Admittedly, in my darkest days of depression, I couldn’t do anything but curl up in bed and cry-I didn’t want to eat, or watch tv or anything.
BUT…when I was functional, but still depressed, watching those little morons always cracked me up.
Get a hobby.
I suffer from depresion and am on meds. What helped me before the meds was having something to do. Keeping my mind occupited and off depressing thoughts. I alternately built model airplanes, took up painting, started collecting baseball memorabilia, etc.
What really helped me though was my comic book; one I created myself. I made up the characters and background stories for each. I drew them out and started putting them in stories and situations, just playing around. Soon, I had my own comic book drawn just for me. Talk about catharsis! Having gf or family problems? Then a main character gets in a big fall out with another main character, draw a lot of violence and anger in a huge fight scene that lasts for 15 pages, then it’s over. The good guy wins and it’s out of my head.
This may not work for everyone though.
Lemme add a couple more things to try. I have gone through cycles of depression for years, and tried to kill myself once by playing a dangerous game with my car.
- While I’ve never been prescribed medication, I found St. John’s Wort to help. During one of my episodes, lasting on and off about a year, I would feel myself spiraling down and down, deeper into the slough of despond. The Wort seemed to cause me to ‘plateau’ and not go down any deeper.
Now, understand that I look askance at all herbal remedies, and believe most of it to be unadulterated krep. Of course, you could also say that my desire to stop being depressed was strong enough to use the Wort as a placebo, but I did feel it helped. Take that as you will.
-
THROW AWAY THE BOOZE. Even if you feel there’s no direct connection to your depression, there is. While I don’t mind taking a drink now and then, I’ve been so clean that, the day after, I feel logy and not at all at my mental best. My energy level has been much higher overall since I stopped drinking.
-
Find Work You Love: Even better if it’s something you’ve really wanted to do, but you were scared because you’re no good/it’s a stupid idea/people will laugh. Fine. Do it anyway. This is for you. Do it in secret. Do it in the closet. Do it a hour every week. If it’s something you really wanted to try.
I write. I don’t sell what I write (yet, I hope), and I’ve had to deal with feelings like the above. I’ve found that I always feel better during and after the creative process. I just finished the first draft of a short story today. It’s a little weird, and it tries to be funny and I may not sell it, but I spent the rest of the day in a mild euphoria because I went ahead and did it anyway.
At least, all this worked for me.
Aren’t all reflexive thoughts irrational?
I found that the best way for me to get out of depression was to laugh at other peoples suffering. Anything morbid almost always cheered me up. Or doing anything that allows me to focus my conciousness on a single point. Which would include computers, thinking, or reading.
I agree with getting outside every day. Take a walk. Stop and get something to drink and talk to the salesclerk. Make human contact even if it’s only in a little way. If you see the same person everyday, look at them and nod. Often you get a “Good Morning” in return.
Every day do something to make yourself happy and something to make someone else happy. Little things. Talk with a child for a few minutes. Children get talked to, not talked with. Buy yourself something. Do something.
Every night, before going to sleep, think of at least three good things that happened that day. I don’t mean jumping-up-and-down-and-doing-your-happy-dance things. Those are great, but they don’t happen every day. The little things: a phone call or visit from someone you haven’t heard from in a while, a nice talk with a stranger, a good TV program, a great SDMV thread, anything. If you can’t find three good things in a day, you are not trying.
I usually avoid:
Drinking
Snacking
Shopping
TV
Sleeping in (unless I’m sick and need the bed rest)
I try to do at least one of the following:
A mental activity - Read a favourite book, or write something down in a journal or a letter to my gf. One period when I was depressed, I spent an entire week working on crossword puzzles. Go figure.
A physical activity - Take a walk, or maybe something more strenuous, like basketball or swimming. I’ve just started yoga and slow as it is, I find it helps to ease my mind a lot.
Do something nice for someone I know - Not buying gifts but spending time with them, asking if they needed help with any chores etc.
Do something nice for someone I don’t know - I’m in public service, so I have lots of opportunities. I try to go out of my way to help someone who needs it.
Do something nice for myself - Again, not buying stuff or bingeing, but maybe ‘reclaiming’ my day, taking some time off to go to the beach or something.
It’s not easy of course. I’ve been on that phone, crying my eyes out, wanting to die; when the thought of “You’re gonna be okay.” seems distant and ridiculous. But I try. I try to remember the good I can do.
Well, if it’s really bad, therapy is a nice place to start.
I make lists, a plan of action for things I need to get done in a day, week, month. Having a realistic goal gives me something to work toward. Having a series of them ranging from tomorrow to 5 years from now gives me a reason to want to be around and healthy 5 years from now.
If I’m depressed because of a specific thing that happened, for example in the last 8 months I have experienced a breakup, two dead grandparents, and been laid off, I give myself a few days to wallow. I really think about it, cry constantly, don’t take showers, live on Ben and Jerry’s and whatever I can get delivered, watch too many soap operas, and call my mom too much. I give myself 72 hours to a week for such behavior, depending on the event, and then I try to ease back into my life with little goals.
For day to day restlessness or “the blues” regular exercise, eating well, regular hang-out time with friends, and getting enough sleep are good maintenance measures.