I have struggled with depression for over a decade now, and every day has been a challenge. I’ve had days where I couldn’t even get out of bed to eat. Some days I feel like I’m on top of the world, but I still have those days where I don’t have it in me to do anything but lay in my bed. It’s a daily battle, but these are some things that have helped me when dealing with these issues.
creating a schedule
Creating a schedule that best accommodates my personal needs is the first thing I do to take care of my mental health. I start with planning my class schedule. I find it extremely difficult to wake up early, so I accommodate this by scheduling my classes later in the morning because I would not be able to wake up for an early class time. I also try and schedule my classes to be all on a few days out of the week. Taking classes only a couple of days a week makes it easier to coax me out of bed and get ready for my classes. I also do not study early in the morning because I know I have no motivation early on in the day. I’m a night owl through and through; studying at night is the easiest way for me to achieve anything.
talking to family and friends
Making time to talk with friends and family is a big part of how I deal with my depression. I find that I need to talk to people I care about regularly to avoid going back into a darker place. Even just five minutes of calling my friends helps me remind myself I am loved and that my existence matters to some. I use my time in the car to talk to others as I am already doing nothing but driving, and it’s a good time for me to talk in between all the work I have to get done.
movement
I find taking time to exercise and move around is a great method for not only curing my writer’s block but also my depression. I find that moving around is a big help to me because it gets me physically out of a space that I felt was bringing me down, elevates my mood, and allows me to come back to what I was doing in a better mindset than before. Moving around and getting my blood flowing is one of the main ways I keep myself up and out of that funk.
making time for my interests
Prioritizing my interests and making time for those things is probably the most effective way I keep myself happy and out of a funk. Despite having so much work to do for school, I find planning time to do something I enjoy, such as reading or going out, helps get me through the week, as I have some self-care time to devote to the things I enjoy. If I have time to read for pleasure or go out to stores, I’m content.
While there are many different methods and tools to help with depression, these are just some of the main ways in which I help maintain a stable mood and keep myself on top of all the demands of school. It took me a long time to figure out what works best for me, but finding out what works and how to best take care of myself has made all the improvement in the world.
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