5 Steps for Curing the Blues
Author’s note: This article is not about clinical depression. That’s a more serious condition so we’ll save it for another post.
I’m a double minded man.
There are days when my leukemia is pretty much out of mind. I get up early, do some chores around the house, take a walk, and work on some sort of project.
But Leuk is an invisible enemy lurking in the subconscious “like a splinter in your mind,” to quote Morpheus. Somedays I give in to it and fall into a sort of lethargic bliss. It almost feels good to give in, as weird as that sounds.
How do I know the blues are coming?
It may start with something small like not getting dressed in the morning or skipping a shower. Then maybe I don’t eat well, pigging out on potato chips and not much else.
(I’ve actually made a potato chip sandwich. Yep, that’s just potato chips and mayo between two slices of white bread. It tastes great but, yeah, not exactly a nutritious meal.)
The first sign that I’m fading out is when I go without shaving. My beard grows fast, so in just a few days my poor wife is living with a caveman. Combine that with not showering and, yeah, it gets pretty ugly.
How I get out of my funk
So what can we do to get back on track after we’ve derailed ourselves? Here are 5 steps we can take to get out of our blue funk:
Set a goal
Have at least one thing you need to get done each day. It doesn’t have to be anything big. Just washing the dishes will do. It gives you a purpose for getting up in the morning. A small task, no matter how trivial, adds meaning to your day.
Start the day right
Force yourself to take a shower and get dressed. You’ll feel like a new person––and you’ll smell better too!
Take a walk
This one might require some determination on your part. Believe me, on your down days you will not feel like going outside and pounding the pavement, but do it anyway. All that fresh air will make the day seem a lot better.
Listen to music
Seriously, this is a big one. Music is a powerful mood changer. As crazy as it sounds, even the Blues (songs that are usually about bad times) will lift your spirit. Of course, good old rock n’ roll will soothe your soul too.
Stop being a hermit
Shut down the game apps, YouTube and Netflix. Use your smartphone for what it actually is – a phone. Call a friend. Or if you have others in the house, stop hiding from them. Stop disengaging and start engaging.
Finally, when you do have an off day, don’t beat yourself up over it. This cancer thing is a daily battle for your mind. You will have grey days, but the fog will lift.
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