After my last post I received an overwhelming number of messages offering support and advice, many from total strangers. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who commented, emailed or tweeted to me; I hugely appreciate all your sentiments. I’ve learned so much about so many people ovet the last two weeks that it’s truly humbling. I’d particularly like to thank people who shared their own experiences, something that I know first hand is very difficult. It’s sad to think that so many people in today’s society have so many difficult times.

Several people recommended mindful practices and meditation. I have tried meditation before in a small way, but never kept it up. I might try again and see if I have more success this time. One mindful practice book that was recommended was  The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness. Other books recommended to me were The Invitation and Transitions: Making Sense Of Life’s Changes. Hopefully other people might see these and try them too.

The medication I’m on (Citalopram) may be making a difference. I’ve started writing some code, although I only seem to be able to focus for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. I’m writing a game in go which hopefully I’ll blog about if it gets anywhere. I know nothing about go or writing games, so there is definitely some learning to do! I held off of the drug for a couple of weeks to see if things would change by themselves, but my sleeping pattern and anxiety didn’t shift. Since starting on the pills my sleeping is somewhat better although I’ve had to switch to taking them in the evening because one of the side effects is drowsiness and I was struggling to stay awake during the day (not helped by lack of nighttime sleep). I’m also experiencing a few of the other side effects such as increased temperature/sweats, slight nausea and frequent trips to the toilet. Time will tell if these minor inconveniences are worth it or not.