Top 16 Strategies for Managing Depression from Mental Health Therapists
Depression is known for symptoms that are particularly challenging to deal with. The good news is that there are a number of great strategies that you can use to help improve your mood. Remember, you might not always feel like using these tools when you’re feeling depressed, but they will work if you use them.
1. Get 5 minutes of early morning sun. If it can be during a walk, great, but get outside for at least 5 minutes before 10 am to help your body's natural rhythms.
2. Notice urges to self-isolate and enlist help! Let your friend, partner or a loved one know you want to crawl into a hole, and ask for some help staying connected. The sense of meaning and fun that we derive from these important relationships is critical for our mood and well-being.
3. Work on establishing a routine - including things that help you activate your system (i.e. walking, getting outside, taking a shower). Even if it is a “small” thing or you don’t feel like you have the energy to do it try to stick to your routine as much as you can.
4. Notice “glimmers” - it is easy to get stuck and be very aware of triggers and negative experiences. Try to notice a few things each day that bring a sense of safety and joy, they don’t have to be big things, the small glimmers are significant!
5. Have a discussion about what you are eating. What you eat not only affects your body, it affects your mind and mood. Simple changes that are easy to incorporate into your diet are frozen fruit smoothies that can be a great “treat” in the middle of a slump.
6. Identify an activity that you do everyday that brings a hint of joy or relaxation. It could be as simple as having a cup of tea. Then incorporate mindfulness into it by being present in the moment and practice gratitude.
7. Take your depression with you. A lot of times, people isolate and refrain from going out and doing the things they love because of their depression. I find that doing the “thing” anyway is so helpful in getting out of a slump. Accept that yes, you are depressed right now, and yes, you don’t want to go do something. Take those feelings and validate yourself, while also simply forcing yourself to do the thing- whether that be going out with friends, going to the grocery store, or even going to therapy!
8. Remember that something is better than nothing. If taking a shower feels like way too much, maybe washing your face or wiping down with a washcloth could feel more manageable. If driving yourself to a scheduled meeting with a friend feels impossible, maybe you could request a facetime call instead. Most importantly, be gentle with yourself and know that healing is not always a linear process.
9. Build little wins. It can be really hard to give ourselves credit when feeling depressed, so building little wins might help with having a win in our corner and creating momentum for bigger things. It can be anything! Change your sheets and make your bed. Take out the trash.
10. Seek Connection & Accept a Hug! Connection. Loneliness and isolation are common depression symptoms, so finding a supportive person to talk to may help alleviate those feelings. Also, it can be helpful to have another human to regulate with/get back to homeostasis if we’re having trouble doing this on our own. Or, ya know, hug it out.
11. Take things one day, hour, or even minute at a time. Looking ahead to an entire week or day can feel daunting and allow dread to build. Instead, see how it feels to exist in the present. To do this, it can help to check in with your body just by taking a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. On the exhale, let your shoulders drop, jaw unclench, and facial muscles relax. Do this whenever you feel you need to reorient yourself in the present.
12. Try to notice any small moments when you feel lighter and write down what they were, and what led up to them. The next time you feel really heavy, try to engage in something from that list and see how you can build more of those moments into your life.
13. Get into caring for your basic physiological needs - break down a consistent sleep hygiene routine, eat nutritiously dense meals, and move your body in any enjoyable way.
14. Get outside (especially important in winter months) - bundle up if it’s cold, but if it’s not, get barefoot outside, sit in the quietness of nature, get low to the ground and inspect one blade of grass, track a bird as it hops from branch to branch on a tree, and meditate on the thought that life is happening all around in macro and micro ways. Find a place for yourself in that, while allowing yourself to be in that moment with nature.
15. Manage negative or self-critical thoughts. When feeling depressed, it’s common to experience negative thoughts about yourself, your circumstances, and life itself. It’s important to remember that these thoughts are not truth, so that you do not buy into them. These thoughts are, however, symptoms of depression. A therapist can introduce you to a variety of strategies for recognizing these thoughts and managing them, so they don’t continue impacting how you feel and act.
16. Move your body! There are a number of studies that have compared the effectiveness of exercise to antidepressants, and studies show that exercise is quite helpful in improving our mood, even in small doses. Set a timer, and engage in your favorite form of movement. Then, notice how you feel after moving your body.”
You now have 16 new strategies that you can use to address your symptoms of depression. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when we’re sad or blue, so consider selecting 3 of the strategies above and begin implementing them right away. Pay attention to how you feel after putting these tools into action. As always, it’s important to use these strategies consistently, and if one particular strategy doesn’t produce the desired result, try another one immediately after.
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