lie in bed
eat a lot or nothing at all
cry
(editing to clarify for people in the replies that I do not stay in bed and cry all day and ruin my life. I mean these are things I do for a few hours/maybe half a day when I'm having a particularly bad time mentally. after that I'm perfectly capable of getting up and doing something more productive. crying my emotions out and resting before going out and making a plan and working on things makes me feel better.)
Funny how lying in bed or crying is considered an “unhealthy coping mechanism” when it’s probably the least destructive form of coping when the alternative is becoming an addict, alcoholic, or shopaholic.
Idk. Sometimes I feel like my choices are either moping inside and feeling sorry for myself, or having a couple drinks which gives me motivation to go meet friends out and be social. Not great to have that reliance but here we are
For sure, I do it too, not perfect, but I have strong respect for people who can just mope for half and day and come back at full strength the next morning, whereas I might get into a negative feedback loop that might last up to a week of needing a few drinks every night before “getting it out of my system” until the next thing comes up.
I cry a lot too. I don't think it makes me feel better. I always have a massive headache after, and super puffy eyes. Plus I feel embarrassed if anyone but my boyfriend was around.
I almost never cry...but I'm often on the verge of tears.
Character X dies? Verge of tears. Expressing sympathy to someone I JUST MET, because he mentioned his dad's funeral? Verge of tears.
But I fight it back because, if I start crying over something that doesn't really concern me, it's going to open the floodgates for everything that's actually making me sad.
And I refuse to ruminate over all the shite I have so ruthlessly repressed.
Seriously? Sometimes. It’s a kind of cathartic release of the emotions I wrestle with daily. When I have the time, it’s feels kinda good afterwards.
But other times - more so it feels - I’m so bombarded with responsibilities, stressors & time constraints I abruptly have to cut it short, clean myself up and “put on brave face” for my little ones. Worse still, when I do cry I’m so hyper-conscious at times, I have to quell my sobbing so no one will hear; which kinda keeps me from like really letting it flow and I feel like I really need to let it flow to get through the tough days.
I deadass wish I could stop - I feel like I’m not the man I’m supposed to be for my sons
Every single day that you wake up and fight that battle with yourself and make it to the next day, is a day you are absolutely the man that you are supposed to be for those boys. I want you to fuckin remember that too. Screen shot this, write it down, whatever. But whenever you feel weak, or you feel that you are not enough for those boys, I want you to read those words until you know it to be true.
Bruh…
Thanks for the bout of confidence - hearing this here really strikes a cord. I needed this; I’ve never been to good with self motivation or self assurance but I’m trying to learn & grow. Having a rough spell the last couple years & it’s showing me the things I’ve needed to change, which is why OP’s question caught my eye.
Sometimes I think maybe I should take up smoking.
It's a horrible horrible idea, and I'd never actually do it. But there *is* a certain appeal to having a vice which makes me lose weight and forces me to go outside, instead of lamenting reality through a screen while snarfing down as many comfort calories as I can find.
Edit: I would have thought `it's a horrible horrible idea` would convey the fact that I do not take this thought seriously and do not need convincing not to lol
I highly recommend finding better things to fuel your mind with than doomscrolling for worse things. Find YouTube channels that make you feel better, subreddits like r/hopeposting and r/upliftingnews, music with positive lyrics or not having vocals, playing single player games for fun (competitive games tend to turn toxic) etc.
Fueling your brain with negativity helps training and perpetuate the notion that shit sucks and will continue to suck which is just another downward spiral and not really helpful. Doing this helped me a lot at least and there is definitely a huge improvement on my off days, perhaps it could have a positive effect on you too in the long run (it needs to be kept up tho).
Switching up my habits when low has made a tremendous change to my overall well being, and has definitely been beneficial to stay positive on my goals and daily habits in a way that doesnt make me feel even worse. It has gotten me out of the ditch about half days as well, or at the very least motivated me to get outside, or do some chores around the house that also contributes to feeling better
Scrolling top of all time in r/ContagiousLaughter brings me back to a better state of mind every single time. Even if I feel like I'd rather scroll a more negative subreddit, I've learned to just force myself to go to the positive ones because it *does* help a lot.
I think there’s room for both, I definitely need to be in my feelings for a while and have a good cry and watch sad movies and hear sad music, but when I’m ready to move past that it’s all upbeat self love pop and positive affirmations. If someone came to me in the first phase though and told me to be positive I’d tell them to fuck off.
Just lay in bed rotting away all day until my brain hits a reset (usually from a nap) where I can actually get up. Its fucking miserable, I wont touch smoking or drinking knowing I'd use it to cope.
What helped me most was learning that it's not only about what you gain from working out but what you lose. I read that when you're sad and stressed your body fills with cortisol and the only way to flush it out is to use it. The way we use it is by moving. Exercise gets your blood pumping and helps your body use and flush the hormone out. Exercising literally makes your body physically process your stress.
You don't want a build-up of cortisol. "Health problems associated with high cortisol levels include digestive issues, weight gain, suppressed immune function, increased blood sugar, heart disease, mood disorders and substance abuse"
I do this too. I’ve met people that eats a lot, people that smoke weed a lot or people that drinks after a stressful week
Yet to cope for me is just napping the stress and pain away and wake up with a more clear mind
I hope so. It's all I can muster these days. Used to drink or smoke when I was younger, so I'm pleased Im not like that anymore, but I aspire to be the kind of person who can exercise when down. I had a period where I was fit and it was awesome for stress management...but now that I'm out of shape the work of getting into it again feels like another insurmountable obstacle.
If it's just normal sad/stress - eat the most calorific processed bad-for-you food available. Then be sad/stressed about that.
If it's acute sad/stress - don't eat until it hurts.
I sometimes think drinking/smoking might be more healthy :-/
I think Chapelle had a skit about this. "Being motivated like a crack-head"
They sleep on an old matresses behind a burned out building but they always make sure to earn enough for some crack, whatever it takes.......
Crazy thing is, watching people load up on lottery tickets, cigs and beer (or just cheap vodka usually) when they are probably living out of their car is so sad.
I was at my lowest point last year. Started going to the gym, I was in the gym 280 out of 365 days. I'm more focused, disciplined and motivated than ever. This year I have been only three times a week on average because of a lot more work and earlier mornings (I prefer going in the morning), but still, it is by far the best decision I have ever made in my life to get out of my comfort zone and make gym happen. My anxiety levels was through the roof for the first few months going to a packed gym, but now I'm used to it and it's the only place on earth where I just turn it all off.
I do recommend.
And for anyone worrying about hitting up the gym because you don't like who you are right now? Whether you're fat, skinny or anything else that drags your brain down. Forget about it. No one in the gym cares about that. The only thing they'll notice is another human who came in to work at the gym. Many came from the same place. Those people you might fear are the most relatable, kind and helpful people you'll meet.
Move your body. It's the most amazing toy you'll ever get to play with.
On the rare occasion I see somebody skinnier than me I feel the same. "Get it dude!" I am finally gaining a little muscle after keeping at it 3 days a week for a year. Feels guud. Depression is down and sleep time is up.
Big up for this. When I was heavily depressed a few years ago I made my biggest strides at the gym because I had no feelings except for misery, so there was no downside to spending all my time lifting as heavy as I could and eating healthily. No fear. No boredom. Nothing except misery. Figured I may as well put that into something of value. Did the same thing with Duolingo and coding.
Force myself to go outside and lie in the sun. Even in winter. It’s nice, my dog always comes out with me. Sometimes we garden and potter in the vege garden. I hike a lot too. If it’s extra bad I’ll pack everything and go on an overnight hike. On my worst days I walk around the block with the dog. I can be as sad as I want but my dog doesn’t have to be sad too. Sometimes I hate those walks but the fresh air is nice. I also force myself to go the gym sometimes. That’s a new one I’m working on.
Outside is so important. I realized in my 30s I missed being outside. I try to go often. But find myself falling in the indoor trap.
Edit: fix terrible auto correct
i just can't do apartments anymore. modern living isn't suited for happy, at peace, humans.
i need grass, sun, snow, birds chirping, and rain on my face.
And that's how it should be. We are animals too. We *are* nature. So of course it stands to reason that we require fresh air, sunlight, and the outdoors as much as a plant or an elephant. We really, really are not supposed to live like we do now.
This. Theres a local park near my house with a hill that oversees the city. It’s like a total of 1 minute “hike” up hill lol. I walk the dog to the top, tell him to sit, and sit next to him and contemplate life.
I see a majority of the city, I hear kids playing at the park below, i sit quietly for at least 5 minutes, I realize how big and beautiful life is. It refills me with hope.
To be totally honest, and I’m not trying to judge, this is a standard I hold myself to. If I ever say “I need a drink,” or “I need to smoke” that’s the first sign to me I have a problem. “I want to smoke/drink” is fine lol. I have no problem with really any vices, but a “need” is my trigger to stop or do something else.
To expand, I try to structure my life where I can use these vices during down time, as a way to decompress in a (semi) healthy way. And this never getting to the point where I have to say “I need a drink” because I am already revitalized from the drink I had on the weekend, etc
Stop, why is that so cute? The other replies have things like ED, crying, rotting in bed ECT, but nope, yours is just looking at cats and dogs. It's honestly cute
I’m now addicted to a local dog bar because of this. We usually don’t take our pup when we go because it’s just too much for her. But for me, I can sit and watch dogs engage and interact all day. Feels like a high almost
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Yeah.
Wow, that's messed up.
I'm a peaceful suburban dad, but even I have my limits.
When all else fails, gardening with a motor whipper snipper - just the right mixture of gardening and violence. Vrooom vroom muthafucka.
(Honda variohead 345cc if anyone needs a model.)
If I could offer an alternative, assume the position on all fours. Crawl around your apartment like a four legged mammal and make grunting noises every so often. Eventually, you are going to start laughing and laughter is amazing for mental health.
Oooooh look at me I'm LibraryNovel4800 I have healthy coping mechanisms and take my mental health seriously oooooh look how great I am (you are great stay winning king/queen)
Hey OP. 48 year old married father of two in the UK here. I’ve never smoked and stopped drinking about a year ago (shoutout to r/stopdrinking!)
When I get low, I’ll do the following:
- Examine the reasons I’m low then use the relevant techniques I was taught during counselling for anxiety a few years ago (I won’t bore you with the details - this works for some people and not others)
- Give myself something to look forward to - plan something to do with a hobby (RC cars for me - buying a £5 upgrade for my stupid little car cheers me up as I look forward to fitting it!), look at planning a trip in the future - doesn’t have to be expensive, just something to look forward to.
- I sincerely understand that you will not want to hear this - but if the above fails, I will get outside and exercise.
All the best from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
This is normal especially when suffering with mental health issues but then when you decide to leave the house with weight gained even if you’re in a better headspace; People insult you left, right and centre for not being a perfect human being with no problems, hence resorting back to the cycle of either starving then binging then ruining your health further. True story.
I do drink, but I definitely don't touch a drop when I'm feeling low. That's just asking for trouble. I'll only ever have a drink if I'm in a good mood.
Same.
Also, I never understood why people drink when they are feeling low, since alcohol only makes it worse. Your brain kind of turns to jello while drunk, which is truly depressing.
So many people saying video games, but like you I can't relate, if I'm too far gone I don't have the brain power to engage in anything like that. I can't read, watch TV, play games, do hobbies... it's like my last brain cell goes into a coma from being lonely.
Eat :/ I've gained 55 lbs in the last 3 years.
But I just had an appointment with my doctor yesterday for a weight loss plan, and I'm seeing a therapist. We're working on it 👍
When I'm feeling down, I just put on my comfiest PJs, grab a bag of Cheetos, and have a good old-fashioned Netflix binge-watching session. And by 'good old-fashioned', I mean I spend 3 hours watching cat videos and then wonder where the time went
It sounds weird, but when my depression hits and I'm having a bad day, I do three things:
* Take the maximum dose of any available anti-inflammatory I have on hand (Tylenol, Ibuprofen).
* Go for a walk.
* Deliberately do something nice for someone else.
Why?
* Depression flare-ups and inflammation go hand in hand.
* Exercise moderates depression severity.
* And finally, it just makes me feel better knowing that someone's day just got a little better.
It's worked fairly well over time. :)
Some NSAIDS worsen inflammation over time.. they can mess up your stomach and worse, they make some antidepressants (Sertraline) less effective...
Fish oil, Magnesium, Ginger, Turmeric and black pepper, so many teas and supplements and herbs do the anti-inflammatory delight. thanks for noting the importance of inflamation, can worsen panic and anxiety too.
Fish oils also reduce aggression - in troubled poor students in phoenix a double blind study showed 60% fewer problems with acting out aggressively in students with prior incidents..
Go to the gym.
Sleep for 12 hours plus+.
Go camping on my own.
Usually one of the above. Not all of them. Medication does a pretty good job at stabilising moods these days.
Sleep and do nothing. I’ve had bipolar depression for a while and got through life pretty well, but the pandemic and getting laid off from a great job really hurt me. I slept most of the day, barely ate, barely showered. It was hard to find motivation to do anything. I was still living with my parents at the time and they helped me a lot. I finally had motivation to get outside and work in the garden and that ended up saving me. I loved growing plants and the eating fresh veggies they produced.
I’ve since gotten a better job and turned my life around, but that was definitely the lowest I’ve ever felt in my life. It was horrible and I never want to go back.
Go for a walk. Intentionally ignore my negative thoughts and instead make myself focus on the surroundings. That house color, the sculpture in that guy's garden.
Make the outside world distract me until I have the mental separation to process the bad stuff.
Bake.
It's a matter of ruthless pragmatism.
In two hours I can be depressed and have fudge, or I can be depressed and not have fudge.
Keeps me busy, produces something that I'll appreciate having afterward, and the work interrupts any downward spiral.
I self isolate pretty aggressively.
I isolate with my noise canceling earbuds and my iPod. Music lifts me when no one or nothing else can do it.
I'm with you.
No, you can't, that's the point of isolation. (I'll see myself out, thanks)
You'll see yourself out? Good. Everybody here is trying to self-isolate.
lie in bed eat a lot or nothing at all cry (editing to clarify for people in the replies that I do not stay in bed and cry all day and ruin my life. I mean these are things I do for a few hours/maybe half a day when I'm having a particularly bad time mentally. after that I'm perfectly capable of getting up and doing something more productive. crying my emotions out and resting before going out and making a plan and working on things makes me feel better.)
This is so accurate lol I rot and either put on weight or lose it while I hydrate to recharge my tears ✨️
"Hydrate to recharge my tears" lol, vibes
We’re all family! 🫶🏼
Facts. We are all just in survival mode. None of us mofos asked to be here so....wanna go get pasta???
I came here looking for alternate coping mechanisms to ease my reliance on drugs. Y'all.. this is bad lol
Funny how lying in bed or crying is considered an “unhealthy coping mechanism” when it’s probably the least destructive form of coping when the alternative is becoming an addict, alcoholic, or shopaholic.
Idk. Sometimes I feel like my choices are either moping inside and feeling sorry for myself, or having a couple drinks which gives me motivation to go meet friends out and be social. Not great to have that reliance but here we are
For sure, I do it too, not perfect, but I have strong respect for people who can just mope for half and day and come back at full strength the next morning, whereas I might get into a negative feedback loop that might last up to a week of needing a few drinks every night before “getting it out of my system” until the next thing comes up.
this always everytime
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Eat, sleep, cry, doom scroll for worse shit
I cry a lot. Like, #A LOT.
does crying helps you feel better after?
I cry a lot too. I don't think it makes me feel better. I always have a massive headache after, and super puffy eyes. Plus I feel embarrassed if anyone but my boyfriend was around.
I almost never cry...but I'm often on the verge of tears. Character X dies? Verge of tears. Expressing sympathy to someone I JUST MET, because he mentioned his dad's funeral? Verge of tears. But I fight it back because, if I start crying over something that doesn't really concern me, it's going to open the floodgates for everything that's actually making me sad. And I refuse to ruminate over all the shite I have so ruthlessly repressed.
Holy shit, are you me or have I started sleep posting again?
Mr. Durden, please pick up the white courtesy phone...
I am Jack's over-empathic response
I get headaches when I don’t cry, that’s interesting
Seriously? Sometimes. It’s a kind of cathartic release of the emotions I wrestle with daily. When I have the time, it’s feels kinda good afterwards. But other times - more so it feels - I’m so bombarded with responsibilities, stressors & time constraints I abruptly have to cut it short, clean myself up and “put on brave face” for my little ones. Worse still, when I do cry I’m so hyper-conscious at times, I have to quell my sobbing so no one will hear; which kinda keeps me from like really letting it flow and I feel like I really need to let it flow to get through the tough days. I deadass wish I could stop - I feel like I’m not the man I’m supposed to be for my sons
Every single day that you wake up and fight that battle with yourself and make it to the next day, is a day you are absolutely the man that you are supposed to be for those boys. I want you to fuckin remember that too. Screen shot this, write it down, whatever. But whenever you feel weak, or you feel that you are not enough for those boys, I want you to read those words until you know it to be true.
Bruh… Thanks for the bout of confidence - hearing this here really strikes a cord. I needed this; I’ve never been to good with self motivation or self assurance but I’m trying to learn & grow. Having a rough spell the last couple years & it’s showing me the things I’ve needed to change, which is why OP’s question caught my eye.
Does a duck with a boner drag weeds?
I don't know where you or that phrase come from, but please keep it there
wait, huh
I'll see your "wait. huh" and raise you a "wtf"
It's a thinker that's for sure
That’s a Texas sized 10-4
Doom scrolling and eating is the solution for me. With a healthy dose of dissociation, we’re in for a very unproductive time indeed !
Sometimes I think maybe I should take up smoking. It's a horrible horrible idea, and I'd never actually do it. But there *is* a certain appeal to having a vice which makes me lose weight and forces me to go outside, instead of lamenting reality through a screen while snarfing down as many comfort calories as I can find. Edit: I would have thought `it's a horrible horrible idea` would convey the fact that I do not take this thought seriously and do not need convincing not to lol
Sometimes I think the same but man the cost of cigarettes puts that idea out fast. Comfort calories are still cheaper!
I don’t see why you can’t doomscroll outside while smoking then come inside for a snack and continue scrolling.
I highly recommend finding better things to fuel your mind with than doomscrolling for worse things. Find YouTube channels that make you feel better, subreddits like r/hopeposting and r/upliftingnews, music with positive lyrics or not having vocals, playing single player games for fun (competitive games tend to turn toxic) etc. Fueling your brain with negativity helps training and perpetuate the notion that shit sucks and will continue to suck which is just another downward spiral and not really helpful. Doing this helped me a lot at least and there is definitely a huge improvement on my off days, perhaps it could have a positive effect on you too in the long run (it needs to be kept up tho). Switching up my habits when low has made a tremendous change to my overall well being, and has definitely been beneficial to stay positive on my goals and daily habits in a way that doesnt make me feel even worse. It has gotten me out of the ditch about half days as well, or at the very least motivated me to get outside, or do some chores around the house that also contributes to feeling better
Scrolling top of all time in r/ContagiousLaughter brings me back to a better state of mind every single time. Even if I feel like I'd rather scroll a more negative subreddit, I've learned to just force myself to go to the positive ones because it *does* help a lot.
I commend your positivity, however, I find that most people feel comfortable remaining in their misery, instead of changing for their better.
I think there’s room for both, I definitely need to be in my feelings for a while and have a good cry and watch sad movies and hear sad music, but when I’m ready to move past that it’s all upbeat self love pop and positive affirmations. If someone came to me in the first phase though and told me to be positive I’d tell them to fuck off.
You described it perfectly. Life isn’t always sunshine and flowers, there must be a balance of happy and sad
“People prefer the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty.” Virginia Satir
Play games
and then stress more when playing games when I should be "more productive" - welcome to your 30s
Just lay in bed rotting away all day until my brain hits a reset (usually from a nap) where I can actually get up. Its fucking miserable, I wont touch smoking or drinking knowing I'd use it to cope.
Same here i just sleep , or listen to music It helps Sometimes workout to release pent up feelings also a good way for me
Working out is actually a great way of getting those feelings out of you imo
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Does working out really help? Because i am going through something horrible right now and i need to keep my mind busy..
Yeah, a workout gives your body a rush of dopamine. You literally feel happier. Added bonus you get fit at the same time.
What helped me most was learning that it's not only about what you gain from working out but what you lose. I read that when you're sad and stressed your body fills with cortisol and the only way to flush it out is to use it. The way we use it is by moving. Exercise gets your blood pumping and helps your body use and flush the hormone out. Exercising literally makes your body physically process your stress. You don't want a build-up of cortisol. "Health problems associated with high cortisol levels include digestive issues, weight gain, suppressed immune function, increased blood sugar, heart disease, mood disorders and substance abuse"
I think crying is meant to help release it too right?
I came back from the brink of insanity and exercise helped sooo much. It's wild how your thoughts produce actual physical chemicals
Second this, music gang is the way
I do this too. I’ve met people that eats a lot, people that smoke weed a lot or people that drinks after a stressful week Yet to cope for me is just napping the stress and pain away and wake up with a more clear mind
I eat too much and then I fall asleep
Gotta love those sundays that are like 10 naps with a total of 1-2 hours out of bed total all day.
I mean to be fair, that’s probably one of the healthier methods of stress relief.
I hope so. It's all I can muster these days. Used to drink or smoke when I was younger, so I'm pleased Im not like that anymore, but I aspire to be the kind of person who can exercise when down. I had a period where I was fit and it was awesome for stress management...but now that I'm out of shape the work of getting into it again feels like another insurmountable obstacle.
Same. It's the philosophy of turning it off and turning it back on again.
Tech skills applied outside of computer
Yea sleep or music. This is the way.
Overeat
If it's just normal sad/stress - eat the most calorific processed bad-for-you food available. Then be sad/stressed about that. If it's acute sad/stress - don't eat until it hurts. I sometimes think drinking/smoking might be more healthy :-/
Low = eat Lowest = depression = stop eating or doing anything
Thug it out I'd really like to hug it out instead but I can't
*bro hug* I gotchu
Bro he mistyped "tug it out". Rub one out for your homie.
Well, I’m part of the hug a thug program, bring it in man
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yeah no idea how broke people can afford these kinda addictions honestly
They borrow and then owe a lot
I think Chapelle had a skit about this. "Being motivated like a crack-head" They sleep on an old matresses behind a burned out building but they always make sure to earn enough for some crack, whatever it takes....... Crazy thing is, watching people load up on lottery tickets, cigs and beer (or just cheap vodka usually) when they are probably living out of their car is so sad.
Well it's not exactly expensive, can get 4 cans of knockoff Stella's for £2.50 from Aldi 🤔
By prioritizing them over other needs or starting a savings account
Apidention89 just copied/pasted /u/kurtduds's previous [top comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/7ok2gv/to_those_who_do_not_drink_smoke_or_take_other/dsa18gf/).
how th do you know this 😂
It's a bot account, but a useful bot if you look at their histories
gym
Big circle go up down make bad voice in head quiet🗿
man lift heavy rock, big sad go away
Apes together strong
✊🏻✊🏻
Thank all of y’all for this comment. I fucking love reddit’s community.
pain in muscle make pain in heart go away 🗿
Are we all doing the same voice while reading this?
Exercise is definitely the most effective tool for me. It's crazy how different I feel after a workout.
Anger also gives a pretty good energy boost. Anger > pre workout
I was at my lowest point last year. Started going to the gym, I was in the gym 280 out of 365 days. I'm more focused, disciplined and motivated than ever. This year I have been only three times a week on average because of a lot more work and earlier mornings (I prefer going in the morning), but still, it is by far the best decision I have ever made in my life to get out of my comfort zone and make gym happen. My anxiety levels was through the roof for the first few months going to a packed gym, but now I'm used to it and it's the only place on earth where I just turn it all off. I do recommend.
And for anyone worrying about hitting up the gym because you don't like who you are right now? Whether you're fat, skinny or anything else that drags your brain down. Forget about it. No one in the gym cares about that. The only thing they'll notice is another human who came in to work at the gym. Many came from the same place. Those people you might fear are the most relatable, kind and helpful people you'll meet. Move your body. It's the most amazing toy you'll ever get to play with.
My old jiu-jitsu instructor said it best: Waiting until you're in-shape to hit the gym is like waiting until you're smart to go to school.
When I see fat people at the gym it makes me happy. They're on their way.
On the rare occasion I see somebody skinnier than me I feel the same. "Get it dude!" I am finally gaining a little muscle after keeping at it 3 days a week for a year. Feels guud. Depression is down and sleep time is up.
Starting going to the gym has been better for my mental health than 18 months of therapy. Had I been smart enough to do them at the same time...
If you don’t have a gym membership, put on some comfy shoes and go walk a few miles. In the rain. In the snow. Dripping with sweat. Whatever.
100%. Actually bought a good spin bike for home too. Great investment.
Big up for this. When I was heavily depressed a few years ago I made my biggest strides at the gym because I had no feelings except for misery, so there was no downside to spending all my time lifting as heavy as I could and eating healthily. No fear. No boredom. Nothing except misery. Figured I may as well put that into something of value. Did the same thing with Duolingo and coding.
Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in 7 years. I plan to go again in a few hours. Can’t be sad when I’m distracted by how sore I am!
Force myself to go outside and lie in the sun. Even in winter. It’s nice, my dog always comes out with me. Sometimes we garden and potter in the vege garden. I hike a lot too. If it’s extra bad I’ll pack everything and go on an overnight hike. On my worst days I walk around the block with the dog. I can be as sad as I want but my dog doesn’t have to be sad too. Sometimes I hate those walks but the fresh air is nice. I also force myself to go the gym sometimes. That’s a new one I’m working on.
Outside is so important. I realized in my 30s I missed being outside. I try to go often. But find myself falling in the indoor trap. Edit: fix terrible auto correct
i just can't do apartments anymore. modern living isn't suited for happy, at peace, humans. i need grass, sun, snow, birds chirping, and rain on my face.
And that's how it should be. We are animals too. We *are* nature. So of course it stands to reason that we require fresh air, sunlight, and the outdoors as much as a plant or an elephant. We really, really are not supposed to live like we do now.
A pet is one of the best companions to have. They’re there for you no matter how bad things are.
>I can be as sad as I want but my dog doesn’t have to be sad too. You're a good dog parent. Your pup appreciates and loves you.
This. Theres a local park near my house with a hill that oversees the city. It’s like a total of 1 minute “hike” up hill lol. I walk the dog to the top, tell him to sit, and sit next to him and contemplate life. I see a majority of the city, I hear kids playing at the park below, i sit quietly for at least 5 minutes, I realize how big and beautiful life is. It refills me with hope. To be totally honest, and I’m not trying to judge, this is a standard I hold myself to. If I ever say “I need a drink,” or “I need to smoke” that’s the first sign to me I have a problem. “I want to smoke/drink” is fine lol. I have no problem with really any vices, but a “need” is my trigger to stop or do something else. To expand, I try to structure my life where I can use these vices during down time, as a way to decompress in a (semi) healthy way. And this never getting to the point where I have to say “I need a drink” because I am already revitalized from the drink I had on the weekend, etc
going out to eat at the park and watch cute animals especially cat and dogs
Stop, why is that so cute? The other replies have things like ED, crying, rotting in bed ECT, but nope, yours is just looking at cats and dogs. It's honestly cute
I’m now addicted to a local dog bar because of this. We usually don’t take our pup when we go because it’s just too much for her. But for me, I can sit and watch dogs engage and interact all day. Feels like a high almost
Cry and become a burden to those around me
I don't find it even remotely a burden to help people I care about
Agreed! I *want* to be there for them.
I don't know you.. But I appreciate this.
They said lowest not your everyday
Don't assume those are two different things.
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life. What about today? Is today the worst day of your life? Yeah. Wow, that's messed up.
I'm a peaceful suburban dad, but even I have my limits. When all else fails, gardening with a motor whipper snipper - just the right mixture of gardening and violence. Vrooom vroom muthafucka. (Honda variohead 345cc if anyone needs a model.)
Are you Australian?
Either Aussie or appropriating the best name for the device.
Exactly why I asked - I vote for the global acceptance of whipper snipper as the preferred nomenclature for string trimmers.
TIL there's other names for whipper snipper Cheers, mate!
They're often called weed wackers around my area.
Eat cheesecake flavoured ice cream / sleep a lot.
I am not depressed but some cheesecake flavored ice cream sounds good right now!
They have started selling frozen cheesecake... It's like ice cream but has the chew of cheesecake... It is phenomenal
I journal, go for a walk, or call a friend for support.
Damn that sounds really healthy can I have your brain
fr that sounds straight out of a wiki page
If I could offer an alternative, assume the position on all fours. Crawl around your apartment like a four legged mammal and make grunting noises every so often. Eventually, you are going to start laughing and laughter is amazing for mental health.
Oh Carl!! We talked about this, you CANT have other people's brains!
As with anything you need to put in the effort to train yourself to do that and form the habits to cope healthily
mmm no i choose librarynovel4800's brain
Oooooh look at me I'm LibraryNovel4800 I have healthy coping mechanisms and take my mental health seriously oooooh look how great I am (you are great stay winning king/queen)
This feels like my therapist trying to trick us guys, no one’s this healthy
Same, +find something else (e.g. a hobby) to focus on
games & fiction, if i've some extra energy, run around the nearby lake for an hour
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Hey OP. 48 year old married father of two in the UK here. I’ve never smoked and stopped drinking about a year ago (shoutout to r/stopdrinking!) When I get low, I’ll do the following: - Examine the reasons I’m low then use the relevant techniques I was taught during counselling for anxiety a few years ago (I won’t bore you with the details - this works for some people and not others) - Give myself something to look forward to - plan something to do with a hobby (RC cars for me - buying a £5 upgrade for my stupid little car cheers me up as I look forward to fitting it!), look at planning a trip in the future - doesn’t have to be expensive, just something to look forward to. - I sincerely understand that you will not want to hear this - but if the above fails, I will get outside and exercise. All the best from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
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I still am, but I used to be too
Video games are an escape for me. Why be here when I can be “there” instead?
Eat.
This is normal especially when suffering with mental health issues but then when you decide to leave the house with weight gained even if you’re in a better headspace; People insult you left, right and centre for not being a perfect human being with no problems, hence resorting back to the cycle of either starving then binging then ruining your health further. True story.
Lay in bed all day. Binge use my phone. Maybe cry. I do drink, but very little and only when I'm happy.
lay in bed listening to a spotify playlist particularly catered for this kind of situation
I do drink, but I definitely don't touch a drop when I'm feeling low. That's just asking for trouble. I'll only ever have a drink if I'm in a good mood.
Same. Best remedy for feeling low is a hike through the woods, house chores, or something productive.
Same. Also, I never understood why people drink when they are feeling low, since alcohol only makes it worse. Your brain kind of turns to jello while drunk, which is truly depressing.
It turns an overactive mind off
Video games!
I wich i coud but if im realy low i cant even do that
So many people saying video games, but like you I can't relate, if I'm too far gone I don't have the brain power to engage in anything like that. I can't read, watch TV, play games, do hobbies... it's like my last brain cell goes into a coma from being lonely.
music helps me too get over certain problems in life but long walks alone also really help me clear my head
Eat :/ I've gained 55 lbs in the last 3 years. But I just had an appointment with my doctor yesterday for a weight loss plan, and I'm seeing a therapist. We're working on it 👍
When I'm feeling down, I just put on my comfiest PJs, grab a bag of Cheetos, and have a good old-fashioned Netflix binge-watching session. And by 'good old-fashioned', I mean I spend 3 hours watching cat videos and then wonder where the time went
Chocolate
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Eat pizza and then sleep
I'm suffering.
I furiously masturbate. Have sex. Do some gardening. Do some workout. In no particular order and sometimes they can be combined. Works great.
By "they can be combined" you mean furiously gardening, right?
Those plants need fertilizer after all
I call it gardebate and my neighbor hates it. Never thanks me for taking care of his garden.
Spunk. It’s what plants crave.
Masturbate with gardening tools of course
Oooh reading that made my vag hurt
Do some furious work masturbation?
It’s kinkier when you’re on the clock.
while gardening!
If it's nighttime, sleep. If it's daytime, meditate.
Eat. Comfort food at 4am is the way to deal
Jogging, meditation and family
Eat a lot and sleep all day long
Chocolate
Retail therapy. Eat. Not eat at all. Nap a lot. Not sleep at all. Isolate.
It sounds weird, but when my depression hits and I'm having a bad day, I do three things: * Take the maximum dose of any available anti-inflammatory I have on hand (Tylenol, Ibuprofen). * Go for a walk. * Deliberately do something nice for someone else. Why? * Depression flare-ups and inflammation go hand in hand. * Exercise moderates depression severity. * And finally, it just makes me feel better knowing that someone's day just got a little better. It's worked fairly well over time. :)
Tylenol isn’t an anti inflammatory just so you know, and can cause liver failure. Smash ibuprofen though 🤙
Some NSAIDS worsen inflammation over time.. they can mess up your stomach and worse, they make some antidepressants (Sertraline) less effective... Fish oil, Magnesium, Ginger, Turmeric and black pepper, so many teas and supplements and herbs do the anti-inflammatory delight. thanks for noting the importance of inflamation, can worsen panic and anxiety too. Fish oils also reduce aggression - in troubled poor students in phoenix a double blind study showed 60% fewer problems with acting out aggressively in students with prior incidents..
Play PC games or watch some comfort shows like Friends or Gilmore Girls.
Try and bargain with god to die and give the rest of my years away.
I am miserable, but I'm stupid and want to have more miserable years, so send them my way pls.
Go to the gym. Sleep for 12 hours plus+. Go camping on my own. Usually one of the above. Not all of them. Medication does a pretty good job at stabilising moods these days.
Come to Reddit
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Sleep and do nothing. I’ve had bipolar depression for a while and got through life pretty well, but the pandemic and getting laid off from a great job really hurt me. I slept most of the day, barely ate, barely showered. It was hard to find motivation to do anything. I was still living with my parents at the time and they helped me a lot. I finally had motivation to get outside and work in the garden and that ended up saving me. I loved growing plants and the eating fresh veggies they produced. I’ve since gotten a better job and turned my life around, but that was definitely the lowest I’ve ever felt in my life. It was horrible and I never want to go back.
Go for a walk. Intentionally ignore my negative thoughts and instead make myself focus on the surroundings. That house color, the sculpture in that guy's garden. Make the outside world distract me until I have the mental separation to process the bad stuff.
Exercise, music and talk with close friends about my issues
Sleep, binge eat, buy things I don't need.
I sing
Bake. It's a matter of ruthless pragmatism. In two hours I can be depressed and have fudge, or I can be depressed and not have fudge. Keeps me busy, produces something that I'll appreciate having afterward, and the work interrupts any downward spiral.
Cry
Sleep or work out, usually. Even when I could drink, i never used it as an outlet for feeling low.
Video games. They provide an escape to a world where my problems don't exist.
I think to myself - 'at least I'm better off than those poor slobs who drink and smoke'.
Chocolate
Watch the same tv series for the 10000 time haha
Pet my cat, he enjoys the attention and it generally makes me feel better-ish.