Unique Strategies for Managing Depression
Depression feels strong because it makes us feel “weak”. When we struggle with depression, it is common to feel numb, empty, worthless, null and void.
The reality is we can be stronger than our depression makes us feel. Although depression feels like an anchor that weighs us down, there are things we can do to ease its burden on our daily lives.
1. Embellish your hygiene routine.
When we’re depressed, we have a tendency to neglect our self-care and hygiene. Showering can become extremely difficult and even overwhelming at times. Making your shower into a “spa day” can help you compete with your depression. Light a candle, spray some perfume or try a new shampoo. Dim your lights and put on your favourite music or a relaxation tape and showering can feel enjoyable again.
2. Opposite action.
Common themes we see with depression include excessive sleep, eating a lot or eating very little, isolating ourselves, irritability, and other behaviours and feelings we don’t enjoy. Depression can feel consuming and as though it runs our lives. But you still run your life. A great example a past client once gave me of engaging in the opposite action was for anger. She cut someone off in a Tim Hortons drive through and they called her a rude name. What would your initial response be? Call them a name back? Would you ruminate all day about how rude they were? In this case, she bought them a coffee and felt proud, accomplished, and happy. The same works for depression consuming our sleep schedules. Try waking up 10 minutes earlier and going for a walk. Over time, depression is likely to reduce because we feel accomplished and have things to make us feel good about ourselves and the world we live in. Click here for other opposite action examples.
3. Make an effort in relationships.
Depression and isolation are best friends. They may as well be in a very committed but very unhappy partnership. When were depressed, it’s normal to feel like people don’t care, as though we are a burden to others, or people don’t want to spend time with us. These are negative thoughts that can be controlled (we’ll get to that another time). Rather than waiting for someone to reach out to you, try reaching out to them. Plan a phone call, see what’s new in their life, or plan an activity you used to do together that you have not done in a while. Chances are the friend will be happy you reached out to them and you will be too. The worst that can happen is you end up feeling the same way you did already. My bet? Your depression won’t be so happy because it’s losing its hold on you.
4. Practice makes perfect.
If you have depression and you’re reading this, chances are you didn’t start to feel this way overnight. Depression is a long term struggle, and so is recovery. If you haven’t been running for 6 months, you aren’t going to wake up tomorrow and run a marathon. The same applies for self-care. If we haven’t been engaging in enjoyable activities for a long time, it will take our mind and bodies practice as well as trial and error to find what works for us. Practice your self-care and try tracking your mood before and after to see if that activity is something you enjoy or not. Click here for 183 self-care activities you can practice to make perfect.
5. Engage in a sensory experience.
When we’re depressed, the brain fog we experience can be debilitating. Brain fog can feel numb, distracting, and consume our ability to focus. Sensory experiences are absolutely crucial to remain present. Try peeling and eating an orange, hold an ice cube, drink a warm tea. Notice what these sensory experiences feel like, and embrace that. You’re engaging in the present moment, and for the time being, the brain fog isn’t consuming you, but reality is. When we’re in touch with reality, depression loses its hold on you.
6. Create a positive experiences jar.
At the end of every day, write what was good down on a sheet of paper and put it in a jar. If you are struggling to find something positive that happened, start with accomplishments that may have been a struggle for you such as showering today, getting out of bed, eating a healthy meal. Start with what you have and grow from there. Either at the end of the week, the month, or when you are having negative thoughts about yourself, open your jar and reflect on the positive things that occurred in your life. It may provide you with reasons for living you couldn’t remember before. Other reasons for living can be found here.
7. Embrace your inner child.
The majority of adult struggles come from adverse childhood experiences such as trauma and attachment issues. Allowing space for that child to heal and find themselves again is important. Eat some ice cream, swing on a swing, play with a toy that was only around when you were a kid, laugh, watch a children’s movie, have fun! Forgive the child who couldn’t control what happened to them by allowing them the space to feel and breathe again.
8. Don’t make television a priority.
Television is commonly mistaken as a healthy self- care tool. While television can be useful and enjoyable, it’s important to incorporate other self-care activities into your routine. If you are struggling to think of what other activities can be, check out the link in number 4 again. Television, like many things, is an automatic activity. It is easy to space out, disengage, or ruminate when watching television. The most effective self- care activities are engaging and require thought outside of rumination. For example, try cooking a new recipe, build something new, or work on a brain teaser. These are distracting and make it difficult for depression to consume your thoughts and body.
