Depression
Depression: distraction, activities and creativity
No one we talked to found that rumination (thinking over issues in your head), was helpful in depression. In fact, the reverse was true - rumination could make negative thoughts worse. As one man said, initially, 'you don't know which is right, whether to look inwards or outwards.' Clearly though, chewing over issues while depressed, without a skilled counsellor or therapist to guide you, was of little help to anyone.
Any kind of distraction from the tendency to ruminate (e.g. such as counting different coloured cars) can give at least temporary relief from depression. However, for better relief from depression in the long term, distraction is just a first step.
The second step was to replace inactivity and rumination with meaningful activities. It was pointed out that initially, the meaningful activity could be very small (e.g. getting out of bed, getting dressed, going for a walk or baking bread). As one man explained, to people who are depressed, these apparently small achievements are as important as the larger achievements of people who are not depressed.
Says that you may only be able to tackle small activities when depressed, but you can progress to...
Says that you may only be able to tackle small activities when depressed, but you can progress to...
And then I spent some time working on a farm, actually, which was quite good because there was the exercise and the fresh air, and there was also the camaraderie of other people who thought it was a crap job as well. So, you know'. not doing anything too demanding'.
It might almost seem common sense to people that if you distract yourself from some of these things, it might give a bit of relief. That actually in the long term, if you keep doing it, it's a good way of slowly coming out of depression. But yes, it might seem common sense, but it's not what you feel like doing all the time, not at all.
The third step is to try engaging in more difficult activities. One man used all his energy to push himself to go to the gym every day during his depression and he also found he got distracted by Wimbledon! Another isolated man eventually started to play bowls, and was able to make valued friendships as well as become 'one of the boys' - something he had longed for in life. One young man was initially sceptical that his doctor's advice to 'do just physical things' could work to help lift his depression. Nevertheless, he was pleasantly surprised to find that gardening made it easier for him to defeat negative thoughts.
Says that having a hobby can distract from negative thoughts as well as provide meaningful...
Says that having a hobby can distract from negative thoughts as well as provide meaningful...
I'd become a bowler, gained an interest in bowling, got onto the committee, moved up to treasurer, and I am currently chairman of the bowls club. From that I got such a great reward, I sort of blossomed because in amongst new people, an interest and all the rest of it, and being one of a bunch. And that seemed to be important to me, to be one of the boys, or that sort of thing.
I was pretty well able to hide it (depression) to a large extent, and I didn't have that many friends. And that was partly the reason I took up bowling and these other things to get friends you know.
His doctor recommended physical activities, so he took up gardening, even though sceptical, but...
His doctor recommended physical activities, so he took up gardening, even though sceptical, but...
So I started to garden, I've never been in the garden before. And it was crap at first, but gradually it was alright, you know you start to think, 'Yeah, this is kind of distracting me a bit.' And there was one day I remember having my Walkman on [laughs] and I was trying to listen to a record, I can't even think what it was now, and of course the bad stuff comes, the bad thoughts come. And I remember the first time that I felt, 'Oh, I'm winning here.''And for the first time I felt hey, this fighting is working'
People tell you to do things, they say in this case you know, work in the garden. And you do it the first few times and you just think, 'Oh fuck off, this isn't going to work.' And strangely, these sort of laborious tasks do begin to work, so you have to stick at it.
One very depressed woman often forced herself to get out of bed and do gardening while very depressed. She found being active in nature distracting and beneficial for her wellbeing. There is research evidence to support the view that just being in nature reduces stress, increases positive thinking and aids concentration (Townsend & Mahoney 2004).
Several people emphasised the benefits of creative activities, such as writing poems, singing, drawing and painting, as an important outlet for feelings. People frequently said that feelings during depression are difficult to put in words, yet they could find an outlet in creative activities. One woman was able to get an NHS referral to a Day Centre. She believed that being able to attend the Centre every day during her depression and engage in creative activities, exercise and companionship was a saviour. Some fortunate people were able to express themselves creatively in paid work. Some people wanted to express their creativity on our website, by reciting a poem they had written or singing a song.
Feels people need to find ways to express their feelings (e.g. poetry, music, dancing) so that...
Feels people need to find ways to express their feelings (e.g. poetry, music, dancing) so that...
Such as?
Such as poetry. I wrote a poem when I was in hospital, and it literally flowed out of me. I wrote it and a couple of people have read it. I've written lots more since. And it's been a good way of getting these feelings out'.For me writing it's a good way of putting something down in black and white that sometimes is very difficult to express in words. When somebody says to you, 'How do you feel?' sometimes it is difficult to say, to sum it up in a few sentences, how you do feel.
You know it's a mind body thing. Sometimes you feel things in your body that you just can't express. So I would encourage anybody to do whatever they feel comfortable with doing, whatever their means are to express themselves, whether it be music, dancing, or something, or screaming or getting in to the car and having a good shout is a good thing because nobody can hear you when you are driving along in your car.
Let it out because if it doesn't come out, it gets stuck, I think. And it builds up and builds up and you get full and you get full of all these feelings that have never been expressed.
An NHS Day Centre near her home offering creative activities was a welcome distraction from her...
An NHS Day Centre near her home offering creative activities was a welcome distraction from her...
When, when I've been depressed I... I get really very desperate to do anything that will be a distraction, and that's really basically what it was. I mean I am naturally quite artistic and, but it's, it's' when you're as ill as that it's an effort to do anything, so it was, it was just good to be with other people, not be alone, not be stuck in the house, and to be doing anything, you know, in terms of drawing or, or, or pottery. It was, but you don't, there's not, not a sense in which you enjoy it in the same way as you do when you're well. It's, it's a distraction.
Recites a poem she wrote while depressed in hospital.
Recites a poem she wrote while depressed in hospital.
Black bird on my shoulder
Screeching in my ear
Nobody else will listen
He has been there year after year
Black bird on my shoulder
Crying me to sleep
Whispering to me
Give it up
No tears now left to weep
Black bird on my shoulder
Daring me cross that line
Into madness I surrender
Oh insanity, how divine
Black bird on my shoulder
Didn't think I'd come this far
Where do I go to now I plead?
Wading through this thick black tar
Black bird on my shoulder
Please, please just fly away
One more chance just give me
Just give me one more day.
So I guess in a kind of' although I was in a very deep dark depression at the time I was still kind of asking in the very last sentence, 'Give me one more day. Give me, you know, give me something. Somebody help."
Sings a song where he wrote the last verse.
Sings a song where he wrote the last verse.
One morning in spring by chance I did rove
I lay myself down by the side of a grove
And there I did hear the sweet nightingale sing
Never heard so sweet, oh I never heard so sweet. No I never heard so sweet as the birds in the spring.
All on the green grass I sat myself down
And all the sweet nightingale's echoed around.
Oh say don't you hear how they quiver the note
Never heard so sweet, oh I never heard so sweet. No I never heard so sweet as the birds in the spring.
Well I'll sing like a nightingale all of my days
For why should birds only be singers of praise?
And so I do now like a nightingale sing
So I do sing sweet oh yes I do sing sweet.
Oh yes I do sing sweet like a bird in the spring.
Some people started doing voluntary work in their areas of creative interest. Not only were such jobs satisfying and beneficial to their wellbeing, but unpaid work sometimes also led to paid employment.
Says that doing voluntary work can be enjoyable and less pressured than paid work, helping you to...
Says that doing voluntary work can be enjoyable and less pressured than paid work, helping you to...
So'voluntary work I would definitely advocate because it gives you a sense of'.it helps build your confidence, self-esteem and it usually leads on to other things. I've learnt to drive, drive horse and carriage which this time last year I wouldn't have known, just wouldn't have a clue. And I started out cycling [coughing] and I've progressed and that and now I can actually take out a horse and carriage, which is like amazing. What else have I'I know we are doing something different now but I've taken up things this year that, like canoeing. It is always something I've wanted to do. I did a canoeing course this year, and started doing things for me. So it's like. Do stuff you enjoy doing. That's what I think helps. It's just doing things for me. Looking after myself.
Last reviewed September 2017.
Last updated September 2017.
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