Feeling Depressed? 3 Easy to Use Skills To Help You Cope
Hey, hey, hey! The season is changing! Fall is here and winter is approaching…for many that means sweatshirt weather, pumpkin-spiced lattes, gift shopping, and picking apples! For others, the season changing equates to feelings of loneliness, reminders of broken dreams, or seasonal affective disorder. Wherever you fall in that mix of emotions, I want you to know that you are not alone.
Have you ever experienced what it feels like to be depressed? If so, you are not alone. According to the National Institue of Mental Health, Major depression is one of the most common mental health struggles in the United States.
If you’d like, at the bottom of the blog is a link to take a quick free depression screening to check in on your mental health. 👇
For some, major depression can result in severe impairments that interfere with or limit one’s ability to carry out major life activities. That’s huge!! I’ve heard people describe depressive episodes as being sad, moody, and down while others may as, “I’m just having one of those days” not realizing that one of those days has turned into a month of those days. It can be hard to spot as a high-functioning adult, even for us clinicians, but if it's something that your therapist ever brings up as something to consider - I want this to be a reminder for you to really think about it.
What exactly is depression?
I will simply define depression as any feeling or thought that lowers your mood and affects your behavior (Yep, such a short and powerful definition). It's human to be depressed but when it begins to impact our ability to optimally take care of our day-to-day responsibility, it becomes a problem we really have to tend to. It’s every therapist's hope to help clients build coping skills, make life changes, or get on a medication regime to avoid major bouts of depression, but unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world.
What is the leading cause of depression?
Life! Just kidding, but seriously, life events that are stressful, hard to cope with, etc. are the biggest triggers that lead to a depressive episode. However, there are numerous factors that can cause depression, some of which are Addictions, Stress, Bullying, Low self-esteem, Inferiority complex, Imposter Syndrome, or just plain being hard on yourself through negative self-talk, condemnation, and unrealistic expectations. Have you been there?
How to overcome depression.
First things first - work on improving your sleep hygiene.
I know the question in your mind is how does sleep affect depression but guess what, getting a good night's sleep is very important when trying to manage depression. When you're well-rested, you'll not only have more energy, but also a more positive outlook on life and better focus.
Learning how to stop thoughts in their tracks that lead to a low mood is also a very strategic way to combat depression as well.
All of our emotions are there to communicate things to us, but every thought is not one we should hang our hat on. Our thoughts impact our mood/emotions, so managing them is imperative. Here is a rule of thumb that has helped many people, when you have a thought that you know can get you down. When you have a thought that leads to low mood - notice the thought and do not attach a story to it. Just acknowledge the thought for 30-60 seconds and let any emotion tied to it PASS. When we don't attach a story to the thought and/or the emotion, it is easier for us to not get hung up on it and assess from a clearer perspective what we need to do with the thought, if anything at all.
Build a support network.
Family and friends go a long way in curing depression because a problem shared is a problem half solved and how best to share your problem than to talk to someone who you love and trust. Aside from family, talking to a therapist also helps because they are trained professionals and have a lot of experience when it comes to various mental health scenarios.
I hope these suggestions are helpful for you when managing your mood, depressive episodes, or regulating your thought process. It only takes 1 skill that really works for you to change the trajectory of your thinking. Don't get bogged down with using all of the skills - try one for two weeks and see if it sticks, if not, then move onto another skill.
Remember, when it feels like you are failing at life, remind yourself of all the ways you are overcoming despite how hard life is at that moment. Truly, you are doing the best you can, even when it seems like it's not enough. When life throws you a lemon, squeeze it and make lemonades out of it. Always remember to be your own happy place.