Living With Depression

Depression is such a life stealer. This topic is near and dear to my heart. I’ve suffered with depression since I was a child. I am hoping that some of the tips that I have learned will help others who also suffer with this debilitating disorder.

Keeping busy – I have learned that when I have an active social life and a busy schedule, depression has little chance to sneak in. If I am busy, depression can’t work itself into my schedule.

Having routines – This lies within the same principle of keeping busy. If you know what you are doing each day of the week, each hour of the day, then it is harder for depression to get us bogged down. However, our routines need to be kept short so as not to overwhelm us with their complexity.

Have a support system – Having friends and family who understand depression is a lifesaver in itself. This should be the number one tip, because when we feel understood, we feel valued. However, having family members who enable us is not good. We need encouragement, we need people to bring us out of our isolation, and we need people to bring out the best in us.Try as hard as you can to only have positive people in your life. Negative people will only bring us down, or down further.

Only say positive things – This is a hard one for me because I am always calling myself horrible names that I wouldn’t allow my children to say to themselves or others. Why is it ok for us to call ourselves the most horrid of names? It shouldn’t be allowed because we are not any of those names. You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are amazing in all you do. You are of value to me and to your family and friends. Do not allow those negative words to affect you any longer.

Surround yourself with the things you love – Do you like flowers? Keep some fresh cut flowers on your dining table.

Love yourself enough – I love myself enough to get 8 hours of sleep, to eat right, to drink lots of water, and to take the time to make myself presentable to the world. When I look good, I feel good. That is not just a cliché, it is true and to the point. You cannot feel your best if you don’t like what you see in the mirror. If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, do something about it, because you are worthy enough. If money is an issue, read my articles on frugal beauty tips.

Smell the roses – Above, I said to keep busy, but don’t be too busy that you don’t have time to enjoy the little things you love to do like read, shop, garden, knit, etc.

Spend time outdoors – Get outside in the sunshine. Talk a walk, read a book outside, garden, play with the puppy or the kids outside, have a picnic, etc.

Finish each task – Having a large number of unfinished projects is very stressful to people who suffer with depression. Work on one project at a time. It is less stressful and you get a feeling of accomplishment when you have finished something you’ve worked so hard on.

Practice relaxation techniques – I have one word for you - yoga. Yoga helps with a myriad of different disorders, but it especially helps with depression. Meditation is also helpful with relaxing people who suffer with depression. As does listening to soothing music/noises. 

And, lastly – Even though we try to do all the right things, sometimes depression will come to visit and stay a spell like an unwanted visitor. When it does, and if it gets severe, get immediate help. There is no shame in talking to a therapist or taking medication. Depression is a medical condition, not unlike diabetes and should be treated as such. Sometimes, it’ll take awhile to find the right medication or the right combination of medications. Keep trying until you and your doctor get it right. Don’t give up. You are worth it!