I have depression and it’s something that I’ve struggled with for most of my life. This isn’t one of those lists of things that will “cure” you, nor am I suggesting that any of these things are a replacement for therapy or medication if you decide you need that. This list simply contains tips that have helped me on occasion and may be able to help you manage your depression, or even drive it away for a while.
- Cook
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I like to be creative and feel like I’ve made something, and because depression likes to drain you of energy, sometimes it can be hard to find the motivation to do essential things like eat. Even if it’s instant ramen, any cooking combines that feeling of accomplishment with your need to eat, and if it helps you feel better that’s a win-win!
- Spend time with friends
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If they’re hanging out, hang out with them! If they’re staying in, see if you can join! You know your friends, spend time with them! Ask them how they’re doing! If you’re with a close friend and you both feel comfortable, you may even be able to talk about what you’re experiencing. Sometimes venting helps, but really, having another person or two you trust to lean on can make all the difference.
A note: This can’t be your only outlet. You don’t want to put your mental health in the hands of other people. Not only is that not fair to them, but there will also be times that those people are busy or away, and you need to know how to deal with depression on your own sometimes.
- Get clean!
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Some days, you may not even want to get out of bed. But if you don’t, you’ll feel worse. Your bed can start to be more of a sweaty prison than a comfortable retreat. To combat that, it’s important to remember to be as hygienic as you can. If that means taking a bubble bath, or a hot shower, great! That can be very relaxing. If you don’t feel able to take a bath/shower, do what you can. Put on deodorant. Brush your teeth. Wash your face. Whatever you’re able to do will help, and anything is better than nothing.
- Start a new movie or show
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This is another activity for those days you just want to stay in one place. If you prefer movies, queue up a classic you haven’t seen or a new flick you’ve been interested in seeing. I get really sucked into new TV shows and characters so sometimes, I start a new TV show or cartoon and become so wrapped up in their stories that it becomes my main focus. Plus, who knows, you could find a lifelong favorite!
- Find new surroundings
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If you’re having a particularly rough few days, and/or you find yourself gravitating to one place all the time (for me, it’s my bed), it may be helpful to relocate. Just moving to a different space will at least break up the monotony of being surrounded by the same four walls. This may mean going outside for a bit, or it may just mean sitting in your living room or any other space you have available. Shake it up a little!
- Practice “mindfulness”
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This is something that my therapist told me to do (therapy can help if you have access to it!). “Mindfulness” works best if your depressive episodes have a source. It involves acknowledging what the source is, and even acknowledging that it sucks. Things are allowed to suck. You don’t have to pretend that everything is alright all the time. But after you have acknowledged it, you need to choose something else to focus on. You can choose something from this list if you would like, or anything else that’s positive. You might have to practice this. It’s not going to be easy to switch your focus overnight. But it will help you to better acknowledge the source of your mood (even if it’s just general depression—acknowledge that this is a clinical problem and it sucks) and push it to the side to focus on something better and not dwell so long in the doldrums.
These tips are not all-inclusive, nor will all of them work for everyone. These are just a few things that help me, and I hope that you can find some comfort in these activities as well.
(Gifs courtesy of giphy.com)