Depressive Episode Relief

Sometimes when you're depressed, you just need to take a moment to look at the positives. I know it can definitely feel like there are no positive aspects at this exact moment in time, so just think about your good days. Maybe there has been a day when you just laid in bed with your cat/dog and simply watched movies. Or maybe there's been a time when you got a good grade on something you worked really hard on and felt proud of yourself. At this moment, you might be feeling really sad. You also might be feeling a lot of mixed emotions, including, but not limited to: sadness, fear, and anger. You might also not know what you are feeling currently, which is the first step of recovering from this depressive episode: understanding what you're feeling and the thoughts/events that may have contributed to your current mental state. I know that doing so may result in more feelings or fears, as I suffer from depression as well, but feelings are not something that just go away. They are sometimes difficult to cope with, I'll admit, but once you learn to be able to live happy and have a friend named Feelings, you will come to the realization that feelings, though they can be very difficult to handle at times, are something that is a part of what makes you human and not a robot. But I do agree, sometimes feelings can be really annoying, since everyone would rather be feeling content than feeling depressed.

The second step to overcoming these depressed thoughts is to do something that can get your mind off of it. Like I said before, feelings can't just disappear, but you can definitely do something that you enjoy, and that's healthy for you to do to get away from your episode's attacks. Here's a short list of things you can do before and during a depressive episode:

Before:

• Invest in a coloring book, jigsaw puzzle, a good book, or something you enjoy doing in your spare time!
• If it's nice outside, (sunshine, warmth, etc.) Open your windows/blinds! Sunlight really helps prevent feelings of sadness, since light is associated with happiness.
• Ask a friend to come over or ask if they can chat!
• Purchase colored pencils, markers, crayons, or some type of utensil for coloring.

During:

You know those coloring books, or something you like that I said you should invest in? Get those out!!!! But if you're like me and can't handle doing really detailed coloring pages during these times that you're sad or depressed, go through the book and see if there is one that is more simple.

• Listen to music. You may be like me, and literally depend on music for survival. If you aren't sure what music streaming app to use, here's a couple good ones I've used: Amazon Prime Music, Google Play Music, YouTube Music, or Spotify! But just keep in mind that you should avoid songs that might trigger you and make you even more depressed. For inspiration on music, see my other story on here for 65 bands that I like!!
• NATURE! You must go outside if there's not a snow storm, tornado, or any other natural disaster occurring. Fresh air is extremely important and it will help A LOT!
• Do you like bubbles? Do you like taking baths? No? Well, try it! You should look up “Bath Bomb” on Instagram and you will be intrigued. They are fun to watch as they dissolve and it will definitely distract you from your current emotions. Maybe consider buying one!
• Try going for a run! If you don't like running, you always could go for a walk! And also, if you have a dog that likes to go for walks as well, you could bring them with!
• Now that you know a few ideas of things to relieve the episode's symptoms, let's talk about some ideas you might have that you should NOT do!!!
• You should NOT harm yourself or others. You may be feeling like that will help relieve your depression and make you feel better. Harming yourself does more harm than good. It can have permanent result on your life that still don't do any good. It may feel like harming yourself provides a sense of relief, but it doesn't. Hurting others does more harm than good as well.
• DO NOT GIVE IN TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. I don't know how many times I can say this one! SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER! I know it is very frustrating to be depressed and feel the way you do, but trust me, life is worth living. Can you imagine the day that humans can COLONIZE MARS??? What about the fact that car companies are working on SELF DRIVING CARS?! There are so many things you can think about or do that will help you feel better, and the things you need to think about SHOULD NOT INCLUDE SUICIDE!

Thank you so much for reading my article and I really hope it helps you in your journey of becoming happy. If you are still experiencing thoughts of suicide or self harm, do not hesitate to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (U.S), which can be reached at 800-273-8255.

Again, thank you for reading my article, and I wish you all the best.