A very helpful skill you need to have in your possession is the recognition of the warning signs leading to Depression. Two ways to help you to gain these skills are by;
1)Using a Daily Checklist.
2)Using a Mood Monitoring Sheet.
You can draw these up yourself. Make a row at the top with each day of the week. Each day of the week will have a column going down the sheet.
The Daily Checklist. On the left of this work sheet, before the Monday column, you will need to have a column with the Early Warning Signs of Depression. They are as follows;
Excessive Appetite Lethargy Extreme Fatigue Difficulty Exercising Unwillingness To Express Needs Negative View of Self Negative View of Future Low Self Confidence Procrastination Avoid Social Situations Irritable, Impatient Negative Attitude Insecurity Difficulty Getting Out of Bed Sleep Disturbance Poor Judgement Obsessive Thinking Repeating Words or Actions Difficulty Concentrating Misinterpret Situations Destructive Risk Taking Suicidal Thoughts Paranoia Change in Experiences of Pleasure
Record when you experience these feelings for each day of the week.
The Daily Mood Monitoring Sheet. On the left of this worksheet, before the Monday column, you will need a column for the times throughout the day. Then for each day of the week, record your mood for each hour. You can rate your mood on a scale of 1 through 10. 1 meaning that you feel very bad, 5 meaning that you feel average and 10 means that you feel very good.
If you keep an honest and accurate record with these work sheets, over time you will be able to pick up patterns in your moods and may be able to clearly see if you are becoming depressed. If this is the case, it is of course time for you to seek the help and advice of your doctor or other medical professionals. However, this mood monitoring system should help to empower you and provide you with more personal control over your moods. Very best wishes with your recovery.
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