5 Things to Do When Depression Hits You

Depression stinks. It is not an easy thing to “get over” or get out of. It can seem like there is absolutely nothing you can do, or others can do, to make you feel better. Many times, it comes out of nowhere and hits you in the face.

Five minutes ago, you were doing amazing and making progress and now you feel like you just took fifty steps backward. Now you’re in a funk and don’t want to, better yet, not able to get out of bed. Want to sleep the day away. I get it. I’ve been there too many times.

I wish I had the tools I do now back then, but at least can share these tips with you 😊

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First one is VERY important…

1. Accept it.

Know that depression is NOT you, but you are currently depressed and that is OKAY. Do not try to deny that everything is just fine, that you are just having a bad day, or are tired. See it for what it is, accept it for what it is, so then you can then tackle the heck out of it!

2. Take a breath.

It is crazy how the simplest thing for us, the thing that keeps us alive, is exactly what we need in those moments of despair, but we forget ALL the time. Most of the day we don’t even notice our breath, we take it for granted, it is something we naturally do and don’t think about.

When you are in that feeling of hopelessness, remember your breath. Remember to breathe. Pay attention to your breath. That is meditation right there. Meditation, in a nutshell, is concentrating and focusing on the breath. If you are doing that, you are meditating.

Meditation helps me TREMENDOUSLY when I am going down on that roller coaster. If you want more information as a beginnger, check out and save this post right here on meditation for beginners.

3. Shower. Get out of your pajamas.

Force yourself to get up. After you had a meditation session (doesn’t have to be long, can be five minutes), you will feel lighter and better. Take advantage of that moment and get up.

Shower from head to toe. Go through the motions even if you don’t want to. I know you will feel better once you are completely clean.

You can even continue focusing on your breathing while you are in the shower. Thoughts will come up, even if they are negative it is okay. Let the thoughts come and go. Don’t judge yourself for having the thoughts.

Allow yourself the opportunity to relax, and almost shed that first layer of skin essentially with the shower. Then put some clothes on. They can still be comfortable clothes, but out of the ones you were just wearing. Even if you put your hair in a bun and call it a day, that is okay.

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4. Do something with your hands.

Journaling can be amazing for lowering anxiety, but I would also recommend coloring. Yup, coloring.

As kids we loved to color, right? Such a simple activity can bring joy and calmness throughout your entire body. It is something you can do totally alone and be focused on one thing.

Here are some of my favorite adult coloring books I found (yes, they exist : ) Click on each bullet point to see them.

A simple task for journaling can simply be writing down five things you are grateful for on a daily basis. That’s it, just write the first five things that come to mind. They will change daily.

Expressing gratitude for what is around you will put you in a mindset of having instead of lacking. Usually when depression hits and stays for a while is when we have a mindset of lacking. We have to try our best to avoid that and shift that mindset.

5. Know when to ask for help.

You can do everything listed above but there are times we must recognize that we cannot do everything on our own, and that is okay. If you ever get to the point of having suicidal thoughts, tell someone immediately.

Even if you do not feel like you are going to go through with the thoughts, it’s incredibly important to act when the thoughts do come up.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 800-273-8255 and they are available 24 hours, every single day.

Know in those moments that you ARE loved, the thoughts you are having aren’t you. Please reach out for help when you feel like you have lost control. You will never regret reaching out for help, but you may very well regret not doing so.

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I hope this has helped you in any way. If you know anyone who you think needs to read this, please share it. As horrible of a state of mind depression is, know that nothing lasts forever. It comes and goes, it is about managing the moment when it is present, and knowing when to ask for help.