(no subject)
i thought i was ok, but i guess
i just did a good job constantly
keeping myself distracted.
now, the whirlwind has settled,
the distractions are gone,
and now the depression?
it's hit me head on.
sometimes, i wish i could write "guidelines" for people dealing with friends who are dealing with... sadness.
(hell, maybe i'm writing this for myself, since i'm all i've got. and hell, i'm posting it in a place where very few eyes will read it, so... meh. irony.)
for instance...
when a friend is "sad" they might:
1. cry. a lot.
2. sleep. a lot.
3. try to push you away.
4. be cruel, unnecessarily. (see #3)
5. tell you they want to be left alone. (see #3)
6. feel isolated, alone, and abandoned. (even though, as per items 3-5, they are causing the situation)
7. secretly wish for comfort. (which is hard to tell, due to items 3-6)
8. think about things they wouldn't usually. ("escape")
9. Show changes in eating/appetite. (increase or decrease)
10. Show changes in interest. (ie, not doing things they enjoy; doing things that are "out of character")
things NOT to do:
1. leave them alone.
2. encourage bad/out of character habits.
3. react to their behavior.
things TO do:
1. be there for them.
2. give hugs - lots of hugs.
3. support them without discrediting their sadness.
4. encourage them to do things that they used to enjoy.
5. let them do what they need to do. (talk, or not talk; cry, or not cry.)
6. distract them with new, exciting things ("oh, shiny!" - new experiences help.)
7. check on them. (if you're worried, there might be a good reason)
8. remind them that they are loved, wanted, and welcome.
9. more hugs.
10. Understand that they might not understand why they're sad, and that's ok.
...i'm still hoping it's the season, or my recent poor nutrition...
Niacin (B-3)
Your brain requires niacin, vitamin B-3, to maintain a constant supply of glucose to meet its energy needs. Severe niacin deficiency, which can occur in cases of chronic alcoholism and in people who have problems absorbing nutrients, can result in neurologic symptoms such as poor concentration, confusion and memory loss.
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-6 is required for production of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and GABA. Confusion, or lack of concentration, can be a symptom of serious vitamin B-6 deficiency.
Vitamin B-12
Getting sufficient vitamin B-12 is vital for ensuring your brain's proper function. Vitamin B-12 deficiency affects 10 to 15 percent of adults over the age of 60, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. When you lack sufficient vitamin B-12, nerves' myelin sheath, which is like the coating around an electrical wire, is disturbed, resulting in problems with concentration, memory loss, disorientation and dementia.