How to get through a Period of Depression

Long post:

I was diagnosed as a manic depressive when I was 15 and dealt with the emotional fallout of child molestation and rape. Many women suffer from depression and anxiety for different reasons and we learn to be resilient and strong through therapy or just out of sheer willpower. My mental health journey has been amazing. I have gone from emotionally fragile to a brick house. If you struggle with depression you know these episodes will knock you on your ass and you won’t even want to leave your bed for weeks and even months. Here are some tips I learned that really helped me.

  1. Limit the amount of stress and triggers you have in daily life. Are the people around you bringing stress and negativity into your life? Cut them out! Say no to things that will stress you out. Don’t be a people pleaser. NO needs to be your favorite word.

  2. Decorate your space with pleasant colors. Dark colors make depression worse. I use white, soft pink, and mint green. Only hang a few things on the wall, no clutter, make sure you can find everything easily. You need to be in a place that is clean, simple, and makes you feel safe.

  3. Detox. If you are suffering from a chemical imbalance that is easily triggered more unprescribed chemicals in your brain will make it worse. Be careful with your diet and exercise. Just walking for 10 minutes will do wonders for your brain chemistry.

  4. Routine and stability. Establish a daily routine. Write it down so you continue to reinforce that routine during periods of severe depression. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle.

  5. When you are comfortable (and in a safe environment) slowly expose yourself to what triggers you. Consider it like you are building up a resistance to a disease by getting a vaccination, so the key is small doses. Know your limitations. You can Overdose.

  6. And the most important is HAVE A MANTRA. It could be a phrase, symbol, lyric to a song, anything that speaks to what you are going through and keeps you going. I latched onto a picture of a lighthouse during a storm with the phrase “Hope”. I would think of it when I was in my darkest moments as a little girl.

You may not feel like it now ladies, but you truly are valuable. You really are Queens.

I hope this is helpful. Take care 💜