#Depression tips

[safe-haven-safe-place]

#mental health #self care #positive thoughts #recovery #healing #positivity #anxiety relief #depression tips

[abrahamlincolnscat]

One depression hack I've found is comparing how I treat myself to how I treat my cat.

Oh you didn't eat dinner, but you want to go to bed? You wouldn't make kitty cat go to bed without dinner would you? No? Got get a snack.

Oh you don't feel like taking your meds? Would you make kitty cat skip his meds? Go take your meds.

Oh kitty cat is allowed to have a bad day and be cranky about it but you're not? Is that the logic we're playing by, hmm?

I have reframed taking care of myself to just taking care of another cat. It works wonders.

#cat #cats #cats of tumblr #depression tips #self care

[mercy-the-divine]

I think I might have cracked the code.

3 steps to feel alive again for a little bit when recovering from a depressive episode.

Step one: Wear yourself out. Work out if you have the time/energy. Doesn't have to be at a gym (though I would reccomend somewhere besides home), doesn't have to be super hard, just get hot and gross and sweaty.

Step two: Eat something. Get finger foods or eat foods with your fingers. Go for something with a sauce or spices that you can lick off your hands and just fuckin. Inhale that shit. I like to go for something a little spicy so it hurts just a little, but you do you. Cajun fries are great, edamame in shell w a sauce (I have a great one if anyone's interested), pasta salad/pasta/salad, wings/ribs.

Step three: Shower. Wash the gross off, get comfy, then make it as cold as you can handle so your throat gets tight and your skin gets all bumpy and it makes you feel a bit breathless.

I've found that this helps for a few hours. It takes a bit of doing to get started, but it's worth it- if you're in a position that you have a bit of energy to spend on that initial push.

For the ppl who aren't quite at the point of starting to recover, it might make you feel worse- spending energy I don't have always just makes me crash and spiral. Be patient w urself, try to treat urself like a friend. Energy comes and goes, don't force it, you'll get there in the end. Best of hope to you.

#depression tips #soapbox #depression recovery

[writethatdown]

just wanted to share something that's helping me with the motivation to keep living and keep showing up even when there are bad days. i have read things like "love radically", "live intensely" and i always tied my 'why' to keep on thriving to the people that i love.

be healthy so that you can take care of others, hit that financial milestone so that i can spoil my friends, break that bad habit so that i can have more good times with my people.

i never had a dream big enough that is entirely focused on me to keep on giving my everything, especially the years where i was really struggling with self hatred. this is not doing something to seek the validation of these said people, but to just love, just to see them exist and see them happy and show up on their bad days. i don't want to be a half-lover. i love my people with the kind of adorable arrogance you get when you see a cat to just cuddle them. yeah maybe some are temporary and there might be bittersweet falling apart, but right now in this moment i want to be able to be someone who shows up. and idk if this will make sense to others, but i just wanted to post here.

#shibu said #personal #motivation #depression tips #mental health #mental heath support #txt #txt post #gentle reminder

[what-if-i-just-did]

Idk who needs to hear this but... you're allowed to make things easier for yourself. You're allowed to half-ass things. You don't have to do things the way you're 'supposed' to. Yeah, you should be doing everything completely, but if you can't do that, then doing some things partly is still better than doing totally nothing.

You can sit down while doing the dishes. You can have wash baskets and trash cans in every room in your house. You can brush your teeth for twenty seconds. You can buy kiddie tooth paste. You can brush your teeth at any time of day. You can get yourself a rubber duck. You can get yourself a huge IKEA shark if you want to. You can leave the curtains closed and your bed unmade. You can shower at any temperature that's comfortable to you. You can shower with the lights off. You can shower long. You can shower short. You can cover the mirrors. You can shower in bathing clothes. You can even shower in normal clothes if it'll make you feel better. You can shower without soap. You can just use soap on the places that need it most. If touching any one part of yourself triggers you, you don't have to wash it. You can sit down while you shower. You can wear the same clothes for a week. You can decide your outfits days before you wear them. You don't have to brush your hair. You don't have to take off your shoes at the door. You can rip out the tags of new clothes.

You can add and remove whatever it is that'll make things easier and less triggering for you, even if it seems silly. Even if it only helps a little. Even if you 'should be doing it better'. You don't owe people as much as you think you do. You don't owe anyone your prettiness, your dedication. Having a mental illness or a disability is hard. Most people don't understand that, but guess what? You don't owe them an explanation. You don't have to conform to neurotypical standards of 'good'. Your depression standard of 'good enough' is allowed to be less than that.

Seeing as this got more attention than I thougght it would, I need to add; I know there's other factors. I know you can't always afford to get yourself a huge IKEA shark, I know you don't always have time to shower for forty minutes, I know sometimes you get less tips/work if you don't look pretty. The point here isn't the details, it's the mindset of the fact that the details don't matter. A job doesn't always have to be well-done, in fact, a half-done job gets you half the way there.

(I wrote this with neurodivergent/mentally ill people in mind, but a lot of this also goes for disabled people so I'll also tag that. If that's like, ableist, in any way, please tell me and I'll fix it!!! I just wanna be helpful but I know that that doesn't always mean I am)

#depression #disability #depression tips #disability tips #neurodivergent tips #disabled hygiene tips #actually mentally ill #tw depression #encouraging words

[whichbasketwitchbasket]

Simple ways to get around the mundanity of life and feel less bored/depressed overtime.

1: next time you're at the store? get a new fruit. So serious. Just one. Bets are you haven't had every fruit in the store. I've made it a tradition to try one new thing every time I go. Last week I grabbed my first ever pomegranate (and realized that they aren't my favorite, but who cares). Don't hold yourself to any standard here. They can be fresh, dried, frozen, hell even pureed. Just something new you haven't actually tasted before.

2: change your phone/computer wallpaper and reorganize your apps. (mini self promo: i'm in the process of making some lockscreen subliminals that I think are really fun :) if you want to get more witchy with it). Use your widgets. Make your own, if you have the energy.

3: delete apps, photos, data. You realize how much you hold onto that you don't need. Don't be a digital hoarder. Find 2 more to add. Play around.

4: move where you do things. Even if it's not very far. I write my posts from my bedroom most of the time, but I'm slowly randomizing my spot. The library, cafe, or even just your kitchen. on the floor. On the countertop. Outside. In the closet. The world is your oyster.

5: move around your actual space. If you're physically abled, literally rearrange the room. My mom had the habit of moving our couch every month. A drawer also works.

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Remember: there is no shame in what you can, or can't do, as long as it helps. My masterlist

#health and wellness #mental health #depression tips #loablr #loa tumblr #loassumption #loattraction #witches of tumblr #depression #coping skills #coping #mental health recovery #adhd #actually adhd #audhd #boredom #recovery #disconnected

[itsrecoverytimebitch-blog]

Ridiculously long post of depression tips

In the words from some of my favorite books, people and games:

"Road to recovery is a long one, but you will make it." - Volition from Disco Elysium

"Be selfish. Be brave." - Babel

"You can and you will make it." - Someone I know

This will be a ridiculously long post as I'm trying to put everything I know/have learnt over the years on it, so might break it into parts if need be. I'm not a doctor, but fellow survivor and this is what I've found useful. Take what you need from the post. WE GOT THIS!

Basic self care

Crucial. Important. In some cases, life or death.

I will include the obvious tips and some random specific ones.

Sleep

It literally heals your mind when got right. Some things to make it happen:

Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Even if insomnia keeps you awake, stay consistent with the bed times.

Give yourself ridiculous amount of time for the rest. When I'm bad and in recovery, I start prepping for sleep at 8pm. People will not mind, they might be a bit surprised at first, but it's not really their business.

Be firm with yourself about technology before bed. I strive for putting my mobile off for the night, and only look at it AFTER I've had my morning coffee.

Really long walk and some kind of sleepy tea of your choice is an EXCELLENT combo for good rest.

Sleep is also tied to other basic self care, so you need to be doing all of it - but good news, more you do the easier it gets because you get better.

If you fuck up any of these points - say, stay until 3pm on your phone looking at memes - don't beat yourself up (even if that's the natural thing you'll want to do when you're suffering from depression), but don't give in either, thinking that letting yourself KEEP doing this is self care and being merciful on yourself. No. If you fuck up, it is okay and human, but KEEP AT IT. Think of all the process you've made so far despite the fuck up. Keep going. Don't let yourself get discouraged by one or few fuck ups, but make it a top priority to get back on track. You will make it. You deserve a good life and sleep will definitely help.

Food

Making food while depressed is exhausting. You need to choose the ingredients, buy them, then make the food. And your depression might tell you lies, such as what's the point and I don't deserve to eat well. But they are lies! You do deserve it. It is important to do this right to not get into financial ruin, and keep a healthy diet. This is tricky, but you can get there. Some tips:

When you're doing a little better, prepare a LOT of food, and then freeze a lot of it. Little gift for the future self who is struggling.

Keep a lot of easy good snacks around. Include fruit. Eat when hungry.

Speaking of fruit, have some at the house and eat often.

Include protein in your food. However, if you really are struggling and there's nothing but pasta in the house and you're starving, eat the damn pasta.

Accumulate a lot of simple recipes you can make quickly. Tomato pasta with some protein is a good one, especially with some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Making food can be helpful for depression, although when the worst is on it's very hard. But if you're a little better, it can even be therapeutic to focus on it. Try making something that takes a while, like pizza.

When you're getting even more better ('cause you will!) offering food to others is good for mental health for secret reasons. But if the thought exhausts you as you read this don't worry about this for now.

If you excercise, horde some protein snacks you can eat immediately.

Congratulate yourself for keeping up with this, and every time you've gone through the day with a good healthy diet. It is not easy.

Similarly to sleep, if you stray off course, know this is natural, change is hard, don't beat yourself up, but get back on track. I believe in you.

Exercise

Did someone say "extra fries"? Boomer minion memes aside, this is another really really good thing to do. Get this: You can literally force your body to create endorphins, even when you're mind is in the mud. It also helps with both appetite and sleep, and self-esteem. It also can help you find an outlet, and it helps focus yourself on the present. And it is such a concrete way of fighting an illness which feels so not-concrete. Some tips:

Make plans with people or find a workout buddy. The peer pressure is an excellent way to motivate yourself even if your mind makes bullshit excuses. It may feel intimidating to ask someone but I promise a lot of people want to get into working out but find it hard to motivate themselves too, so you really are also helping them at the same time too. Societies or groups are also good, as long as you go each time.

Think of working out as a fight against your depression. Because it is. Think of your depression being this big Dark Souls boss fight. (gif below for anyone not familiar.) You are struggling, but you are fighting against it, and you're a survivor, and you're badass af for keeping on fighting.

BTW above gif: that's you drinking some estus flask (water) before you tackle again the task of fighting your depression by working out because that is how badass you are.

Do the workout, no matter what your mind tells you.

The kind of workout that raises heart rate is really good.

Long walks are also REALLY good. I don't know what it is about them, but they are magical. You might find cats on the street or cool birds too.

Yoga is also good. The YouTube channel Yoga by Adriene is very good, she's so gentle.

Remember that after any kind of work out congratulate yourself and remember you are a fighter and you've just taken even more steps to battle against this thing, it's not easy and you've done it and you should be beyond proud.

That's it for this post but I will reblog this with more tips in the future so stay tuned folks. I will cover at least things like people, hobbies, therapy, values and goals and staying organized, but I'll add more if I think more.

I've struggled with this for a long time but I can and will make it towards being better and so will you.

#depression recovery #recovery #depression tips #depression recovery tips #mental health #mental health recovery #basic self care #mental health tips

[sunrisethoughts02]

Depression food tip: if you’re struggling to eat and you can get your hands on some fresh watermelon, do it. Easy to chew so doesn’t take much energy, incredibly hydrating, high in some good vitamins, and usually Tastes Good.

#depression advice #depressive episode #depressive episode tips #self care #mental health #Depression help #depression tips

[yourpostisonpinterest]

this is a really long shot but does anyone know how to clean a depression room? like any tips? i haven't cleaned my room in a year and there's bugs in it and now im being told that i have to have it clean by july 4th or else something bad that i'd rather not talk about is going to happen to me. and i really do need to clean it, and i want to, but it's really hard for me and i was going to start after exams are over but now that i've been given this time limit i'm not going to be able to start after exams because i'd only have like a month to clean it all. so if anyone has any tips or anything at all that could help, please dm me or send me an ask or put it in the notes or anything. i can't even start on it i just end up sobbing because it's so overwhelming and there's so much and i just don't know where to start. so yeah. if anyone can help me. please.

#gimmick blog #pinterest #yourpostisonpinterest #serious post #depression room #depression #messy room #cleaning #cleaning tips #depression tips #depression help #help #send help #please help

[kaleidescopeghost]

Hydrate. Your body needs water to function properly but it also needs water to be able to produce saliva. Saliva helps protect your teeth in major ways (ie. Breaking down sugar and neutralizing acidic residue)

I'm no dentist, but I ask questions and keep notes and I have a hypothesis that outside of not flossing or brushing for the entirety of my teens (not for lack of trying, not that that even matters) my constant dehydration impacted my saliva production which in turn meant that I didn't have a notable part of my teeth's natural defense against my sugary diet. Now I have well over 15 fillings and a root canal, and a second one may be in my near future.

If you can't brush your teeth, at least drink water

But brushing your teeth is something to work towards every day. It's finally become a habit of mine (shout out to @brosser-les-dents!!! You've genuinely impacted my life :) thank you) and now I don't Like going half a week without my brushing-- Not that anyone loves it, but I mind it so much now that I feel very much compelled to fix that for myself the moment I'm able to, and although it hasn't cured my brain, I at least have A Thing that I do for myself often that shows me that I care about my well-being

10/10 would recommend. Water, brushing, bath.

#mental health tips #mental health #disability pride #brush your teeth #depression tips

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

hey fellow adhd’ers and depressed people (and anyone else this applies to), do you struggle with getting ready in the morning? me too! my brain is pure, unmotivated mush and I Hate It So Much.

here are some tips and tricks that work for me!

to get yourself moving, pretend you’re playing dress up with a video game avatar! prioritize comfort, especially if you’re struggling with negative emotions! most days, my sensory issues or depression are too much to let me wear the clothes i want to, and that’s okay!

if you need to brush your teeth or clean your face, make it into a game. how quickly can you shower (without slipping!! please please please be careful!)?? how many minutes does it take to brush your hair? set a timer and try to beat your high score! alternatively, turn on a song and try to accomplish a task before the song ends! while this doesn’t work for me every time, it’s been a major help on those days when i feel completely unmotivated.

body doubling is also fantastic! try facetiming a friend and do your morning routine together! before i was assessed for adhd, my best friend and i (also undiagnosed adhd at the time) would video call one another for hours at a time (for more than a year straight) so we could get our tasks done via body doubling.

above all else, remember that it’s okay to not be able to do some or all of these. there is no shame in “unproductivity”. just do what you are capable of, and remember to take breaks and ask for help when you need it! you are so important, and I’m glad you’re here. now go drink some water! <33

#adhd tips #adult adhd #adhd brain #attention deficit hyperactivity disorder #depression #depression tips #neurodivergent #actually neurodiverse #morning routine #actually adhd #major depressive disorder #adhd #adhd hacks #adhd paralysis #adhd struggles #mental heath support #mental health #mental health awareness #executive dysfunction #we are not romanticizing mental illness or neurodivergency #if u romanticize it I will steal your kneecaps #wrenhasadhd

[sweaty-confetti]

physical self care tips for folks who don’t have the emotional/physical capacity to do so

disclaimer: these are not going to work for everyone nor are they a cure-all. sometimes you need additional help or sometimes these just aren’t going to work for you. this is not me assuming that every single mentally or physically disabled person is able to do all these. at the lowest points in my life i wasn’t even to get out of bed for days on end and once didn’t brush my teeth for several months. but these help some folks, and that’s all i’m going for!

can’t brush/floss your teeth? mouthwash. mouthwash always. plus you can get it in fun flavors :)

- additionally: are physically capable of brushing/flossing but can’t find the emotional capacity to do so? put on a video/show you like in the background. it helps me !

- oh also you can get toothpaste in fun flavors too if that helps

- you only really need to wash your face like once a day with a fairly gentle soap. like even a bar soap or a diluted hand soap works.

- don’t wanna deal with acne and stuff? pimple patches are your best friend (but wash your face first)

- additionally, acne is normal and common. you don’t have to have “perfect skin” and it’s super rare that people do (and if they do, they most likely invest in a bunch of expensive skincare products and routines).

- don’t/can’t shower? deodorant on stinky/sweaty areas. your armpits, your neck and upper back (trust me on this one), your crotch area, all that stuff.

- or you can just use a washcloth. wet it, put some soap on it, and then rub it on stinky areas. make sure there’s more water on it than soap so that you can wipe it off with a dry washcloth after.

- if you don’t wanna take care of your hair and you don’t need/want to keep it long, buzz it. or just cut it short!

- alternately, if you want/need to keep your hair long but can’t take care of it:

- if you have a looser hair type, run through it every now and then with a brush or your fingers. if you’re able, run through it with your fingers at least a few times a day. running it under water for a little and then gently running through it with your fingers/a comb works as well. also, dry shampoo is your best friend if you’ve got oily hair. if you don’t want to brush/wash it often, keep it in easy to maintain styles like regular braids.

- for black/coiled hair types: i’m not black and have 2c/3a wavy/curly hair so i really don’t know much about this so please do not take this as if i have firsthand experience, this is all internet knowledge/from black peers. i always open to better information, please tell me if you have any! from what i’ve heard and learned black/coiled hair doesn’t need to be washed as much. keeping it short helps because it shrinks easily and means you don’t have to wash/clean it often. but if you want to keep it long, it can get dry easily. separating it into sections and then running through it with a detangling brush helps (a good option is the Spornette DeVille Cushion Paddle Boar Bristle 344). protective hairstyles mean you don’t have to wash it that often as well. 

- some foods may not be healthy but if they’re easy to prepare and leave you sustained for some time, fucking go for it. as long as you don’t have any dietary/medical restrictions regarding them.

- foods like omelettes, oatmeal, microwavable burritos/ramen/etc, peanut butter on toast, tuna sandwiches, frozen chicken nuggets, bag salads, and mixed nuts are all easy to make and/or good sources of vitamins and protein.

- fatness isn’t a bad thing. you don’t need to work out or eat specifically to “stay in shape.”

- but if you do want to work out: i am not a physical therapist, personal trainer, etc. nor do i have much gym experience. listen to your body and consult legitimate medical sources/medical professionals. i am also not physically disabled. i cannot judge what is right for your body; only you and medical professionals can do that.

- remember to warm up and cool down. wear comfortable clothes that make you feel good. drink plenty of water!!!! and listen to what your body is telling you !!! if you experience pain/nausea, it’s time to stop for a bit and there’s no shame in that.

- simple workouts! focus on one specific thing, like flexibility or strength or something. walking/pacing is an easy one if you’re able to do that. listening to music while doing it helps too. - stretches are awesome. yoga is awesome. simple things that increase flexibility and don’t require a lot of physical activity are awesome. just a simple stretch now and then is rad as fuck.

- as always, laziness is a myth. sometimes your mind or your body just doesn’t want to do something and that’s perfectly fine. 

- that’s all i can think of for now i might add more later

#self care #selfcare #skincare #skin care #self care tips #selfcare tips #disabled #disability #depression #depression meals #depression tips #social anxiety #hygiene #hygiene tips #emo moss talks

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Too many of us grow up listening to adults talk about how much worse they had it…every adverse experience is “not that bad” and “kids these days” just need to “toughen up” or whatever. Then we grow into broken adults insisting “My life has been so comfortable! I’ve never been skinned alive or brutally beaten within an inch of my life or anything so”

Meanwhile trauma by definition is often just:

Sharing this bc I wish someone had told me sooner…. this just means anything that *you* found deeply distressing or disturbing or emotionally shocking. Does not matter if anybody else found it so. As long as you felt that way, thats it, thats all that is required in order for something to have been legitimately traumatic.

#traumagenic #complex trauma #depression anxiety #depression help #generalized anxiety disorder #anxiety tips #depression tips #late diagnosed autistic #late diagnosis #cptsd #audhd #neurodiversity #adhd autistic #borderline personality disorder #did odd #endogenic #polyfragmented #polyfrag system #trauma disorders #audhd problems #adverse childhood experiences #adhd problems #did osdd #bpd #cptsd recovery #cluster a #cluster b #cluster c #adhd adult #autistic adult

[the-lady-hestia]

Pro tip

go for a run

Do you feel like shit? Anxious? Depressed? general emotional muck?

Put on some good shoes, a tee shirt and some pants, go outside, especially if its cold out, and fucking run as fast as you can for as long as you can

Humans are animals. We evolved to fight against things like lions and bears and shit. More specifically we evolved to outrun the bastards. When you run, especially when you kick it into the highest gear, your brain floods your body with adrenaline and endorphins (Da Good Stuff TM). Those chemicals react directly with stress hormones to produce serotonin and dopamine. Bad stuff gets turned into good stuff.

The key here is the running fast bit. Humans evolved into the evolutionary niche of endurance. If a mammoth tried to run away, we chased the thing until it collapsed from exhaustion. HOWEVER those little bits of genetics that say the solution to "problem" is "sprint" are still there and still have a biological reward system attached to them.

So when you're anxious, depressed, etc. use the 2000 BC cheat code of fucking bookin' it and I shit you not it works.

Edit: and for the love of god, hydrate

#And then go back inside and eat something #feed into your mammal brain's instinct of “I just hunted something” #depression tips #anxiety tips

[nyano64]

the biggest thing that's helped me in my major, a year-long depressive bout is looking at historical hygiene stuff from before showers existed and filling up a massive basin the soak your body in every other day wasn't practical.

ESPECIALLY the hair care stuff.

Boar hair brushes(doesn't have to be real boar hair obvs) are a definite favorite for me. it spreads the grease from your scalp throughout your hair to help it look and feel less dirty (highly recommend brushing through with your regular detangling method method first tho)

these fuckers

I have a lot of trouble with them for sensory reasons and do everything i can to prevent it from touching my scalp bc ew ew ew texture. but i power through because the results work so well for me. (i know powering through isnt an option for everyone though)

boar brush + rubbing a moist rag through your hair is the ultimate combo for riding out the time between the whims of hygiene motivation.

#depression tips #my musings #hair care #babeeeee #actually autistic

[labelleizzy]

I have one thing to say to you tonight:

Baby wipes.

Legitimately one of the best things I've found for my depression - survival toolbox.

Crying? Wipe the salt off after it dries. You feel better in like 30 seconds without scratchy Kleenex feeling.

Hot flashes or hot weather? Back of your neck, under arms or boobs

Feel self-hating and gross? Grab a wipe when you do your last pee before bed. Swipe 3 parts: puss 🧑🏻, pits, pussycat. Took me two minutes or less tonight.

No energy to shower or bathe? Swipe the 3 parts while sitting. (Get a second wipe if your feet are dirty)

There are no rules, there is no perfect. Some days... There's just trying to get through it.

Take care.

Love,

Your internet auntie Izzy

#depression tips #depression tricks #depression things #izzy writes #the black dog #aka depression #because i know