What If Depression Catches You??

 Whether it's situational, seasonal, or random, everybody finds themselves under the weight of depression sometimes. 

You can wallow in it. Or you can act to rise above it. 

Depression is a manifestation of brain a

nd body chemistry. Brain and body chemistry changes with time, eating, drinking, moving the body physically, with mental, emotional, and physical stimulation, which can be initiated with changes in surroundings. 

Nudge change in the positive direction with mental or physical stimulation by just DOING SOMETHING.

It won't fix everything but it can get you in your way.  Get up, do something.  Here are some things that have been helpful to others.

I. Take a shower. 

As long or short as you want. Hot or cold. Maybe with some smelly soap or shampoo. Scrub or don't. Just get up and do it 

II. Put on clean clothes. 

Comfortable things. Fun things or warm things or pretty things or funny things. Just get dressed.

III. Clean or organize something.

It can be a big thing like a closet or a little thing like a drawer. A shelf. Your backpack.  Clean the shower. A bookshelf. A nightstand. Sweep a floor. Dust the ceiling fans. Clean off a tabletop. Your car floor. A corner of the garage. Under a sofa. Any little thing. 

IV. Nurture something.

Do you have plants? Water them. Dust the pots. Pick off dead leaves. Stir up the top of the soil a bit. Talk to them. Name them.  If you have it, give them some fertilizer. Look up what the are and where they grow in nature. 

Do you have pets? Cuddle them. Clean up their food area. Give them treats. Plump up their bed. Find their toys and play with them. Talk to them or sing to them. Tell them a story or read to them. 

Do you have kids off in their own worlds? See if they need help with homework or want to organize a closet or do a craft or play a game or anything on this list.

V. Listen to music.

If it makes you sadder, switch until you find something upbeat. Dance. Get up a let your whole body dance. Or at least move body parts from your chair. Find lyrics and follow along. Find videos of live versions. Find videos of interviews with the artists about the songs. 

Vi. Make food. 

Search the kitchen and pantry for ingredients. Find recipes that use them. Open cans and heat things. Make boxed mixes or rice or soup or pancakes or oatmeal or popcorn. Sit down and eat with no distraction and notice the flavors and textures. Clean up and enjoy watching each item get clean. 

Vii. Make something.

Write a list or write a haiku. Write longer poems. Write a story. Write a memory that was happy. Sketch something. Make squares of office paper and fold origami things. What art supplies are available? Markers, paints? Clay?  Watch craft videos. 

Viii. Go outside. 

Dress for the weather. Stand still and inventory all your senses. Walk in some direction (take your phone.). Look closely at things, plants, building details, how signs are out together, different kinds of doors. Touch things. Listen. Greet people. 

Ix. Go for a drive.

Just head in some direction. Make sure you have your phone so you can navigate back. You'll see interesting or pretty things. But if you don't, pick a thing to look for. Big trees, dogs,  yard ornaments, different kinds of street lamps, flowers.  

x. Go to a library. 

Look up a topic that's always interested you. Or just browse the stacks and read titles. Ask a librarian what's popular or for their  recommendations. Look at bulletin boards and displays they've put together. 

Xi. Be a tourist.

Go to a nearby attraction like a museum of art or history or some topical museum, a zoo, a botanic garden, a sculpture park, a nature center, a famous building, a state capital or county seat building. Look and absorb or actively look for information to learn. Greet other visitors. Think of a question to ask staff.

Xii. Call somebody and chat.

Think up a thing so you can say "this reminded me of you" so it won't feel funny to have called. You don't have to admit you're depressed or talk about you.  Ask questions about what they are working on and the people in their lives. Ask followup questions. Keep asking.

Xiii. Call a friend and say "Let's do something." 

You don't have to have a clue what that might be before you call because you'll plan together. It doesn't have to be right now but you can plan for the future. It doesn't have to be a big deal. It can be a walk around the block, going for coffee, going to the drugstore for odds and ends, just getting together right away or planning to later. If it doesn't work, at least you connected. And then you can do something on your own anyway.

The key is to move. To do. To make your own distractions. To move your thinking outside your head into the world. To think about now with intention and let that move your thinking into a future.

Get up and do anything. Be.