How to get out of a depressive episode: 8 ways to boost your mood
What is depression?
Major depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 21.0 million adults in the U.S. had at least one major depressive episode in their lives. This accounts for 8.4% of all U.S. adults.
Depression involves persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness more days than not. There can also be emotions like irritability, agitation, anger and anxiety. If depressed, you may lose interest in routine things like hobbies, work and sex. You may feel tired and have little motivation or energy. You may have trouble sleeping and experience changes in appetite and weight. These symptoms must persist for a period of at least two weeks.
Sometimes, stressful life events may trigger the depressive episode and other times it may come on without a specific cause.
Tips to get through a depressive episode
Behavior activation: An effective way of breaking the vicious cycle of depression is to increase our level of activity even if we don’t feel like doing anything. The evidence shows that by challenging ourselves to engage in activities even when we don’t have the motivation, we actually create opportunities to increase our feelings of pleasure, mastery, and can help us feel more connected and valued.
Set small, manageable goals: If the thought of doing anything seems overwhelming, start small. For example, your first goal could be to just get out of bed and out of pajamas. When you are in a depressive episode, the simple act of getting up is a good first victory of the day. As you gain mastery over this goal, move on to a slightly bigger challenge.
Congratulate yourself for every task or goal you complete, no matter how small. Be your own cheerleader in order to increase feelings of mastery & confidence. Actively challenging your depression is really hard work! You owe it to yourself to acknowledge your efforts to beat your depression.
Retrain your brain to notice the positives: When you’re going through a depressive episode, it’s common for our minds to attune to negative thoughts & feelings. One of the ways to climb out of a depressive episode is to retrain your mind to pay attention to the positives. This can be done by getting into the habit of noting daily things you are grateful for.
Limit exposure to negative content: Consider your daily habits that may be unintentionally contributing to your negative mood. Such as, reading the news or scrolling on social media which can trigger negative thoughts and feelings of isolation. These activities can all have an impact on your mood and motivation.
Socialize & create a support network: Socializing can help you get out of the house and allow you to feel more connected. Although it can be hard to find the motivation to do this, it will start improving your motivation and mood. You can also consider building a support network of people you feel more comfortable talking to who can cheer you on and keep you motivated.
Rethink your sleep routine: Getting adequate sleep is so imperative for your mental health and can even be contributing to your irritability, sadness and anxiety levels. Assess your sleep habits, and see if existing sleep hygiene tips can help you get back on track with a more restful sleep.
Track your daily activities and possible triggers: If you’re trying to get out of a depressive episode, it will be important to keep track of potential triggers (i.e., thoughts, situations, people, events) for feelings of sadness. This will allow you to recognize patterns over time and provide the tools to recognize signs of depression early on. One simple way to do this, is to keep a journal to track your daily activities, even activities that don’t seem very important, and then track your mood on a scale of 0-10 as you engage in these activities. You can then easily keep track of what activities were associated with your highest mood and which activities were associated with your lowest mood. With this information, you can start scheduling your days to include more activities that lead you to feel good!
When to seek help for depression
If your mood does not improve or your condition feels difficult to cope with, talk to your doctor or reach out directly to a mental health provider. Treatment for depression might include a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression and medication.
In severe cases, you may also experience thoughts about harming yourself, death and suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 right away and get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.
CBT of Central and South Florida offers CBT for Depression and a range of other mood disorders. Contact our office to set up a virtual or in-person session.