With all the things that have been happening lately, it's not unusual to feel anxious and/or depressed. Self-care reminders abound on social media for a reason- more people have become self-aware and are being honest about the state of their mental and emotional health.
When I was younger this was something people don't talk about much, I still tiptoe on the topic when discussing with family and friends. You weren't depressed, you were just sad. Truly, our generation and those before us were left to sink or swim, and sadly I've had friends who've sunk and I almost did too. To be honest, there are still times I feel like sinking but I've come up with things to get me out of that mindset whenever it creeps on me. I've listed things that work for me but these are like band aid solutions and not real solutions to treat depression. If you think you need help, please visit the link for a list of helplines to call for free: https://www.therapyroute.com/article/suicide-hotlines-and-crisis-lines-in-the-philippines
Unlike those who get strength from the support of others, for a loner like me who don't and can't easily share their emotions and problems with others, when we go through a rough patch we prefer to get over it alone. Here's what I do when I sense depression or burn out creeping in.
🛌I sleep. A lot.
💭I take a break from work. I just watch videos or sleep all day and night, and try not to think of my responsibilities. I usually bounce back back after 2-3 days of this. Being a couch potato can be tiring too.
💻Or work some more. Yes, it works in my line of work. To create something with my hands and mind and feel accomplished, no matter how trivial. I find it's important to have that feeling especially at times when the problem is something beyond my control.
🧺Clean and organize things in the house. The physical labor will tire your body out and also helps to clear your head.
📽I watch sad movies. Sometimes all you need is a good cry to release all the tension you've been bottling up. For those who do self-harm, I hope you realize this sooner.
📚Read a book. Take a break from your life and live someone else's through books.
😁Smile and laugh a lot. It tricks me into thinking I'm actually happy and pushes the sadness away. I read this line from a book as a depressed teenager, I forgot what book it was, and practiced it and it worked for me. It went something like: Smile/laugh often and you'll start believing it yourself, that you're actually happy.
😼Keep a cat. Why not dog, you ask? Because dogs require more care than cats do. But it really depends on you, if you're confident you can take care of their needs. I personally have had both cats and dogs, and although dogs are a joy to be with, you need energy to walk them and play with them. You can't just let them be, they need the attention.
🛒Retail therapy. I don't waste money to just buy things I want, instead I buy things we need or is useful around the house.
📓Write down your thoughts and emotions. I found this to be useful when I was a teenager and didn't have anyone to talk to about what I was going through. I felt lighter after writing everything down. I still do this today, sometimes I keep the notes, other times I tear and throw it away.
💅Waste time. But waste it wisely. I paint my nails, style my hair, reshape my brows, repurpose or redesign my clothes.
🎶Listen to music. Not only can you dance or sing your frustrations away, the music can actually help hype you up. So listen to upbeat music if you need some uplifting, and sad ones if you need to cry it out.
🔎Learn something new. Nothing like a new challenge to keep you distracted. Almost everything is available online, there's really so much to learn! It doesn't have to be a rigid academic-like learning. A new hobby or even reading up on things you're interested in, like history or certain topics, also counts as learning in my book! 😉
📵Stay off social media. It's become so toxic, really. Reading the news and opinions just add to my anxiety so no thanks!
🙏Pray for guidance. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I recently had an episode and couldn't get myself out of it. So I asked guidance from the universe and that seemed to work. Also, during times when I'm so emotionally unstable I pray (I'm catholic).
I hope this reaches whoever needs to read them, and in some way be able to help them. Hugs! ❤
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