Also, cutting out anything that is stressful in your life. I did a big life change recently (not what you're thinking) and I haven't had any anxiety or panic attacks...yet. Sure it may be hard, but your health is a priority.
*edit: I also had them (anxiety/panic attacks) for almost 7 years.
On top of what everyone else said, the only thing I can recommend is when you feel shit caving in on you, take a moment to breathe. And feel your feet as they're connected to the floor. That definitely helps me.
oh man cos, i wish i could get my italian jewish mom to internalize that flowchart. she's got one where all signs point to "worry, complain and let the world know"
oh man cos, i wish i could get my italian jewish mom to internalize that flowchart. she's got one where all signs point to "worry, complain and let the world know"
Hah, sounds like my black jewish mom. Moms... Aye yay yay.
As someone that's had anxiety disorder, I can say from experience that what Rich45s is saying is true. Treat mental health as you would a broken leg. I still take Prozac, though on a lower dosage than what I initially took 5 years ago. It's def helped me out.
As Jonny_Paycheck says, breathing is damn underrated. In any situation, if you feel overwhelmed, just focus on your breathing. Breath from your diaphragm I believe is the way to breath deeply.
And it can't be stated enough. When I wasn't on meds, sweating it out around the block and doing calisthenics was my anti-depressant.
One other thing that may help you. "relaxation" and "release" are different. In my experience the latter is a way to directly and more effectively combat anxiety. Exercise is a prime example of a "release" in my mind. In the end, it's all about how you MANAGE it. Stress and anxiety symptoms don't just heal like a human body. You gotta learn to fight them head on and manage them.
Once in a while, INDULGE. DO WHAT FEELS GOOD DAMNIT.
When I had my first anxiety attack 6 years ago at work, I realized later that I had been low on sleep, high on caffeine intake (several big cups a day), an erratic co-worker, and big expectations for myself. It's no wonder I started having anxiety symptoms.
Wife had panic attacks something terrible about a year ago -- she beat it with a mix of therapy, pharmaceuticals, and exercise. Plus a healthy amount of support from the GAWD JRoot.
Hang in there brothers and sisters! Breathe right. Eat right. Exercise right. And you'll get your mind right.
i rarely get stressed and have anxiety - i think the last time was a few years ago when i was in the service, and that was cause i hated that schitt, but nowadays in 2011 i'm sort of freaking out cause i have one month to find a new place for two. this shouldn't be so challenging to teh_gaffleur but my girl got a job here in DC and is moving in june so now i have to find an affordable place in a neighborhood that i can feel comfortable with her walking alone, etc.
On top of what everyone else said, the only thing I can recommend is when you feel shit caving in on you, take a moment to breathe. And feel your feet as they're connected to the floor. That definitely helps me.
Also, this is funny, but very true.
THIS.
Really, I think that is the lesson in life. To quote my grandmother, "As you get older, you learn to not give a f*ck...".
Cosine on the breathing, I did CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) for my fear of flying and a few years old anxiety disorder, and the key to both was an understanding of the problem and getting the breathing right.
I still have mild anxiety at times, but now I can squash it before it gets hold like it used to, and 80% of that is down to the breathing exercises.
With my anxiety, at it's peak, it was about nothing. Might be a tiny thing that would go wild like when you point a video camera at the TV screen it's displaying on, tiny things swirl and magnify, when in reality, nothing is going on.
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
I actually enjoy presentations/speeches, which is ironic bc I'm reserved most of the time. Practicing aloud helps. There's no better prep for a presentation than rehearsing the actual presentation. If you don't know the answer to something, just say that that's a really good question and you have to refer to your notes to answer it fully. Keep a glass of water at your side to cool you down and to sip from whenever you need to buy yourself a few seconds to think of something to say. Your audience knows you're on the spot and a certain degree of anxiety is expected as the fear of public speaking is known to cause anguish. A former prof of mine said that she knew students who just wouldn't graduate bc they couldn't get through a PS class.
No one will really remember if you stutter here and there. Last semester, one of my classmates made a joke about how he was so nervous that his hands were numb from wringing them. I don't remember what he talked about, but I do remember that he was able to make us laugh despite his obvious discomfort.
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
I actually enjoy presentations/speeches, which is ironic bc I'm reserved most of the time. Practicing aloud helps. There's no better prep for a presentation than rehearsing the actual presentation. If you don't know the answer to something, just say that that's a really good question and you have to refer to your notes to answer it fully. Keep a glass of water at your side to cool you down and to sip from whenever you need to buy yourself a few seconds to think of something to say. Your audience knows you're on the spot and a certain degree of anxiety is expected as the fear of public speaking is known to cause anguish. A former prof of mine said that she knew students who just wouldn't graduate bc they couldn't get through a PS class.
No one will really remember if you stutter here and there. Last semester, one of my classmates made a joke about how he was so nervous that his hands were numb from wringing them. I don't remember what he talked about, but I do remember that he was able to make us laugh despite his obvious discomfort.
Apparently public speaking is more feared than death itself.
I used to be shit scared of it, but now I love it.. I even enjoy the nerves leading up to it.
I initially got into it when we started giving induction tours to new people joining our company, so one member of the team would have to give about 7 new people a tour of the office (open plan office of about 30 people) and explain what each different area did.
I started doing it because my co-worker was more scared of it than I was, so I jumped in to spare her the embarassment and fear (which really was a big deal for her).
What I ended up learning is that most people are barely paying any attention anyway, so I actually ended up trying to GET their attention.. making it as entertaining and interesting as possible - which in turn brought me out of my shell and now I thrive on it.
Another thing I learned is that it doesn't matter to anyone if you make a mistake. Lower your standards, dont take yourself or the task at hand so seriously, expect that there will be errors and the odd stumble here or there and it becomes really easy to relax and enjoy the process.
I find it interesting how I now get a kick out of the kind of nerves which once made me run for the hills.
It can be turned around, it just takes a little bit of 'feel the fear and do it anyway'.
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
The best way to improve is practice. Try out a local Toastmasters chapter. A colleague recommended it, and while I initially thought it was corny, it's helped my public speaking immensely.
Usually when giving a presentation we create a ton of internal pressure to succeed, but this is a casual environment to practice and refine your skills.
I know a lot of people look down on therapy, but I think it can be incredibly helpful to vent your problems, anxieties, worries, etc to an impartial person. It's one thing to talk to friends (and they are great to talk to as well), but I often felt like I didn't want to burden them with worrying about me if I dumped my load of problems on them. Going to a professional who was paid to listen, and who didn't have any relationship to the people and problems I was having really allowed me to let it all out, and to seriously consider the advice they gave. Definitely don't let a therapist become a crutch that you end up relying on, but talking things thru with someone for a few months can give you a whole different perspective on your situation. It helped me immensely.
Also like people said, exercise, breathe, chill with the caffiene, and focus on the little things that bring you some peace. They will bring you even more if you allow them to.
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
The best way to improve is practice. Try out a local Toastmasters chapter. A colleague recommended it, and while I initially thought it was corny, it's helped my public speaking immensely.
Usually when giving a presentation we create a ton of internal pressure to succeed, but this is a casual environment to practice and refine your skills.
This is good advice. I had a deathly fear of public speaking as a kid (4th-grade Law Day essay reading in a courtroom/hiding in the bathroom-related). So in high school, I forced myself to act in several plays. It scared me to death at first, and I still get iron butterflies if I'm going to speak to a large crowd of strangers, but after receiving a lot of positive feedback (and a few acting awards ;) ) it all goes away as soon as I say my first line. Smile, know that you are the greatest thing that will happen to these people all day, and kill 'em where they sit. With oratory prowess, of course. Not literally.
I cut coffee out of my diet and went straight for tea. Its more soothing, and relaxing. Plus the release of caffeine is slower
and more healthier. Peppermint, and Chai tea can really calm a man down, the Chinese and Indian know best. It was a great
way to lower my anxiety.
All I can say is eat healthier, eat more berries and fruits, eat salmon and tuna. You need those B vitamins for that vigor in your life.
Get into a workout regime, I recommend a medicine ball workout because they are fun and different, and very effective. Try this one out: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/ultimate-medicine-ball-workout. Don't go buying any medicine balls make them yourself.
Oh and don't forget gardening, a great anxiety buster.
The only time I get anxiety attacks is when giving public speeches. College presentations were rarely a problem for me, but conferences, roundtables, etc etc where it's all unfamiliar experts looking at you. Killing me right now! Anyone got some tips for me?
Beta Blockers. I know drugs aren't the favoured route for many but you take one of these magic pills as needed before a performance or speech and it gets rid of all the physical symptoms of stage fright. it is considered a performance enhancing drug.
Get into a workout regime, I recommend a medicine ball workout because they are fun and different, and very effective. Try this one out: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/ultimate-medicine-ball-workout. Don't go buying any medicine balls make them yourself.
About half of those medicine ball exercises are basic pilates movements. My pilates class is frequented by women, and whenever we do get a male to show up, he's always surprised by how effective the workout is. I've never been able to get into yoga or weight training, but pilates is a pretty good medium-intensity workout which you can do with light weights at home. If you're part of a gym, I recommend dropping in on a pilates class if you can. A good instructor will help you work all major muscle groups (with a focus on the core) in a relaxing atmosphere.
Bumping this thread because I have been dealing with depression lately and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm turning 30 soon and I feel I haven't accomplished shit in my 20s. I don't really have any friends (thanks to all my bizarre quirks and social ineptness). No relationships to speak of. I have never really traveled. I have a good job, but I do the same thing day in and day out with limited interaction with coworkers and the outside world. When I go home, I try to do something "constructive" like read, listen to records, working on my crappy beats no one will listen to anyway, watch movies, etc. but I end up getting either tired or bored, only to wake up crying the next morning and continue the redundant cycle all over again. I feel I suck at everything I do or try to do. I have been going to community college taking various classes, but I have no idea what I should major in (five-figure student loan debt? Fuck that.) I don't know what the hell I want to do with my life. Quitting drinking/weed, eating healthier (when I do feel the urge to eat, which seems to only be once or twice a day) and taking medication doesn't do shit. I'm not suicidal (it's in the family, though), but I often think "why bother?". My close relationship with my family and fear of what's after death is the only thing that keeps me from that. I know my worries may sound like small peanuts to those of you have been-there-done-that, so I was reluctant to post this out of fear of being clowned, but I needed to get this off my chest. I'm aimless and I don't know what to do.
Bumping this thread because I have been dealing with some heavy duty depression lately and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm turning 30 soon and I feel I haven't accomplished shit in my 20s. I don't really have any friends (thanks to all my bizarre quirks and social ineptness). No relationships to speak of. I have never really traveled. I have a good job, but I do the same thing day in and day out with limited interaction with coworkers and the outside world. When I go home, I try to do something "constructive" like read, listen to records, working on my crappy beats no one will listen to anyway, watch movies, etc. but I end up getting either tired or bored, only to wake up crying the next morning and continue the redundant cycle all over again. I feel I suck at everything I do or try to do. I have been going to community college taking various classes, but I have no idea what degree I should go for (five-figure student loan debt? Fuck that.) I don't know what the hell I want to do with my life. Quitting drinking/weed, eating healthier (when I do feel the urge to eat, which seems to only be once or twice a day) and taking medication doesn't do shit. I'm not suicidal (it's in the family, though), but I often think "why bother?". My close relationship with my family and fear of what's after death is the only thing that keeps me from that. I was reluctant to post this, but I needed to get this off my chest. I don't know what to do...
I'm no expert....but ANIMALS.
Volunteer at the local Humane Society.....they need your help....you'll feel good about what you're doing and animals won't judge your quirks or social ineptness.
I recently had a long hospital stay and was feeling pretty hopeless....most of the people around me were feeling the same way....then one day a woman walked in with a dog trained to visit ailing patients.....the entire mood of the room and floor changed....I spoke at length with the woman and she told me how fulfilling it was for her to bring just a little bit of joy to people who were without any.
Everyone has their spot....it just takes some longer to find theirs than others.....one thing is guaranteed though....no one is going to come knocking on your door to help make you happy....you have to go do that yourself.
Chances are that if you go out and get in the general public you'll find someone who understands and can relate to your situation.
But you'll need a positive mental attitude to get this kickstarted.
Electrode, I'm sorry you're dealing with such heaviness right now. I empathize and hope you manage to move past this soon.
Electrode said:
I have been going to community college taking various classes, but I have no idea what degree I should go for (five-figure student loan debt? Fuck that.) I don't know what the hell I want to do with my life.
I can share how I've dealt with this particular ball of wax. I know it may seem trite, but I have always found it really helpful to set 10 year, 5 year and 1 year plans, in that order. It will help you to visualize where you want to be in life in the long term, and then set up some concrete, achievable short and medium term goals to aim for. It should help you to identify specific skills and types of experience you need to start developing. You may find value in paying $$$$ for a certain degree or diploma, or realize that you don't even need one. I'm happy to chat more offline about this, if you want some help thinking it through.
Of course, you also talked about the whole "why bother??" question that is common to human experience (well, in my experience, anyway!). Maybe you can tie your long-term goals to what it is you want to do in this world to make it a better place.
You are a young man with a lot of time, options and means to figure it out.
If you sucked at everything you did, you wouldn't be able to keep a job down, spend time alone or make it through schooling.
Obviously everything I am telling you is based on your small post and as a layperson on SStrut - but having both direct and indirect experience with what you describe, I would say these things:
-don't compare yourself, your life, where you are, how far you've come, etc etc to others, think hard about what you want for yourself. If you don't know - and it's OK to not know - then concentrate on what makes you happy, even for a few minutes, and build on that
-you have a good job? Take advantage of what that provides you and travel
-break your routine, do something totally different once a week
-set achievable goals, no matter how small, to work towards and to boost a sense of accomplishment. This can answer "why bother?"
-keep a diary, write your shit out.
(Both this and setting goals take you out of your head and can work to break the cycle of overthinking shit into distorted reality)
-if your medication ain't doing shit, talk to the person who is prescribing it
-eating healthier may still not be getting you what you need...visit a naturopath, a good one will ask you to keep track of your diet, moods, etc It might take small tweaks and changes to get a better nutritional support system happening
-volunteer
-don't compare yourself, your life, where you are, how far you've come, etc etc to others, think hard about what you want for yourself. If you don't know - and it's OK to not know - then concentrate on what makes you happy, even for a few minutes, and build on that
To add to this, consider (temporarily?) deleting or withdrawing from social networking. Always people talking about their accomplishments (whether real or exaggerated) which can inadvertently lead to you comparing your situation.
Volunteer at the local Humane Society.....they need your help....you'll feel good about what you're doing and animals won't judge your quirks or social ineptness.
This is good advice, but I'd also say that looking into a Big Brother sort of program is worth thinking about. I have a friend who was in a spiraling depression who was coaxed into mentoring a kid and it turned out to be just what he needed. His help was instrumental in the kid graduating from high school - something he was just not on track to do beforehand.
Comments
This. is. true.
Also, cutting out anything that is stressful in your life. I did a big life change recently (not what you're thinking) and I haven't had any anxiety or panic attacks...yet. Sure it may be hard, but your health is a priority.
*edit: I also had them (anxiety/panic attacks) for almost 7 years.
On top of what everyone else said, the only thing I can recommend is when you feel shit caving in on you, take a moment to breathe. And feel your feet as they're connected to the floor. That definitely helps me.
Also, this is funny, but very true.
Hah, sounds like my black jewish mom. Moms... Aye yay yay.
Coffee is a HUGE trigger. I'm trying to live with less of it, but I love it so much.
This thread is already making an impact.
Thanks y'all! (except for soulone's new alias frsky_whatever).... bye bye.
Hey Raj,
You're welcome, mane!!! We 'Strutters must stick together. It's all love up in hurrr!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
quality over quantity, with enough, however, to give the body what it needs. and a healthy diet, with a large intake of anti oxidants!
anxiety is a bitch, so wishing you all the best!
As Jonny_Paycheck says, breathing is damn underrated. In any situation, if you feel overwhelmed, just focus on your breathing. Breath from your diaphragm I believe is the way to breath deeply.
And it can't be stated enough. When I wasn't on meds, sweating it out around the block and doing calisthenics was my anti-depressant.
One other thing that may help you. "relaxation" and "release" are different. In my experience the latter is a way to directly and more effectively combat anxiety. Exercise is a prime example of a "release" in my mind. In the end, it's all about how you MANAGE it. Stress and anxiety symptoms don't just heal like a human body. You gotta learn to fight them head on and manage them.
Once in a while, INDULGE. DO WHAT FEELS GOOD DAMNIT.
1. Good sleep.
2. Less alcohol.
3.
4.
Peace.
Lee.
Wife had panic attacks something terrible about a year ago -- she beat it with a mix of therapy, pharmaceuticals, and exercise. Plus a healthy amount of support from the GAWD JRoot.
Hang in there brothers and sisters! Breathe right. Eat right. Exercise right. And you'll get your mind right.
JRoot
i rarely get stressed and have anxiety - i think the last time was a few years ago when i was in the service, and that was cause i hated that schitt, but nowadays in 2011 i'm sort of freaking out cause i have one month to find a new place for two. this shouldn't be so challenging to teh_gaffleur but my girl got a job here in DC and is moving in june so now i have to find an affordable place in a neighborhood that i can feel comfortable with her walking alone, etc.
THIS.
Really, I think that is the lesson in life. To quote my grandmother, "As you get older, you learn to not give a f*ck...".
I still have mild anxiety at times, but now I can squash it before it gets hold like it used to, and 80% of that is down to the breathing exercises.
With my anxiety, at it's peak, it was about nothing. Might be a tiny thing that would go wild like when you point a video camera at the TV screen it's displaying on, tiny things swirl and magnify, when in reality, nothing is going on.
I actually enjoy presentations/speeches, which is ironic bc I'm reserved most of the time. Practicing aloud helps. There's no better prep for a presentation than rehearsing the actual presentation. If you don't know the answer to something, just say that that's a really good question and you have to refer to your notes to answer it fully. Keep a glass of water at your side to cool you down and to sip from whenever you need to buy yourself a few seconds to think of something to say. Your audience knows you're on the spot and a certain degree of anxiety is expected as the fear of public speaking is known to cause anguish. A former prof of mine said that she knew students who just wouldn't graduate bc they couldn't get through a PS class.
No one will really remember if you stutter here and there. Last semester, one of my classmates made a joke about how he was so nervous that his hands were numb from wringing them. I don't remember what he talked about, but I do remember that he was able to make us laugh despite his obvious discomfort.
Apparently public speaking is more feared than death itself.
I used to be shit scared of it, but now I love it.. I even enjoy the nerves leading up to it.
I initially got into it when we started giving induction tours to new people joining our company, so one member of the team would have to give about 7 new people a tour of the office (open plan office of about 30 people) and explain what each different area did.
I started doing it because my co-worker was more scared of it than I was, so I jumped in to spare her the embarassment and fear (which really was a big deal for her).
What I ended up learning is that most people are barely paying any attention anyway, so I actually ended up trying to GET their attention.. making it as entertaining and interesting as possible - which in turn brought me out of my shell and now I thrive on it.
Another thing I learned is that it doesn't matter to anyone if you make a mistake. Lower your standards, dont take yourself or the task at hand so seriously, expect that there will be errors and the odd stumble here or there and it becomes really easy to relax and enjoy the process.
I find it interesting how I now get a kick out of the kind of nerves which once made me run for the hills.
It can be turned around, it just takes a little bit of 'feel the fear and do it anyway'.
The best way to improve is practice. Try out a local Toastmasters chapter. A colleague recommended it, and while I initially thought it was corny, it's helped my public speaking immensely.
Usually when giving a presentation we create a ton of internal pressure to succeed, but this is a casual environment to practice and refine your skills.
Also like people said, exercise, breathe, chill with the caffiene, and focus on the little things that bring you some peace. They will bring you even more if you allow them to.
This is good advice. I had a deathly fear of public speaking as a kid (4th-grade Law Day essay reading in a courtroom/hiding in the bathroom-related). So in high school, I forced myself to act in several plays. It scared me to death at first, and I still get iron butterflies if I'm going to speak to a large crowd of strangers, but after receiving a lot of positive feedback (and a few acting awards ;) ) it all goes away as soon as I say my first line. Smile, know that you are the greatest thing that will happen to these people all day, and kill 'em where they sit. With oratory prowess, of course. Not literally.
and more healthier. Peppermint, and Chai tea can really calm a man down, the Chinese and Indian know best. It was a great
way to lower my anxiety.
All I can say is eat healthier, eat more berries and fruits, eat salmon and tuna. You need those B vitamins for that vigor in your life.
Get into a workout regime, I recommend a medicine ball workout because they are fun and different, and very effective. Try this one out: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/ultimate-medicine-ball-workout. Don't go buying any medicine balls make them yourself.
Oh and don't forget gardening, a great anxiety buster.
Beta Blockers. I know drugs aren't the favoured route for many but you take one of these magic pills as needed before a performance or speech and it gets rid of all the physical symptoms of stage fright. it is considered a performance enhancing drug.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propranolol
About half of those medicine ball exercises are basic pilates movements. My pilates class is frequented by women, and whenever we do get a male to show up, he's always surprised by how effective the workout is. I've never been able to get into yoga or weight training, but pilates is a pretty good medium-intensity workout which you can do with light weights at home. If you're part of a gym, I recommend dropping in on a pilates class if you can. A good instructor will help you work all major muscle groups (with a focus on the core) in a relaxing atmosphere.
I'm no expert....but ANIMALS.
Volunteer at the local Humane Society.....they need your help....you'll feel good about what you're doing and animals won't judge your quirks or social ineptness.
I recently had a long hospital stay and was feeling pretty hopeless....most of the people around me were feeling the same way....then one day a woman walked in with a dog trained to visit ailing patients.....the entire mood of the room and floor changed....I spoke at length with the woman and she told me how fulfilling it was for her to bring just a little bit of joy to people who were without any.
Everyone has their spot....it just takes some longer to find theirs than others.....one thing is guaranteed though....no one is going to come knocking on your door to help make you happy....you have to go do that yourself.
Chances are that if you go out and get in the general public you'll find someone who understands and can relate to your situation.
But you'll need a positive mental attitude to get this kickstarted.
I can share how I've dealt with this particular ball of wax. I know it may seem trite, but I have always found it really helpful to set 10 year, 5 year and 1 year plans, in that order. It will help you to visualize where you want to be in life in the long term, and then set up some concrete, achievable short and medium term goals to aim for. It should help you to identify specific skills and types of experience you need to start developing. You may find value in paying $$$$ for a certain degree or diploma, or realize that you don't even need one. I'm happy to chat more offline about this, if you want some help thinking it through.
Of course, you also talked about the whole "why bother??" question that is common to human experience (well, in my experience, anyway!). Maybe you can tie your long-term goals to what it is you want to do in this world to make it a better place.
If you sucked at everything you did, you wouldn't be able to keep a job down, spend time alone or make it through schooling.
Obviously everything I am telling you is based on your small post and as a layperson on SStrut - but having both direct and indirect experience with what you describe, I would say these things:
-don't compare yourself, your life, where you are, how far you've come, etc etc to others, think hard about what you want for yourself. If you don't know - and it's OK to not know - then concentrate on what makes you happy, even for a few minutes, and build on that
-you have a good job? Take advantage of what that provides you and travel
-break your routine, do something totally different once a week
-set achievable goals, no matter how small, to work towards and to boost a sense of accomplishment. This can answer "why bother?"
-keep a diary, write your shit out.
(Both this and setting goals take you out of your head and can work to break the cycle of overthinking shit into distorted reality)
-if your medication ain't doing shit, talk to the person who is prescribing it
-eating healthier may still not be getting you what you need...visit a naturopath, a good one will ask you to keep track of your diet, moods, etc It might take small tweaks and changes to get a better nutritional support system happening
-volunteer
To add to this, consider (temporarily?) deleting or withdrawing from social networking. Always people talking about their accomplishments (whether real or exaggerated) which can inadvertently lead to you comparing your situation.
This is good advice, but I'd also say that looking into a Big Brother sort of program is worth thinking about. I have a friend who was in a spiraling depression who was coaxed into mentoring a kid and it turned out to be just what he needed. His help was instrumental in the kid graduating from high school - something he was just not on track to do beforehand.