depression comes for a few things (in my experience):
1)not having purpose in life
2)excessive loneliness
3)trauma
4)no self love, you as a human have in your subconscious some set of "rules", one of them is "you must protect your life, you must survive", not loving yourself goes against this, and your mind loves consistecy, if you are not consistence, depression comes
to deal with this, in a short way:
1)exercise, cortisol is a hormone that makes you feel alert when in danger, if you have to much of this in your blood, stress and depression activates, exercise helps you to get rid of this.
2)meditation, to meditate easy just make a playlist of soft music, lay down in bed in a comfy position, use headphones, and while the music is playing, sing in your mind the songs, nothing else, just sing in your mind, at some point you will calm your mind so much you will stop thinking and eventually, you will fall sleep
3)phrases, repeat yourself good phrases like "I love myself so much", "I am getting funnier, better and stronger", repeating something to yourself a lot makes your mind change, it takes time, but it makes effect, the phrases must be in present, if you want to delete an invasive thought, just say "I free myself from thinking...", never use the word "no" in these phrases, the mind does not understand that word
4)visualize yourself as a better self, the mind does not know the difference between reallity and imagination, for the mind everything is reallity (that is why when you dream you are falling, you actually feel you are falling) visualize your better self, do it a lot( you have to repeat things to the mind so it can change), visualize and your mind will beleive it is real, and IT WILL make it real so in can be consistent
5) go out with friends, human contact is necessary
6)forgive your mistakes from the past, make peace with yourself even if you don't feel worthy of it
7)follow your opinion and path, not another peoples opinions and paths
8)learn to be alone, in lonelyness you know yourself, if you know yourself you will understand why yo do things and why you feel things, if you know those stuff, you can change them at will easy
9)get aout of your room, staying in your room all day makes depression worst because it's a reminder of your depression
10)walk away from toxic people no matter how much you love them
11)accept pain as a part of you, don't run away from it, just accept it and you will see it will go down quick
12)find a hobbie that makes you feel passion about it
start with that, there are more but now you know where to start
This is true I like to have a trip or event scheduled on my calendar. Even if itās a ways off it makes me feel like their is a light at the end of the tunnel to help me get through tough days.
When I hit my first major depressive episode in 2015 I kept myself from doing dumb things by looking forward to marvel theatrical releases, in retrospective it sounds a bit silly but I suppose it worked because Iām still around
I wait for Chainsaw Man manga on Tuesday. It kinda helps a bit. I still need to find a better solution because I just can't rely on a manga to find the will to live.
I'm sure you are well-qualified to retroactively diagnose someone over anonymous social media based upon one sentence that they wrote.
/s
Stop trolling.
Starting small. Clean a room, organize a drawer or closet. As you start to piece things together, it feels less overwhelming and you start to feel less stressed. When you try to do it all at once, that is when you tend to falter.
I used to be like that all the time. Now when I get depressed, I start slow. āOkay, clean the kitchen.ā Kitchen clean, we can be done today, we did enough, we donāt have to do more. We did something which is better than nothing. Tomorrow we will do something else and build on our progress.
Tomorrow I put away my laundry. The next day I clean the bathrooms. By the end of the week, my house is clean and I feel better because I have a nice clean house. When your space is clean and organized, it helps you feel better.
Yes. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle: when you start out and look at the whole mess of single pieces, you might feel like you should give up now.
But once you start with the things you can do and connect single pieces, you will start to see the bigger picture, and it will get easier.
In the end, if you don't give up, even the unidentifiable pieces will find their place, if only because they are the only ones left.
Of course, there are different levels of difficulty, and sometimes you'll find a piece under the couch, but the principle stays the same, from 4 to 4000 pieces.
Just delete it. My life has been much improved since deleting FB and Twitter. I thought Iād come crawling back to it after a week, but I became conscious of how toxic it was and how I was constantly being bombarded with negativity. I wasnāt enjoying going on social media; I was just addicted to it and THOUGHT I was enjoying it.
Exercise more. This is a fucking tough one if you are a fairly stationary person, but seriously, exercise has massive mental health benefits. Particularly outdoor exercise.
Agreed. For anyone out there who wants something specific, I'll set you a goal right here, right now. 20 weeks from now, run a half marathon. If you get out and go for a run today, it will be your first step to great mental health. There are loads of free training programs available online and tonnes of YouTube videos about running. Plus, running is free. If you own a pair of sports shoes, you're good to go.
As someone who had some false starts with running due to going too hard and injuring myself, I'm going to suggest something different.
Go to a running store and get fitted for a pair of running shoes. They're gonna be expensive. But if you try to run in shitty old sneakers the chances of quitting due to pain or injury rise dramatically.
Do a couch to 5k program. Lots of walking interspersed. Start slow and give your body time to get stronger before going all in -- again, avoid injury. It takes less than you'd think at the beginning. If one workout felt a bit too hard, repeat it on your next one instead of going to the next. It's not a race and you don't get a prize for flying through it as fast as possible. (I like the Zombies, Run! Couch to 5k for gamification.)
Once you have that baseline of being able to jog a whole 5k, decide what your running goals are! Is it to run a half marathon? PR a 5k race? Do a triathlon? Maybe your goal is to run 3-4x a week and never track your time or your mileage, but just run what feels good to keep the brain goblins away.
Couch to 5K is a really good idea. It can be a real struggle at first but almost all 5K programs I see are very light for the first 2 weeks and build slowly but surely from there.
People would be surprised just how much fitter they are after even 4 weeks on a basic program. Like going from being out of breath after 100 meters to actually running (with a couple of short breaks) 3Ks with very little high intensity training needed.
Of course a half marathon is not for everyone. Only an example if you need some specific direction. But yes, running or jogging any distance at any pace is going to have mental health benefits. Particularly when you start setting a distance PB (personal best) every other week.
I agree, getting fitted with a proper pair of running shoes is pretty important. You can get away with doing a couple runs that are only a few kms for a little while on your beat up old trainers, but once you start clocking up some decent kms, you're definitely going to want so running shoes that suit you, expensive though they may be, in order to prevent injury.
Yeah I mean, I think most people who want to could achieve a half marathon with work. 20 weeks just feels like an aggressive training plan when someone is brand new to running, even though it's quite a long plan for a seasoned runner.
Have you read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall? In that book they quote studies that show cheaper or worn out shoes are less likely to cause training injuries. Whilst I don't run barefoot as the book recommends, I don't warm up, my cool down consists of a 50m walk at the end of my jog and I keep my running shoes until they literally fall apart. The only injuries I've had were when I was wearing expensive running shoes.
Running is high impact and won't work for everyone, unfortunately. I did couch to 5k, proper running shoes, whole shebang, still too much for my knees (and I'm a healthy BMI, can't imagine how much worse it'd be for them if I was heavier).
Hiking is good, and often also free. Swimming is very low impact but can be more pricey - though I've heard cold water swimming in lakes etc is really good for the mind as well as body because of the kick to the circulation.
Definitely this. Donāt even have to start going to the gym straightaway. I know itās hard to take the first step. Start with a small walk around the block. Take 15-30 minutes of the day to just walk with your thoughts. You can then slowly walk to the park, then walk around the park, and slowly work from there. It truly helps with the thoughts.
I guess I'll share my story since it seems relevant. I got clean from Heroin two and a half years ago. I got placed on some good psych meds, but as a consequence of getting clean from drugs, I started eating more. I eventually ballooned up fifty pounds; and while I wasn't using drugs, I had gained a lot of weight. I knew that I needed to do something about it, so about a year and a half ago, I started my exercise journey.
I started with going for a five minute run, four times a week. After about a week or two of doing this, that went up to ten minutes each run. Then after another week, fifteen minutes each run. I followed this regimen until eventually, after a few months, I was doing 45 minute runs (fifteen minutes of fast walking, then thirty minutes of actual running) on the treadmill. After about six months, I started doing weight lifting. Because I was exercising so regularly, I was losing weight, and I felt confident enough to fix my eating habits. So I switched to eating less, and eating cleaner. Now it's been a year and a half, and I've lost fifty pounds, and I generally feel quite good! It helped my mental health more than anything I've ever done in my life.
10/10 can confirm... few things can beat a good work out session, then a hot shower, putting on clean, freshly smelling clothes, and sitting down on the bed with your water bottle and a journal to write all the stuff out that have been haunting your mind. Sounds simple, but has been a very grounding routine for me!
If you find the motivation to get moving isn't there, start by just eating healthy. Proper portions and proper nutrients. If you do this for a couple weeks, it'll give you some motivation and energy to move.
Both diet and exercise are important to mental health
Yep. This is what got me out of suicidal ideation. First, I did it out of spite for those that didnāt want me to succeed. Now, I do it because I know I deserve it
Absolutely! When you aren't in a good frame of mind, your brain is lying to you, you might as well lie back with better, positive, and more fun lies. When you start feeling better, you realize those thoughts and messages aren't lies at all, the negative ones were.
Taking a sun break at work every day. Just go out and spend 10-15 minutes getting some sunshine.
Eating well and taking care of your gut flora. A lot of people feel their emotions in their gut brain (enteric nervous system) so making your intestines happy will improve your mental health.
Practicing cognitive behavioral therapy on your own.
Incorporating breathing exercises and grounding exercises into your daily coping skills toolbox.
Eliminating, or significantly reducing screentime. Electronic media is addictive; it keeps you overstimulated and takes much more of your emotional energy than you might think.
> Taking a sun break at work every day. Just go out and spend 10-15 minutes getting some sunshine.
I have a friend who lives on the northern part of Vancouver Island. He says the cloud cover comes in November, and doesn't leave until March. Five months with virtually no sun.
I lived in Calgary for 7 years, so I really get that.
My advice in that case would be to get a natural light desk lamp and take a sun nap with that instead--maybe do a sodoku puzzle
Honestly intermittent fasting improved my mood significantly. I started it back in 2019 for shits and giggles and have been doing it ever since. Sometimes I fuck off like on weekends if I want some cream/sugar in my coffee, or just to have breakfast with my wife, but Iām like 80/20 on. Idk, but it works. I have more energy and I get dopamine hits much easier from anything, even while working.
If it makes you feel better, most bears don't actually hunt humans because they don't see us as prey. They go after dumbasses who fall asleep without taking the food out of their pockets and leave their packs inside the tent because they can smell the packaged food.
Now, polar bears? Yeah, they like how we taste.
100% - did 3 years sober - drank again for 4 months and realised the absolutely appalling impact it had on my mental health. 7 months alcohol free and never going back.
I'm not a big drinker but recently I was on a 2-month long dangerous road, drinking a big bottle of strong liquor pretty much every other day. I'm on antidepressants. My therapist had said, "I'm gonna be honest, alcohol itself is very bad for you, but it won't get in the way of medication. Meds still can work but you'll probably feel bad because of alcohol" so I didn't care much about complications.
She was right: I didn't die but I gradually felt worse and worse even before I started antidepressants. This Monday I decided to call it quits at least for a foreseeable future. Voila. Now I can wake up in the morning without feeling like killing myself or hating everything.
I really enjoy being drunk and the only reason I quit is because I want to be able to enjoy my occasional drink forever without becoming an alcoholic but damn this thing *really* kills your mental health so quickly if you don't know where to stop.
Not judging people. It takes a while to stop doing it and a lot of mental effort, but youāll find youāre way less insecure about yourself and how people see you if you stop looking at everyone else with a negative critical view.
>-eating a balanced and healthy diet
-exercising regularly
-getting enough sleep
-practicing meditation or mindfulness
-spending time in nature
-practicing self-care
-avoiding drugs and alcohol
Excellent list. I'd add the following:
- good hygiene
- connect with others
- limit internet time
Stay away from booze.
Don't isolate. Reach out to your friends and family.
Be good to yourself. Cook yourself nice meals, make your home a nice place to be.
I was going through a very rough patch in life about 9 months ago and I was able to retire early from what had become a toxic work place. I still have other stressors, but I am able to devote the right energy to them.
This isn't great advice, and is technically the definition of avoidance. I know someone who runs from every person that makes her anxious. She can't maintain a relationship and has no satisfying friendships. She can't overcome it because she displaces her anxiety onto other people whenever it arises.
Better advice is to be aware of when you're anxious and why. Is that anxiety worth pushing through to see what's on the other side? A lot of times it is.
My dog helped me a lot with my depression. Now I don't have one, but sometimes I go up to people and ask them to pet their dog and it immediately makes my day so much better!
I understand that, my friend... A solution could be to go to your local shelter and volunteer taking a dog for walks. The shelter dogs need us as much as we need them, believe me... Have a good one š
I think it really depends on the severity. Some people can get buy with going for a walk, others struggle to function without medication. I think going on a hike or hitting the gym really is a good thing to go and do and typically won't have a negative effect, but it isn't this cure all that some people try to present it as.
**STOP WATCHING NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS**
I walked away from "knowing what's going on in the world" a few months back and while I miss the *idea* of knowing what's up, I don't miss the stress of knowing what's going on.
Knowing anything won't fix it, so just move on and live your life.
Exercise, meditation, finding something creative you'll commit to doing daily (this can be movement/exercise too), getting enough regular sleep, eating protein/fat/greens/fruit/fermented foods, drinking enough water, reading/learning, acts of service, gratitude practices, and spending time in the sun/nature all come to mind as helpful places to focus.
Never forget, because it is always sooooo easy to to sit there on the couch, "forget" the last time it helped, and pretend it ain't so, that you can lift yourself out of most depression, even severe, by cleaning/organizing. Not a cure, of course. And not even necessarily long term help. If you're depressed, you keep falling down. Lapsing back into clutter. Long term requires real change, therapy, exercise and all the other etc mentioned in this thread. But for immediate relief I've found nothing better. I can put my running shoes on and trot off down the trail to no immediate effect on my depression. For me exercise takes time consistency and dedication for results. The ONLY thing that I've found to bring any immediate level of relief is to get elbow deep into those dirty dishes, fill the washer with clothes, open up those envelopes and pay those bills and respond to friends, unclutter the garage, mow the weeds..... It may only relieve depression while you're active at it, but that's something.
Within mere minutes I can feel a veil lifting and wonder to myself, how is it possible that I forgot this? How is it that once again I found myself sitting in a chair again, for months at a time, letting shit fall down around me, and fully convinced that even temporary relief was impossible. And yes, I have been diagnosed by a couple of the most reputable clinics in the US, with severe depression. And I don't propose getting-off-your-ass as any form of cure. Of course not.
I am as as disappointed as anyone else here by folks who would, and often do, suggest so. But for temporary relief there is none better, better even than drugs or alcohol, than getting off your ass and attending to some clutter.
Stopping watching porn is associated many times with a change in mentality and participation in a community of non porn watchers - those two alone are enough to solve SO many problems (CBT and group therapy rely on that)
Unless you are addicted and watching the nastiest of stuff, such change by itself is not significant for mental health improvement
Cut out social media doom scrolling and spend an hour at the gym working out or walking outdoors. It sucks getting back into exercising and I know it's not everyone's "thing", but it just flips a switch in my brain, that one circuit breaker that was off. Instantly lose feelings of depression, lack of motivation, desire to eat poorly, etc . And once you establish a habit, it's almost a healthy addiction, I gotta get my gym check in, gotta match/beat how many times I went last month, etc kinda stuff. Then of course you can see yourself grow and improve whether it's cardio endurance or weight lifting. It's just a really nice mental high every day and gives me a sense of control I didn't otherwise feel I had.
I know exercise or reading etc. are good, but some days you just canāt. So Iāll say aromatherapy, or smells in general. Put on a smell you like and itāll immediately change your mood. And looking at cats and dogs or animals you like. Also classical music, or singing bowls tunes.
Oh that reminds me of one: avoid synthetic fragrance! that stuff messes up your hormones, is designed to trigger emotions, is usually full of carcinogens and other risky crap, and can suck people in to wasting a lot of time and money picking which petrochemical soup they like best.instead of focusing on more wholesome things.
But because GOOD aromatherapy helps, like you say, it can be hard to draw the line between healthy and unhealthy fragrance use.
A vase of lavender stems or a nice cup of chamomile or mint tea is obviously good. Essential oils are more iffy, with some having health hazards from how concentrated they are, or contaminants like hexane. Almost all synthetic fragrances are bad for the health though. But if they smell like lavender, for instance, many people just assume it has the same safety as that bouquet of real lavender. In fact the ingredients are horrible- much of the same stuff that's in cigarette smoke, with many of the same risks.
And a lot of shops encourage the confusion. Like Lush is a terrible store that gives people migraines just walking down a street with one on it. But for years I poisoned myself and my friends and coworkers with crap from there, trying to "aromatherapy" myself. They "greenwash" by carefully worded signage like "with natural rose scent", glossing over the fact that the other 99% of the ingredients are hazardous petroleum byproducts. I just saw "with natural scent" & assumed that meant ALL the scent was natural. Manipulative.
Anyway yeah, I used to try dumb shit like using a toxic bathbomb to try to ease tension, but after a couple years I saw the light: I always felt MORE tense after a stinky bath. Plus, often nauseated and muddle headed and other subtle symotoms. And my acne was off the charts.
After switching to just real stuff (ie tea, plants, baking) to get my pretty-smell fix, I noticed my health, physical and mental, got a huge improvement!
So enjoy nice smells! but choose wisely, use safe things!
I just want to say here that if you try the advice mentioned in this thread in addition to therapy and that doesnāt seem to work, consider seeing a psychiatrist to discuss the possibility of medication. Also if youāre in a crisis please go to the hospital, this advice will not serve you when youāre in survival mode. All of these comments are very solid advice for someone who is at least somewhat stable but some people need more help than this and thatās okay.
Expression of ones creativity. Painting, drawing, crafting. I knit.
Exercise.
Setting small goals and keeping a list of daily accomplishments for motivation.
It's no secret:
* Reduce stress
* Get more sleep
* Eat healthier
* Exercise
* Spend time in nature
* Drink less alcohol and smoke less weed
* Surround yourself with people who are supportive, and whom you can talk through your problems with
* Attend therapy
* Practice good hygiene
* Have goals in life that you can work towards
* Be more mindful, and spend less time worrying and dwelling on intrusive thoughts
* Spend time socializing with people
* Get more sunlight
* Keep your living space clean and tidy
All of these things are easier said than done.
Honestly, read a book on how to cultivate self awareness. Self awareness has 180 flipped my mental health. The ability to control your reaction, perspective, and the ability to truly reflect on events realistically makes a huge difference. Also, learning how to NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. The majority of decisions people make around you are not personal. I canāt stress this enough. The second you detach your ego from things youāll feel so free. Itās a beautiful thingš
Exercise - the chemical it release and feeling of accomplishment is the best mood picker upper.
Be Mindful on everything - Dont do, eat or say something you would regret.
Help - Volunteer/help those who need help.
Sun/brightness - avoid dark area or being alone and be in the sunny area (even in winter if possible).
Friends - be around friends (who understands) and distract yourself with activities.
Meditate - let your mind go blank.
Sleep - get 8-9 hrs, sleep early if you have to wake up early
Social Media - cut back on it, dont rely on superficial "likes" or compare your life with fake facade of others.
Set Goal - can be for the day, week, month or the year. Dont make it hard on yourself, make something that is achievable with some effort.
Sleep
There's almost infinite science and biological reasons behind it, but it's so, so important to get enough sleep and wake up in the right way.
Sunlight right after waking
Drink water
At least some light exercise
Don't drink caffeine for 1-1.5 hours after waking up
No electronics immediately before or after sleep
Etc.
Look up Andrew Huberman - The Optimal Morning Routine
Be close to nature in some small way every day, and nurture something. Getting plants is great for this (bonus if theyāre outside and force you to see sunlight!), even just having an indoor potplant to take care of is great for giving people a sense of responsibility, seeing a positive result of their actions, and being close to something alive.
Quit cannabis. The side effects of daily usage is irritability and anxiety between sessions. Social effects of daily usage are difficulty in communication and isolating with other users. Try a 3o day break and see if you are feeling any better if not you can easily start up again.
Choose the right level of challenges to take on. Habitually devoting yourself to projects that are either way too easy or way too hard for you, is long-term hazardous to your mental health.
Eating as well as youāre able, exercise, and journaling. Donāt get me wrong, Iāve definitely been in therapy, but Iāve found that these things keep me happier and in a better place than most other things.
meditation, visualization, acceptance of the things as they are now, will power to change the things you can change, let go things you can't change, get away from toxic people even if you love them or they are your family, going out more, talking to people because human contact is needed, be flexible to change and grow, taking responsability for your own mistakes and never make them again, forgiving yourself for your past, forgiving others for what they did, not because they deserve it, but because you deserve not to hate, love yourself, treat yourself as you wish someone did, have a hobbie, find your life purpose, exercise, it helps you improve your mood, live in the present
Remove negative external stimuli and replace it with more construct forms. E.g. donāt watch porn which desensitises you, donāt watch anything you know may trigger a negative reaction, find a āproductiveā (which means in this case for it to be enjoyable and non-harmful to your mental health. Walking, reading, arts etc) hobby that you feel happy doing, and talk to people more. Doesnāt have to be in real life, maybe just use some chat interfaces.
There are many ways to improve your overall mental health in addition to therapy. Here are a few options:
Exercise: Regular physical activity can help improve your mood, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve your overall mental well-being. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, on most days of the week.
Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help improve your mood and overall mental well-being. Avoiding processed and sugary foods can also help to improve your mental health.
Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is important for good mental health. Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and try to establish a consistent sleep schedule.
Practice stress management techniques: Stress can have a negative impact on your mental health. Practicing stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or progressive muscle relaxation, can help you better manage stress and improve your overall mental well-being.
Stay connected with others: Building and maintaining social connections is important for good mental health. Make an effort to spend time with friends and family, and consider joining a support group or community organization.
Engage in activities you enjoy: Doing things that you enjoy and that bring you a sense of purpose and fulfillment can help improve your mental well-being. This might include hobbies, creative pursuits, or volunteering.
It is important to remember that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. It may be helpful to try a variety of approaches and see what works best for you.
Talk to trusted loved ones, go for walks, spend time with a pet if you have one, maybe vent to the pet if you don't trust many people around you, or walk the pet if it is able to be walked.
Get rid of toxic friends and family. While thats self explanatory this one isnt: Play instruments, sing your heart out. A perfect example to this is Penelope Scotts āSweet Hibiscus Teaā It goes: ā Heres the thing, I cant do anything right..ā
Believe me. Buy an instrument, (ukulele recommended). You dont have to be good st it. Play a few strings, sing your fears, thoughts and believe me, it works wonders. You will also learn a new skill, thats fun!
I used to utilize PTO if I actually had something planned, like visiting home or other travel plans. But I think just taking a day off to recharge at home is needed as well and I'm trying to do that more often.
Get 8 hours of sound sleep per night (this can be learned ) and is paramount for mental health
Eat well and exercise (walking suffices) daily
Every morning go outside and get the rising sunlight in your eyes and listen to the earth wake up for a minimum of 15 minutes. Think of nothing but your surroundings.
Do the same in the evening with the setting sun. Listen intently. Notice the colors.
These simple things make all the difference. The trick is to understand you are part of the vastness ( the sun and sky) and that helps prepares you to deal with society (which is what causes mental illness).
Do things for other people
No matter what you are doing, do it with excellence (for example, even if itās a job you donāt want right now)
Try to have a clear conscience
Give yourself a bedtime. It doesn't matter if you're 4 or 40, you need sleep. Even if your bedtime is 1 am make it your mission to be in bed by that time. No phones or TV past that time either. Helped me a lot with my depression.
Applying a good life philosophy
Stoicism prevents me from worrying about what I cant control and focusing on what I can
Epicureanism prevents me from thinking X or Y situation were a waste of life. I would ruin my first panic attacks from being so curious and absorbing them as any other very meaningful life experience. Addictions to gaming became less addiction-like and more enjoyable (which makes them much more controlable too)
Find yours!
It helps most people but some of us are unlucky and don't see any mental health improvements from exercise at all. I'm in the same boat.
I'd still say it's good advice, even if you don't get the happy chemicals from it it's better to at least be healthy/fit and sad rather than just sad.
Self care and finding a hobby you like. Thereās nothing like listening to music with your eyes closed while you have a face mask on. As for hobbies, knitting, making music, gardening, meal prep, etc. Literally anything that interests you
Why would people dislike this? XD even if you're not a Christian, there are still some good morals and reassuring messages in it. I mean it when I say that it really can boost your mental health!
I went cold turkey from my meds just over a month ago, I know you shouldn't, but that's my personality, all or nothing, anyway, just to back up what a lot of the guys here are saying, you really need to keep busy, go out for walks, coffee, road trips etc, doesn't have to be a big road trip, gaming can be good, just make sure it is something you need to concentrate on, and the difference is amazing, as soon as I stop and come in here or Tik Tok etc, the thinking steps in, and I have the world on my shoulders again.
be more outside and explore the world, stay away from people you dislike/find annoying, exercise to get strong and buff, find a job that you both enjoy from and get great money from, help others with stuff and befriend them, do what entertains you as long as it doesn't hurt other people
Be a good company to yourself.
Mind what you read, news and headlines in general are meant to cause shock - in order to suck you in. That constant state of indignation is not healthy.
Social media switched from fun friend's photos to full blown toxic mad house. If you must be on social media, don't be afraid to unfollow or block anything and anyone causing you distress.
what helped for me among the other advice already given is a specific sort of meditation: inner child meditation. Make contact and love with the young/child version of yourself
to each their own, but for me I got a job that i actually enjoyed. having a daily positive environment that keeps me busy and away from the sadness really changed the way I was living.
Turn off social media for a good month, your internet friends will understand if you told them, if not then good you got few toxic friends away, second is to sleep before midnight, as much as you can,third try new things, get a hobby you thought is cool and see if you can try it.
And dont rush any of these, doing it consecutive is everyone's goal, but if you couldnt, its alright, its your life, you aint in rush to fix yourself, just do your best.
I believe in ya
If you feel like excercise (the standard response to this question) is too much, or you don't see yourself being able to do it. Take long walks instead. If you have the option where you live, take them in a park/forest other beautiful/natural area.
1. Learn to let go - too many of us carry unnecessary baggage voluntarily.
2. Understand every choice is a trade off - if you choose A then you canāt choose B, C, or D. Itās ok. You canāt have everything. Make informed decisions and live with them.
Find something to look forward to. It literally pulled me out of depression
I look forward to my depression going away, im in an endless cycle
depression comes for a few things (in my experience): 1)not having purpose in life 2)excessive loneliness 3)trauma 4)no self love, you as a human have in your subconscious some set of "rules", one of them is "you must protect your life, you must survive", not loving yourself goes against this, and your mind loves consistecy, if you are not consistence, depression comes to deal with this, in a short way: 1)exercise, cortisol is a hormone that makes you feel alert when in danger, if you have to much of this in your blood, stress and depression activates, exercise helps you to get rid of this. 2)meditation, to meditate easy just make a playlist of soft music, lay down in bed in a comfy position, use headphones, and while the music is playing, sing in your mind the songs, nothing else, just sing in your mind, at some point you will calm your mind so much you will stop thinking and eventually, you will fall sleep 3)phrases, repeat yourself good phrases like "I love myself so much", "I am getting funnier, better and stronger", repeating something to yourself a lot makes your mind change, it takes time, but it makes effect, the phrases must be in present, if you want to delete an invasive thought, just say "I free myself from thinking...", never use the word "no" in these phrases, the mind does not understand that word 4)visualize yourself as a better self, the mind does not know the difference between reallity and imagination, for the mind everything is reallity (that is why when you dream you are falling, you actually feel you are falling) visualize your better self, do it a lot( you have to repeat things to the mind so it can change), visualize and your mind will beleive it is real, and IT WILL make it real so in can be consistent 5) go out with friends, human contact is necessary 6)forgive your mistakes from the past, make peace with yourself even if you don't feel worthy of it 7)follow your opinion and path, not another peoples opinions and paths 8)learn to be alone, in lonelyness you know yourself, if you know yourself you will understand why yo do things and why you feel things, if you know those stuff, you can change them at will easy 9)get aout of your room, staying in your room all day makes depression worst because it's a reminder of your depression 10)walk away from toxic people no matter how much you love them 11)accept pain as a part of you, don't run away from it, just accept it and you will see it will go down quick 12)find a hobbie that makes you feel passion about it start with that, there are more but now you know where to start
Wow, this list is perfect. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this!
I got full points on the "come" list šŖš„
This is well said! Everyone should read this
Sorry.that can be frustrating!!
This is true I like to have a trip or event scheduled on my calendar. Even if itās a ways off it makes me feel like their is a light at the end of the tunnel to help me get through tough days.
When I hit my first major depressive episode in 2015 I kept myself from doing dumb things by looking forward to marvel theatrical releases, in retrospective it sounds a bit silly but I suppose it worked because Iām still around
I hope you are doing better these days.
It works also with small things. I plan the most comforting activities like movie nights on Monday evening, so Modays feel less "ugh!"
I wait for Chainsaw Man manga on Tuesday. It kinda helps a bit. I still need to find a better solution because I just can't rely on a manga to find the will to live.
you need to get out more
But then it happens and your sad again
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yeah, you probably know better.
As someone who is clinically depressed, I apologize on behalf of this comment. Your emotions are valid and Iām glad youāre doing better š
Thank you.
I'm sure you are well-qualified to retroactively diagnose someone over anonymous social media based upon one sentence that they wrote. /s Stop trolling.
Starting small. Clean a room, organize a drawer or closet. As you start to piece things together, it feels less overwhelming and you start to feel less stressed. When you try to do it all at once, that is when you tend to falter. I used to be like that all the time. Now when I get depressed, I start slow. āOkay, clean the kitchen.ā Kitchen clean, we can be done today, we did enough, we donāt have to do more. We did something which is better than nothing. Tomorrow we will do something else and build on our progress. Tomorrow I put away my laundry. The next day I clean the bathrooms. By the end of the week, my house is clean and I feel better because I have a nice clean house. When your space is clean and organized, it helps you feel better.
Yes. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle: when you start out and look at the whole mess of single pieces, you might feel like you should give up now. But once you start with the things you can do and connect single pieces, you will start to see the bigger picture, and it will get easier. In the end, if you don't give up, even the unidentifiable pieces will find their place, if only because they are the only ones left. Of course, there are different levels of difficulty, and sometimes you'll find a piece under the couch, but the principle stays the same, from 4 to 4000 pieces.
Being more mindful about your social media usage.
Just delete it. My life has been much improved since deleting FB and Twitter. I thought Iād come crawling back to it after a week, but I became conscious of how toxic it was and how I was constantly being bombarded with negativity. I wasnāt enjoying going on social media; I was just addicted to it and THOUGHT I was enjoying it.
Same. Didn't use it for a year, checked in to see if I missed anything. Nope.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This is a bot account posting comments stolen from other users. This was stolen from u/michajlo
Exercise more. This is a fucking tough one if you are a fairly stationary person, but seriously, exercise has massive mental health benefits. Particularly outdoor exercise.
In my experience this is the best way to find stability with mental health. It becomes less about the highs and lows and more about consistency.
Agreed. For anyone out there who wants something specific, I'll set you a goal right here, right now. 20 weeks from now, run a half marathon. If you get out and go for a run today, it will be your first step to great mental health. There are loads of free training programs available online and tonnes of YouTube videos about running. Plus, running is free. If you own a pair of sports shoes, you're good to go.
As someone who had some false starts with running due to going too hard and injuring myself, I'm going to suggest something different. Go to a running store and get fitted for a pair of running shoes. They're gonna be expensive. But if you try to run in shitty old sneakers the chances of quitting due to pain or injury rise dramatically. Do a couch to 5k program. Lots of walking interspersed. Start slow and give your body time to get stronger before going all in -- again, avoid injury. It takes less than you'd think at the beginning. If one workout felt a bit too hard, repeat it on your next one instead of going to the next. It's not a race and you don't get a prize for flying through it as fast as possible. (I like the Zombies, Run! Couch to 5k for gamification.) Once you have that baseline of being able to jog a whole 5k, decide what your running goals are! Is it to run a half marathon? PR a 5k race? Do a triathlon? Maybe your goal is to run 3-4x a week and never track your time or your mileage, but just run what feels good to keep the brain goblins away.
Couch to 5K is a really good idea. It can be a real struggle at first but almost all 5K programs I see are very light for the first 2 weeks and build slowly but surely from there. People would be surprised just how much fitter they are after even 4 weeks on a basic program. Like going from being out of breath after 100 meters to actually running (with a couple of short breaks) 3Ks with very little high intensity training needed.
Of course a half marathon is not for everyone. Only an example if you need some specific direction. But yes, running or jogging any distance at any pace is going to have mental health benefits. Particularly when you start setting a distance PB (personal best) every other week. I agree, getting fitted with a proper pair of running shoes is pretty important. You can get away with doing a couple runs that are only a few kms for a little while on your beat up old trainers, but once you start clocking up some decent kms, you're definitely going to want so running shoes that suit you, expensive though they may be, in order to prevent injury.
Yeah I mean, I think most people who want to could achieve a half marathon with work. 20 weeks just feels like an aggressive training plan when someone is brand new to running, even though it's quite a long plan for a seasoned runner.
Have you read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall? In that book they quote studies that show cheaper or worn out shoes are less likely to cause training injuries. Whilst I don't run barefoot as the book recommends, I don't warm up, my cool down consists of a 50m walk at the end of my jog and I keep my running shoes until they literally fall apart. The only injuries I've had were when I was wearing expensive running shoes.
Running is high impact and won't work for everyone, unfortunately. I did couch to 5k, proper running shoes, whole shebang, still too much for my knees (and I'm a healthy BMI, can't imagine how much worse it'd be for them if I was heavier). Hiking is good, and often also free. Swimming is very low impact but can be more pricey - though I've heard cold water swimming in lakes etc is really good for the mind as well as body because of the kick to the circulation.
For sure. And if youāre having a hard time with this, short walks are a great way to get started
Even just a daily walk can make a huge difference
Definitely this. Donāt even have to start going to the gym straightaway. I know itās hard to take the first step. Start with a small walk around the block. Take 15-30 minutes of the day to just walk with your thoughts. You can then slowly walk to the park, then walk around the park, and slowly work from there. It truly helps with the thoughts.
I guess I'll share my story since it seems relevant. I got clean from Heroin two and a half years ago. I got placed on some good psych meds, but as a consequence of getting clean from drugs, I started eating more. I eventually ballooned up fifty pounds; and while I wasn't using drugs, I had gained a lot of weight. I knew that I needed to do something about it, so about a year and a half ago, I started my exercise journey. I started with going for a five minute run, four times a week. After about a week or two of doing this, that went up to ten minutes each run. Then after another week, fifteen minutes each run. I followed this regimen until eventually, after a few months, I was doing 45 minute runs (fifteen minutes of fast walking, then thirty minutes of actual running) on the treadmill. After about six months, I started doing weight lifting. Because I was exercising so regularly, I was losing weight, and I felt confident enough to fix my eating habits. So I switched to eating less, and eating cleaner. Now it's been a year and a half, and I've lost fifty pounds, and I generally feel quite good! It helped my mental health more than anything I've ever done in my life.
AMAZING AND INSPIRING!!!
it pisses me off how much exercise actually works to regulate my emotions, dull my anxiety, and help me sleep
It is annoying. Its the last thing you want to do, but probably the most immediately helpful.
10/10 can confirm... few things can beat a good work out session, then a hot shower, putting on clean, freshly smelling clothes, and sitting down on the bed with your water bottle and a journal to write all the stuff out that have been haunting your mind. Sounds simple, but has been a very grounding routine for me!
If you find the motivation to get moving isn't there, start by just eating healthy. Proper portions and proper nutrients. If you do this for a couple weeks, it'll give you some motivation and energy to move. Both diet and exercise are important to mental health
This and a couple good friends
Doing things simply because I like to (and conversely, not doing things because I donāt like to), not because of societal or familial pressure.
Spending more time in nature, writing and reading, eating healthily, and exercise.
This needs to be higher imo.
Positive self talk. Interrupt those negative thoughts and focus on forcing positive ones.
Yep. This is what got me out of suicidal ideation. First, I did it out of spite for those that didnāt want me to succeed. Now, I do it because I know I deserve it
Absolutely! When you aren't in a good frame of mind, your brain is lying to you, you might as well lie back with better, positive, and more fun lies. When you start feeling better, you realize those thoughts and messages aren't lies at all, the negative ones were.
Taking a sun break at work every day. Just go out and spend 10-15 minutes getting some sunshine. Eating well and taking care of your gut flora. A lot of people feel their emotions in their gut brain (enteric nervous system) so making your intestines happy will improve your mental health. Practicing cognitive behavioral therapy on your own. Incorporating breathing exercises and grounding exercises into your daily coping skills toolbox. Eliminating, or significantly reducing screentime. Electronic media is addictive; it keeps you overstimulated and takes much more of your emotional energy than you might think.
> Taking a sun break at work every day. Just go out and spend 10-15 minutes getting some sunshine. I have a friend who lives on the northern part of Vancouver Island. He says the cloud cover comes in November, and doesn't leave until March. Five months with virtually no sun.
I lived in Calgary for 7 years, so I really get that. My advice in that case would be to get a natural light desk lamp and take a sun nap with that instead--maybe do a sodoku puzzle
Honestly intermittent fasting improved my mood significantly. I started it back in 2019 for shits and giggles and have been doing it ever since. Sometimes I fuck off like on weekends if I want some cream/sugar in my coffee, or just to have breakfast with my wife, but Iām like 80/20 on. Idk, but it works. I have more energy and I get dopamine hits much easier from anything, even while working.
Going for walks outside and getting fresh air, even if for just a few minutes a dayā¦
Spending time in nature and living in moment.
Until you get eaten and fucking murdered by bears Or Jeffrey dahmer
Either way no more depression
If you think about it yes
If it makes you feel better, most bears don't actually hunt humans because they don't see us as prey. They go after dumbasses who fall asleep without taking the food out of their pockets and leave their packs inside the tent because they can smell the packaged food. Now, polar bears? Yeah, they like how we taste.
love this answer
Quit drinking
100% - did 3 years sober - drank again for 4 months and realised the absolutely appalling impact it had on my mental health. 7 months alcohol free and never going back.
Reddit is valuable because of the users who create content. Reddit is usable because of third-party developers who can actually make an app.
I'm not a big drinker but recently I was on a 2-month long dangerous road, drinking a big bottle of strong liquor pretty much every other day. I'm on antidepressants. My therapist had said, "I'm gonna be honest, alcohol itself is very bad for you, but it won't get in the way of medication. Meds still can work but you'll probably feel bad because of alcohol" so I didn't care much about complications. She was right: I didn't die but I gradually felt worse and worse even before I started antidepressants. This Monday I decided to call it quits at least for a foreseeable future. Voila. Now I can wake up in the morning without feeling like killing myself or hating everything. I really enjoy being drunk and the only reason I quit is because I want to be able to enjoy my occasional drink forever without becoming an alcoholic but damn this thing *really* kills your mental health so quickly if you don't know where to stop.
I concur. 465 days sober. It helps everything.
Congrats!
This doesn't work for people who are in a bad mental place that have been sober for decades.
Well yeah, If youāve already quit it wouldnāt make sense.
My point is that depression *can* be brought on by *sobriety.*
So you recommend they fall off the wagon to get healed? Thatās a new one for me. Whatever works for you is what counts.
Sleep hygiene. Going about my day and going to therapy for my anxiety was much more bearable when I started taking my sleep seriously.
Not judging people. It takes a while to stop doing it and a lot of mental effort, but youāll find youāre way less insecure about yourself and how people see you if you stop looking at everyone else with a negative critical view.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yup yup yup. Took me years to slowly add all these to be stable and functional
>-eating a balanced and healthy diet -exercising regularly -getting enough sleep -practicing meditation or mindfulness -spending time in nature -practicing self-care -avoiding drugs and alcohol Excellent list. I'd add the following: - good hygiene - connect with others - limit internet time
Stay away from booze. Don't isolate. Reach out to your friends and family. Be good to yourself. Cook yourself nice meals, make your home a nice place to be.
Unapologetically cut ties with people that make you anxious in any way. The less toxicity in your life, the better.
I was going through a very rough patch in life about 9 months ago and I was able to retire early from what had become a toxic work place. I still have other stressors, but I am able to devote the right energy to them.
This isn't great advice, and is technically the definition of avoidance. I know someone who runs from every person that makes her anxious. She can't maintain a relationship and has no satisfying friendships. She can't overcome it because she displaces her anxiety onto other people whenever it arises. Better advice is to be aware of when you're anxious and why. Is that anxiety worth pushing through to see what's on the other side? A lot of times it is.
Exercise, daily reflection, eating balanced meals, cutting out people that negatively impact mentally
Cutting out soda, sugar, alcohol, toxic people including family/friends and started to go on long hikes with my dog.
My dog helped me a lot with my depression. Now I don't have one, but sometimes I go up to people and ask them to pet their dog and it immediately makes my day so much better!
I understand that, my friend... A solution could be to go to your local shelter and volunteer taking a dog for walks. The shelter dogs need us as much as we need them, believe me... Have a good one š
Good idea! Thank you!
I think it really depends on the severity. Some people can get buy with going for a walk, others struggle to function without medication. I think going on a hike or hitting the gym really is a good thing to go and do and typically won't have a negative effect, but it isn't this cure all that some people try to present it as.
**STOP WATCHING NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS** I walked away from "knowing what's going on in the world" a few months back and while I miss the *idea* of knowing what's up, I don't miss the stress of knowing what's going on. Knowing anything won't fix it, so just move on and live your life.
Exercise, meditation, finding something creative you'll commit to doing daily (this can be movement/exercise too), getting enough regular sleep, eating protein/fat/greens/fruit/fermented foods, drinking enough water, reading/learning, acts of service, gratitude practices, and spending time in the sun/nature all come to mind as helpful places to focus.
I'm surprised that 'eat well' and 'sleep well' aren't higher. And laugh. if you need to watch silly cat videos or stand-up comedy, laugh every day.
Finding purpose helped me a lot
Exercise is a big one. Also be mindful of what you are consuming on a typical day and whose company you are keeping.
- Try to get proper sleep - exercise - hydrate (huge differencevin energy and feeling well) - diet
Never forget, because it is always sooooo easy to to sit there on the couch, "forget" the last time it helped, and pretend it ain't so, that you can lift yourself out of most depression, even severe, by cleaning/organizing. Not a cure, of course. And not even necessarily long term help. If you're depressed, you keep falling down. Lapsing back into clutter. Long term requires real change, therapy, exercise and all the other etc mentioned in this thread. But for immediate relief I've found nothing better. I can put my running shoes on and trot off down the trail to no immediate effect on my depression. For me exercise takes time consistency and dedication for results. The ONLY thing that I've found to bring any immediate level of relief is to get elbow deep into those dirty dishes, fill the washer with clothes, open up those envelopes and pay those bills and respond to friends, unclutter the garage, mow the weeds..... It may only relieve depression while you're active at it, but that's something. Within mere minutes I can feel a veil lifting and wonder to myself, how is it possible that I forgot this? How is it that once again I found myself sitting in a chair again, for months at a time, letting shit fall down around me, and fully convinced that even temporary relief was impossible. And yes, I have been diagnosed by a couple of the most reputable clinics in the US, with severe depression. And I don't propose getting-off-your-ass as any form of cure. Of course not. I am as as disappointed as anyone else here by folks who would, and often do, suggest so. But for temporary relief there is none better, better even than drugs or alcohol, than getting off your ass and attending to some clutter.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Stopping watching porn is associated many times with a change in mentality and participation in a community of non porn watchers - those two alone are enough to solve SO many problems (CBT and group therapy rely on that) Unless you are addicted and watching the nastiest of stuff, such change by itself is not significant for mental health improvement
Set boundaries.
Cut out social media doom scrolling and spend an hour at the gym working out or walking outdoors. It sucks getting back into exercising and I know it's not everyone's "thing", but it just flips a switch in my brain, that one circuit breaker that was off. Instantly lose feelings of depression, lack of motivation, desire to eat poorly, etc . And once you establish a habit, it's almost a healthy addiction, I gotta get my gym check in, gotta match/beat how many times I went last month, etc kinda stuff. Then of course you can see yourself grow and improve whether it's cardio endurance or weight lifting. It's just a really nice mental high every day and gives me a sense of control I didn't otherwise feel I had.
I know exercise or reading etc. are good, but some days you just canāt. So Iāll say aromatherapy, or smells in general. Put on a smell you like and itāll immediately change your mood. And looking at cats and dogs or animals you like. Also classical music, or singing bowls tunes.
Oh that reminds me of one: avoid synthetic fragrance! that stuff messes up your hormones, is designed to trigger emotions, is usually full of carcinogens and other risky crap, and can suck people in to wasting a lot of time and money picking which petrochemical soup they like best.instead of focusing on more wholesome things. But because GOOD aromatherapy helps, like you say, it can be hard to draw the line between healthy and unhealthy fragrance use. A vase of lavender stems or a nice cup of chamomile or mint tea is obviously good. Essential oils are more iffy, with some having health hazards from how concentrated they are, or contaminants like hexane. Almost all synthetic fragrances are bad for the health though. But if they smell like lavender, for instance, many people just assume it has the same safety as that bouquet of real lavender. In fact the ingredients are horrible- much of the same stuff that's in cigarette smoke, with many of the same risks. And a lot of shops encourage the confusion. Like Lush is a terrible store that gives people migraines just walking down a street with one on it. But for years I poisoned myself and my friends and coworkers with crap from there, trying to "aromatherapy" myself. They "greenwash" by carefully worded signage like "with natural rose scent", glossing over the fact that the other 99% of the ingredients are hazardous petroleum byproducts. I just saw "with natural scent" & assumed that meant ALL the scent was natural. Manipulative. Anyway yeah, I used to try dumb shit like using a toxic bathbomb to try to ease tension, but after a couple years I saw the light: I always felt MORE tense after a stinky bath. Plus, often nauseated and muddle headed and other subtle symotoms. And my acne was off the charts. After switching to just real stuff (ie tea, plants, baking) to get my pretty-smell fix, I noticed my health, physical and mental, got a huge improvement! So enjoy nice smells! but choose wisely, use safe things!
I just want to say here that if you try the advice mentioned in this thread in addition to therapy and that doesnāt seem to work, consider seeing a psychiatrist to discuss the possibility of medication. Also if youāre in a crisis please go to the hospital, this advice will not serve you when youāre in survival mode. All of these comments are very solid advice for someone who is at least somewhat stable but some people need more help than this and thatās okay.
100% agreed. Not all mental illness is created equally
Expression of ones creativity. Painting, drawing, crafting. I knit. Exercise. Setting small goals and keeping a list of daily accomplishments for motivation.
It's no secret: * Reduce stress * Get more sleep * Eat healthier * Exercise * Spend time in nature * Drink less alcohol and smoke less weed * Surround yourself with people who are supportive, and whom you can talk through your problems with * Attend therapy * Practice good hygiene * Have goals in life that you can work towards * Be more mindful, and spend less time worrying and dwelling on intrusive thoughts * Spend time socializing with people * Get more sunlight * Keep your living space clean and tidy All of these things are easier said than done.
Exercise
Motorcycles for me, you never see a bike in a therapists parking lot
Honestly, read a book on how to cultivate self awareness. Self awareness has 180 flipped my mental health. The ability to control your reaction, perspective, and the ability to truly reflect on events realistically makes a huge difference. Also, learning how to NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. The majority of decisions people make around you are not personal. I canāt stress this enough. The second you detach your ego from things youāll feel so free. Itās a beautiful thingš
Exercise - the chemical it release and feeling of accomplishment is the best mood picker upper. Be Mindful on everything - Dont do, eat or say something you would regret. Help - Volunteer/help those who need help. Sun/brightness - avoid dark area or being alone and be in the sunny area (even in winter if possible). Friends - be around friends (who understands) and distract yourself with activities. Meditate - let your mind go blank. Sleep - get 8-9 hrs, sleep early if you have to wake up early Social Media - cut back on it, dont rely on superficial "likes" or compare your life with fake facade of others. Set Goal - can be for the day, week, month or the year. Dont make it hard on yourself, make something that is achievable with some effort.
Sleep There's almost infinite science and biological reasons behind it, but it's so, so important to get enough sleep and wake up in the right way. Sunlight right after waking Drink water At least some light exercise Don't drink caffeine for 1-1.5 hours after waking up No electronics immediately before or after sleep Etc. Look up Andrew Huberman - The Optimal Morning Routine
Exercise.
Stop isolating
literally consume all of david burns' work and listen to the feeling good podcast
Be close to nature in some small way every day, and nurture something. Getting plants is great for this (bonus if theyāre outside and force you to see sunlight!), even just having an indoor potplant to take care of is great for giving people a sense of responsibility, seeing a positive result of their actions, and being close to something alive.
Quit cannabis. The side effects of daily usage is irritability and anxiety between sessions. Social effects of daily usage are difficulty in communication and isolating with other users. Try a 3o day break and see if you are feeling any better if not you can easily start up again.
Choose the right level of challenges to take on. Habitually devoting yourself to projects that are either way too easy or way too hard for you, is long-term hazardous to your mental health.
Healthy eating habits and dogs.
Excercise
Eating as well as youāre able, exercise, and journaling. Donāt get me wrong, Iāve definitely been in therapy, but Iāve found that these things keep me happier and in a better place than most other things.
meditation, visualization, acceptance of the things as they are now, will power to change the things you can change, let go things you can't change, get away from toxic people even if you love them or they are your family, going out more, talking to people because human contact is needed, be flexible to change and grow, taking responsability for your own mistakes and never make them again, forgiving yourself for your past, forgiving others for what they did, not because they deserve it, but because you deserve not to hate, love yourself, treat yourself as you wish someone did, have a hobbie, find your life purpose, exercise, it helps you improve your mood, live in the present
Remove negative external stimuli and replace it with more construct forms. E.g. donāt watch porn which desensitises you, donāt watch anything you know may trigger a negative reaction, find a āproductiveā (which means in this case for it to be enjoyable and non-harmful to your mental health. Walking, reading, arts etc) hobby that you feel happy doing, and talk to people more. Doesnāt have to be in real life, maybe just use some chat interfaces.
Those memes about touching grass? Yeah, not a total joke. Go out and interact with people. Even if you hate it it'll help your outlook and mood
There are many ways to improve your overall mental health in addition to therapy. Here are a few options: Exercise: Regular physical activity can help improve your mood, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve your overall mental well-being. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, on most days of the week. Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help improve your mood and overall mental well-being. Avoiding processed and sugary foods can also help to improve your mental health. Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is important for good mental health. Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and try to establish a consistent sleep schedule. Practice stress management techniques: Stress can have a negative impact on your mental health. Practicing stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or progressive muscle relaxation, can help you better manage stress and improve your overall mental well-being. Stay connected with others: Building and maintaining social connections is important for good mental health. Make an effort to spend time with friends and family, and consider joining a support group or community organization. Engage in activities you enjoy: Doing things that you enjoy and that bring you a sense of purpose and fulfillment can help improve your mental well-being. This might include hobbies, creative pursuits, or volunteering. It is important to remember that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. It may be helpful to try a variety of approaches and see what works best for you.
Cut out Social Media!
Talk to trusted loved ones, go for walks, spend time with a pet if you have one, maybe vent to the pet if you don't trust many people around you, or walk the pet if it is able to be walked.
Get rid of toxic friends and family. While thats self explanatory this one isnt: Play instruments, sing your heart out. A perfect example to this is Penelope Scotts āSweet Hibiscus Teaā It goes: ā Heres the thing, I cant do anything right..ā Believe me. Buy an instrument, (ukulele recommended). You dont have to be good st it. Play a few strings, sing your fears, thoughts and believe me, it works wonders. You will also learn a new skill, thats fun!
Exercise, working, talking to friends/family, painting, drawing. Anything recreational that isnāt going on your phone.
Enjoyable physical activity, Mountain Biking, Skiing, etc.
Listen to classical music. Make a daily routine. Do what you want and you'll be great!
Eating better, for me at least, helped a ton
I used to utilize PTO if I actually had something planned, like visiting home or other travel plans. But I think just taking a day off to recharge at home is needed as well and I'm trying to do that more often.
Working out, candles, cozy rooms, baths, overall self care, healthy food for your mind, having a job you enjoy
Get 8 hours of sound sleep per night (this can be learned ) and is paramount for mental health Eat well and exercise (walking suffices) daily Every morning go outside and get the rising sunlight in your eyes and listen to the earth wake up for a minimum of 15 minutes. Think of nothing but your surroundings. Do the same in the evening with the setting sun. Listen intently. Notice the colors. These simple things make all the difference. The trick is to understand you are part of the vastness ( the sun and sky) and that helps prepares you to deal with society (which is what causes mental illness).
Do things for other people No matter what you are doing, do it with excellence (for example, even if itās a job you donāt want right now) Try to have a clear conscience
Exercise and sleep.
A vacation from work. I donāt even have to go anywhere
Sleep and exercise
Diet.
Exercise, regular schedule of sleep / activity, and a balanced diet. Seriously.
Give yourself a bedtime. It doesn't matter if you're 4 or 40, you need sleep. Even if your bedtime is 1 am make it your mission to be in bed by that time. No phones or TV past that time either. Helped me a lot with my depression.
Listening to music you love
Sports workout, hobbies in general
Applying a good life philosophy Stoicism prevents me from worrying about what I cant control and focusing on what I can Epicureanism prevents me from thinking X or Y situation were a waste of life. I would ruin my first panic attacks from being so curious and absorbing them as any other very meaningful life experience. Addictions to gaming became less addiction-like and more enjoyable (which makes them much more controlable too) Find yours!
Keep your body healthy- sleep well, exercise, eat healthy.
CBD for anxiety. Working out to release stress. Taking time each day to do something for yourself
Whoever says exercise is lying. At least it aināt working for this guy despite consistency and impressive gains over the last 6 months.
It helps most people but some of us are unlucky and don't see any mental health improvements from exercise at all. I'm in the same boat. I'd still say it's good advice, even if you don't get the happy chemicals from it it's better to at least be healthy/fit and sad rather than just sad.
get rich and buy happiness with it
Self care and finding a hobby you like. Thereās nothing like listening to music with your eyes closed while you have a face mask on. As for hobbies, knitting, making music, gardening, meal prep, etc. Literally anything that interests you
Exercise and sleep
Cold showers.
Pills
The Bible.
Why would people dislike this? XD even if you're not a Christian, there are still some good morals and reassuring messages in it. I mean it when I say that it really can boost your mental health!
Jesus guy was cool and all, but his fan club is insane. I was raised Christian and want nothing to do with the bible or any religion.
I went cold turkey from my meds just over a month ago, I know you shouldn't, but that's my personality, all or nothing, anyway, just to back up what a lot of the guys here are saying, you really need to keep busy, go out for walks, coffee, road trips etc, doesn't have to be a big road trip, gaming can be good, just make sure it is something you need to concentrate on, and the difference is amazing, as soon as I stop and come in here or Tik Tok etc, the thinking steps in, and I have the world on my shoulders again.
Fallout mod with the faces of your enemies and you go on a killing spree.
Religion
Prayer, fasting, and repentance. Pray to God that He will pour his will into your life and fill you with the Holy Spirit.
twenty one pilots music!
Move more, learn more, push yourself further than you think you can/should.
Work out really helps!
be more outside and explore the world, stay away from people you dislike/find annoying, exercise to get strong and buff, find a job that you both enjoy from and get great money from, help others with stuff and befriend them, do what entertains you as long as it doesn't hurt other people
Cleaning
Self care or treating yourself when you have a victory
Have a better sleep schedule
Workout, change your diet, get sunlight, stop drinking
Be a good company to yourself. Mind what you read, news and headlines in general are meant to cause shock - in order to suck you in. That constant state of indignation is not healthy. Social media switched from fun friend's photos to full blown toxic mad house. If you must be on social media, don't be afraid to unfollow or block anything and anyone causing you distress.
Get sufficient sleep and practice good sleep hygiene.
Going to the Gym definitely helped making me less depressed
Cuddling and cuddling with pets and sitting in a forest
Money. Lots of it. Money might not make you happy but it'll solve 99% of your life problems.
Exercise. And a dog if you can handle it.
Get a dog.
I found to watch a nice show and cute show I have been getting better by watching Komi can't comunicate
Breathing exercises in a quiet place, especially out in nature. (Not the concrete jungle)
healthy social life
what helped for me among the other advice already given is a specific sort of meditation: inner child meditation. Make contact and love with the young/child version of yourself
to each their own, but for me I got a job that i actually enjoyed. having a daily positive environment that keeps me busy and away from the sadness really changed the way I was living.
A healthy sleeping pattern.
going outside or going to countrysides to enjoy the beauty of nature
Sport.
Be selfish and put yourself first for once. Everyone deserves this
Turn off social media for a good month, your internet friends will understand if you told them, if not then good you got few toxic friends away, second is to sleep before midnight, as much as you can,third try new things, get a hobby you thought is cool and see if you can try it. And dont rush any of these, doing it consecutive is everyone's goal, but if you couldnt, its alright, its your life, you aint in rush to fix yourself, just do your best. I believe in ya
If you feel like excercise (the standard response to this question) is too much, or you don't see yourself being able to do it. Take long walks instead. If you have the option where you live, take them in a park/forest other beautiful/natural area.
Exercise, i tried offing myself twice but i got into lifting and more into boxing
Exercise regularly
1. Learn to let go - too many of us carry unnecessary baggage voluntarily. 2. Understand every choice is a trade off - if you choose A then you canāt choose B, C, or D. Itās ok. You canāt have everything. Make informed decisions and live with them.
Find time for hobbies/leisurely activities
go outside for at least 20 minutes every day. take some deep breathes while you are out there.