How do you cope when deeply depressed?

[schrodingers_cat_lives]

Aside from taking meds, how do you cope when you're in a deep crippling depression?

I don't really know how to cope.
I basically try to escape the reality of depression through sleep and by watching serial tv shows when i'm awake. Deep depressions really paralyze me and affects my cognition so i find it hard to read anything or even talk to people. I don't really have support, I live alone, and am unable to afford therapy, so all i feel i can do is ride it out and find ways of escaping. When it gets really really bad and escaping through tv gets old, one thing i do, which i know can't be good for me, is take over the counter sleeping pills to X out because i'd just rather be unconscious than to deal with the pain of depression.

I do cry out to God and pray for relief, but the depressive state remains. I sometimes come here to vent and connect with others. Right now i just swung from months of mania into a deep depression. My doc took me off the antidepressant because of the mania, but once the antidepressant left my system, i crashed into a deep depression. I demanded to be put back on the antidepressants and so now i'm waiting for them to kick in and lift me out of this depression. I've been hospitalized twice this yr. for depression and i just don't know how much more i can take.

 

[CraftyTurtle]

Oh man, going off anti-depressants is rough. I am resigned to the fact I will be on them for life. .....or until the next big thing comes along.

For the past 6 months I have been in a state of sleep-more-than-awake just to make the time go by. Waiting. Waiting for what? I don't know.
I have been pushing the boundaries at work - days off, come in late, etc. I am trying to get my sleep in order - I have sleepless nights followed by days of ridiculous tiredness.

Do you breathe? I'm not being silly - deep slow breathing for 5 minutes twice a day (or when particularly stressed) It is a lot more helpful that it sounds.

When I don't want to be me, I am someone else - favourite character from a TV show or movie. Depends what I'm doing at the time. If I have to do something physical, I become the big tough guy. If I have to think, I'm the techie-nerd-guru. If I need to sleep, I do the tough guy who gets injured and is getting a well-earned rest, with others reassuring him. Living alone, you can be who you want, and you can get the company you need.

Above all, take your meds. After that, eat right, avoid caffeine, stay hydrated, keep warm (are you in winter right now?) and shower every day.

 

[Loven God]

I try to force myself to get out , I try not to watch depressing movies , I try to open the curtins . Long nice baths seem to help and church and prayer make a big diffrince .