decision making and depression

[JonW]

"Maybe kimjohnson can share something about it in the 'general discussions' or 'Mindfulness & me' section."

Yes, excellent idea.
Thanks Peter.
Cheers,
Jon

[miracle_0617]

Hi there, Hannah! I suffer from depression as well and have found that regularly seeing a therapist who's well versed in mindfulness to be very, very helpful. If you are in the US or Canada, you can find mindfulness based therapists using psychologytoday.com's directory.

[Jenni]

Hi Hannah,

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling low at the moment. I've struggled with depression for most of my life, so I know that trying to make decisions from that place can be confusing and mentally draining.

I find that mindfulness can help with decision making when I use it to focus my attention on my values and what's important to me. With such a big decision as what to do after you graduate, that might be particularly helpful. It's so easy to slip into thinking about what you 'should' do or what is 'best', so taking some time to reflect on what really matters to you can help you find your centre, and then you can go from there. Feeling scared of making the wrong decision is so stressful!

I think everyone experiences depression slightly differently, so it might not be the best time to start a mindfulness course or anything like that. However, I took an 8-week course during one of my worst depressive episodes and it was invaluable. Perhaps you could find a local mindfulness teacher and have a conversation with them, and maybe they could advise you on whether it's a good time for you?

One last thing... An important part of mindfulness (as I understand it) is the non-judgement aspect. I don't know about you, but when I get depressed I also experience a lot of self-criticism and judgement. Sometimes just giving myself a little self-compassion can do a lot of good. I try to think about how I would feel if a loved one was feeling the way I do, and then try to give myself the same kindness as I would to them. Or at the very least I try to view my depression as a common human experience, something that I haven't chosen and have limited control over, and so therefore it's something I don't need to beat myself up over. That can take the edge off a little.

I hope some of that was helpful, and I wish you all the best for the future! x

[JonW]

Great post, Jenni.
Welcome to the forum.
All best wishes,
Jon

[kimjohnson]

Anxiety reduction, those are the activities that reduces anxiety such as these suggested ways:
Get enough sleep
Express gratitude - expressing gratitude helps reduce anxiety, especially when we’re well-rested
De-clutter the brain
Play Around with pets or coloring a Mandala

Coloring a Mandala and Anxiety Reduction One of the easiest ways to guide yourself into a calm state.

Thanks kimjohnson. "Coloring a Mandala" I get, but what do you mean by "Anxiety Reduction"?

Peter