One type of therapy may not be enough to get happy

Call me greedy but I’ve found that I need more than one type of therapy to make a difference and keep me happy. This is because I’ve found that just doing one thing – like taking antidepressants, exercising or using cognitive techniques – is not enough to push me over the edge into happiness. So I’ve kept adding more and more things until my mood has hit happy and stabilised.

This is a list of the techniques I use:
• behavioural techniques (activity schedules, rewarding myself for doing difficult things, doing pleasurable activities)
• cognitive techniques (recognising errors of fact or logic in my thinking and correcting them, focusing on good things that could happen)
• noting good things that happen each day or few days, as well as what I’ve achieved, no matter how small
• savoring the enjoyable and pleasurable things that happen
• trying to get half an hour at least of outside light each day
• doing some exercise (limited due to my health although having a dog helps)
• taking 6000mg of omega 3 fatty acids (in the form of fish oil) each day
• taking St John’s Wort daily as well as a mix of vitamins and minerals proven to affect mood
• social contact with positive, supportive people
• eating protein with every meal and drinking caffeine free beverages after noon
• resting when I’m tired and getting enough sleep each night, with a hot bath and good book at night to help me off to sleep
• using problem solving techniques
• talking regularly to a trusted counsellor.

I’ve found this mix really works to keep me happy.