Depression can happen to anyone — and does happen to one in four people.

Depression

Different factors make it more likely to happen, including biological make-up, upbringing, or reaction to life events. However, what determines how long depression lasts is how one deals with those factors. Thoughts and actions affect the way one feels. Depression is often accompanied by other feelings such as guilt, shame, anger, and anxiety.

Thoughts

People who are depressed tend to think very negatively about themselves, the future, and the world around them. It can be like seeing life through a gloomy filter.

  • Everything is hopeless — nothing can change

  • I'm useless, worthless

  • It's all my fault

  • The world is a terrible place — everything goes wrong


Physical Sensations

  • Tiredness, fatigue, lethargy

  • Difficulty concentrating or remembering

  • Sleep changes (sleeping more or less)

  • Eating changes (eating more or less)

  • Loss of interest in hobbies, activities, sex

Behaviors

Because of the tiredness, difficulty sleeping and eating, and negative style of thinking, one tends to do less and less. People with depression stop doing the things they used to do and enjoy. Depression can get so bad that it adversely affects one's ability to function at work or home. Wanting to stay in bed or isolating from friends and family are other common behavioral symptoms.

Breaking the Cycle

Activity & Physical Exercise
Increasing activity and exercise levels can make an enormous impact on one's mood as it stimulates the body to produce natural anti-depressants. Just increasing our activity and exercise levels can make an enormous impact on our mood by:

Making us feel better about ourselves

  • Making us feel less tired

  • Motivating us to do more

  • Improving our ability to think more clearly

  • Helping us think about something other than focusing on our unhelpful thoughts

  • Using up the adrenaline resources created by anxiety and anger

  • Increasing motivation

  • Giving us a sense of achievement

  • Enjoyment

  • Being with other people

  • Stimulating the body to produce natural anti-depressants

  • Making us generally more healthy

  • Stimulating our appetite

Schedule Daily Activities

It's important to get a healthy balance of activities which give you a sense of achievement, enjoyment and being close to others. Choose activities which are important to you, have positive meanings or are purposeful.

  • Keep your goals realistic — set achievable limits. For example, aim to walk for 15 minutes rather than a half-marathon, or wash the dishes rather than spring clean the entire house. Don’t set yourself up to fail! You can build up your activity over time.


Rewarding Yourself
When you're doing well, remembering to pace yourself, doing more of what helps, or doing less of what doesn't — give yourself a treat or a pat on the back.

Doing Things Differently
If lack of activity and tiredness are helping to maintain negative thinking and depressed mood, then doing more (in spite of feeling tired and depressed) will help us feel better.

Do something different (than what you normally do)

  • Pause, take a breath

  • Mindful Breathing

  • Focus your attention fully on another activity

  • Relaxation techniques — try lots and find one that works for you

  • Put on some music — sing and dance along, or just listen attentively (avoid sad songs if you're depressed)

  • Meditation or Prayer

  • Help others

  • Be with others — contact a friend, visit family

  • Talk to someone

  • Grounding techniques — look around you, what do you see, hear, smell, sense? Hold a comforting object.

  • Physical exercise — walk, swim, go to the gym, cycle

  • Engage in a hobby or other interest — if you don't have one, find one! What have you enjoyed in the past? What have you sometimes thought about doing but not gotten around to?

  • Write down your thoughts and feelings — get them out of your head

  • Just take one step at a time — don't plan too far ahead

  • Pamper yourself — do something you really enjoy, or do something relaxing

  • Positive self-talk — encourage yourself, tell yourself: I can do this, I am strong and capable — find an affirmation that works for you (even if you don't believe it at first!). Write it down and memorize it for when you need it.

  • Do something creative — make a box of items that remind you to use the techniques that help, or put photos on paper, or write and decorate a list

  • Use Safe Place Imagery

  • Tell yourself: "This will pass, it's only temporary." "I've got through this before, I can do it now."

  • Visualize yourself enjoying doing the things you used to enjoy doing or would like to enjoy doing.

Thinking Differently

Pause, take a breath

Ask yourself:

  • What am I reacting to? What have I been thinking about here?

  • Am I getting things out of proportion?

  • Is this Fact or Opinion?

  • How important is this really? How important will it be in 6 months?

  • Am I expecting something from this person or situation that is unrealistic?

  • What's the worst (and best) that could happen? What's most likely to happen?

  • Am I using that negative filter? Is there another way of looking at it?

  • What advice would I give to someone else in this situation?

  • Am I spending time ruminating about the past or worrying about the future? What could I do right now that would help me feel better?

  • Am I putting more pressure on myself, setting up expectations of myself that are almost impossible? What would be more realistic?

  • Am I jumping to conclusions about what this person meant? Am I misreading between the lines? Is it possible that they didn't mean that?​

  • What do I want or need from this person or situation? What do they want or need from me? Is there a compromise?

  • Am I just focusing on the worst possible thing that could happen? What would be more realistic?

  • Is there another way of looking at this?

  • Am I exaggerating the good aspects of others, and putting myself down? Or am I exaggerating the negative and minimizing the positives? How would someone else see it? What’s the bigger picture?

  • Things aren’t either totally white or totally black – there are shades of grey. Where is this on the spectrum?

  • This is just a reminder of the past. That was then, and this is now. Even though this memory makes me feel upset, it’s not actually happening again right now.

  • What would be the consequences of doing what I normally do?

  • Is there another way of dealing with this? What would be the most helpful and effective action to take? (for me, for the situation, for the other person)

  • Visualization: Breathe in orange (for positive energy) and breathe out blue/black.