(Peer reviewed and published in the BMJ).
Never having engaged with anti-depressant medication, electro convulsive therapy or exercise, I shall continue to recommend the Reverend Sydney Smith's advice to Lady Georgiana Morpeth dated 16 February, 1820.
To my knowledge it has never been bettered as a counter to low spirits.
Dear Georgiana,
Nobody has suffered more from low spirits than I have—so I feel for you. Here are my prescriptions.
1st
Live as well as you dare.
Live as well as you dare.
2ndGo into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold.
Go into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold.
3rdAmusing books.
Amusing books.
4thShort views of human life—not further than dinner or tea.
Short views of human life—not further than dinner or tea.
5thBe as busy as you can.
Be as busy as you can.
6thSee as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you.
See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you.
7thAnd of those acquaintances who amuse you.
And of those acquaintances who amuse you.
8thMake no secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment.
Make no secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment.
9thAttend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you.
Attend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you.
10thCompare your lot with that of other people.
Compare your lot with that of other people.
11thDon't expect too much from human life—a sorry business at the best.
Don't expect too much from human life—a sorry business at the best.
12thAvoid
poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious
novels, melancholy sentimental people, and every thing likely to excite
feeling or emotion not ending in active benevolence.
Avoid
poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious
novels, melancholy sentimental people, and every thing likely to excite
feeling or emotion not ending in active benevolence.
13thDo good, and endeavour to please everybody of every degree.
Do good, and endeavour to please everybody of every degree.
14thBe as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.
Be as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.
15thMake the room where you commonly sit, gay and pleasant.
Make the room where you commonly sit, gay and pleasant.
16thStruggle by little and little against idleness.
Struggle by little and little against idleness.
17thDon't be too severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.
Don't be too severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.
18thKeep good blazing fires.
Keep good blazing fires.
19thBe firm and constant in the exercise of rational religion.
Be firm and constant in the exercise of rational religion.
20thBelieve me, dear Georgiana, your devoted servant, Sydney Smith
Believe me, dear Georgiana, your devoted servant, Sydney Smith
Personally I would dispute the claim that exercise does not help in the alleviation of depression. I have always found the opposite to be true and I am sure many Consultants in Psychiatry would take issue with this claim from Bristol.
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