If you have read my piece on depression, you know that this is something that I have been suffering with for a while. Over the years, I have developed some techniques to help me cope. Granted, I do have bad days every so often, but they are becoming less often and less severe.
Here are some of the ways I deal with depression & anxiety:
- Sleep – I don’t feel guilty about taking a nap if I really need it. The important thing is to not make this a habit.
- Yoga– I have been practicing yoga for over 5 years. Over this time, I have learned much about the physical aspects of yoga and have started delving into the spiritual aspects, including meditation
- Meditation– a great app (and place to start) is calm.com . The key to meditation is dedicating the time every day to practice.
- Watch a movie
- Listen to music
- Bake something – I have a sweet tooth, so obviously baking something chocolatey and delicious is comforting for me.
- Call/talk to someone – This took me years to do because I don’t like talking on the phone. But I have found comfort in talking to my partner or my mom, both of whom understand me and my struggles and can often talk me through any situation.
- Take a bath – treat-yo-self with a nice warm bubble bath, thrown on a facial mask, light some candles and immerse yourself into the moment. It’s worth the time!
- Go shopping
- Write down what you are grateful for – a little gratitude can go a long way.
- Organize/clean your room/apartment/house
- Paint a picture, do an art project, be creative– find something that allows you to release your tensions onto a page or into an art piece.
- Use a coloring book/coloring app
- Go out with friends – I’ll be the first to admit that I would much rather stay at home alone most days, but having dinner or hanging out with friends can be refreshing.
- Make some tea
- Go to the gym / go for a walk
- Buy yourself flowers
- Sit outside – enjoy the fresh air and sunlight as much as you can. It has been shown that light can brighten mood and help improve depression over time.
- Smile
- Turn off social media – one of the biggest stressors in my life is social media. I will admit that I spend too much time on them, and this is something I am actively working on.
You can google your way through so many lists. It is important to come up with your own list that you can draw from when you are feeling down. Let me know what other ways you have been dealing with depression and anxiety – I am always looking for new techniques.
Hope this helps!
– Rad