To the left is an Enchanted Castle that I knit for son #1 when he was four or five. I used scrap yarn and items from Artscraps to make it. All of the pictures on this blog are things that I have made. It helps me remember how much stuff I do. And have done. And will do. There is some data to show that art therapy is useful in the treatment of depression. I am not sure that DIY crafting counts as art therapy, but it can't be a bad thing to include as part of my treatment plan. According to the Self Assessment at the Mayo clinic, I am moderately depressed. Which is not the goal for someone who is on medication. I'd like to set the bar a little higher. Possibly my friend is right and the reason I have taken myself off my meds so often is that they are no longer as effective as they once were. It will be nice to have this record of what's been happening daily since my talks with docs in the past have been quite vague. "Ummm.... I think I feel better than I did. I don't remember how many days I didn't take my medication. I'm not sure if I have been having trouble sleeping. What was the question?" So today, unlike yesterday, I will do something besides popping pills. I guess I did sleep, but that hardly seemed therapeutic. Being unintentionally comatose for most of the afternoon doesn't seem like something I would recommend as part of a treatment plan. Here are the Mayo's recommendations for self-care: Set priorities and simplify tasks to reduce stress. Stay physically active. Make time for activities you enjoy. Get about eight hours of sleep a night. Connect with supportive family and friends. Eat more healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I have done okay on connecting with supportive family and friends. A little bit. This counts, right? I do something that I enjoy every day. Sewing or knitting or singing or making flowers for my yarn garden. I am not getting anywhere near 8 hours of sleep a night. I am not doing a good job of eating healthily. And I am not physically active. I am physically passive. I am setting priorities and simplifying tasks, although that does not come naturally. In fact, more often I complicate tasks. You know those stories about giving a moose a muffin... my projects tend to go that route. Daily Convexions
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K. BuchananQuaker, teacher, parent, |