Last year I struggled with forgetfulness, fatigue, brain fog and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. I got in quickly for a neuropsychological exam, which resulted in a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder and ruled out any kind of cognitive decline.
I had already been taking Nuvigil and had been using a CPAP machine to reduce the number of apnea events I’d have every night. But that wasn’t enough. So I started Effexor1 and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)2.
About six months later I noticed that the sense of hopelessness was gone, and my mood was much improved. Why? Was it just the Effexor? Was CBT helping? Was there something else that I did to bring about change?
I decided to make a list of all interventions:
- Mindfulness – Staying in the Moment
- Caring for Pets
- Tending to Houseplants
- SAD Therapy Light
- Avoiding Refined Carbs
- Keeping a Gratitude Jar
- Smiling
- Walks in Nature
- Crisp breeze on my face on a sunny winter day
- Listening to Uplifting Music
- Metallica for a shot of high energy
- “Mood Improve” Probiotic
- Medications, such as Effexor and Nuvigil
- Being creative
- Keeping to a Regular Sleep Schedule and Rising Without an Alarm
- Walking and standing with a perfect posture
- Ice Crystals on a frosty or snow-covered lawn
- Community Support, including Online Groups3
Look for more information on some of these items in upcoming ]posts.
At first I discounted the role that CBT had in my improvement. But it turns out that CBT was responsible for a few of the items on this list, especially Mindfulness and the other living-in-the-moment experiences listed above. In fact, there even is a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy4.
On the other hand, I usually experience good mood in Late Winter and Early Spring. It’s very possible that my improvement is due to seasonal changes. Now that we’re beyond Summer Solstice, I’ll be able to test this idea.
What do you do to improve mood?
1https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694020.html
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy
3Such as https://mysupportforums.org
4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_cognitive_therapy
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