Six Ways to Feel Better When You Are Depressed

How do we help people when they say that depression has zapped their energy? What do we as clinicians do when clients report cycles of low motivation that keeps them in bed for days? How about the shame they feel when people tell them to “snap out of it and just get going”?

Symptoms of depression often make clients question their worthiness. With a low sense of confidence, they often wonder about their usefulness and what they can contribute to the world. According to the latest research, shame and meaninglessness can perpetuate depression. Clients with depression feel they have lost the ability to influence or change the present, and this is why we need to consider the following ideas:

1. Normalize the ups and downs in depression. Moods fluctuate throughout the day. When clients are in the earlystages of recovery, they often have a few good days and then they may notice a dip in their mood. This is to be expected.

2. It’s important to help clients integrate other interests into their day such as art, reading, music or other activities that stimulate their senses.

3. Clients would benefit from changing their habits during the day to disrupt the feeling of inertia. This can look like taking a different route to work, or changing the order that you do personal hygiene in the morning. Get up a bit early to spend time with a pet, journal, or read something inspirational.

4. Notice the small lifts that can serve as growth. It serves a client with depression to write down and notice at least three things that went well that day. It can be as small as a vibrant colored flower or the fragrant taste of coffee in the morning. Whatever it maybe, notice the “glimmers”, or small moments of joy that arise from appreciating simple things.

5. Don’t under estimate the power of exercise. Even a ten to fifteen minute walk can increase someone’s mood due to the endorphins (or feel good hormones) released in the brain. Other exercise can include weight training, dancing, or any other form of moving your body physically such as yoga or tai chi.

6. Take the shame out of depression. Allow the client to name it and talk about it with a therapist or trusted friend. Once it isn’t a secret people are lugging around, empathy from another person can go a long way.

Depression can be debilitating and exhausting. Although recovery can take anywhere from weeks to months, the above ideas are an important way to start feeling better sooner than later.