What can I do about my depression?

Question

I am already in therapy, and have been for a while, and I'm wondering what I can do on my own, at home, to help with my depression, anxiety, and OCD. What can I do to help with these things? Like eat right, exercise, etc. Is there anything else? I am also already on medication.

Answer 1

THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS PRAY. GOD IS THE BEST DOCTOR THERE IS. I DONT CARE WHAT U DO PRAYING WILL TOP EVERYTHING. I SUFFER FORM THE SAME THINGS. AND SINCE I CAN AFFORD A THERAPIST OR MEDICATION PRAYER HELPS ME A WHOLE WHOLE LOT. U SHOULD TRY IT!

Answer 2

These things are significant and you need to stay on the course that the doctor has set for medicine (and diet if suggested).
There are many causes of depression. in order to get over it, finding the right cause is important. Some of them are known and some are not. There can be a reaction from dealing with stupidity of others in your personal life or it can be a problem with brain chemistry.
Sleep at night is a far under-rated treatment for a lot of things!
Exercise is something that can lift the mood of people over a longer term. Going to the gym or for a walk with a friend can be a wonderful way of getting exercise, gaining accountability to exercise and someone to talk to all rolled in one!

Answer 3

When feeling down take out a piece of paper and make three columns on it at the top of each column write: Bad, Issues, and Blessings. Write down all your problems in the middle column under issues. Then under Bad right all your negative thoughts then on the right under blessings (which sometimes will be really hard to come up with) all the blessings that that situation has. Then read them back to yourself only the issue and then it's blessings that goes with it this will help you to think positive thoughts about unresolved issues and possibly solve them too.

As a therapist once told me go shopping buy yourself something new, start a new craft beware of this because you can go into debt real easy doing this.

Get exercise, visit with friends, join a club, volunteer to help out at your city's animal shelter, library, hospital, or community projects, and go to church if you believe. Start a journal write down how you feel, get a pet, start a business like sell your stuff on ebay.

Have a nice day tomorrow :)

Answer 4

Well, you are definitely on the right track. You want to get better and are doing the necessary options for beating depression. I think that's the first step. The next step is to put yourself in a position where you can handle the everyday punches. Personally, I found that getting out and exercising has made me feel better after a bad day, or just to blow off some steam. Ultimately, you have to remember that life is tough. Whether or not you can keep up with the pace is up to you.

Answer 5

How long is your therapy going? Medication will take a while to take effect, about 4-6 weeks...if you are anxious do some breathing exercises to relax yourself, divert yourself to some activity that will not make you depress. Try to go out with your friends, they might help.

Answer 6

Try journaling. I suffer from depression and anxiety too, and my therapist asks me to journal my thoughts. It helps alot. Something about writing down what you are feeling relaxs me and stops me from getting very down and hurting myself. When I have a bad day and I feel depressed, I pull out my journal and write. Also I read. Reading is my escape. When I am upset or down, I get a book and read. I get lost in a different world, a different place. I forget who I am and I become the character.
If you don't like reading, find your escape(healthy way, NOT HARMFUL). If you like art, paint. If you like dance, Dance. If you like music, sing. Etc.. You just have to find a healthy escape.

Another good idea is to make plans with friends. I suffer from social anxiety and I dont like to be around people alot but my therapist told me to try and make plans with my friends. So call up a friend (a nice, upbeat person) and go out. Do something extremly fun... The more fun time, the less down time.

Another thing, if you struggle with negative thoughts like I do, make a list of postive things about yourself. Write down things you like about yourself. It can be anything, from your brains to your toes. And when you are struggling with negative thoughts, take out your list and read it aloud. It will help you alot!!!

Well I hope this helps. I know what it is like. I just started therapy and these tips have really helped.. Email me sometime.

Answer 7

Although I don't know you're age, you sound like a person who has her/his head on their shoulders fairly well...You seem to be taking the right steps forward to where you are heading, which seems to be in a 'good direction'....It sounds to me like you are enterring a happy\positive time of your life, and I would suggest involving more of your friends into your life fairly soon....they will be glad that you did, and you will probably feel somewhat relieved and renewed that they are in your life!
There's nothing like friends and family to give us a lift...continue with it....and they may need you're lifting at some point too.
Best of luck to you!!

Answer 8

do not hang out with other depressed people, but try not to be alone too much, stick with people who are upbeat, have a pet, dont watch depressing tv shows, stay busy, lots of hobbies, read upbeat books, yes physical exercise is very important.

Answer 9

exercise is good to help as well as thinking postive that you can do it this makes a world of difference in this it wont be easy but in the end it will pay off. my opion?

Answer 10

Try to have people around you who can help you. Do things that make you feel good. Good luck:)