Me again! After a bad start I have had really uplifting day! When I got up I did not want to go to yoga and was in a lot of pain after taking our dog for a walk. But my husband had said he wanted to try yoga (something I never expected!) so I didn’t want to let him down. So we went. He absolutely loved it and I felt so much better afterwards, physically and mentally. So it shows how important it is to ‘push through’ the crapness sometimes. I am going to look for the cream Helen mentioned for my wrists. I have to go to the GP referral back session tomorrow so that is another approach to try. My concern is that I am going to find it difficult to keep some of these going once I go back to work, as all the sessions are during the day. I know I could find other classes but I really like the yoga teacher at this one. I am trying zumba on saturday! Our yoga teacher says I should be OK so I am going to give it a go. I loive dancing and thast class is on a Satruday morning so work won’t get in the way! I also have my appointment for occupational health through, on 3rd August, so hopefully that will mean they will have things in place (whatever that will be!) by the time everything starts frantically in September.

I will shut up now!

Glynis

Dear Glynis,

There’s absolutely no need what-so-ever to “shut up” as you call it.

When we are feeling down you know we are all here to support each other and give whatever help we can because we know it will be reciprocated. Conversely, when one of us is feeling better it gives us the rest of us hope and encouragement to know about one of our friends is doing so well.

I’m so pleased you’re feeling better today.

All the best,

Karma

Dear Glynis and Karma, me too!  I am so pleased you’re feeling better.  It does seem like you say that everything incongruent with feeling low is good for depression.  I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep when I was really low but sure never woke up feeling any better!  When I dragged myself out for a run or some form of exercise or even going out for a coffee or outside, I felt much better for longer.  One has to keep doing those things to keep feeling better though!
Enjoy zumba.  I have absolutely no rythmn so won’t be putting myself through that!
Take care Glynis.  Helen

Dear Karma, I just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow.  I hope that you’ve got some treat lined up for when you’ve completed your 3 hours so that you have that to look forward to.  Maybe that doesn’t work for everyone but it works for me.  I don’t know what you would plan that you would look forward to but after my first day back at work of a few hours I promised myself and went for a lovely coffee and a cake with my book!  Simple but it worked and it got me over the first 30 minutes of being anxious walking into work.
Thinking of you and will be right behind you in spirit tomorrow.
Helen

Hi Helen.

I’ve just got home after my first morning back at work. My line manager has put quite a lot on my plate “to get me going” but other than that It wasn’t too bad. I’m glad it was only for three hours, I think it would have been a big mistake to go straight back in to full time. Next day in is Friday morning.

Thank you so much for thinking about me.

Karma

Hi Karma,
Glad it went well, sometimes it’s a good thing to have lots on at work, I find the days when I don’t have much to do I feel more fed up and get in a bad mood and end up counting down the hours and minutes.
Good luck for Friday and definitely reward yourself, my treat is a hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows and/or watching Sean of the Dead on DVD by the way!!
Gemma

Gemma,

Thanks for the kind words.

You are right when you say getting stuck into a challenging task makes the time go faster. I just wish there wern’t so many conflicting deadlines attached. Work wasn’t the primary cause of my depression, but it certainly didn’t help. However, after getting over the hurdle of going back today, I’m far less anxious about Friday.

im newbie here and its nice to be here.

Hello torresemerald, welcome to the site. Best wishes, Helen

Good evening Karma, well done you for Wednesday and the devils gave you deadlines!  Maybe they are going for the ultimate distraction tactic!  Are you OK?  And may I ask, how did today go?
Have a well deserved great weekend Karma.  Thinking of you.  Helen

Great Film Gemma.  I love Sean of the Dead!  How are you doing?  Have a good weekend.  Helen

Hi Helen,

Today wasn’t too bad thank you.

I had a meeting with the Senior Director who was keen to stress that he understands how it can take time to recover completely and that he isn’t putting a time frame on me returning to full time work.

He also made me promise that I would tell him if I was feeling stressed, and that he would take action to take some of the stress off me. Ofcourse this means someone else will get a double helping. In the last 6 months, out of my team of six people, one person has left (and not been replaced) and two of us have had to attend counselling.

It will be interesting to see what actually happens if I do start feeling bad again. To be fair to the Director, at least he’s making the right noises. In reality there isn’t a great deal he can do about our Department’s work load; especially given the restraints on spending and recruitment coupled with the govenment’s enforced changes and deadlines. There are now just 18 of us managing an annual budget in excess of £1 billion, an average of over £555,000,000 each. I always have a wry smile when I read in the press about how easy life is in the public sector. I read the article you mentioned in the Daily Mail - only doing an average of eight hours per day would be regarded as bliss by my collegues at the moment.

One very big plus from the meeting I had with the Senior Director is that, for the time being, I won’t be expected to attend any negotiation meetings with our providers. This is a big relife as they tend to be tense at best and often turn highly acrimonious to put it lightly. This is one of the things I was dreading most about the prospect of returning to work. 

Sorry if this has turned into a bit of a rant - it wasn’t meant to.

As always, thank you very much for asking after me.

Very best wishes,

Karma

Hi Helen

Thanks for asking after me, I’m good thanks, just let myself have a Saturday morning of pampering myself, painting nails and facemasks etc. I got into the habit of doing it when I was in my old job used to leave the house at 6:30am and not get home til 7pm Monday to Friday, it made makes me feel loads better to just shut out the world and make myself feel refreshed
Works especially good on a day when it’s throwing it down with rain and I can’t go out for a walk!
Hope you’re ok and have a good weekend too

Gemma

PS Karma I’m glad yesterday went well

Dear Karma, I’m so pleased that you got through your first week back and came out the other side relatively unscathed!  I’m also pleased that you get to avoid negotiation meetings with the providers!  It sounds like a pretty tough environment.  It’s a shame that they can’t do something about it given they can see what is happening to their best staff with them leaving and taking leave with stress but as you say, restraints, deadlines, targets and budgets are tight and competitive.  As you say at least your senior director seems to want to do all he can within his power to keep you there and keep you well. 
I know what you mean about the 8 hour day.  I was surprised to read that an 8 hour day causes stress.  I don’t know anyone who does less than an 8 hour day and many who would welcome it! 
Anyway I hope that you’ve had a good weekend.  Is it the same working week again this week then Karma?  If it is, I send you good wishes for tomorrow at the office.  If not, I send them to you anyway!
Take care Karma, Helen

Hello Gemma, what a wonderful Saturday!  It sounds like most women’s idea of heaven, mine included.  My sister took me to a health spa for the day for my Birthday a couple of weeks ago and it was so perfect.  Glad to hear that you’re doing OK Gemma.  I hope you had a good Sunday too and that you have a good week.  Best wishes, Helen

Hi Karma, that’s just brill news about your phased back to work and well done for seemingly taking it in your stride and dealing with it.  How did today go and how are you feeling in general Karma? 
I still feel a bit down every now and again but nothing like I used to.  As I said I get paid almost half what I did before but I felt like I was going to have a heart attack before with tingling arms and chest and I never got any quailty time with my kids as I was always on the phone, even at weekends and evenings.  I now even laugh at work!!!  I never thought I’d do that again.  Take care mate.  Will