Jump to content


- - - - -

Depression Any Tips To Cheer Myself Up?


  • Please log in to reply
14 replies to this topic

#1 tumadre

tumadre

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 37 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:t12

Posted 10 April 2009 - 10:29 PM

since I've been injured I didn't really care about this but now I see some things I used to do daily have become impossible...its really depressing adding the fact that I'm really young any ideas how to cheer myself up??any help would be aprecciated

#2 jaquie_farmer

jaquie_farmer

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 463 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Country:Cartersville, Ga
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:C1-C6 Incomplete

Posted 10 April 2009 - 11:22 PM

go out and do something. anything. keep yourself occupied. :helpme:
- learn from the past, live for the present and hope for the future.
- you were only given this life because you're stong enough to live it.

#3 twisted_ophelia

twisted_ophelia

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 1,649 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Country:Toronto/California
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:T7 incomplete

Posted 10 April 2009 - 11:29 PM

What kind of stuff that you used to do are you finding impossible to do now? I bet there are ways you could find to do the stuff you used to do with some adaptations. Maybe we can give you some ideas.

You seem like you need a hug. Here you go :helpme:
Mimi Machine! Extreme Sports and Spinal Cord Injury Blog - http://mimimachine.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/twisted_ophelia

#4 tumadre

tumadre

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 37 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:t12

Posted 10 April 2009 - 11:58 PM

View Posttwisted_ophelia, on Apr 10 2009, 11:29 PM, said:

What kind of stuff that you used to do are you finding impossible to do now? I bet there are ways you could find to do the stuff you used to do with some adaptations. Maybe we can give you some ideas.

You seem like you need a hug. Here you go :helpme:
oh that's so cute!!
oh geez I been a musician since i was 7 and i used to play drums a lot so electric guitar now its damn impossible and i hate to try to play drums without kicking the damn bass drum or change the f*** effect of the guitar pedal or things i miss the most playing soccer!!!i also used to love run the stairs up and down again and again and again or take a long run with my dogs..this is tough i must accept!

its really frustrating i can't do things i love as i used to

i know its kind of stupid but thats things i really used to love doing everyday

#5 twisted_ophelia

twisted_ophelia

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 1,649 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Country:Toronto/California
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:T7 incomplete

Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:03 AM

Yes, you can definitely still do the things you do.

Let me think... okay, for soccer, how about getting into rugby? Where do you live? You can research to find out if there are any w-chair rugby teams nearby that you can join up with. Or maybe some other sports? Getting active again is really an amazing way to start feeling better. How about adaptive surfing, mono skiing, handcycling/mountain biking, chair basketball?

Long walks with your dog--well, tie him to your chair and start wheeling as fast as you can so that he can run! Seriously. I used to do this with my rottweiler. He loved it. If you get a handcycle, you can 'run' with him alongside the handcycle.

Drums and electric guitar. I'm also a musician--I am classically trained on cello and piano. I cant work the piano pedals anymore so I do without them when I play (don't play that often anymore though, don't really have time) but I make it work and so can you. I still play my cello. I don't know enough about drums but if that one-armed guy from Def Leppard can play the drums, I bet there are adaptations you can make so that you can play your drums again. Maybe start a thread here on the forum to find out if there are any other drummers? I know you can still play your guitar, just play it sitting down. You can still rock out! And though I don't play guitar, my ex husband is a guitar player and I can ask him to see if he has any ideas about ways you could adapt the pedals to change effects. He is able-bodied but he might have some ideas as he's a producer and used to playing around with pedals, gear, instruments, etc., when he's recording people.

As far as running up and down the stairs... hmmm, well have you tried learning how to bump up and down the stairs in your chair? This is tough and takes tremendous upper body strength. I have not been able to master it (though almost killed myself by falling down the stairs once when trying to learn it!).

How long have you been injured? Things always seem dark and bleak in the early days of SCI but trust me, it gets better. Life may be different now for us but it can still be awesome. Where there is a will there is a way.
Mimi Machine! Extreme Sports and Spinal Cord Injury Blog - http://mimimachine.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/twisted_ophelia

#6 tumadre

tumadre

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 37 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:t12

Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:11 AM

View Posttwisted_ophelia, on Apr 11 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

Yes, you can definitely still do the things you do.

Let me think... okay, for soccer, how about getting into rugby? Where do you live? You can research to find out if there are any w-chair rugby teams nearby that you can join up with. Or maybe some other sports? Getting active again is really an amazing way to start feeling better. How about adaptive surfing, mono skiing, handcycling/mountain biking, chair basketball?

Long walks with your dog--well, tie him to your chair and start wheeling as fast as you can so that he can run! Seriously. I used to do this with my rottweiler. He loved it. If you get a handcycle, you can 'run' with him alongside the handcycle.

Drums and electric guitar. I'm also a musician--I am classically trained on cello and piano. I cant work the piano pedals anymore so I do without them when I play (don't play that often anymore though, don't really have time) but I make it work and so can you. I still play my cello. I don't know enough about drums but if that one-armed guy from Def Leppard can play the drums, I bet there are adaptations you can make so that you can play your drums again. Maybe start a thread here on the forum to find out if there are any other drummers? I know you can still play your guitar, just play it sitting down. You can still rock out! And though I don't play guitar, my ex husband is a guitar player and I can ask him to see if he has any ideas about ways you could adapt the pedals to change effects. He is able-bodied but he might have some ideas as he's a producer and used to playing around with pedals, gear, instruments, etc., when he's recording people.

As far as running up and down the stairs... hmmm, well have you tried learning how to bump up and down the stairs in your chair? This is tough and takes tremendous upper body strength. I have not been able to master it (though almost killed myself by falling down the stairs once when trying to learn it!).

How long have you been injured? Things always seem dark and bleak in the early days of SCI but trust me, it gets better. Life may be different now for us but it can still be awesome. Where there is a will there is a way.

you're totally right thank you so much for those amazing ideas.
i think i will try out to bump up and down i guess im strong enough to do so.
oh now it'd be about 2 months and 3 weeks work my ass out on rehab.
you're so damn right thanks for the advices really helped:).


oh you are totally awesome by the way

#7 twisted_ophelia

twisted_ophelia

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 1,649 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Country:Toronto/California
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:T7 incomplete

Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:43 AM

.

Edited by twisted_ophelia, 11 April 2009 - 05:27 AM.

Mimi Machine! Extreme Sports and Spinal Cord Injury Blog - http://mimimachine.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/twisted_ophelia

#8 tumadre

tumadre

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 37 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:t12

Posted 11 April 2009 - 12:56 AM

View Posttwisted_ophelia, on Apr 11 2009, 01:43 AM, said:

How did you get injured? Are you complete or incomplete?
oh well it was pretty much of a freak accident not usual but happened..
I always been great at music and sports and my school asked me if I'd go to an international music competition or to a sports one..and I've kicked ass before on musical ones so i chose sports one this was on chile and on the last game that would either give me the cup or lose it all i was u know with the ball and i kicked it hoping it would be a goal and infact it was but.. while ball reached its goal a girl tackled me and she skidded and her feet ended right under my back so heard a big crack and u know typical stuff then found out on the hospital i can feel my legs but can't move them well not yet(i will prove wrong everybody and i will walk again) its a really rare accident one in a million chances what makes it even more weird is that not much people break their backs at soccer but it happened and for my bad luck it happened to me..and I'm incomplete..
How did yours happened?

#9 nomis

nomis

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,799 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Country:New Zealand
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:Para T4
  • Injury Date:11-02-1970

Posted 11 April 2009 - 01:55 AM

If trying to find the right thing to break a depression isn't working then the best thing to do is tell yourself to get really really depressed. Really get into it and make everything, but everything a monstrous bigger than big downer and don't even catch yourself making the slightest grin. Cut out all potential enjoyments. Be Darth Vader. Start right now and take this very very seriously. More seriously.
"It's the notion that there is no perfection ~ that this is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives but still that is no alibi for anything. On the contrary, you have to stand up and say hallelujah under those circumstances. " - Leonard Cohen

#10 E-DOG

E-DOG

    Member

  • Closed Account
  • PipPip
  • 1,768 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Country:lakewood, ca
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:T-4 T-5 incomplete

Posted 11 April 2009 - 09:17 PM

View Posttwisted_ophelia, on Apr 10 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

.

Easy for you to say, mim's.

And nomis, I wasn't depressed this morning but decided to take your advice anyway.
I feel a lot better now. Thanx!

Tumadre, if you're looking for something to do, fill in some more info on yer personal profile page.
when it absolutely, positively, has to be destroyed overnight, call the Marines.

I will nevah, EVAH take a pinch from a greasy muddahf*@kah like you!

How 'bout if I spell it out for ya. D-I-L-L-I-G-A-F

#11 aggzy

aggzy

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 279 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Country:mandurah
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:c1-scull

Posted 11 April 2009 - 11:46 PM

Hey

try learning something new keep your mind busy and all other thoughts will go away :)

i always think "well, it could be worse" and yer that does it for me

read my website and you will realise sci's dont come worse than mine

Ag's
come see my website

HIGHER THAN SUPERMAN

#12 StillFingers

StillFingers

    Super Advanced

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 7,440 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Country:Southern California, USA
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:C4/5/6 Incomplete
  • Injury Date:07-05-1978

Posted 12 April 2009 - 12:37 AM

View Postaggzy, on Apr 11 2009, 04:46 PM, said:

Hey

try learning something new keep your mind busy and all other thoughts will go away :)

i always think "well, it could be worse" and yer that does it for me

read my website and you will realise sci's dont come worse than mine

Ag's
Well said Shane, our minds are so amazing :)

Edited by StillFingers, 12 April 2009 - 12:41 AM.

Only after we have lost everything, are we free to do anything.
Shooting With Still Fingers - http://shootingwiths...s.blogspot.com/

#13 Hikkakaru

Hikkakaru

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 300 posts
  • Gender:Not Telling
  • Country:United States
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:cervical

Posted 12 April 2009 - 02:05 AM

View Postnomis, on Apr 10 2009, 05:55 PM, said:

If trying to find the right thing to break a depression isn't working then the best thing to do is tell yourself to get really really depressed. Really get into it and make everything, but everything a monstrous bigger than big downer and don't even catch yourself making the slightest grin. Cut out all potential enjoyments. Be Darth Vader. Start right now and take this very very seriously. More seriously.

That has been working fantastic for me lately.

#14 cubanito_016

cubanito_016

    Newbie

  • Banned
  • Pip
  • 118 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Country:miami,fl
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:Admin Note: Offensive Member Messages.

Posted 12 April 2009 - 01:56 PM

I fell you life could suck sometimes but you are a t12 and some people are worse condition than you and cant bearly do nothing with their arms and you still have your upper body strong.I know it could be deppresing but try to forget about the pass and it torward the future and excersice and go out sometimes and try to stay strong in mind and join disabled sport.I know it hard dont be deppresed cause no matter how sad you are whe cant do nothing about our situation.Good luck bro hope you feel better.

#15 Brokeback Brenda

Brokeback Brenda

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 62 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Country:Oswego, NY
  • Spinal Injury Level / Relationship:T6
  • Injury Date:30-05-2006

Posted 04 May 2009 - 05:22 PM

Decide you aren't going to be depressed--it is what it is. You need to get out there and take you life back!! This is just problem solving man, forget how you USED to do it, figure out how to do it NOW. I've met a few guys on myspace who are paralyzed drummers--go look up some videos on myspace or youtube and see how they do it. One that really helps me is from another post, The 10 Key's To Avoiding Depression, I printed it out and put it on my fridge. Reading that and just knowing that I have everyone here going thru the same crap gives me comfort (thanks Kev-O)




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users



This website is a way for those with spinal cord injuries to share experiences and advice. Any medical matters, treatments or alternative therapies discussed on this website should be thoroughly reviewed by a medical professional or therapist before being acted upon. Under no circumstances should you alter prescribed medication or a medical care plan without consulting your doctor or care plan supervisor first.