down in the dumps: real ways to fight depression

Posted on 19. Sep, 2012 by in in my journal

I’ve been open on my blog before (here, here, and here) about living with bipolar disorder, which I manage well. I typically have two or three high and low swings each year, and I deal with it by staying home, staying off the internet, not buying anything, not driving…just basically staying under the radar. When I’m way up, I try to use the energy to clean. When I’m way down, I sleep, go for walks, vent to my sweet patient husband, or write. I haven’t had a swing in a while and I don’t feel one coming, but I’ve had a string of unlucky days and it made me think about writing this post.

So sometimes you’re depressed and sometimes you’re just having a bad day. I made a list of things that help me through bad days. The key for me is to stay busy doing easy things.

  • Read a classic work of literature. Read the Sparknotes. Read criticisms and analysis of the work and decide how you feel about it. Relating to themes in literature and philosophy help me deal with the absurdity of real life.
  • Find a cause to support. Activism helped me find some motivation and conviction for something outside of my work. If you’re bumming, you’re not gonna want to go out and volunteer anywhere. Instead, use your down time to read up on the issues you care about, learn about the opposition, learn what others have done to help. Then when you feel more energetic you can do something more about it.
  • Change your space. Sell a bunch of stuff and use the money to buy some new stuff. Or just simplify and get rid of things. Changing a rug or rearranging a floor plan can make me feel like I’m somewhere else.
  • Really, I can’t stress this enough, KEEP A BOX OF CAKE MIX IN YOUR HOUSE. Something you only need an egg for. Something you can make at any time. If you don’t have a friend or roommate or spouse or kid to bake with, make something and eat it all yourself or share the extra with some coworkers. You don’t have to feel upbeat, but making others happy is a good way to help yourself.
  • Blog for yourself, or keep a journal. If you want to face your own thoughts on a micro-level first, both are great.
  • Keep a 10 or 20-dollar bill in a pocket. My mom has done this since I was little–she always has a bill tucked behind the ID window in her wallet for something fun. Last time I used mine, I bought some bright blue tights. Maybe retail therapy is unwise, but I think that earmarking a little cash for a rainy day is a good idea.

As colder weather approaches, we’re all more prone to having more bad days than usual, or even depression. If you feel like your health is in danger, always seek professional help. There are tons of doctors whose passion is helping others feel well, and if you go speak to one and open up, it can save your life. But when you’re just down in the dumps and you can’t break out of it, maybe these tips will help. If you have anything else to add, I encourage you to do so in the comments!

xx

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  • Anne

    Thanks for sharing this Megan. While I am not bipolar, I have moments when I am feeling so overwhelmed by work, by the world, by life, that I can’t get myself out of a low point. The whole world….and my body….just feels so heavy when this happens. I like your list, but it inspires me to consider the stuff that really helps me. I am going to make my own list.

  • Marissa

    Thank you so much for sharing, and for being so open and honest. I’ve struggled with some anxiety and depression in the past, and it seems to be coming back a bit as I reach the end of my pregnancy and can’t do as much as I used to. I totally agree about the cake mix! Baking something always makes me feel better.

    Marissa
    http://www.treetopnest.blogspot.com

  • Rachael

    LOVE the tips. I just moved to a new city/state/climate far away from all my friends and family to start law school recently, and even though I’m happy to be here, excited to be learning, and just generally joyful regarding the many opportunities happening for me right now, it’s also been super stressful in ways I’m only beginning to understand. I do have ADD and clinical depression (tied pretty close together – I get most depressed when I’m bored or feeling trapped in boredom), which are pretty controlled for now, but have had some weird disassociating symptoms lately which have come out of nowhere (think that weird out of body experience you get sometimes for several hours at a time – it’s not fun).

    Things that are working for me currently in kicking me out of bad moods/disassociation:
    1. Walking out in the SUNSHINE and in the AIR and being around many many people. This may not work for everyone but personally, I draw energy from others – even if I’m not talking to them, just seeing and hearing other people cheers me up.
    2. Getting absorbed in a project – Recently somehow got myself talked into designing a Drupal website and strangely, fussing over it and cursing at the things I can’t grasp yet really helps in distracting me from bad moods.
    3. I made eggless, no-bake chocolate chip cookie dough last weekend when I was down and ended up eating it all myself. No shame either. (Many recipes, here’s one – http://spoonful.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough)
    4. Learning something new – I’ve been reading a biography of Elizabeth I and learning some awesome facts (did you know Elizabethean men used to dye their beards various colors – including purple?). I went out to a planetarium event tonight and heard a lecture on how astronomers analyze pictures from the Hubble telescope and what they think happened – big-bang wise. My brain always feels better when I’m flexing it.
    5. Sitting back and reflecting on the decisions I’ve made over the past year and choosing to focus on how proud I am of myself and how excited I am to be excited about my life and career goals again – helps put it all in perspective.

  • CaLynn

    Hey Meg!

    It’s totally been too long since I posted, but I went to grad school and shit got real. First, I feel for you about CAMP, that must have been a difficult decision. Second, I wish you the best for Hello Holiday! Fourth, dang Alice is growing up! And finally, keep on rocking on:)
    Anywho, I saw this post today and it is perfect timing for me. Although I can not identify with bipolarism or any clinical depression (not saying I havent self-diagnosed, however), this semester has pushed me to my limit and I believe last night I had a panic attack. My only escape plan was to drop a class but admitting defeat has not ever been on my list of to-dos. It was a tough conversation to have with my advisor and the professor today (because I do not like to show vulnerable emotions to others) but I had to do it. They understood and accepted my logic, but I have been dealing with all the what-if’s and i-dont-want-anyone-to-know’s (duh, a whole class of cohorts will know) and let-mysef-down’s all day, yet trying to listen to the little voice that says “shush it, you do what you need to do, because *thats* the key”.
    The best help for that is seeing that I am a real human after all, and there are others who have down and out experiences as well. I am so happy you’ve always been open about yours, because it gives courage for others (like me) to be open as well. And talking about it is a super therapeutic way to gain support and work through troubles. We can break the stigma of mental health down around its ankles, yeah!

  • BJ

    Love your tips! I live in the desert so this is the best time of year for me because I hate the blinding sun and intense heat of summer. Still, winter isn’t always easy, so I’ll add some:

    1. If you seek help and the counselor/therapist is a bad fit for you, or is unprofessional, or crosses any kind of line, just say sorry and walk out and find someone else. They are not the only person out there. People who excel at what they do are rare, and therapists are no exception, and you are not obliged to settle. I wish someone had told me this 15 years ago.

    2. Yes it’s completely fine to dance around your house to shitty music.

    3. I never keep junk food in the house because I overeat, I would have eaten the cake mix the minute I bought it :( Instead I go out and buy a bunch of healthy, fresh food so I can eat as much as I want and won’t get sick (my body very picky about food, even if I’m not).

  • Vanessa

    Thanks for the candid honesty, it is much appreciated!
    I have PTSD/anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, and severe allergies. Right now I am working on gracefully accepting that I have these, its just a fact but it doesn’t have to define me. I can get sick for days at a time and miss events, feel like I let people down, but accepting myself helps me not to beat myself up.
    I try to have tasty food that I like in the kitchen, so that I actually want to eat. I succumb and do a little of what I feel like doing, crafting or drawing or whatever. If I am able I try to go walking regularly and if I am not I at least go outside in my garden for a bit.

  • http://twitter.com/PatternedApp Rebecca @ Patterned

    I’ve been dealing with depression for a long while. Currently, the anxiety of starting a new business has been somewhat overwhelming, but I too find journaling and doing something EASY (love that!) helps.
    Also, meditating — it keeps if you start before, but as long as you take it slow and don’t put pressure on yourself, it really can help lift you out of the dumps. I really like Jon Kabat Zinn’s “Mindful way through depression” or “Meditation for Beginners”

  • jacquelinefrey

    great, practical tips. thanks for your honesty! i’m still struggling with PPD after having my son 5 months ago, and i can definitely see where these could all be helpful. it’s a very difficult, lonely affliction. best to you! Xx

    • Stacy G.

      (I accidentally voted down…oops). I’m dealing with that right now too. It sucks! I feel like I don’t know myself anymore. Good luck to you!