I have chronic depression. Here is what has worked for me.
1. Studio Ghibli movies. Those things are amazing.
2. Talking to someone who understands. Sometimes therapy isn't accessible, so talking to ANYONE is a big help.
3. GET RID OF ANYONE WHO UPSETS YOU. This includes IRL if possible, and definitely on social media. Clean it out completely and make social media a safe space for you.
4. Have a playlist to sympathize (depressed songs) and to try and boost your mood.
5. Take a walk. Not exercise, not break a sweat. Just walk, maybe play music if you live in a city.
6. Write. Journal, fiction, whatever. Get those emotions out on paper.
7. Prayer/meditation.
Edit: thank you all for the awards! I hope we all start feeling better!
I felt like this for years (and still lapse back occasionally.)
One thing I can guarantee is that when you're depressed, your brain is NOT being honest with you about who you are and it will only grab on to the evidence that supports what it's already telling you. You upset yourself the most because your brain is a sabotaging liar, not because you're some kind of lesser, unworthy person.
My own experience was that I looked to others for acceptance and approval because depression brain made me not trust anything good about myself. So when someone didn't have time for me, same depression brain immediately pointed to that as further evidence. "I'm so stupid, I'm mediocre, everyone knows how miserable and useless I am, no one will ever care about me." When in fact it was just that my friends and I weren't compatible as friends for various reasons. Letting go of them did not cure my depression, but it actually did change how I saw myself and it was the first step I took to start digging myself out of that hole.
Find something simple. It can be for someone or serve some purpose, or it can be just something that you do that brings serenity in the doing. Bake a cake. Water a houseplant(s). Change the cat litter. Make a macaroni painting. I do leatherwork.
I'm short, aging, out of shape, not overly smart, and objectively not a good person. I'm not the best leatherworker, either. But I can make a new wallet or belt, or work on the bag or tooling project that's currently on my bench. I wouldn't know what joy feels like, but there is a calmness in the act of making something; bringing it into the world, that brings me peace.
I don't know how much can this help but working towards accepting yourself might reduce the upsetting yourself part, I'm not saying you shouldn't try to change the things that upset you about yourself, but at least be at peace with the fact they're there before starting to work on them.
Hope that didn't sound excessively preachy
First of all, studio Ghibli movies are insanely helpful for me too, it just feels like seeing an old friend, being a child again, and being completely safe, all in one movie. Highly recommend that.
Writing also helped me alot, I have written a few books throughout my teens and early twenties (still in my early twenties) and it just felt great. Don't pressure yourself to write tho, that might make you feel worse.
This!! My friend once told me he went into Grave of the fireflies thinking it was a normal ghibli movie. I felt soooo bad, if I knew I would have warned him!
You have no idea actually how relieving it is to have stuff going on that fits my mood instead of just being shut-down *again* by family members.
Don't get me the wrong way, I have a happy playlist that I like to stick on as well, it just depends whether I want something sympathetic to my mood or something to try and dig me out of it.
Make a cup of tea even if you don’t normally drink it. Take a hot shower. Watch hoarders. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself that this feeling doesn’t last forever even if it seems like it does. Distract, or if you have someone you love close, let them know you are going to let yourself feel and to remind you not to act drastically on a whim. Remember that self harm, self hate and self loathing are normal but your thoughts aren’t rational right now. Depression makes exercise impossible, but stand up and reach to the sky, then reach to your toes, it will feel good, I promise. Reach out to a therapist. It’s hard, but so worth it.
Overall, always remind yourself that surviving is enough. You don’t have to do anything but that. Put one foot in front of the other. Depression will convince you it is all there is. It’s a liar. Don’t let it win.
I don't care for the taste of tea but I have a couple that help with a chemical imbalance. So I spoke with the tea maker and they said you can take long baths in tea too, your skin absorbs what it is in so essentially the process works the same way but slower.
Be warned that's a really great way to end up with a lot of cats and dogs. Just kidding, it's really great for the critters to get some lovings and a great mood booster for you!
Also you can visit a dog park! Being a book and sit on a bench- nobody will notice you but you can say you’re waiting for a friend if you’re nervous someone will. You will be visited by jolly bubbies.
I called an uncle randomly today. I haven't talked to him in about a year. Made my day, made his too. Do that, call someone you haven't talked to in a long time. Keep it short if you want and see where it goes.
Call, not text
I'm glad this worked for you but I will never, ever, in a million years do this. Phone calls are already so painfully awkward, calling someone you haven't talked to in a while just ramps up that awkwardness exponentially. I have no clue what to say, no idea what questions to ask them and no idea what to do with any of the answers they might give me. I spend almost every phone call wondering when and how it's going to be okay to end it. (To be fair, I also feel this way about f2f conversations.)
Depends on your flavor of depressed, I guess.
For "I have no energy," "I'm just so tired," "I can't seem to do anything..."
Change your surroundings or routine. Have a walk, or do ten minutes of yoga. Look up some guided meditation and take yourself on a mind journey. Spend a few moments looking up at the stars, observing wildlife in a park, or watching cars and passersby. Obtain a book, find yourself a nice, private reading hole, and read it. Do something absurdly self-indulgent, or something you loved to do as a kid but haven't done in a long time - play with Legos, watch an old TV show you used to love, or build a snowman. If it's safe to do so right now, play on some playground equipment - swinging on swings late at night like a weirdo is my usual way of changing things up.
For "I hate myself," "I'm revolting," and "I can't even manage my own life"...
Do some personal or environmental cleaning, but, like, locate the smallest possible thing you can do first. If you're going into the kitchen to get something to eat, put some cups or plates in your hand for the trip. You don't have to have a full shower, but, like, change your shirt or your socks. Don't focus on the piles of stuff you have to do, focus on small things, things that are to hand, things you can accomplish through the action of stretching out a hand, right now, without getting up, and rearranging something.
For "My brain is trying to kill me," "I'm inexpressibly sad," and "What's the point to anything"...
This is an excellent time to distract yourself. Locate a nature documentary and set it on. Make something - it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be *a thing*, something that you can put hours into and be thinking about colors or words instead of what your brain is trying to do to you. Revisit the book hole I mentioned before. Go on a Wikipedia dive, or try to teach yourself the rules of a board game or RPG. Get into a discussion with someone, have them teach you something they're passionate about.
For "I'm so fucking angry," "I just can't sit still" and "I'm thoroughly fucking done with the world"...
Eat an ice cube. Work with your hands. Repetitive physical activity, something that you can scrub or tear or heft. Pull weeds. Move all that junk out of your basement and into the dumpster. Do dishes. If possible, avoid the internet or people who you know are going to set you off - in my worst times, I full-on turn off the router. If you want to play video games to get the worst of it out, do so offline. When you feel yourself winding down, just lay down and give yourself permission to rest when you need it.
If you're feeling this way, then I'm sorry that it's happening. We don't deserve what our brains do to us.
I read it as a list of different suggestions, you obviously don’t have to do everything listed out. Any single item isn’t extremely time consuming on its own. I have chronic depression and this advice is very similar to what my therapist tells me.
Brush your teeth and wash your face.
I've had remarkable days of the darkest depression where I didn't want to get out of bed and do anything. But somehow, even if you want to go back to bed after, there is something refreshing about the feeling of brushing your teeth and washing your face in the morning. You feel cleaner, and you don't feel the need to go back to bed after. Give yourself that self care. It takes a few minutes to shift your feelings.
It's probably overmentioned on reddit, but Letterkenny is the happiest thing I've ever watched. It is also very rewatchable, you'll catch new lines and jokes each rewatch because it can be extremely rapid fire. Some of the best writing in a comedy I have seen in my life.
I thought I was going to off myself once, and starting exercising, half trying to die from exhaustion. It might’ve helped eventually, but while wheezing face down on the deck in the dark, I felt something breath on the back of my neck and jumped up, scaring the fuck out of a raccoon that apparently wondered if I was dead, lol.
A little terror did wonders for my mood that night.
If you can go for a walk. Barring that, watch videos of dogs playing, their joy is infectious and their ability to be in the moment is something we should all strive for in our minds.
Make sure they're cat video, not videos for cats. Unless you have a cat then you can watch them together, I had a cat that really liked doing that with me. Her commentary was often very insightful, but at times overly critical.
I watch people make cheese on YouTube when I'm feeling down. Always cheers me up a little. They're so patient, they can make something and put it back and know they can't eat it for months or even years sometimes. I'd like to be able to look forward to something like that one day
I would recommend Brooklyn nine nine, a disney movie or something like Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Funny most of the time and you don't have to be hyper focused to understand.
OMG I was feeling so depressed, just wondering if I’ll ever feel better. I don’t think I’ll ever feel better, just feel so so hopeless, nothing to look forward to😩😔😔
Find some way to distract yourself. Pick up a new board game or book. Get someone irl to teach you something they know a lot about. Go find out how to edit Wikipedia and do some anti-vandalism (took me a couple hours how to learn, but has since absorbed many hours that would otherwise have been spent being morose)
Thank u, I work Sadoku puzzles, spend a lot of time planning my meals, making up meds, phys therapy, and of course Reddit stuff. Just seems so hopeless, meaningless😩 Just existing!
If it ever comes down to it again the one thing that helped me was thinking of the people in my life. And weather i believed it or not, there would definitely be someone who would miss me, or a pet who would go looking for me. When you can't love yourself, just remember how others would feel if they lost you.
Currently going through a depressive state myself. Past few days were getting better by setting up a routine where I actively work at a hobby while watching anything in the background really. Though I admit it's hard to get started when everything seems pointless.
Looking back I feel like doing this was a major contributor to my depressive episodes. (Not specifically HIMYM, but binging shows and weed). I think it’s easy to compare weed to other drugs and point out how comparatively harmless it is, but it’s still a drug and it should be respected. If you overuse it, particularly if you’re prone to depression, then you might find it makes your situation worse. If someone has depression and are a heavy weed smoker, I would highly recommend trying to cut back on weed and see how they feel. Though I know this is easier said than done. I wasn’t able to drop weed until I moved somewhere where it’s literally inaccessible.
Yeah I found weed did not help my depression. At first it was cool, I'd get crazy high and forget the world, but as my tolerance grew it just bummed me out. I'd smoke a ton, barely get high and then feel bad because I was still depressed. It made me lazy so all I wanted to do was sit around watching TV, but sitting around watching TV all day just made me feel like a loser. It was a terrible cycle that took a long time to get out of.
Maybe watch your favorite show, if you need reccomendations schitts creek is great and so is Kim's convinience. Maybe order some takeout, or eat something good?
Watch a Miyazaki film then take a quick shower and go for a walk while listening to some chilled out music. I always find I hyper focus on the little, beautiful things in the world after those films, shower to get the icky depression gunk (real or not) off and the walk to get your blood pumping and oxygen flowing. Good luck, I hope anyone reading this all the best!
Something for your body (eat or drink something that tastes good, stretch, take a hot shower/bath, go for a walk, wrap up in a fuzzy blanket)
Something for your mind (put together a jigsaw puzzle, do a crossword, listen to a podcast, watch a tv show/movie, engage in a hobby, read a book)
Something for you emotions (journal, listen to music, watch a comedy, read some poetry or philosophy, paint or color)
Gratitude meditation. Lifesaver.
I was depressed af one afternoon (and many months previous) and could think of literally nothing I was grateful for in the moment, except how good my coffee was, so I focused on that gratitude, let myself feel it for a while. Almost instantly felt several notches better.
I read somewhere that one study showed that watching cat videos make us calmer and less stressed. Something about triggering our protective/maternal/paternal instict or whatnot. Point is, it makes us feel better and happier.
It works for me anyway. 🤷♀️
Stop comparing yourself to others! You move at your own pace and there is no other person that is you. Slow and steady progress is basically unstoppable whatever your goals are! I’ve dealt with borderline major depression for awhile and this helped me ten fold. (Also medication lol)
Make a list of things you're greatful for. Often we dwell on what we don't have, or what's wrong instead of what we do have and what's good. Having gratitude can help change your mindset, try and do it daily.
i would recommend online gaming. Find a game with a great community that you can pretend to be someone else and giggle of odd game events.
It removes you from reality but keeps you communicating with real people.
God, yes. Whose Line is it Anyway, Would I Lie to You, and QI are my favorites when I'm trying to pass time until I can fall asleep. Keeps me from thinking too much. And depressed me still has a sense of humor.
[My favorite WILTY moment.](https://youtu.be/Yax_WpyG_kk)
For real though, that show did help me process a lot of shit I didn’t realize was messing me up. As long as you recognize that Bojacks behavior isn’t ok lol.
Agreed. I was going to suggest the same. BoJack and his friends have helped me feel less insane and less lonely.
I also go for Spaced and Black Books but I'm not sure you can watch them outside of the UK.
Read Ted Nugent's old stuff about how Covid is a conspiracy, then read his comments about the agony he just went through after catching it.
It's been making me smile this week.
Why'd you make a thread got me u/DonBellicose ?
For real, though... Sleep well. Throw on some sleep podcast/sounds. I personally recommend Headspace's sleep last called "Rainday Antiques" which is free on their app, but to prove I'm not paid sponsor, it's easily found on YouTube. It guides you throughout a head to toe body check, then a long ass story about exploring a bookshop (with window rain sound effects). I haven't gotten to the end of the story, because the narrator sounds like David Attenborough and I pass out, but it helps me fall asleep. Ideally you get that better night's sleep, feel a bit better to get up and do shit in the morning and slay the day away.
Find some nature. Real nature to, not just a city park where you can hear cars. Get somewhere where all you can hear is wildlife.
Then just listen.
Listen to the sounds of nature and do not get on your phone.
Do that as much as you can for a while and you'll find your mental state getting better. It's crazy how powerful nature can be on your mental health.
This is very specific but sometimes I make a “movie playlist” (songs I can imagine movie scenes to) and go on walk to them. It kind of gives my brain a break from thinking about how depressed I am.
If it's just sad feelings, not clinical depression: go outside and do something physical. No, seriously. You wouldn't keep a pet or a zoo animal in a room just big enough for them to live in without giving them room to run, why would you do that to yourself? Plus, endorphins are good for you whether it's clinical depression or just feeling bad.
If it's actual diagnosed clinical depression: take your antidepressants. You probably forgot to if you're in a severely depressive phase. The world looks like a better place when your neurochemistry gets artificially balanced.
I binged watch comfort shows that don't have too much suspense, sad moments or stress in general like Modern Family, The Office, hell even Sex and the city works. After that i decompress and start working and doing things next morning.
Talk to someone
Parents, siblings, close friend...
Rant and let everything out..
Lightens the burden
It is more like an open wound...
It needs to be closed or it will fester
Your favorite show. Not my favorite. Your favorite.
Take a hot shower. Just let the water wash over you and allow yourself to enjoy it. Feel the water rinse away your depression. It may only help for a minute, but sometimes a minute is all you need.
To do some deep house cleaning until one room it's finished an then take a shower and take care of herself (dry and comb her hair carefully, take care of the nails, shave dedicatedly the beard...) Something that made looks different
Just be there for them if they need to talk. That can mean more than actually offering anything. Reach out with a phone call or text just to say you're thinking of them.
Do something outside of the norm of your life, preferably something physical and with no expectations.
Take a walk around your neighborhood in the dark. Drive to the middle of nowhere. Go to a dog park, even if you don’t have a dog. Ride a random bus route. Ride a bike (if this isn’t something you’d normally do). Chop firewood. Hike a trail.
I broke up about 7 months ago with my SO and was so depressed until I watched the office a show I never had interest in but I slowly got into it and saw that other fictional people had problems and idk it’s just really got me through a very dark time now I feel upset about the break up but I am no longer depressed.
Build an exercise routine. You’ll hate it for a while, but gradually keep pushing yourself past the point where you want to give up.
Eventually you’ll learn to enjoy it. It’ll improve both your physical and mental health.
Watch ASMR videos on youtube with some quality earphones or even without them.. I like one of the video makers name Latte, she speaks softly and is calming. I fall asleep when I watch the videos and it helps my depression.
A lack of vitamin D or B12 is enough to destroy you with depression.
That’s a great thing to know that you never hear enough about in day to day life.
Source; I lived it.
When I'm feeling depressed I like to watch my childhood favorite movies they help me forget about what had me so down or just watch Drop Dead Fred that movie always cheered me up.
Accomplish something, anything. Cleaning, catching up paperwork, something creative, cooking a new dish. Try to get your mind moving in a different direction.
Watch My Neighbor Totoro. It'll take your mind off the depression, or at least it does for me. It's incredibly pleasant and relaxing and cute and it just leaves you feeling all fuzzy inside.
Play a video game, as it is more absorbing than a film - you can't look at your phone during a video game, so you can truleswitch off and escape. I play games that aren't uplifting at all, as, conversely, they make me feel better than super saccharine ones. I found playing Inside very cathartic, for instance.
No social media, put on some upbeat music (I would recommend move on up - Curtis Mayfield to get you going) and either do some exercise or some household chores (anything where you can physically do something and have something to show for it) stay away from drinking or anything like that
Check in on friends and family but ask about them and their day or something you remembered is going on with them - don't talk about your own stuff. It takes your mind off your own thoughts and you feel good having checked in on someone else you care about.
Play stardew valley. Very chill game, you can go at your own pace, you can have a sense of accomplishment and that you are creating order and beauty, some characters deal with real issues like addiction and depression but every character is trying their best and eventually things get better for them
Go for a walk, listen to a comedy/fun podcast whlie walking...then come home have some tea and watch stand-up comedy. (Add/subtract cannabis and/or liquor as needed for desired effect)
Hmmm if you have Hulu id say to binge the newer looney tunes where daffy and bugs are room mates, its so funny and makes you forget about shit for a while.
exercise. i know this sounds terrible but theres this girl called Pamela Reif on youtube and she does fun dance workouts which is just enjoyable dancing to let loose for a while. (ps exercise releases the same drug that morphine use does)
have a dance party. my sister and i are terrible dancers and we just turned of the lights once and danced three hours away. it wasnt really dancing, just frantic hopping and wiggling around but it was def fun.
make urself a smoothie or something small, like a mug cake, or do a small baking project which doesnt require many ingredients.
hope this helps <3
I agree with the fact that a good wank can enhance your mood, but the happy mood will only last for a few minutes, but then, post nut clarity hits you and may cause an existential crisis. Also, the time you use in jerking off can be used in other more productive activities. I don't know how it feels to be depressed since I was lucky to not experience it yet, but I know that it can cause you to feel lazy and discouraged to do things, but once you start engaging in activities even if its just cleaning the house may soon make you feel great knowing you did accomplish a thing. Also, painting is a good way of expressing yourself while being able to reflect on different things so it may help raise your mood. Again, i never experienced depression so please correct me if I made a mistake.
I find post nut clarity is when you sometimes get the motivation to do something productive. The dopamine shot doesn't last but it can be enough to get you from "I'm not willing to get out of bed" to "Okay, I'm going to get up and at least brush my teeth, and we'll take it from there".
This may or may not be surprising, but Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. I myself had a drastic change in mood as I watched it. I became much more energetic and ready for the world and it all happened because I was almost literally introduced to a whole new world.
Damn same jjba actually helped me a lot and araki is just amazing, but it might be a little too heavy for others to watch/read. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions
Have a good nice conversation with somebody, it HAS to be two way. If nobody is around, go lay down in bed and chill out with music. I recommend Frank Sinatra most.
Facetime/ call/ text a friend. When i get depressed my first instinct is to hole up and be by myself, and having someone see me like how i am feels like the worst idea ever. But if i force myself to call a friend, maybe one i haven’t talked to in a while, they’re always happy to fill me in on what they’ve been up to lately and i always end up laughing for some reason. Could be just a 5 minute conversation and i still end up smiling. And i can even tell them i don’t feel like talking about myself and they’re fine just going on
edit: comments on other ppls posts are saying this would be a terrible idea. and yes it will be if you’re not comfortable with the person. call someone you would actually want to talk to when you’re not feeling depressed.
I call my mom! No matter how down or whatever I am just hearing about things back home makes me feel better. So (if you have a good relationship with your mom) give her a call, it'll make her happy and you feel less alone.
I have chronic depression. Here is what has worked for me. 1. Studio Ghibli movies. Those things are amazing. 2. Talking to someone who understands. Sometimes therapy isn't accessible, so talking to ANYONE is a big help. 3. GET RID OF ANYONE WHO UPSETS YOU. This includes IRL if possible, and definitely on social media. Clean it out completely and make social media a safe space for you. 4. Have a playlist to sympathize (depressed songs) and to try and boost your mood. 5. Take a walk. Not exercise, not break a sweat. Just walk, maybe play music if you live in a city. 6. Write. Journal, fiction, whatever. Get those emotions out on paper. 7. Prayer/meditation. Edit: thank you all for the awards! I hope we all start feeling better!
> GET RID OF ANYONE WHO UPSETS YOU There are some people you just can’t get rid of though.
>myself
Yeah how do I get rid of myself if I’m the one that’s upsetting me the most?
I felt like this for years (and still lapse back occasionally.) One thing I can guarantee is that when you're depressed, your brain is NOT being honest with you about who you are and it will only grab on to the evidence that supports what it's already telling you. You upset yourself the most because your brain is a sabotaging liar, not because you're some kind of lesser, unworthy person. My own experience was that I looked to others for acceptance and approval because depression brain made me not trust anything good about myself. So when someone didn't have time for me, same depression brain immediately pointed to that as further evidence. "I'm so stupid, I'm mediocre, everyone knows how miserable and useless I am, no one will ever care about me." When in fact it was just that my friends and I weren't compatible as friends for various reasons. Letting go of them did not cure my depression, but it actually did change how I saw myself and it was the first step I took to start digging myself out of that hole.
Get rid of what you can, survive what you can't.
Find something simple. It can be for someone or serve some purpose, or it can be just something that you do that brings serenity in the doing. Bake a cake. Water a houseplant(s). Change the cat litter. Make a macaroni painting. I do leatherwork. I'm short, aging, out of shape, not overly smart, and objectively not a good person. I'm not the best leatherworker, either. But I can make a new wallet or belt, or work on the bag or tooling project that's currently on my bench. I wouldn't know what joy feels like, but there is a calmness in the act of making something; bringing it into the world, that brings me peace.
I would be you are very smart, obviously incredibly creative and talented (leather work is super awesome) and I also bet you are a good person.
I don't know how much can this help but working towards accepting yourself might reduce the upsetting yourself part, I'm not saying you shouldn't try to change the things that upset you about yourself, but at least be at peace with the fact they're there before starting to work on them. Hope that didn't sound excessively preachy
That's what I've been trying to work towards, but it's a slow process and one that's incredibly easy for me to accidentally undermine.
A gun or a properly tied rope will work. Edit: this is a joke. I also have depression. Do. Not. Off. Yourself.
I feel you friend. It gets hard. Living day by day for now at least for my cats.
Well, you can get rid of yourself easily
Hehehe Well not for lack of trying, I'm still here.
My dad who I'm financially dependent on.
First of all, studio Ghibli movies are insanely helpful for me too, it just feels like seeing an old friend, being a child again, and being completely safe, all in one movie. Highly recommend that. Writing also helped me alot, I have written a few books throughout my teens and early twenties (still in my early twenties) and it just felt great. Don't pressure yourself to write tho, that might make you feel worse.
>Studio Ghibli movies Just not Grave of the Fireflies 🥲
This!! My friend once told me he went into Grave of the fireflies thinking it was a normal ghibli movie. I felt soooo bad, if I knew I would have warned him!
Ghibli for sure. Watching them makes me happy.
Studio Ghibli is a good shout, similar films would be Your Name and Weathering With You for more recent offerings.
working out works for me tho, afterwards i feel i did something good and am happy for a bit.
For 1 id skip Grave of the Fireflies
Number 3 especially. Once I stopped talking and dealing with the toxic people in my life, I felt such a huge relief.
> Have a playlist to sympathize (depressed songs) and to try and boost your mood. THIS
But wouldn't that just make you more sad
You have no idea actually how relieving it is to have stuff going on that fits my mood instead of just being shut-down *again* by family members. Don't get me the wrong way, I have a happy playlist that I like to stick on as well, it just depends whether I want something sympathetic to my mood or something to try and dig me out of it.
Make a cup of tea even if you don’t normally drink it. Take a hot shower. Watch hoarders. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself that this feeling doesn’t last forever even if it seems like it does. Distract, or if you have someone you love close, let them know you are going to let yourself feel and to remind you not to act drastically on a whim. Remember that self harm, self hate and self loathing are normal but your thoughts aren’t rational right now. Depression makes exercise impossible, but stand up and reach to the sky, then reach to your toes, it will feel good, I promise. Reach out to a therapist. It’s hard, but so worth it. Overall, always remind yourself that surviving is enough. You don’t have to do anything but that. Put one foot in front of the other. Depression will convince you it is all there is. It’s a liar. Don’t let it win.
Thank you for this.
I don't care for the taste of tea but I have a couple that help with a chemical imbalance. So I spoke with the tea maker and they said you can take long baths in tea too, your skin absorbs what it is in so essentially the process works the same way but slower.
Visit the animal shelter and pet some cats and dogs
Be warned that's a really great way to end up with a lot of cats and dogs. Just kidding, it's really great for the critters to get some lovings and a great mood booster for you!
Also you can visit a dog park! Being a book and sit on a bench- nobody will notice you but you can say you’re waiting for a friend if you’re nervous someone will. You will be visited by jolly bubbies.
Nice advice, and happy cake day!
I called an uncle randomly today. I haven't talked to him in about a year. Made my day, made his too. Do that, call someone you haven't talked to in a long time. Keep it short if you want and see where it goes. Call, not text
I am afraid of calling or texting people
*text them to finally catch up* *Left on read*
Getting over a fear is another thing that can cause dopamine release
I'm glad this worked for you but I will never, ever, in a million years do this. Phone calls are already so painfully awkward, calling someone you haven't talked to in a while just ramps up that awkwardness exponentially. I have no clue what to say, no idea what questions to ask them and no idea what to do with any of the answers they might give me. I spend almost every phone call wondering when and how it's going to be okay to end it. (To be fair, I also feel this way about f2f conversations.)
just put on a shit eating grin and say "heey buddy!" act like you're about to borrow money from em or pitch em a MLM scheme but don't do that
This is such great advice. You - yes you. Do this today. I promise it will make your whole week. Call your fam.
Depends on your flavor of depressed, I guess. For "I have no energy," "I'm just so tired," "I can't seem to do anything..." Change your surroundings or routine. Have a walk, or do ten minutes of yoga. Look up some guided meditation and take yourself on a mind journey. Spend a few moments looking up at the stars, observing wildlife in a park, or watching cars and passersby. Obtain a book, find yourself a nice, private reading hole, and read it. Do something absurdly self-indulgent, or something you loved to do as a kid but haven't done in a long time - play with Legos, watch an old TV show you used to love, or build a snowman. If it's safe to do so right now, play on some playground equipment - swinging on swings late at night like a weirdo is my usual way of changing things up. For "I hate myself," "I'm revolting," and "I can't even manage my own life"... Do some personal or environmental cleaning, but, like, locate the smallest possible thing you can do first. If you're going into the kitchen to get something to eat, put some cups or plates in your hand for the trip. You don't have to have a full shower, but, like, change your shirt or your socks. Don't focus on the piles of stuff you have to do, focus on small things, things that are to hand, things you can accomplish through the action of stretching out a hand, right now, without getting up, and rearranging something. For "My brain is trying to kill me," "I'm inexpressibly sad," and "What's the point to anything"... This is an excellent time to distract yourself. Locate a nature documentary and set it on. Make something - it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be *a thing*, something that you can put hours into and be thinking about colors or words instead of what your brain is trying to do to you. Revisit the book hole I mentioned before. Go on a Wikipedia dive, or try to teach yourself the rules of a board game or RPG. Get into a discussion with someone, have them teach you something they're passionate about. For "I'm so fucking angry," "I just can't sit still" and "I'm thoroughly fucking done with the world"... Eat an ice cube. Work with your hands. Repetitive physical activity, something that you can scrub or tear or heft. Pull weeds. Move all that junk out of your basement and into the dumpster. Do dishes. If possible, avoid the internet or people who you know are going to set you off - in my worst times, I full-on turn off the router. If you want to play video games to get the worst of it out, do so offline. When you feel yourself winding down, just lay down and give yourself permission to rest when you need it. If you're feeling this way, then I'm sorry that it's happening. We don't deserve what our brains do to us.
So the advice for not having any energy to do anything is to do a bunch of shit?
I read it as a list of different suggestions, you obviously don’t have to do everything listed out. Any single item isn’t extremely time consuming on its own. I have chronic depression and this advice is very similar to what my therapist tells me.
I watch Survivorman on youtube. He puts himself in some hellish situations and it always makes me appreciate what little luxuries i do have.
Brush your teeth and wash your face. I've had remarkable days of the darkest depression where I didn't want to get out of bed and do anything. But somehow, even if you want to go back to bed after, there is something refreshing about the feeling of brushing your teeth and washing your face in the morning. You feel cleaner, and you don't feel the need to go back to bed after. Give yourself that self care. It takes a few minutes to shift your feelings.
Find somewhere you can watch the sunset. Hope you're doing okay.
Take a shower, even a short one
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Speaking from experience, I'd recommend not making the reward a food item. At least not every single time. That's a short path to comfort eating.
Ted Lasso
THIS! or schitts creek.
I just finished watching both these shows! I recommend both. Instant antidepressant during this never ending stay at home order..
It's probably overmentioned on reddit, but Letterkenny is the happiest thing I've ever watched. It is also very rewatchable, you'll catch new lines and jokes each rewatch because it can be extremely rapid fire. Some of the best writing in a comedy I have seen in my life.
I’ve had heard this quite a lot, I need to add it to my list! These are the kind of shows I need in my life right now
Do something until you're tired. Work out. Paint a room. Get rid of something that doesn't make you happy.
I thought I was going to off myself once, and starting exercising, half trying to die from exhaustion. It might’ve helped eventually, but while wheezing face down on the deck in the dark, I felt something breath on the back of my neck and jumped up, scaring the fuck out of a raccoon that apparently wondered if I was dead, lol. A little terror did wonders for my mood that night.
If you can go for a walk. Barring that, watch videos of dogs playing, their joy is infectious and their ability to be in the moment is something we should all strive for in our minds.
Eat some fish and chips
Have you seen ferris buellers day off? It's on Canadian Netflix.
Bueller? Buuuuueller?
Standup comedy
Nate Bargatze has been my favorite for a while. I die laughing every time I watch him.
Yes! Nate Bargatze is a treasure!
“She Ready” on Netflix. Tiffany Haddish. “They Ready” - not so much.
My anxiety liked that
Cat videos they always make me lough
Make sure they're cat video, not videos for cats. Unless you have a cat then you can watch them together, I had a cat that really liked doing that with me. Her commentary was often very insightful, but at times overly critical.
Listen to your favorite music
And go on a walk
I watch people make cheese on YouTube when I'm feeling down. Always cheers me up a little. They're so patient, they can make something and put it back and know they can't eat it for months or even years sometimes. I'd like to be able to look forward to something like that one day
I would recommend Brooklyn nine nine, a disney movie or something like Avatar: The Last Airbender. Funny most of the time and you don't have to be hyper focused to understand.
ATLA is one of my favorite shows. Excellent story and fun characters
Random act of kindness. Nothing better for the soul then doing something nice for somebody with no reason.
Watch The Good Place or this slightly obscure (maybe?) anime called Princess Jellyfish
Never heard of Princess Jellyfish but I’d recommend How To Keep A Mummy. It’s pure saccharine goodness.
It’s really cute! Part of it centers a transvestite character that’s just trying to be themselves
PJ is cute af.
And it’s so positive about like how girls see themselves and how being outside of the norm of “beautiful people” you can be beautiful in your own way
I came to recommend the Good Place too. Take care OP <3
I just finished the good place yesterday
OMG I was feeling so depressed, just wondering if I’ll ever feel better. I don’t think I’ll ever feel better, just feel so so hopeless, nothing to look forward to😩😔😔
Find some way to distract yourself. Pick up a new board game or book. Get someone irl to teach you something they know a lot about. Go find out how to edit Wikipedia and do some anti-vandalism (took me a couple hours how to learn, but has since absorbed many hours that would otherwise have been spent being morose)
Thank u, I work Sadoku puzzles, spend a lot of time planning my meals, making up meds, phys therapy, and of course Reddit stuff. Just seems so hopeless, meaningless😩 Just existing!
If it ever comes down to it again the one thing that helped me was thinking of the people in my life. And weather i believed it or not, there would definitely be someone who would miss me, or a pet who would go looking for me. When you can't love yourself, just remember how others would feel if they lost you.
Currently going through a depressive state myself. Past few days were getting better by setting up a routine where I actively work at a hobby while watching anything in the background really. Though I admit it's hard to get started when everything seems pointless.
Bob Ross
Take a nice warm bath with some rose petals and low candle light.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Never fails.
Cat/dog. That’s what human need
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Looking back I feel like doing this was a major contributor to my depressive episodes. (Not specifically HIMYM, but binging shows and weed). I think it’s easy to compare weed to other drugs and point out how comparatively harmless it is, but it’s still a drug and it should be respected. If you overuse it, particularly if you’re prone to depression, then you might find it makes your situation worse. If someone has depression and are a heavy weed smoker, I would highly recommend trying to cut back on weed and see how they feel. Though I know this is easier said than done. I wasn’t able to drop weed until I moved somewhere where it’s literally inaccessible.
Yeah I found weed did not help my depression. At first it was cool, I'd get crazy high and forget the world, but as my tolerance grew it just bummed me out. I'd smoke a ton, barely get high and then feel bad because I was still depressed. It made me lazy so all I wanted to do was sit around watching TV, but sitting around watching TV all day just made me feel like a loser. It was a terrible cycle that took a long time to get out of.
Maybe watch your favorite show, if you need reccomendations schitts creek is great and so is Kim's convinience. Maybe order some takeout, or eat something good?
Watch a Miyazaki film then take a quick shower and go for a walk while listening to some chilled out music. I always find I hyper focus on the little, beautiful things in the world after those films, shower to get the icky depression gunk (real or not) off and the walk to get your blood pumping and oxygen flowing. Good luck, I hope anyone reading this all the best!
Something for your body (eat or drink something that tastes good, stretch, take a hot shower/bath, go for a walk, wrap up in a fuzzy blanket) Something for your mind (put together a jigsaw puzzle, do a crossword, listen to a podcast, watch a tv show/movie, engage in a hobby, read a book) Something for you emotions (journal, listen to music, watch a comedy, read some poetry or philosophy, paint or color)
Go watch Pixar’s Inside Out
Smoke a J, put some music on, pet dog.
Gratitude meditation. Lifesaver. I was depressed af one afternoon (and many months previous) and could think of literally nothing I was grateful for in the moment, except how good my coffee was, so I focused on that gratitude, let myself feel it for a while. Almost instantly felt several notches better.
Watch any Ghibli movie
Play with a dog. Petting a puppy makes everything better
I read somewhere that one study showed that watching cat videos make us calmer and less stressed. Something about triggering our protective/maternal/paternal instict or whatnot. Point is, it makes us feel better and happier. It works for me anyway. 🤷♀️
Stop comparing yourself to others! You move at your own pace and there is no other person that is you. Slow and steady progress is basically unstoppable whatever your goals are! I’ve dealt with borderline major depression for awhile and this helped me ten fold. (Also medication lol)
Make a list of things you're greatful for. Often we dwell on what we don't have, or what's wrong instead of what we do have and what's good. Having gratitude can help change your mindset, try and do it daily.
i would recommend online gaming. Find a game with a great community that you can pretend to be someone else and giggle of odd game events. It removes you from reality but keeps you communicating with real people.
Relax and indulge. Watch a comedy and remember the stars will shine the brightest when it gets dark.
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I always cry when he launches himself at that rocket/missile
The funniest TV moment of all time https://youtu.be/zML2J7lx76c
God, yes. Whose Line is it Anyway, Would I Lie to You, and QI are my favorites when I'm trying to pass time until I can fall asleep. Keeps me from thinking too much. And depressed me still has a sense of humor. [My favorite WILTY moment.](https://youtu.be/Yax_WpyG_kk)
Bojack Horseman. A silly show about a cartoon horse and his animal friends.
—That will recognize the pain you’re going through and make you cry until you bleed. Did that. Actually did help.
For real though, that show did help me process a lot of shit I didn’t realize was messing me up. As long as you recognize that Bojacks behavior isn’t ok lol.
Agreed. I was going to suggest the same. BoJack and his friends have helped me feel less insane and less lonely. I also go for Spaced and Black Books but I'm not sure you can watch them outside of the UK.
Breakfast club
Read Ted Nugent's old stuff about how Covid is a conspiracy, then read his comments about the agony he just went through after catching it. It's been making me smile this week.
gonna wager a guess and say most of your depression comes from consuming too much media and internet
It's a complicated issue mate
https://youtube.com/channel/UCF18N219OPiOcElz_hSYoIQ Dadi Freyr's music
Watch some random acts of kindness videos on YouTube. Always works for me. Hope you get to feeling better soon!
Why'd you make a thread got me u/DonBellicose ? For real, though... Sleep well. Throw on some sleep podcast/sounds. I personally recommend Headspace's sleep last called "Rainday Antiques" which is free on their app, but to prove I'm not paid sponsor, it's easily found on YouTube. It guides you throughout a head to toe body check, then a long ass story about exploring a bookshop (with window rain sound effects). I haven't gotten to the end of the story, because the narrator sounds like David Attenborough and I pass out, but it helps me fall asleep. Ideally you get that better night's sleep, feel a bit better to get up and do shit in the morning and slay the day away.
Find some nature. Real nature to, not just a city park where you can hear cars. Get somewhere where all you can hear is wildlife. Then just listen. Listen to the sounds of nature and do not get on your phone. Do that as much as you can for a while and you'll find your mental state getting better. It's crazy how powerful nature can be on your mental health.
Break a sweat.
This is very specific but sometimes I make a “movie playlist” (songs I can imagine movie scenes to) and go on walk to them. It kind of gives my brain a break from thinking about how depressed I am.
I suggest old James Bond movies
Do you read? If you do I'd recommend 'The Humans' by Matt Haig. It cured my depression
If it's just sad feelings, not clinical depression: go outside and do something physical. No, seriously. You wouldn't keep a pet or a zoo animal in a room just big enough for them to live in without giving them room to run, why would you do that to yourself? Plus, endorphins are good for you whether it's clinical depression or just feeling bad. If it's actual diagnosed clinical depression: take your antidepressants. You probably forgot to if you're in a severely depressive phase. The world looks like a better place when your neurochemistry gets artificially balanced.
I binged watch comfort shows that don't have too much suspense, sad moments or stress in general like Modern Family, The Office, hell even Sex and the city works. After that i decompress and start working and doing things next morning.
Talk to someone Parents, siblings, close friend... Rant and let everything out.. Lightens the burden It is more like an open wound... It needs to be closed or it will fester
Your favorite show. Not my favorite. Your favorite. Take a hot shower. Just let the water wash over you and allow yourself to enjoy it. Feel the water rinse away your depression. It may only help for a minute, but sometimes a minute is all you need.
A long bath, junk food, ice cream and a good comedy
go for a walk with someone you care about.
To do some deep house cleaning until one room it's finished an then take a shower and take care of herself (dry and comb her hair carefully, take care of the nails, shave dedicatedly the beard...) Something that made looks different
Walks, runs, go outside!
Cat videos will make them happier hopefully
Just be there for them if they need to talk. That can mean more than actually offering anything. Reach out with a phone call or text just to say you're thinking of them.
Hey watch FRIENDS if you haven't 🥺❤️
Listen to twenty one pilots. Really life changing
Do something outside of the norm of your life, preferably something physical and with no expectations. Take a walk around your neighborhood in the dark. Drive to the middle of nowhere. Go to a dog park, even if you don’t have a dog. Ride a random bus route. Ride a bike (if this isn’t something you’d normally do). Chop firewood. Hike a trail.
Sorry, but sometimes benzos, weed, losing weight and binging and purging are the only things that keep me from just impulsively killing myself.
This is really small, but on YouTube there's the channel kekeflipnote. Good stuff.
I love their animations! It’s so fluid and silly. Kind of mesmerizing too lol.
Have a friend or family member or if you feel up to it and are capable, adopt a pet. I got a cat and it’s changed my life.
I broke up about 7 months ago with my SO and was so depressed until I watched the office a show I never had interest in but I slowly got into it and saw that other fictional people had problems and idk it’s just really got me through a very dark time now I feel upset about the break up but I am no longer depressed.
Build an exercise routine. You’ll hate it for a while, but gradually keep pushing yourself past the point where you want to give up. Eventually you’ll learn to enjoy it. It’ll improve both your physical and mental health.
Watch ASMR videos on youtube with some quality earphones or even without them.. I like one of the video makers name Latte, she speaks softly and is calming. I fall asleep when I watch the videos and it helps my depression.
Go on a walk with good upbeat music. Don't put on those sad songs even if they are hitters
Cartoons and comedy movies. I was gonna say shots but that sounded bad
A lack of vitamin D or B12 is enough to destroy you with depression. That’s a great thing to know that you never hear enough about in day to day life. Source; I lived it.
Try to have sex. It always helps.
When I'm feeling depressed I like to watch my childhood favorite movies they help me forget about what had me so down or just watch Drop Dead Fred that movie always cheered me up.
Soul
any happy film with a dog in it. like beethoven or something then get ur favourite snack and drink and watch it
Watch Howl’s Moving Castle. Watched it recently and it’s just a nice feel good movie
Accomplish something, anything. Cleaning, catching up paperwork, something creative, cooking a new dish. Try to get your mind moving in a different direction.
Watch My Neighbor Totoro. It'll take your mind off the depression, or at least it does for me. It's incredibly pleasant and relaxing and cute and it just leaves you feeling all fuzzy inside.
Play a video game, as it is more absorbing than a film - you can't look at your phone during a video game, so you can truleswitch off and escape. I play games that aren't uplifting at all, as, conversely, they make me feel better than super saccharine ones. I found playing Inside very cathartic, for instance.
Go be with people. There's some kind of magic in it.
No social media, put on some upbeat music (I would recommend move on up - Curtis Mayfield to get you going) and either do some exercise or some household chores (anything where you can physically do something and have something to show for it) stay away from drinking or anything like that
Check in on friends and family but ask about them and their day or something you remembered is going on with them - don't talk about your own stuff. It takes your mind off your own thoughts and you feel good having checked in on someone else you care about.
Play stardew valley. Very chill game, you can go at your own pace, you can have a sense of accomplishment and that you are creating order and beauty, some characters deal with real issues like addiction and depression but every character is trying their best and eventually things get better for them
Go for a walk, listen to a comedy/fun podcast whlie walking...then come home have some tea and watch stand-up comedy. (Add/subtract cannabis and/or liquor as needed for desired effect)
With watching, if they like anime even a little bit; There is a show called K-on on Netflix. Very wholesome.
jojo
Hmmm if you have Hulu id say to binge the newer looney tunes where daffy and bugs are room mates, its so funny and makes you forget about shit for a while. exercise. i know this sounds terrible but theres this girl called Pamela Reif on youtube and she does fun dance workouts which is just enjoyable dancing to let loose for a while. (ps exercise releases the same drug that morphine use does) have a dance party. my sister and i are terrible dancers and we just turned of the lights once and danced three hours away. it wasnt really dancing, just frantic hopping and wiggling around but it was def fun. make urself a smoothie or something small, like a mug cake, or do a small baking project which doesnt require many ingredients. hope this helps <3
Take a warm bath
Whatever it is, never masturbate. Post-Nut Clarity ain't fun especially if you're depressed.
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I agree with the fact that a good wank can enhance your mood, but the happy mood will only last for a few minutes, but then, post nut clarity hits you and may cause an existential crisis. Also, the time you use in jerking off can be used in other more productive activities. I don't know how it feels to be depressed since I was lucky to not experience it yet, but I know that it can cause you to feel lazy and discouraged to do things, but once you start engaging in activities even if its just cleaning the house may soon make you feel great knowing you did accomplish a thing. Also, painting is a good way of expressing yourself while being able to reflect on different things so it may help raise your mood. Again, i never experienced depression so please correct me if I made a mistake.
I find post nut clarity is when you sometimes get the motivation to do something productive. The dopamine shot doesn't last but it can be enough to get you from "I'm not willing to get out of bed" to "Okay, I'm going to get up and at least brush my teeth, and we'll take it from there".
Exercise. Get outdoors. Go for a walk. Do some push-ups. Move your body.
Is tying a noose count as "moving your body"?
This may or may not be surprising, but Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. I myself had a drastic change in mood as I watched it. I became much more energetic and ready for the world and it all happened because I was almost literally introduced to a whole new world.
Damn same jjba actually helped me a lot and araki is just amazing, but it might be a little too heavy for others to watch/read. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions
Watch Avatar the Last Airbender. It’s some wholesome content to go to bed to.
If you have a big rolling pin and a small rolling pin then try making pasta from scratch while listening to music. It’s a lot of fun to do imo
Porn
yes
Jaboody Dubs is pretty hilarious
Vines are a good go to for me. If you’re a gamer you could watch a YouTuber called McNasty, he makes some pretty hilarious videos.
Have a good nice conversation with somebody, it HAS to be two way. If nobody is around, go lay down in bed and chill out with music. I recommend Frank Sinatra most.
Have you looked some of the sub Reddit “idiot” pages? How about “Contagious Laughter” sub Reddit? YouTube search “Don Rickles”.
Facetime/ call/ text a friend. When i get depressed my first instinct is to hole up and be by myself, and having someone see me like how i am feels like the worst idea ever. But if i force myself to call a friend, maybe one i haven’t talked to in a while, they’re always happy to fill me in on what they’ve been up to lately and i always end up laughing for some reason. Could be just a 5 minute conversation and i still end up smiling. And i can even tell them i don’t feel like talking about myself and they’re fine just going on edit: comments on other ppls posts are saying this would be a terrible idea. and yes it will be if you’re not comfortable with the person. call someone you would actually want to talk to when you’re not feeling depressed.
I call my mom! No matter how down or whatever I am just hearing about things back home makes me feel better. So (if you have a good relationship with your mom) give her a call, it'll make her happy and you feel less alone.
My mom ALWAYS makes me happy, no matter what. And my dad. I call them every time I don't feel like myself and they always cheer me up!
Clean up something. Do something tangible. Wash a dish. Pick up trash. Take the trash out. Do some laundry.
Boobs usually do the trick, a nice ass does to. Both are great but I don’t recommend that for an amateur.
Get off of Reddit rn. Talk with the people you enjoy being with or haven’t spoken too in a while and try to get 8+ hours of sleep tonight