Don't worry, be happy!

People tend to think of me as a very smiley, positive, happy person but little do they know of the darkness that lurks beneath! Luckily for me, life is pretty good at the moment but I constantly need to remind myself of the fact because I have a tendency to fall into depression quite easily and, if you've ever been there, you'll know it's a hard pit to crawl out of!

The first time I was diagnosed as being depressed was about 6 years ago but I know I'd been there before. It was just that this time it was really serious because I had a career to think about and a husband who was worried that he was going to come home and find me rocking back and forth in our back garden whilst wearing nothing but my pj's and singing 'Kumbaya'. In the end I didn't go on medication and I didn't receive any therapy. I just had some time off work, found a new job and gradually got better.

My last serious bout of depression was of the post-natal variety. I'd had my second son and he was about 11 weeks old by the time I faced up to the fact that I was depressed. I felt such a fraud. A friend of mine had her baby at the same time as me and her daughter wouldn't sleep, fed constantly and was really colicky. She had lots of reason to be depressed. I, on the other hand, had been blessed with a happy, easy-going baby who slipped into a routine, hardly ever cried and was, quite simply, perfect. So what was wrong with me that I was snapping at my well-behaved 3 year old and wanting to walk out on my family as soon as my new baby so much as whimpered?! This time I went to my GP and started receiving some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

CBT was hard work but worth it and has really helped me to stay on a fairly even keel ever since. I didn't go and see my counsellor as much as I ought to but online resources and the booklets she gave me meant that I was able to make a pretty good go of things. CBT is not for everyone. It's a heavily reflective process and when you're depressed you don't always have the will to devote headspace to that sort of thing. I find it more useful now. When I notice that my mood is slipping and that I'm not as 'right' headwise as I should be, I return to some of the techniques I learnt and they're techniques that everyone can benefit from.

1) Change how you see a situation

Instead of focusing on the negatives in a situation, focus on the positives - there always are some!

2) Keep track of the positives in your day

Try keeping a 'positive-thinking' diary and remember the moments in your day which made you smile. On less positive days you can revisit those moments and this can help to lift your mood.

3) Do something creative

Whether it's a simple doodle, a poem or an oil painting - being creative can be a useful channel for negative feelings and can help you feel better.

4) Exercise

It really does release endorphins and lifts your spirits. I don't do enough and constantly convince myself that I don't have time but even running up and down the stairs a few times can help to lift you out of a head-funk!

5) Be honest

Escaping from the depression pit is very much about being honest with yourself and with others. It can be risky - there's still a lot of prejudice out there about mental illness - but it really is the only way to truly start to get better. Be honest about what's really getting you down - don't transfer the blame onto something else because it's less of a challenge and tackle your problems head on!

6) Get help

When you're depressed you can end up feeling very isolated. See your GP and discuss it with her/him. All sorts of help is available and not just in pill form!

Some useful links:

• Visit the NHS's own guide to depression with an online test to see if you could be suffering with depression.
• The Royal College of Psychatrists have information and resources here.
• You could try the Serenity Programme. Their website has some free CBT resources.

I hope this helps and feel free to get in touch if anything I've written about sparks your interest.