YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

When you are depressed and/or have anxiety, how do you build healthy habits such as exercise, eating healthy, sleeping healthy, practicing gratitude, meditate and all those other things which are good for you?

Slowly and one thing at the time, I'm sure, but I always seem to become overwhelmed anyway. Also, if I enter a more severe depressive episode all my good habits are instantly blown to bits requiring a lot of rebuilding.

Right now, I'm not exercising at all, I get up at noon, don't eat anything till around 4 PM and basically do nothing in terms of healthy habits. Any advice? Also, what should I work on first? What would be the "top healthy habit" besides therapy and possibly medication?

NOTE: I'm not in therapy right now nor on any medication, but should be able to start next week (it's a matter of finances). I know that that's a huge part of it but the question is still of some interest, I think.

I've found that sleep and exercise are very helpful starting points. Once you've regained some energy from a good sleep, you can do some stretching and exercises. Once that moves some endorphins around, I find that it makes the other habits (mainly challenging negative thoughts and replacing them with positive thoughts based in reality) more easy and natural. At least, more easy and natural than just sitting still and trying to out-think your issues (a lovely concept that just plain doesn't work, lol).

Thank you, cpa. I actually began to work on better sleep habits last night. I will try to incorporate some light exercises in as well.

Right on. Just a brisk walk can be helpful. I usually listen to music/podcasts to help occupy my mind. The only real concern (if you're going to do anything even slightly intense) is that you should stretch. It's bad enough being tense, but if you do much without loosening up you might get stiffness and soreness. And that isn't really a big deal but it could dissuade you from keeping up with the exercising.

Stretching is one of my very few, consistent good habits.

right now, i'm in a deep depression. i recently started to hit the bed before ten, and enjoy a jog every 5 in the morning. hopefully i am in a right track.