Living with depression is excruciating. It can feel like there’s nothing that you can do to feel even a little bit better and no hope for a happier life. This causes people to completely lose all hope while their symptoms just keep getting worse.
I’ve suffered from depression for years and in that time have found small ways to help myself cope in my day to day life, and now I want to share them with you too. Here are 8 simple things you can do daily to help you manage your depression.
1. Go Outside
It may be much easier to lie in bed and scroll through social media, but that’s just going to make you feel worse than you already do. Go for a walk outside or sit on a bench in the park. Just getting some fresh air and a change of scenery can be enough to calm you sometimes.
2. Eat Healthier
Experts have linked diet to mental health countless times. Although eating a healthy, balanced diet won’t cure you, it will help your energy levels. As well as that, an unhealthy diet can, in fact, make your symptoms worsen.
3. Keep Yourself Busy with Positive Activities
Sitting at home all day and doing nothing is just going to dig you deeper and deeper into a hole. Keeping busy is a great way to keep your mind off things for a little bit, as well as getting you moving. Take up a hobby or do something like washing the dishes. It may be hard at first, but it’s worth it.
4. Rest
Yes, you do need to move and keep yourself occupied, but you also need to rest. Depression is exhausting, so allow yourself some time to unwind. Just be careful not to fall into the trap of staying in bed all day.
5. Avoid Alcohol
A lot of people end up turning to a bottle of alcohol when they feel helpless and alone. This is a terrible idea for so many reasons. Not only can this become addictive, but alcohol is also a depressant. Drinking it will make you feel far worse than you already do.
6. Socialize Outside of Your Home
Depression can force you to isolate you from others. Unfortunately, that’s one of the worst things that you can do for yourself. Call up a friend or a family member that you like and invite them to go for coffee, a movie, a walk, or something else that you might enjoy.
7. Exercise
Regular exercise has been proven to help alleviate the symptoms of depression. If there’s an activity that you used to love but dropped, try picking it up again. If you’d rather, you can try something new like dance, running, yoga, or going to the gym.
8. Write A List Of All Your Accomplishments
You may feel like a complete failure right now, but you need to give yourself credit for the things that you achieve every day. Did you make something to eat, shower, do laundry, go outside, go grocery shopping? Depression makes even the simplest task excruciatingly hard, so remind yourself every day of how much you managed to do.
I understand that these things may be easier said than done but start with baby steps. From my own experience I can tell you that, although it’s going to take time and a lot of work, you’ll eventually be able to do these things every day. Keep fighting and know that one day you really will be okay.
If you know someone who suffers from depression, please share this article with them. These tips could be just what they need to cope with their illness.
