by Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. If you’ve been depressed or anxious for a while, it can be hard to recognize when you are actually getting better. Here are few signs that you are probably on the mend:
You start forgetting to take your medication. (This is not a recommendation). When you begin to feel better, you naturally gravitate away from your prescriptions. If you find yourself forgetting more than just a few times, you need to consult with your physician. It may be time to change your dose or to start tapering off. Never quit a medication without notifying your doctor and therapist.
You find yourself singing along with the car radio. Most of the time depressed people don’t rock out in their cars. When you catch yourself on the freeway pretending you are Pink or Adam Lambert, it could be a sign that you are feeling some happiness. Just notice it and take it in.
Things that used to scare you don’t anymore. You may find yourself driving to places that you were too overwhelmed to visit before. You could be thinking about asking for a promotion or a raise or about looking for a new job. And you may also find yourself standing up to people who may have intimidated you in the past. These are all signs of inner strength.
You are ready to make some big changes to your living situation. You may want to move or to remodel the house. It may be that you associate your surroundings with when you were feeling bad, so wanting to change them is a way of telling yourself that you are ready to feel good again. I would try moving some furniture around or taking a trip, however, before putting the house on the market.
You are able to take your disappointments in stride. Incidents that would have upset you before and caused you to go into a tailspin feel like only minor inconveniences now. This is a great way to know that you are healing from within. Whenever you can take disappointment in stride, you are robbing your negative emotions of their power, which allows you to put your emotional energy to better use.
You understand that bad days are only temporary. We all have bad days, but for someone who has been battling a mood disorder, they can be worrisome, because the question of a relapse is never far away. Neither is the knowledge that you are coming out of this difficult place, despite momentary setbacks.
You have more moments of peace and you are sleeping better. Both are signs that your mood is on the mend. You may not recognize those peaceful moments right away, but if you are used to waking up with anxiety and you are doing this less often, you are moving in the right direction.
