What to do When You're Depressed

Search topics for Depression are up 190% in Texas in the past 12 months according to Google trends. Depression is overwhelming. It leaves people feeling stuck. Queries often seeking actionable advice. People struggling with depression want solutions.

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"What to do if I can't stop being depressed?"

When it feels like difficult emotions take up permanent residence in the brain and body, it can signal a broader and longer-standing change in state. Unlike solving something simpler in the body like hunger or sleep, or staying in bed with chicken soup when you have cold, mental health concerns are multifaceted. While emotions typically come and go, Depression is more chronic and more complicated. But, there are things you can do, and there is hope.

Steps to Take When You're Depressed:

Consult a healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

When mood state begins to negatively impact life in a significant or prolonged way, it may not longer be a regular fluctuation in emotional experience. Depression can zap energy, create self-doubt, impact decision making, and crowd out hopeful, motivating, or pleasurable thoughts like a thick cloud. It can lead to impairment across every life domain including physical health, occupation, social, and family life. Depression, especially when moderate or severe, does not typically spontaneously heal on its own, and when left untreated is likely to worsen.

Mental health professionals, like doctors and therapists, can assess your symptoms, provide an accurate diagnosis, and recommend appropriate treatment options. Depression in clinical terms is a mood disorder and there are many different types based on the symptoms and conditions present. A variety of factors contribute to clinical depression such as genetic predisposition or inherited traits, biological changes, hormones, major changes in life, and more.

Reach Out to Other People. Depression is often an isolating experience. Pushing back against the stigma of depression is crucial to ensure that people get the help that they need. This is why the pursuit of self-help is, for many people, unhelpful.

One of the most pervasive, myths about of depression is that being depressed is somehow a mark of failure or weakness. The idea that one must be mentally 'tough enough' to overcome symptoms of depression is misguided. While grit and perseverance are helpful qualities in healing, finding relief and recovery often takes more than personal endurance. Getting support from others is key. Talk to trusted friends, family members, or a support group. Sharing your feelings and seeking their understanding can be immensely helpful.

Get Moving. Regular exercise, even a short walk, can provide a necessary boost for the brain and body. Studies show that dance, walking, yoga, and strength training, especially when done at an intense but manageable effort are effective in reducing symptoms of depression. Additionally, researchers are showing a connection between exercise and the ability to create better interpersonal connections, boosting the effects of therapy. This is helpful especially for those who are nervous about going to therapy or talking to a doctor. Exercise essentially 'primes the pump' for connection making the experience of talking to a loved one or a professional about what you're going through a little less scary.

Connect with a Therapist. Psychotherapy provides a safe, nonjudgemental and confidential space to explore thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Therapists help you identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop coping mechanisms to manage symptoms, and create a pathway to implement positive behavioral changes to improve your wellbeing. Therapy may also help you better understand and articulate your emotions, explore how physical symptoms play a role in your depression, develop insight into your family, relationships, and life roles, shine a light on core themes that come up often in your life, and establish a more compassionate and positive approach towards yourself.

Consider Medication. "Exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle changes can be important factors for long-term relief. But, If you can't get out of bed, it's going to be hard to convince you to exercise every day. This is one reason, among many reasons, why getting the right medication is essential for a well-rounded treatment plan," shared Dr. Arif Noorbaksh. Antidepressant medications can be effective in treating depression, and are found to be most effective when used in combination with other aspects of treatment like therapy, exercise, and improved nutrition, and sleep habits. But, making lifestyle changes is especially hard to do when symptoms of depression are significant. Medication can reduce the metaphorical dark cloud enough to give the other treatments and behavioral changes to shine through.

Additional Tips:

• Set realistic goals
• Break your goals down into smaller, manageable tasks.
• Be patient with yourself. Recovery takes time and effort
• Life throws curveballs that can trigger new symptoms. It's ok to be human and to grapple with difficult emotions.
• Remember that symptom relapse sometimes happens, but it doesn't mean your effort didn't work or that you failed. Instead, it may mean that you need to refresh your treatment plan with your care team.

Seek emergency help if you have thoughts of harming yourself or others. #988 is the National Crisis Hotline available by phone or text 24/7. Dial #911 in an emergency.