Brushing your hair may feel like a chore. When you live with depression, you may notice your personal care starts to decline. If you can’t bring yourself to stomach a meal of solid foods, there are a number of meal replacement drinks available that incorporate superfoods, probiotics, protein, and carbohydrates. Research into this area is ongoing, however, and some experts suspect healthy diet impacts depression primarily because people who eat healthy are more likely to have other beneficial mental and physical behaviors. But giving your body nutrients and energy can make a difference to how you feel for the rest of the day.Ī 2020 systematic review found some promise for the use of healthy diet in depression treatment and prevention. Since depression likes to steal away your appetite, it can be easy to convince yourself to skip meals. While you’re beating depression, sometimes you may need options to cope with symptoms in the short term. What that means will be different for everyone.
Ultimately, the goal is to focus on something meaningful to you. Or, you could try reading about sports you like or travel destinations, drawing or writing on a topic of interest, or getting outside to enjoy a hike or easy bike ride. If physical activity isn’t your thing, indulging your artistic side or your curiosity, might do the trick. Not everyone enjoys physical exercise, and doing something you don’t enjoy could only add to feelings of discouragement. Research from 2018 supports exercise, particularly high intensity exercise, for helping with depression symptoms by reducing inflammation.īy picking an activity you can progress with, you not only set yourself up for the recognized benefits of exercise, you help build up a sense of achievement. The benefits of exercise for depression are well-known. To combat feelings of apathy and self-criticism, finding an activity that you can build up progress with might help.
Remind yourself that you’re taking steps to feel better, and that tomorrow is a new day.ĭepression likes to do two big things: immobilize and demoralize. Other rewarding goals could include playing one song on a musical instrument, or reading one page about travel online, depending on your interests.ĭon’t worry if you aren’t able to keep up with your tasks every day. Not only might you gain a sense of accomplishment after completing the task, you may also tick the boxes for pleasure, engagement, meaning, and positive relationships. Research suggests a sense of accomplishment is one of five effective positive-psychology interventions for depression, along with:Īn example of a goal-oriented reminder may be setting an alarm to call a supportive friend. Writing these reminders in goal-form can also remind you it’s something that can help you feel a sense of accomplishment. Reminders on your phone, computer, or tablet, can help refocus your attention on activities you might otherwise pass by. When you have to do something, the pressure can make you feel like you’re stuck in concrete.ĭepression can stall you from doing things that might make a difference in the long term, like visiting supportive friends and family. The weight of an obligation is something that can make a task feel impossible when you live with depression.
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