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Depression
7 challenges in 7 days to get 2017 off to a better start
Join in with these simple, achievable goals to boost your mood this New Year.
Posted December 29, 2016
2016 sucked. We're agreed on that, right? Even if you're happy that billionaire Donald Trump was elected or Britain voted to leave the EU, even if you managed to turn a blind eye to the plight of Syria's children or the terror attacks in Europe, you'd have to have a heart of stone not to have been moved by one of the events that have made headlines over the past 12 months. The premature passing of David Bowie, Prince or Victoria Wood, perhaps, or George Michael, Carrie Fisher and her mum, Debbie Reynolds, a week or so ago?
Of course these public figures aren’t personal friends or family, and some of the celebrity deaths of 2016 weren’t tragic; many of these artists lived full, lengthy lives and it was simply their time to leave us. But nonetheless 2016 has been a year of letting go; it feels like a part of our youth is gone forever when those we loved and admired as children, teenagers and young adults are no longer with us.
Yet time waits for no one, and a new year is fast approaching. January is traditionally associated with fresh starts and resolutions, yet it's also the month when post-festivity depression often kicks in. Compounded by the hammering 2016 has given so many, right now it feels a matter of urgency for those of us who are prone to anxiety and depression that we do our utmost to avoid being dragged down further.
Make no mistake, gloom is no side issue
Depression will be the biggest global health problem by 2030, according to the World Health Organization, and 1 in 4 of us are likely to experience at least one major mental health episode in our lifetime. While doctors try to deal with the epidemic, individual sufferers can feel overwhelmed by their condition and the options to treat it. If we're to do our bit to stop ourselves spiraling downwards and thus help tackle the issue at its source, paying attention to self-care is paramount. But self-care doesn't have to be solipsistic; as we strive to look after ourselves, we can also help and encourage others.
Together we can be stronger, healthier and happier
Back in 2014 I founded an online group where fellow anxiety and depression sufferers can support one other. 'We've 7000 in the group already, but it’s striking how many new members we get in January, and what a struggle that first week back at work, school, or college can be,’ says fellow group member, author Kate Harrison.
Recently Kate and I pooled our experience of depression to write a guide to recovery. In it we explore how 'making friends' with difficult emotions rather than fighting or ignoring them can help us treat our bodies and minds with understanding and kindness, and thus overcome low mood and depression. It seems a similar approach to the one Kristen Lee writes of in her piece in Psychology Today on the late, great Carrie Fisher: "Difficult emotions are tough to contend with, but avoiding them doesn’t make them better." Yet sometimes even reading a book is too challenging; when we're really low it can be hard to know where to begin.
Start small, with goals you have a hope of achieving
In December many of us take a break from day-to-day responsibilities, and finding they're all still there on January 1 can trigger feelings of overwhelm and despondency. So Kate and I are setting a small, achievable challenge for ourselves every day for the first week of January, and we're inviting members of the public to join us – including you, dear readers of this piece in Psychology Today. The challenges – from complimenting a stranger, to wearing a bright color or trying to make someone else laugh – are designed to combat the isolation depression can cause. And the good news is that there are no strict diets or tough exercise regimes involved.
The more who join in, the merrier
"We're using the tag #beattheblues, and we've designed the challenges as quick wins," says Kate. "But they are also conversation starters, to help people talk about their mood and what they can do to raise it."
Dr Patrick Fitzgerald, who has seen the effects of depression from the other side, as a busy GP working in Cheshire, has given each the seal of approval. "These are simple challenges that can help to lift mood without being too daunting," he says. "We're not asking people to run a marathon, write a literary masterpiece, or learn a new musical instrument. All 7 ways to beat the blues are quick, easy, and do-able."
Pictured here are the first couple of challenges.
* Day 1: Making someone laugh – so it could be as simple as telling a joke, or you could watch a sitcom on TV, or head out to the cinema. As long as you engender laughter, you can tick it off the list!
* Day 2: Hug an animal – if you have a cat or a dog, you could spend a few extra minutes relishing its company. If not, why not ask a friend or neighbor with a pet if you can cuddle it and rise to the challenge that way?
The remaining five include:
* Day 3: Wear your favorite color – I so cannot wait for the look on my husband's face when he sees me wearing orange from head to toe!
* Day 4: Pay a stranger a compliment
* Day 5: Make a healthy meal
* Day 6: Go for a walk
* Day 7: Dance yourself dizzy
Participating in these simple challenges can help stop the cycle of depressive thinking and thus beat the blues
"Some may scoff and say these 7 challenges are not that difficult," Kate acknowledges. "But each one offers the chance to push yourself harder if you want. Their flexibility is partly what makes them great. They're universal – things that pretty much everyone can do."
And as 2016 saw enough sniping and back-biting to last most of us a decade, what harm can come from kicking off 2017 with some straightforward, outward-looking positivity?
The time for fun is now
Feel free to comment below, or to share your photos and experiences with us on Facebook.
Good luck, and Happy New Year!
