I don't know about you, but I've noticed several patterns to my behaviour when I have mood swings.

On days when the Moodscope score will deliver a robust 75% and all is right with the world (but not too right), then getting dressed in the morning is a pleasure. I'll choose the clothes I will wear that day with enjoyment. I'll put bright colour combinations together and every time I pass a mirror it will (metaphorically at least) give me a wink and a whistle.

On the days when even getting out of bed, showered and dressed is a major hurdle‚or let's be honest, a mountain of effort to climb, then it's the automatic reach for the comfortable old jogging bottoms and raggedly fleece. And makeup, or shaving for you chaps? Forget it! It's the clothing equivalent to comfort-eating, I guess.

And it's just as bad for us. We all know that, even when we're craving the carbs (and one of the symptoms of depression is a craving for carbohydrates because we're seeking that energy boost) what really makes us feel better is some protein and veggies/fruit.

In just the same way, comfort clothing actually makes us feel worse than we already do.

Already we don't want to answer that door to anyone and we certainly don't want anyone to see us looking in such a state, so we're even less ready to open that door. I guess many of us have sat in the dark, pretending we're not at home, and hoping that if we ignore that doorbell, they will just go away and leave us alone.

It's not always achievable, as we all know, but, if we can make ourselves go for that walk or eat that nourishing food, then maybe we can make ourselves wear some cheerful clothes in our favourite (bright) colour; not black. Maybe we can dress the face with a shave or some makeup, depending upon gender/culture. At least then the mirror will cheer us on, rather than commenting, sotto voce, "just look at the state of you" every time we pass.