How to Show Up for Yourself When You Are Depressed

Tips for boosting your mood and feeling happier.

Depression is self-destructive. When I was depressed, I didn’t have the courage to do anything. Heck! I didn’t even want to dream of tomorrow.

I felt lost and isolated. All I could see around me was darkness. When I think about it, part of the reason for my depression was that I lost hope in the life I had imagined.

As a typical African teenage girl, I learned that a happy life revolves around marrying a rich man who provides you with everything you need.

When I had an accident and could no longer walk, I thought my dreams of getting married and escaping poverty died too. Living with a disability in one of the least developed countries does not offer me many opportunities.

The thought that I had lost my chances of a better life coupled with raising a baby left a deep hole inside of me. I didn’t know how to be a mum. I didn’t have any idea how to escape the reality in front of me.

The only solution that came to mind was suicide. I thought that all my worries would disappear, just like a vapor; every bottled emotion inside me would be gone if I killed myself.

Some people rely on external things to help fix what’s broken inside them. Traveling and new relationships can make you feel better, but it’s only a temporary fix.

What to do if you’re feeling depressed

A recent study found that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.

Even the most severe cases can be treated. The earlier treatment begins, the more effective it is.

Depression is usually treated with medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.

If you have depression, it is best to seek help from a therapist. To get the most out of your therapy, you can also do things to help yourself.

You might feel like the world is weighing down on you when you are depressed, but you can get through this just like you’ve gotten through everything else if you follow these steps to recovery.

Accept that it’s okay to feel the way you do

That you are strong enough to handle any situation doesn’t mean you should pretend to be okay when you’re not. Strength does not mean juggling twenty different things at the same time for fear of disappointing someone.

True strength requires being honest with yourself. It’s okay to admit when you’re in struggling.

You are not superhuman. You will always face challenges, and you don’t have to hide that from the world because you are not the only one going through the same pain.

Most people are going through tough times, even people you know, even people who look perfectly fine on the surface.

Don’t ever think that there’s something wrong with you or that everyone else can cope with their problems better than you.

You are not the only one with this kind of pain. You don’t want to overwork yourself trying to feel okay. Treat yourself with kindness instead.

Make a list of everything stressing you out

Many times people are so excited and in their own heads that they emphasize the problem before having to deal with it. If you take a perspective look at most of the things stressing you out, you would realize they aren’t as bad as you think.

There are times when stress can be a good thing — it can help you overcome anxiety or motivate you to do something. But if you are constantly in a state of tension and anxiety, it can affect your body’s physical and emotional state.

You may not feel exhausted, but there are many silent signs that stress is making you depressed or simply disrupting your well-being in ways that you are not fully aware of. It could be a new job, a big project, or your current relationship.

Identifying the reason for anxiety and depression is often the first step to recovery.

Shows up for yourself every morning

The way you show yourself each day in your own life, whether seen by others or not, sets the tone for how you live your day.

Whether you’ve spent most of the last two years getting used to a work-from-home schedule or have found it too exhausting to really push yourself every morning, remember, you are what you most often do.

Each morning, take a moment to prepare yourself for the day, even in the simplest way possible. If you can, take a walk to your local coffee shop for your morning drink.

However, being able to straighten up, move around and catch your breath will help you energize and start your day off right.

Find an easy way to style yourself and make you feel who you really are, even if no one sees it other than you. The way you act has a huge impact on your recovery.

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