3 Self Care Tips When Dealing with Depression
Easy hacks to help you succeed even when you’re depressed
I have suffered from severe depression ever since I started grad school about eight years ago. I’ve taken medicine to manage my symptoms for six years. You may say I am an expert at being mentally spicy.
Self-care becomes a taunting task.
It’s nearly impossible to get out of bed.
I will go all day without eating because cooking is my version of climbing Mount Everest.
These are three very simple things I do when I am in a severe depressive episode.
Move for five minutes.
Go for a walk, ride a peloton for five minutes, or follow a dance video on YouTube. Moving for five minutes will give you some semblance of productivity. We have to fake it to make it.
Use make up wipes
Yes, make up wipes are wasteful. But some days I am unable to double cleanse. And I know I will regret it the next morning. If I don’t wash my face, I will develop acne. And that acne will make me feel even worse. I will use a make a wipe and no I am not the root of climate change. That’s on these big corporations.
Complete three simple tasks
This is a goal is that I set for myself every single day. I just have to complete three tasks. Those three tasks could be making the bed, taking out the garbage, getting dressed, or cooking food. Anything counts. Whether it’s a big daunting task, like laundry, or a tiny task, such as getting out of bed. That counts. And guess what, if you do those three tasks you are successful.
That’s it. Those are my three tips for surviving a horrible depressive episode. It’s OK to give in to the depression and take that time to do nothing.
On days where we’re feeling more motivated, we can achieve more.
Mediocrity is enough.
Not every day has to be 100%.
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Hi! I am Lindsay, a speech pathologist. I write about life, mindfulness, my career, and financial literacy. Want to see more stories on your feed? Follow me!