In 2012 I was diagnosed with severe depression, bipolar, social anxiety and slight agoraphobia. I was a mess. Since then, through the love and support of my family, medication and therapy I have made a lot of progress. There's more to do, but I take pride in what I have accomplished.
It took almost 2 years to find the right combination of medication. I can tell you the side effects were awful but the end results made getting through them worth it.
I am in monthly therapy sessions which sometimes lead to a low period but thanks to them the lows only last a day. I do have fewer high days, they are a trade off to a ton more regularly functioning days which in the end makes me more productive.
Along with all of these measures I have learned two which I consider to be just as miraculous. Eating a well balanced diet and exercise. It is amazing how these two things effect my moods.
In October my family moved to a different town. With all the stress of the packing, moving, unpacking, my son changing schools and my husband starting a new job I lost track of my diet and exercise program. I stopped jogging and started eating a lot of junk like fast food and deliver pizza. Thanks to this my husband and I both gained a lot of weight and I found myself feeling more depressed every day.
We are settled in to the new house, school and job and beginning to get back on track. Here in the Midwest we can have all four seasons in a week which makes jogging outside very unpredictable. Luckily I recently found a very affordable treadmill at a used sporting goods store. It doesn't come with ever changing scenery but it does let me catch up on all my favorite TV shows.
I have also discovered the love of a pressure cooker. I like cooking but sometimes there just isn't much time for it. Thanks to an electric pressure cooker I've done Miso braised short ribs in less than an hour and mashed potatoes in 15 minutes along with mac-n-cheese in 10.
I'm hoping to make these two lifestyle changes a subconscious decision- like taking a shower or making coffee.
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