it seems to return to me previously loss energy from my prior state of negativity.

Choose and some form of mindful action always seems to change my mood for the good!

Though, when my mood is so terrible and my attitude so exhausted and lousy, then complete inaction in the form of well needed sleep, or a nap is best for all.


Hope

Hello Cindy,

like most of the people here, I find different ways of dealing with depression (outside of the really terrible extreme form when I can't move or eat) - intellectual stimulation really works for me, something to take me away from thinking about myself. When I can engage with my mind I love comedy, exhibitions, film, books ... when not, I eat 85% coco solid choc/oily fish and exercise (well I do this anyway - just do more of it). I don't have a garden, but have recently volunteered to help a friend dig hers - which should be 'grounding' - ha! ha! Apparently diving is very good for depression - I also found the experience surprisingly good for anxiety control - I think it is to do with the regularity of breathing and the resistance setting of the regulator.

dust

Hello Cindy,

gosh, not used to this yet - I keep loosing my replies. Yes, I also find it possible to flip from bad to good (and I can also slip from good to bad as well). I'm not 100% proficient yet, but there is something to be said about engaging in activity that looks outside the self. I love comedy, film and exhibitions and try to engage intellectually at least once a day. I'm also a self confessed chocoholic!

dust

I watch something really funny like "Whose Line is it Anyway?" or some improv stand up comedian.

Chocolate.

Petting my cats.