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Abstract

Depression does not care that things are going well in your life, and it does not make distinctions between good days and bad. It crushes with great force and drags you under helplessly as you scream inside your head. Noooo…Noooo….Not again.That is what people who have never experienced major depression do not understand.If it were as simple as making a gratitude list, smelling essential oils, or eating certain foods, no one would have to endure the hell of depression.An unknown entity takes you hostage, and your mind turns on you. It is ugly, cruel, and unpredictable. Every action becomes a chore. So you crawl into your bed to escape your mind, praying it is just a rogue wave that retreats as quickly as it came.Perhaps it is just the responsibilities of work and home weighing on me or the fact I am coming off of a 4-day migraine. Whatever the cause, I now have certain actions I can take to help myself.After a lot of therapy and different medications, I have learned some of the following tools to help keep me from going under and not returning.1. Acknowledge the SadnessOne of the best things I can do is acknowledge that I am feeling sad and anxious, and It does not matter why I feel that way. I don’t fight the incoming tide.2. Tell Others with AbandonYour d

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iscomfort with my mental state is not my problem. I do not need to hide. I will scream it from the mountaintops if it prevents me from drowning. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone today by pretending I am okay when I am not.3. Stay On a ScheduleMaking sure I rest, eat as healthy as possible, and take my medication are the most essential things I can do to care for myself. To do that, I need a routine. This also means conserving energy by not doing tasks that aren’t necessary. Yes, that means not answering texts or phone calls.4. Don’t Beat Myself UpWhen I feel extreme sadness, I am angry at myself. It is hard to accept that depression is something that I cannot control or fix. It is easy to beat myself up for being weak or not accomplishing all I had hoped to do with my day. I have to celebrate staying alive even if I do not always feel happy to be alive. I do this by creating a checklist of the life-affirming actions I completed during the day, no matter how insignificant they seem.I have found that these 4 Steps can help ease my fear and help me focus on the day itself rather than assume the worst is coming. Self-care is vital in fighting depression.Thank you for reading. To read other assorted content, please visit me at: <a href="https://medium.com/@brewerkarene">https://medium.com/@brewerkarene</a></article></body>

4 Steps I Take to Get Through a Sad Day

Some days are rocks, and others are diamonds

Sadness crashes over me like an unexpected tidal wave. It suffocates me. Pushing me face first into the ocean floor. Why? Is it because it is Sunday? Is it because I just had a chance to visit my mom and aunt, and now I am back home? Did I miss a few doses of medication? I run through these questions and others in my mind trying to diagnose the trigger. Nauseated and anxious, I write frantically to articulate my thoughts and soothe myself from the encroaching abyss.

We all have days where we feel sad or uneasy. My mom always says, “Some days are rocks, and others are diamonds.”

Maybe today is a rock.

However, I get incredibly fearful over bad days because I never know how long they will last. Throughout my life, and I am now 51, I have had a major depressive episode on average every 5–7 years.

That is what people who have never experienced major depression do not understand.

If it were as simple as making a gratitude list, smelling essential oils, or eating certain foods, no one would have to endure the hell of depression.

An unknown entity takes you hostage, and your mind turns on you. It is ugly, cruel, and unpredictable. Every action becomes a chore. So you crawl into your bed to escape your mind, praying it is just a rogue wave that retreats as quickly as it came.

Perhaps it is just the responsibilities of work and home weighing on me or the fact I am coming off of a 4-day migraine. Whatever the cause, I now have certain actions I can take to help myself.

After a lot of therapy and different medications, I have learned some of the following tools to help keep me from going under and not returning.

1. Acknowledge the Sadness

One of the best things I can do is acknowledge that I am feeling sad and anxious, and It does not matter why I feel that way. I don’t fight the incoming tide.

2. Tell Others with Abandon

Your discomfort with my mental state is not my problem. I do not need to hide. I will scream it from the mountaintops if it prevents me from drowning. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone today by pretending I am okay when I am not.

3. Stay On a Schedule

Making sure I rest, eat as healthy as possible, and take my medication are the most essential things I can do to care for myself. To do that, I need a routine. This also means conserving energy by not doing tasks that aren’t necessary. Yes, that means not answering texts or phone calls.

4. Don’t Beat Myself Up

When I feel extreme sadness, I am angry at myself. It is hard to accept that depression is something that I cannot control or fix. It is easy to beat myself up for being weak or not accomplishing all I had hoped to do with my day. I have to celebrate staying alive even if I do not always feel happy to be alive. I do this by creating a checklist of the life-affirming actions I completed during the day, no matter how insignificant they seem.

I have found that these 4 Steps can help ease my fear and help me focus on the day itself rather than assume the worst is coming. Self-care is vital in fighting depression.

Thank you for reading. To read other assorted content, please visit me at: https://medium.com/@brewerkarene