Depression just sucks. There’s no way around it. It sucks the joy out of your entire being. It sucks away your energy. And, it sucks away your desire to do anything productive.
The more we educate ourselves on how to support our mental health, the stronger and more in control we will feel with our mental health.
There are things we can do to support our depression, but there are also things we should NOT do to support our mental health.
I wanted to share 5 things we should NOT do when we are depressed. Not doing these 5 things will support your depression and help you slowly work your way back to the light.
Number 1: Do NOT stay in bed. You need to get out of bed and at least move to the sofa. Staying in bed will only make things worse. Your energy will continue to be drained. You will feel more depressed. Just move to the sofa or a chair in a different room. Change of scenery will help your mental health. Simply moving from your bed to the sofa will help your mental health. You need to keep your body moving at least a little bit each day.
Number 2: Do NOT eat processed foods or junk food. Feeding our body and brains correctly will do a lot for our mental health. Foods high in refined sugar, processed with ingredients you can’t understand or any fried foods can all have negative effects on your mental health. When we are struggling with our depression, it is more important than ever to eat a clean, whole food diet that includes mostly fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. You can research more on what to eat, and not eat, to help your mental health. See what foods affect you the most in both positive and negative ways and then just try to eat the ones that have a positive effect on your mental health.
Number 3: Do NOT skip more than one day of showering. Showering and personal hygiene is often one of the first daily tasks that depression seems to keep you from accomplishing. You don’t have the energy to get up, shower and get ready for the day, so you just don’t bother. However, getting a shower, allows the warm water to run over you and calm you down, feel refreshed and washed and clean. It will do wonders for your depression too. Put on some clean clothes or clean pajamas and feel more empowered to take on the day.
Number 4: Do NOT sit in darkness. When your brain is filled with the darkness of depression, the last thing you need to do is surround yourself with more darkness. Flood your brain and body with light. Open up all of your blinds or curtains. Turn lights on around the house if you need to! If the sun is out and the temperature is good, go sit outside in the sun and soak up some Vitamin D. We get our Vitamin D mostly from the sun. This is one reason why many of us struggle more with our depression in the winter months. Many of you have less sunlight and shorter days. Our brains need the vitamin D the sun gives us. So, get outside and get some fresh air.
Number 5: Do not listen to the negative thoughts in your head. Ahhh, those pesky negative thoughts so many deal with on a daily basis. They can really get you down on yourself. This is where practicing mindfulness really comes into play. As you practice being mindful of your thoughts, emotions and feelings, you will become aware of these negative thoughts quicker and will be able to stop them and turn them around into positive thoughts before they affect your mindset and your mental health. Your negative thoughts lie to you. You can control them by countering them with your positive thoughts and affirmations.
I hope you remember these 5 tips next time your depression is affecting your life. Depression can make life harder, but the more you know and understand how to support your mental health, the better you will be able to navigate life when things become difficult.
Be sure to head on over to my resources link on my new website HERE and grab your free 30 Day Mindfulness Workbook or the 6 Habits For Creating A Life That Supports Your Mental Health.
You can grab a copy of my book on Amazon HERE.
