Random things that help with depression

I've struggled with depression to some extent since childhood and more so since high school. This is just a list of things that have helped me to cope with depression or lessened my depression at one time or another. None of these things are necessarily a cure. Since everyone's different, some of these ideas may help you and others may not. Don't get overwhelmed by trying to do all of these; these are just some ideas. And there are probably plenty of other helpful things that I didn't mention here. This list is somewhat random and isn't in order of importance or anything. I hope this is encouraging/helpful to others who struggle with depression. It is a good reminder to me! ;)

Being outside

Not sure how this would work for someone who hates the outdoors lol . . . But I love being outside! It is a lot more peaceful, and it feels easier to breathe.

Reminding yourself of the truth

It is so easy to believe lies when you're depressed. For example, "I'm worthless," "I'm a bother to people," "Life is hopeless," etc.

But, if you have a relationship with Jesus, these are some of the things that are true:

• You are loved--perfectly and unconditionally (Romans 5:8, 8:35-39; 1 John 3:1, 4:16)
• God will never leave you (Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 13:5)
• You belong to God (John 10:27-30, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
• You are valuable (Genesis 1:26-27, Psalm 139, Isaiah 43:7)
• There is always hope (Jeremiah 29:10-11, 31:17;  Romans 5:3-5)

Sometimes, if the depression is bad enough, I have trouble remembering what the truth is. At times like this, it's helped me to have good friends remind me of what's true. 

Exercise

I know that this can be really frustrating (and probably overused) advice. I like to compare this advice to telling someone who has the flu to go run a 5K! (And this is coming from someone who's bad at running!) It can be extremely hard to make yourself get out of bed and go to school or work, much less exercise! So don't feel like you have to push yourself too hard. But getting a little bit of exercise (taking a walk, going on a short bike ride) can really help you feel better emotionally.

Sleep

Within reason . . . It's easy to sleep too much when you're depressed, but not getting enough sleep can definitely make it worse!

Eating 

Once again, within reason! Depression is different for everyone, so some people eat too much and others eat too little. I often lose my appetite, but I usually feel better if I make myself eat something.

Spending time with friends

It's best if they're "safe" friends . . . friends you can be yourself around, and you don't have to pretend to be happy when you're not.

Seeing a counselor

Aka. therapist. For some reason I really hate the name "therapist," so I always call them counselors. Sometimes it can take a few tries before finding someone who's good for you.

Antidepressants

This isn't for everybody, but they can be really helpful if the depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. I've also heard that low vitamin levels can cause depression, so vitamin supplements could help with that.

Writing/journaling/poetry

Sometimes it's easier for me to express my thoughts and feelings through writing than through talking. I also like to journal and write my prayers to God.

Listening to music

But you have to be careful with this one. Depending on the music, it can make you feel better or worse.

Playing an instrument

For me it's guitar. :)

Animals

Play with your pets . . . or your neighbors' pets! ;) Unless, of course, you hate animals!

Prayer

You might be tired of hearing this one. Christians can so flippantly say, "Just pray about it!" as if that fixes everything. But we weren't designed to carry our burdens and pain, by ourselves; it will crush us if we try! It is such a relief when you finally give your burdens to God. And you have to keep going to him again and again.

Reading the Bible

I really like reading Psalms. It is comforting and reminds me of God's love.

Making a list of things you're  thankful for

Some people seem to think that unthankfulness and pessimism are the only causes for depression, and that is not true! However, thankfulness has helped me because it changes my perspective and it's a way to praise God.

Making a list every day of things that made you happy

This is something my counselor suggested last year. It helped to change my perspective. You may not find something every day, and that's okay. But don't overlook the little things that make you smile: Seeing a friend, hearing a friend's laugh, eating food you like, seeing a sunrise/sunset, playing with your dog . . .

Looking for the beauty around you

Even in the pain and ugliness of life, there's still beauty. Don't miss it!  Sunrises and sunsets, flowers--alive or dead!, trees, colors and patterns, smiles, laughter . . .

You See, I See: Perspectives on Depression

(Written Dec. 2014)

You see... I’m behind on homework

I see... I’m still in school

You see... I didn’t write my paper

I see... I also didn’t cut myself

You see... I skipped class again

I see... I spent time with a friend

You see... I’m underweight

I see... I ate something

You see... I stayed in bed all day

I see... I didn’t kill myself

You see... I’m always sick

I see... I’m trying my hardest

You see... I don’t have an ‘A’

I see... I haven’t given up

You see... I’m being unsocial

I see... I made myself leave my room

You see... my room is a mess

I see... Sometimes survival is a higher priority than cleanliness

You see... I have to take medicine                 

I see... I haven’t overdosed

You see... I don’t have a job

I see... I’m not in the hospital

You see... I work slowly

I see... I try to do a good job

You see... I missed church

I see... I’m growing

The Longing

You said, “Follow me.”

I said, “I’ll follow You.”

You said, “It will cost you everything.”

I said, “You’re all I want. You are my life.”

But that was then

And this is now

And I don’t know

If you’re enough       

I ask, If you are all I need

Why do I long for something more?

If You’re the One who heals

Then why this gaping wound?

If you’re the All-Sufficient One

Then why this ever-growing void?

If you really love me

Why won’t you give me what I need

Or else take away this longing

So I can finally have some peace?

But now, it seems, I must decide

Who I will love and trust

You, Your Word and ways

Or myself and my desires

I either follow You

Ignore my heart

Shut out the longing

Plug my ears as it screams to me

Or I give in

Follow my heart

Fulfill desires

Shut You out

And lock the door

But lovingly You warn me

And I know

My heart’s deceitful

But You are Truth

My way will enslave me

In the end, it brings me death

When it seems

You’re holding me back from life

It’s then that You’re saving my life

The very thing that promises

To fill my heart

Would leave me broken, bleeding

Lifeless, disillusioned

But for every longing

You are enough

And so for this longing

You are enough

You are my Shepherd

I shall not want

Considering Liberty? (Advice/thoughts for students considering Liberty University)

I just graduated from Liberty last month. :) I attended Liberty from Fall 2010-May 2015. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts, for anyone who's considering going to Liberty. I'm trying to include some of the good and bad things about Liberty, but realize that some of this is just my personal opinion and experiences.

Christian College

LU Monogram

Liberty is a VERY Christian college! It is not one of those schools that claims to be Christian but doesn't demonstrate that in any way. This is one of the things I love most about Liberty. Liberty tries to integrate a Biblical teaching and lifestyle in everything. That being said, not every Liberty student is a Christian. Sometimes international students from other religions come to Liberty because their parents feel that it is safer and more conservative than a secular college in America. Some non-Christian students come to Liberty because they got an athletic scholarship. Other students have grown up in Christian homes, but they never made a personal decision to follow Jesus. 

When I was trying to decide where to go to college, I wondered, should I go to a secular college where I'll be around non-Christians all the time and have more opportunities to share my faith? Or should I go to a Christian college that might help me grow in my faith? There are pros and cons either way. There are definitely opportunities to share your faith at Liberty, but you have to be a little more proactive. One way to do this is by getting to know people in Lynchburg who don't go to Liberty. I did Campus Serve (community service group) for two years and got to know lots of  kids and single moms in Lynchburg.

Size

Liberty Convo, Jan 2015, Meredith Andrews Concert

Liberty is HUGE! Not nearly as big as some colleges, but definitely not small.  "Liberty's annual enrollment includes 13,800 residential students and over 100,000 online students as of May 2013." (Wikipedia) The size can be a little overwhelming, but I got used to it pretty quickly, and I'm not the most outgoing person ever! (Really, the most annoying part is the crowded hallways between classes! And the lines at food places.) I got to know people, and Liberty started to seem more like home. I was pretty shy when I came to Liberty, but one thing that helped me to make friends was being on a traditional hall/dorm (i.e, not a quad/apartment-style dorm) for my first few years. Living on a hall with about 60 girls practically forced me to get out of my comfort zone and make friends. However, this approach doesn't work for everyone. Some people do better living on smaller halls (such as East or the Quads) or off campus.

CFAW (College for a Weekend)

If you're considering going to Liberty, I'd recommend going to CFAW, mostly to see what the classes are like and to learn your way around campus. BUT, if you have a bad experience at cfaw, don't let that alone keep you from deciding to attend Liberty. A lot of students LOVE cfaw, but there are some who hate it. Most Liberty students try to be kind and helpful to cfaws, but there are some students who will prank them, give them wrong directions, etc. (Hint: Don't buy "Convo tickets"! Convo is FREE and REQUIRED!!) Sometimes we complain about cfaws taking up our parking spaces, crowding the Rot (cafeteria), or distracting us when we're trying to do homework. Try not to take these things personally. We love you guys; there's just too many of you at once!! ;)

For anyone who's interested, here's a link to the CFAW page.

Rules (The Liberty Way)

Liberty's rules can be annoying, but I don't think they're as big of a deal as some people make them out to be. For one thing, the threat of reps (reprimands/points) can discourage you from making choices you'd likely to regret. I was surprised at some of the temptations I faced when I came to Liberty, and I was thankful to be at a school that does not encourage sinful or unwise choices. Yes, there are plenty of Liberty students who drink, sleep with their boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. And many of them get away with it. But it's not everyone. And it's easier to resist temptations when everyone around you isn't giving in and pressuring you to join them.

Also, the leadership often gives students grace when they break a rule if they know that the student is struggling with sin, not living in rebellion. The student may have to go to the Student Conduct Office but not actually get reps. Sometimes Conduct will have students meet with a campus pastor (or "Life Skills Coordinator") to work through their struggles. And the campus pastors are pretty awesome. :) But obviously, it's better to just obey the rules. The leadership often does show grace, but you can't count on it, especially if it's a repeated offense.

As far as the dress code . . . it really depends on who you compare it to, whether it's strict or not. And it's loosening up. For example, students are now allowed to wear T-shirts to class (except for certain schools like Business and Government, where professional dress is required). Girls are allowed to have stud nose rings now. And I think the rule about guys having short hair has changed . . . I've seen a lot of guys with long hair this past year!

Ring by Spring

You don't have to be at Liberty very long to hear about "ring by spring." There are plenty of girls who come to Liberty to get their "MRS degree"! And the leadership almost encourages this, not to mention some of the Convo speakers! Dorms are paired up into "brother dorms" and "sister dorms" to make it easier for guys and girls to meet. I've heard guys complain, "I just wanted to get coffee with a girl, and now she expects me to marry her!" (From what I hear, the obsession with finding a husband/wife at college is a Christian college thing, not just a Liberty thing.)

A LOT of Liberty students do get engaged before they graduate. But a lot don't. So you're pretty normal either way! A lot of people think, With thousands of Christian guys/girls in one place, I must be able to find a husband/wife! But it's a bit more complicated than that. You don't meet every guy/girl on campus. And then you have to both be attracted to each other and interested in dating. And then there's the issue of whether you have similar interests, life plans, etc. Add to this the fact that you're supposed to be focusing on schoolwork! I survived 5 years at Liberty without even being asked out! (Unless you count the random guy in the Rot who wanted my number . . . or the guy in the computer lab who asked if I'd marry him, based just on attractiveness . . .) So if you meet your future spouse at Liberty, that's awesome! But if you don't, that's okay too.

Dorm 1 . . . now replaced by 8-story dorms

Change

Liberty is ALWAYS changing! It is like a never-ending construction site, with multiple projects going on at once. The amount of change on Liberty's campus over the past 5 years is insane! It looks totally different than when I was a freshman. Three of the dorms I've lived in have been torn down. (Rip dorms 2, 14 and 16!) You can see  some of the construction projects here.

Add to this the changes in leadership... The director of Convo changed from Johnnie Moore to David Nasser, the worship leaders for Convo and Campus Church have changed so many times, professors have moved or retired . . . the list goes on! The changes can be really annoying, but it's something you get at least somewhat used to. But despite the fact that I hate change, I love Liberty!!

Liberty's not perfect, but really, no college is. I am so thankful for my time at Liberty. I am sure that God led me there. He used my time at Liberty to change me and draw me closer to him. I've made so many amazing friends and met people from all over the world. Plus the classes are interesting (usually) and the professors are amazing!

Obviously I'm biased, but I totally recommend Liberty! But really, the important  thing is to be where God wants you, whether that's Liberty or somewhere else. If you pray and seek God about where you should go to college, he can make it clear to you.