The key words here are indulge
yourself. Listen, you're having enough trouble
getting out of bed every day and going to work or school. You don't
need to push yourself. Think of yourself as an invalid recuperating
from a very debilitating illness. You have to pamper yourself, body
and spirit. This page is therefore all about "cocooning", that is,
wrapping yourself up in layers of comfort to protect yourself. By
the way, don't let anyone convince you that you should be thinking
happy thoughts or "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps". That
will come later. Right now you could get happy about slugging
anyone who has a sunny disposition, right? Okay, gather up whatever
energy you have, and see what interests you below:
Music
I find that classical music is good for what you're feeling
right now. These selections are some of my favorites for expressing
the depths of depression:
I think you'll also find music by Enigma soothing and hypnotic.
Your Body
 Here's where some of the real
pampering comes in. These suggestions all are good for men as well
as women; men, don't be afraid to try some things that you may have
thought were just for women. Pampering is not gender-specific.
- If you can afford it, a visit to a
day spa is in order. Spas and salons are soothing places set up
for the sole purpose of pampering you. My favorite is a day with a
massage, facial, manicure, pedicure and maybe an aromatherapy scalp
massage.
- Get a professional massage. Really! Non-sexual touching is just
what the doctor ordered. Make an appointment for a full-body
massage. If you're feeling uncomfortable about anyone seeing you
nude (you will be covered by a sheet or towel), start off by having
a neck and shoulder massage or foot reflexology. Check out the
Yellow Pages or search
Yahoo's Massage section for a masseuse or spa near you.
- If you can't afford a visit to a spa, re-create some of the
elements of a spa at home. Play some soothing New Age music, light
scented candles or get a
potpourri burner. Treat yourself to a bath scented with fragrant
oils. Kneipp
bath oils are one of my favorites. You can find them in upscale
pharmacies. You might want to read Water Magic: Healing Bath
Recipes for the Body, Spirit and Soul, which has recipes for
baths. Here are two recipes from The
Scented Bath, a previous book written by Maribeth Riggs which
is now out of print. The Royal Treatment is a great book
that tells you how to create spa treatments at home. Lush is one of my favorite sources for
bath products. Go here for tips on How to
Create a Spa Experience.
- Look into aromatherapy,
an alternative way to treat the mind and body with essential oils.
Clary sage is good for depression, fatigue, lavender is calming and
soothing, neroli is a sedative and anti-depressant. Most essential
oils can be found at your local health-food store or online.
Note: None of the essential oil anti-depressants should be used
as a replacement for your prescribed medication.
-
Comfort food is what's on the menu now. Calorie counting will
come when you have a little more motivation and a little less
depression. Tea is a wonderful emotional panacea. I don't have any
medical findings on this, but it's a fact as far as I'm concerned,
so while you brew up a pot, look at The Tea Home Page, David Rio or Tealuxe. Go to Mama's Cucina for Ragu's Italian (of
course) recipes. Check out Godiva's web page, if your chocolate
palate is very selective. If you've been missing candy from the
past such as Bit 'O Honey, Skybars (one of my favorites) or
Nik-L-Nip wax bottles, you can find them at HomeTown Favorites. Another
panacea for your sweet tooth might be Tastykake.
Services
- Don't feel like leaving the house to do your grocery shopping?
Shop online (for non-perishables) at NetGrocer or PeaPod and have your food
delivered.
- You can get all your health and beauty stuff at Drugstore.com.
Yes, I know it's tempting to let those things go, but you'll feel
better.
Socializing
- My suggestion is: stay away from large groups. I look back with
horror on a wedding reception that I attended while in the throes
of depression. Only because the bride was a dear friend did I
manage to stay half an hour before fleeing. Limit your socializing
to small groups of friends who at least will try to
understand what you're dealing with. To help them, have them read
Best Things to Say to
Someone Who is Depressed and Worst Things to Say to Someone
Who is Depressed.
Escapism
Your own life is just too painful right now, so you need some
entertaining diversions. However, they can't be too demanding
intellectually or too depressing. This is not the time to be
watching Ingmar Bergman movies or playing computer games like
Sanitarium, as worthy as both of those entertainments are.
What you need right now is escapism. Sure, watch Star Trek and old
Bette Davis movies on TV. But also take the suggestions below into
account.
- If you're into computer games, don't try to play any strategy
or complex CRPGs (Computer Role-Playing Games). You'll only end up
getting frustrated instead of amusing yourself. An online game
that's light on statistics and is great escapism is World of Warcraft.
- Text adventure games, or Interactive Fiction, are not as
dead as you may think, despite the emphasis on flash and graphics
in games today. The Lurking Horror and the Zork games are among the
text adventures I would recommend. You can download them here or
play them online here.
You probably want to read my article about
interactive fiction first. Here's a list
of recommended games.
- A fantastic computer adventure game that is a few years old is
The Longest Journey.
The storyline and characters are superior to what you normally find
in games. If you get stuck, try using the Universal Hint System. Instead of
outright answers, you are given hints, although if you persist, you
can get the explicit answers. The hints can give your brain a nudge
without spoiling the game.
- Survive
Dickens' London - Dodge through Victorian London, avoiding the
gangs and villains and trials and tribulations of Dickensian London
in order to seek out Charles Dickens in his chalet hideaway in
Rochester.
- Keep on top of what's on TV at Ultimate TV, which has features
about TV as well as a search facility, and TV Guide Online.
- The Company Therapist
is a cyber-soap based on a fictitious therapist's files.
- If you want to lose yourself in a movie, first check out the
Internet Movie Database. Not only
is it huge, but it's updated more often than ones you'll find on CD
ROM.
Reading
- Read romance novels. Regency novels are my favorites; they
transport you back to the time when the only thing a person had to
worry about was finding an eligible person to marry, and being a
success in society. Don't miss the web page for the grande
dame of Regencies, Jane Austen.
Georgette Heyer is
the best contemporary author of regency romances. Try The Romance Reader, All About Romance and
Romantic Times for
ideas on what to read. Two good Regency videos are Emma
with Gwyneth Paltrow and Sense and Sensibility with Emma
Thompson. My all-time favorite Regency video is A&E's
six-hour version of Pride and Prejudice.
- Retreat to another world in a good fantasy book. Two very
popular series are Raymond Feist's
The Riftwar Saga and The Serpentwar Saga and
Robert Jordan's Wheel of
Time. Tad Williams,
David Eddings,
Robin Hobb and Carol Berg are also some
of my favorite fantasy authors. The Feminist Science
Fiction, Fantasy and Utopia page is a reference guide to works
of such authors as Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ursula K. Le Guin and
Suzy McKee Charnas, with a Recommendations
for Beginners page.
- If you're into mysteries, MysteryNet.com should be right up
your alley.
- The proliferation of ezines and electronic versions of print
magazines on the Web is one of its strengths. Best of all, you
don't have to actually go to a newsstand to get one!
Warm and Fuzzy
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