This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Buffalo chapter.

Battling depression is one of the toughest fights to win, but winning is definitely possible. If you go on Tumblr, you’ll often find a bunch of cutesy ways to deal with depression, most of which are not helpful at all. Contrary to popular belief, depression doesn’t need to have a cause and sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a funk and you cannot figure out why. I’ve dealt with depression off and on since my senior year of high school and my experiences, along with my background in Abnormal Psychology, has given me a bit of insight on how to deal with it that doesn’t involve eating 3 tubs of chocolate cookie dough ice cream. That brings me to tip number one:

Don’t: Eat three tubs of cookie dough ice cream.

Do: Eat as healthy as you can.

In addition to cookie dough ice cream, don’t eat three tubs of Chunky Monkey, Half Baked, vanilla or chocolate. Ben, Jerry, Haagen, and Daz are not your friends right now. It may be tempting to eat away your feelings with junk food but it actually makes you feel worse. An April 2014 study in the journal of Physiology & Behavior shows that eating junk food can cause a lack of motivation, lowered performance rates and tiredness, so it’s advisable to stay away from junk when you’re depressed.

Patrick, you gotta chill.

I know some of us don’t find vegetables to be that appealing but luckily, nature packed a lot of good stuff in other foods too. Fruits are a great alternative because they are sweet and still good for you. Parfaits made with fruit, granola, and organic yogurt are good alternatives to ice cream as well. At UB and need something colder? Head over to Jamba Juice and meal swipe a smoothie and cup of oatmeal. Get a little brown sugar on the oatmeal too. I won’t tell if you won’t.

Don’t: Call your best friend over so you watch movies and cry together all day.

Do: Call your best friend over so they can help you clean your room.

A tip I see floating around on Tumblr is to cry until you feel better. Don’t get me wrong—I am crying’s biggest cheerleader. As I got older, I always found myself jealous of toddlers because they pretty much do whatever they want, including expressing their emotions whenever they feel like it without any care in the world. As you get older, though, outright expressions of emotions are frowned upon so crying alone or with friends is usually your best bet to fill that void of sadness. However, with depression, the void quickly turns into a black hole and lying in bed and crying every day is not going to benefit you (even if it’s being done with your best buddy). Instead, schedule yourself two hours to watch your favorite sappy movie with your homie so you can just let it all out. Afterwards, with the help of your homie, talk yourself into getting out of bed and begin to clean your room. There’s a good chance it’s a disaster zone and that’s totally okay because most people with depression have been there before. Start off with something simple like changing your bedspread. While you’re doing that, your friend could take your dishes (filled with leftover fruit and parfaits of course) to the kitchen. When you finish cleaning, put some upbeat music on and dance to your hearts content!

YASSS HUNTY! WERK.

Don’t: Ditch your friends, family and significant other to cuddle up with your teddy bear and blanket.

Do: Ditch your teddy bear and blanket to cuddle up with your friends, family and significant other.

When I was depressed, I preferred to be depressed by myself. Part of it had to do with me being an introvert but other than that, depression is just isolating. However, I often found that I felt better when people came around, but when I found myself alone again, I would forget that it was helpful to be around others and recharge by myself. I have a teddy bear and blanket that I’ve had since birth that I love dearly, but they don’t compare to human touch (they come hella close though.) Have an annoying but adorable baby brother or sister? Spend some time with them when you’re not in the mood to kill each other.

Little brothers are poppin’…sometimes.

If your relationship is tumultuous, call up your favorite cousin. Crawling in bed with my mom like a five year old is one of my personal favorite ways to heighten my mood. Being around people who you love and who love you back can do wonders for your emotions, which brings me to:

Don’t: Lie in bed and do nothing.

Do: Lie in bed and have sex.

Having sex with your significant other can help a lot too. I know that may be hard because depression can screw up your sex drive big time, but whenever you and your partner are in the mood, go for it. If you’re single, celibate or waiting until marriage, try making out and touching or you can masturbate with or without your partner. Orgasms are natures medicine, people. If you’re abstaining from sexual contact as a whole, cuddle up with your bae or your best friend if they’re okay with it. Any human contact will help.

My minds telling me no, but my body…my body’s telling me yeeeeesss!

Don’t: Take anything before you consult with your doctor.

Do: Take your medicine regularly if you’re on it.

This is super important. There are a lot of non-prescription drugs out there that can really do damage to you if you abuse them. Drinking and smoking your depression away will not work—numbing your problems is not the same as fixing them. Binge drinking during this time is especially harmful because you’re more susceptible to becoming addicted during this vulnerable time. Of course not all non-prescription supplements are drugs. Some are herbs and vitamins in pill form but it’s still best to consult your doctor before you take anything as it’s better be safe than sorry. If you are already on an antidepressant or anti-anxiety pill, obey the pills safety instructions. Abusing it or not taking it regularly can cause major health problems. The effects of abuse have been engrained in us since our first D.A.R.E program in 3rd grade but not taking them regularly is something that isn’t talked about as much. Irregular intake of antidepressants can lead to antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, which is like having the flu but 100 times worse. Always tell your doctor when you’re ready to get off of them so you can avoid this.

And finally,

Don’t: Try to do this alone.

Do: Seek help.

There is a stigma in a lot of communities about seeing a therapist. In the black community, seeking help is seen as a sign of weakness and lack of faith in God, which are just myths. Seeking help is actually a sign of strength because you are taking steps towards combating your problem. If you feel you need professional help, find professional help. Therapists provide open and caring environments and can advise you better than any self-help article on the Internet. If you feel your therapist isn’t a good fit, feel free to shop around until you find one who can cater to your needs. In addition to your therapist, filter through your friends and keep the realistic ones close to you. Optimism is great for depression but sometimes, hearing “It’s totally going to be okay! Just give it time!” over and over isn’t helpful. Surround yourself with people who will help you get through each day instead of those who try to help you overcome your depression all at once with generic upbeat statements. Remember that your depression does not define you. You are a fighter and you will win this war.

Girl Power is the main energy source of the world.

Suicide Hotlines and Resources.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1 (800) 273-8255)

(English and Spanish Speaking)

UB Counseling Services

(716) 645-2720 (North Campus)

(716) 829-5800 (South Campus)

Crisis Text Line

741-741

Text the shortcode listed above when in need of help.

The Trevor Project