What to Do When You Feel Depressed: 15 Tips to Help You Cope

Depression is more than just feeling down. It can affect every area of your life, making it seem overwhelmingly dismal and hopeless. It drains your energy, makes it difficult to muster up the strength or desire to do anything, and creates a vicious cycle that keeps you feeling low. The worse you feel, the less you do, and the less you do, the worse you feel.

Many people say that depression feels like a weight or heaviness that seems to hold them back from the things and people that they love. If you have struggled with depression before, you might be able to think of a time when depression impacted you, and there was a desire to know ways to get away from the heaviness.

Many think that they might be able to just will away depression. However, that is simply not how it works. There is good news, though, because there are small and simple practices and coping strategies that can help you lessen the heaviness of depression and allow for the opportunity for you to breathe in life again.

15 Tips to Help You When You Feel Depressed

 Reach out and stay connected

Reach out and stay in touch with friends and loved ones even when you don’t feel like it. Make an effort to spend time with people who lift you up. Don’t let your mood cause you to withdraw from life. Reaching out could look as simple as sending a text expressing the desire for a simple, low-pressure meet-up and maybe even including a sentence about recent difficulties with wanting to isolate.

Be mindful not to isolate yourself by convincing yourself that you are too exhausted or that you would just be a burden. Face-to-face time is important. Having a supportive, nonjudgmental, trusted friend or family member who is a good listener to talk to can help give your mood a boost.

Get moving

Even on days when getting out of bed seems too much and exercise is the last thing you want to do, do it anyway. If you stick with it, exercise can improve your fatigue and help you feel more energized. Studies have shown that moderate exercise causes your brain to release chemicals that help reduce stress, improve your energy level, and lift your mood.

Just a ten-minute walk can improve your disposition for up to two hours. Types of exercises that are most beneficial for depression are continuous, rhythmic ones such as walking, swimming, boxing, martial arts, or dancing, where you move both your arms and your legs.

Spend time outdoors when the sun is shining

Sunlight and darkness trigger different hormones in your brain and can have a huge impact on your frame of mind. Sunlight, for instance, helps boost serotonin levels, which studies have shown has a mood-lifting effect. Make an effort to get a daily dose of sunlight and fresh air, whether it’s sitting on your porch, doing some gardening, spending time at the park, or taking your dog for a walk.

Have a routine

As much as possible, stick to a structured, daily routine that includes regular bedtime and wake-up times, mealtimes, and time for self-care. Following such a schedule provides structure and predictability, promotes healthy habits, and can help you feel more in control.

Set small, achievable goals

Sometimes, just thinking about what you need to do to feel better may seem daunting and exhausting. Do not try to do it all at once. Start small and build from there.

Break large projects down into smaller, more achievable ones. Do what you can as you can. Focus on one small, manageable task you can easily handle at a time. Live by the principle of showing up, even if it is just for five minutes for a walk, sending a response to an email or text, or preparing and eating a small amount of food when cooking and eating seems like a difficult task.

Set the bar low for yourself in a time when even the simplest tasks are made difficult by depression. Once you accomplish one small thing, tackle another. This can help provide a sense of accomplishment and control, improve your self-esteem, and increase your motivation to keep on keeping on.

Eat healthy

What you eat and drink has a direct impact on the way your body and mind feel. Our brains are connected to our gut health. Depression can affect your appetite and create unhealthy eating habits. It is important to eat at regular times, even if you don’t feel like it, and avoid skipping meals.

Staying hydrated and eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet with plenty of fruit, leafy greens, lean protein, and foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids goes a long way. Also, aim to eliminate or reduce processed foods, chemical preservatives, and your intake of sugar, refined carbs, caffeine, and alcohol. These dietary choices can help stabilize your mood.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep can help you feel more balanced and energized throughout the day. Aim for eight hours of sleep at night and avoid taking naps during the day. During a season of depression, setting a sleep schedule and prioritizing sleep hygiene can be beneficial to help with overall health and combat depression symptoms.

Keep a mood diary

Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences can help you process them. If you keep track of your symptoms and what triggers them, you will begin to notice the ebb and flow of your days.

You will see which ones are easier or more difficult than others and begin to think about why. Keep track of the things that lift your mood as well, so you have a record of both. You can also download a mood tracking app that can send daily reminders to check in with your mood.

Keep a gratitude journal

Even in your darkest days, it’s always possible to find at least one thing you can be grateful for. Make a point of noticing and recording what goes well in your day, not just the things that go wrong. Start your morning and end your day with thoughts of things you are grateful for. Focus your mind on something you feel thankful for as you fall asleep.

Do something you used to enjoy

Depression can push you to give in to your fatigue and keep you from doing things you used to enjoy. Don’t give in. Push back and do it anyway instead of waiting to be in the mood. Break the cycle of negativity by doing the opposite of what your mood is telling you to do. This can also be another time to incorporate socializing and the support of loved ones into this difficult season.

Take a short walk. Put on some upbeat music and dance around the room. Visit a museum, engage in a hobby, or a sport you used to enjoy. Instead of declining invitations when you are feeling down and avoiding things you might enjoy, say yes to the invitation, even if you don’t think you can. You may discover it relaxes and energizes you, gives your mood a boost, and motivates you to do it again.

Show yourself grace

Acknowledge your feelings on down days, but don’t stay there. Gently bring yourself back to the present moment and accept it without judgment. Be accepting and compassionate toward yourself and where you are.

Recognize that where you are right now is not where you will always be. Today is not indicative of tomorrow. If you weren’t able to accomplish one of the goals you set for yourself today, you will have an opportunity to try again tomorrow. Instead of labeling yourself harshly, replace what you were about to say with a kinder, more realistic statement.

Challenge negative thinking

Depression tends to put a negative spin on everything. Challenge negative thoughts about yourself. Ask yourself if there is any evidence that they are true. Look for ways to reframe them in a more positive, realistic way.

Instead of overgeneralizing or diminishing the positive, for instance, look for something you did well, or a goal you were able to achieve. Recognize your strengths and talents and replace negative beliefs with words of affirmation.

Volunteer to help someone else

Find small ways to be of service to others, such as helping out a neighbor or friend, lending someone a listening ear, or doing volunteer work. It can boost your mood and self-esteem and be just as beneficial to you as it is for them.

Join a support group

A support group provides a safe space in which to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with others who are going through similar issues. It can help you feel validated, feel less alone, and provide an opportunity to draw comfort and inspiration from others in the group while offering your support as well.

Consider counseling

A trained mental health professional can equip you with healthy coping skills. They can help you rediscover joy by spurring you on to make small changes that can have a large impact on how you feel.

If you feel depressed or are edging toward it, reach out to our office today at Texas Christian Counseling. We have professional, faith-based therapists in Texas ready to help people like you. We will set up an appointment with one of the trained therapists at our office.