There are many ways to work with your depression. Below you will find a variety of strategies to help you cope with depression individually or on a personal level.
Personal
There are many strategies to cope with depression on a personal level. Some ideas are:
Journaling
Putting your feelings into writing, whether by hand or typing, can help organize them and reveal patterns. However, if you prefer to keep your reflections in your mind as thought challengers, that’s perfectly fine too!
Prompts:
What sensations do you experience in each quadrant of your being when you feel depressed? You might not identify all of them right away, so consider revisiting this prompt. Example: When I feel depressed, I experience physical symptoms like fatigue and heaviness. Emotionally I feel sad and hopeless. Mentally, I have trouble concentrating or holding a conversation. Spiritually, I have trouble connecting with my surroundings. What sensations do you experience in each aspect of your being when you feel depressed? You might not identify all of them right away, so consider revisiting this prompt.
Pick one quadrant of your personal being and evaluate how each of the sensations in that quadrant may affect your other quadrants. Example: When I am depressed, I experience brain fog and have trouble concentrating. This makes it harder for me to identify my feelings in my other quadrants. It also makes me have to work harder mentally which leaves me more physically tired.
Look back on the sensations you experience when you are depressed. Do any of these more often coincide with each other? How do these affect your day and how you interact with the world around you, your community, the natural world, your family, and friends? Example: When I am low due to my depression, I take a longer time to fall asleep, leaving me tired the next day. My depression makes it hard for me to find the energy to spend time with friends and family, affecting both my relationships and my spiritual relationship to my community.
Look at the causes of your depression
What “triggers” you? What is your current way of dealing with your triggers? Example: I start to feel very depressed when I am overworked.
Set a goal for dealing with your depression/triggers
This goal should be realistic and specific. Make sure to note the specific reason for the goal to remind yourself of your intentions. It can be helpful to make a goal that you can measure. Example: When I notice feelings of low self-esteem, I will write them down, then put them out of my mind for the rest of the day. I will set aside 15 minutes before bed to revisit and reflect on those feelings.
Try this journaling checklist when you are experiencing strong sensations you associate with your depression.
- What is your current situation?
- What is your main feeling and which aspect of your being is most strongly affected?
- What may have triggered your depression?
- What are the effects on your other quadrants?
- What are your urges? What do you want to do as a result of your feelings in each quadrant?
- What would be the short-term consequences if you were to/ have already turned this urge into an action.
- What would be the long-term consequences?
- What are some improvements you could make in the future?
- Focus on noticing patterns through your journaling
Remember to grant yourself grace when noticing patterns, keep in mind that the seven sacred teachings such as love and respect apply to you as well
It's important to take a step back and acknowledge that sometimes, there are things affecting your mood that you just can't control. It might seem obvious, but one of the most helpful things you can do is simply admit to yourself that something is bothering you. By recognizing that it's beyond your control, you can start to let go of those heavy feelings and free your mind a bit. It's all about giving yourself permission to feel what you feel without the weight of trying to change everything.
“Let it be that way.” - Larry Fayant, Michif Old One
Try to lower your screen time
Try setting limits for how long you can spend on your phone, especially social media
Meditation and Mindfulness
There are many different types of meditation and mindfulness practices out there, and finding one that feels right for you can really help keep your mind clear when things get a bit overwhelming.
Exposures
Exposure is a helpful tool to get you used to environments and situations that would otherwise trigger your depression. Exposures can be putting yourself into a situation or imagining yourself in a situation.
- Example: I struggle talking about my emotions with others, so I am either going to journal my thoughts or set time aside to speak with a loved one.
- Example: I haven’t been able to leave my house in a week, I am going to make simple plans with a friend to visit the local library.