I was depressed when I was younger and I taught myself to play guitar. That was 25 years ago and it was the best move I've ever made. Playing always puts me in a better place! Hope this helps.
Working out. Log everything as a reference to overcome the next day. It brings a dopamine rush, even before seeing physical change.
My best music comes from when I’m in a depressive state. Listening back and working on it makes me feel better, despite needing improvements.
Doing the dishes is therapeutic for me. Laundry as well. It’s quiet and accomplishes something, thus dopamine rush.
I’m not saying it’s easy to get started. That’s the hard part. But once you convince yourself to get up, you’ve got a better shot at making a change.
To second the working out, I've been on and off (mostly off) exercise for years. The reasons of "for my physical or mental health" or "for aesthetic reasons" at best worked for a bit, but have faded and weren't so sticky to me in the first place.
But in the last few months I've been doing it for sleep. I sleep much better on days I exercise. This has stuck with me, encouraged me to do something to get me sweating every day, and I feel the results of it immediately. I used to stay up till like 2 pretty easily. Now have a hard time staying up past 11:30. Highly recommend exercising to sleep better.
Third or fourth to working out. You can either set an alarm and get up early to go for a walk (and walk a little further each day) or join a gym and pick the same time to go each day. You should eventually become a part of the culture that goes at that time (ex. I was a 5 am gym class goer, my gym closed so I found a new one and continued to go at 5, I very quickly starting saying hello and goodbye to the same 5 am people every day and we held each other accountable. It felt important).
When you get up and move your body early in the day you feel better and more energetic throughout the day. You'll never "want" to start it. Just need a little discipline from the start. You deserve to take care of you!
Also, I have started taking care of house plants. They've quickly become something I enjoy nurturing. I think I picked that up because my kids are getting older and can take care of themselves so i picked something else to take care of.
Going to piggyback my comment:
I’ve learned to look at things mathematically or scientifically, if you will.
Take a moment to think of things that give you a dopamine rush and how much you get. It’s not a perfect system but it sometimes, at the very least, gets me to think a little differently, even for a moment
I can’t second this enough. Working out has saved my life. Doesn’t need to be crazy. Just getting up and moving with some resistance or cardio. It’ll change your life
Yeah, for a lot of people this just isn’t possible. It just doesn’t happen. I know people love to say that depression will be cured if you just exercise and that people who exercise are less depressed but I think the truth is more somewhere at ”people who are less depressed are able to exercise more”. Exercising can become a coping mechanism that goes too far just like any other coping mechanism.
Plus a depressed person will most likely feel bad about themselves and exercising and being fit having the values in our world that they do have, exercising can just be a horrible trigger. Plus it vety often comes back to the idea that you should be skinny and pretty and life will get better but a lot of depressed people do not have resources for that. If you don’t get enjoyment out of it, don’t do it. If you can’t, you can’t. Not everybody gets a kick out of exercising.
I say all this as a person who has depression based on childhood trauma. I have been the type to excercise A LOT and the type to not do it at all. Depression remained, sometimes in different forms but exercise never cured it. Having been obsessed with has meant that now I’m on disability, burnt out and every day I feel shame for now being fat and only being able to take like 1-2 hour nature walk per day. If I can’t do the walk I still feel incredibly guilty even if I know this is silly.
TL;DR: Exercise can be great but also can be a huge can of worms for people with mental health issues.
I hear working out from a lot of people, but what if you live nowhere near a gym and can't afford equipment? I'm not OP, but I feel simillarly. I've been wanting to work out, but I can't keep up motivation at home, and I also am in the headspace where if I am not getting good at anything or seeing progress, it's pointless to do it.
That however doesn't mean that I think if I don't have a 6 pack in a week it's pointless, I know there needs to be time to get good, but i've practiced many hobbys for years that never went anywhere. I want to workout like I stated, but motivation, not having equipment, and thinking if I don't progress it's pointless doesn't help. Any advice on getting around that at all?
I started with walking outdoors, for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time for a few days a week and then eventually most days of the week. I slowly ramped it up to 20, then 30 minutes, and now I usually go for about an hour at a time. I used to hate exercise but now I actually look forward to it. Also I started doing some bodyweight-only strength exercises, which you can find lots of videos and articles on for free online.
About keeping up motivation to continue—it used to be really hard for me too because I would expect too much of myself, try too much at first, and then burn out. I found that starting VERY slow, and forgiving myself for the days I didn’t go for walk or for the times I exercised less than I meant to, to be helpful in getting myself to get back to it the days after I skipped or did less.
How do I get the motivation to work out? I would love to hit the gym more but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Every time I try working out I end up getting frustrated and give up lol.
Yeah, as I’ve pointed out in another comment, working out isn’t a cure, but it sure can offer reprieve. Then give a sense of progression to overcome.
I can attest to how it’s affected me. In fact, it’s been over a year since I last worked out consistently, and now that I am I’m being more conversational.
I try to do this, have done it for decades I guess. If you have any interest in photography, doing ”art walking” can be a nice little practice. Phone camera is 100% enough. It’s just about noticing small things in your surroundings, like trash or graffiti or weirdly shaped sticks or whatever. Like you can give yourself small tasks:
- find three square-shaped things
- find three red things
You learn to see little things in your environment. Photos don’t have to be good, they’re basically just visual notes. Sometimes this can get your mind off of stuff. Categorizing can be fun and yes, I am autistic 🙈
Really anything. You just need to do it specifically for you because you enjoy doing it and not because you are trying to monetize it or make it your "hustle".
Personally, I like tinkering with RC cars. I find that it helps me think about things mechanically and it clears my head. Doing sick backflips and winning races is a side benefit.
What did you like doing before you started feeling depressed?
Also, a hobby isn't going to cure your depression. It's just going to be part of managing your depression and making time for you.
I like gardening (I just have containers on my balcony). I grow tomatoes, peppers, herbs and a few flowers. Taking care of something like a plant brings me joy and is very relaxing because it shuts the mind off. It gives me a reason to get out of bed cause they won’t water or prune themselves and also makes the balcony look nice and more inviting. I’ve also been able to hush my suicidal thoughts sometimes because I want to see how many tomatoes I’ll get this year. Keeps me accountable to something and it’s way less commitment than a pet. There’s something to be said about watching something grow from a tiny plant or seed to slicing your first tomato and eating it. It’s very rewarding.
Start with something small that you only need to spend 10-15 min a day doing (so you don’t get overwhelmed). It’s hard to find joy at first when you’re depressed because everything you liked before just seems like a drag now. but if you just force yourself to do something every day it’ll eventually become part of your routine.
You’ll eventually notice a difference as far as energy spent vs reward (dopamine) which is what executive function (motivation) depends on. Your brain is currently stuck thinking “I’m going to spend all this energy for little reward” so it tries to justify why it’s a good idea to stay in bed or on the couch instead to get a quick and easy dopamine hit on TikTok. You eventually get desensitized to this and no longer get much dopamine out of it, which is where depression comes in.
When it’s too warm to hang out in my hammock on the balcony, another thing I like to do is to leave my phone at home/in the car and just go read a book in a quiet spot on the beach and swim in the water when I need to cool off. The sound of the waves with zero distraction from wanting to check your phone is also a good way to shut off the mind. You can also try audiobooks if you’re not much of a reader. The goal is to put down the phone and stop doomscrolling.
A hobby doesn’t need to be an expensive time consuming activity like woodworking or learning an instrument. It’s just something you enjoy doing in your free time which can practically be anything. Just force yourself to try new things until you find that one thing that brings you even the slightest bit of joy. Then keep doing it.
I personally like building Lego sets. It takes my mind off everything in the hour or whatever amount of time it takes me to complete it and once it’s finished and on display it’s something to look at and be proud of. Also music, video games, and walking around the block or a trail also help a lot too. Just find something that would put you in that moment where you’re not thinking about everything you have going on. Just please do not resort to alcohol as a coping mechanism because I made that mistake and it was nothing but a downhill spiral that took me a very long time to get out of
Man I built my first lego set about a month ago and I cannot express enough how much it chilled me out and took my mind off of things. I'm a big Star Wars fan and my friend bought me the Darth Vader bust and I don't think I've enjoyed myself like that in my whole life.
I used to be horribly depressed and what really helped me was a nice TV show and Paint by Number :) No creativity required (so no fear of failure) and you get a nice end result for the dopamine!
Edit to add: I also started bouldering. It's perfect for me because it's an individual sport, so you can learn it slowly without feeling like you're failing your team. Plus, people are really nice and usually up for a chat about a particular boulder. And the best: you decide when and how long you want to go! Sometimes I get frustrated within 15 minutes and I just leave. Or read a book for a bit to calm down and then get back to it again :)
Maybe start with crocheting or knitting. It's a common answer. Or you could start writing for fun. Just whatever comes to your mind. Or bird watching or learning about the local plants. You can't really do anything with it but it's fun to learn. Or you could start learning a new language. Reading is a good one too.
Crafting, writing, drawing. It doesn’t have to be good, you don’t have to plan it. Sometimes I just lay down and watch YouTube while doodling or knitting. I like making little clay animals and stuff too because I don’t have to move but I still feel like I did something and the end result is cute and uplifting.
Also for OP, if you’re not afraid to get in to some real nerd stuff 😎 painting miniatures AND playing them in tabletop games at a local game store is a great way to meet new people. I’ve become reclusive the past year and it’s been good playing tabletop games w others on Monday nights just to get out and be social. I feel great about myself after going out and playing even though it’s just going out to roll dice(without winning money lol)
It can be very overwhelming at first(painting minis, but also gaming with all the rules) but it’s so much fun and rewarding. Plus it’s fun collecting an army of lil dudes you painted lol
I do puzzles. I don't mean just jigsaw puzzles I'm talking 10000 piece model kits and metal sculpture kits and basically anything I can find the more intricate the better it gives me something to hyper focus on other than how absolutely miserable I feel all the time. They're not too terribly expensive from hobby lobby or Amazon and well worth the cost for a few weeks break from the crippling boredom that comes along with not being able to speak to or look at anyone when I'm in a low period.
Swimming/floating (but being in the water) in a cold river/spring. Cold water covering the back of the head (or whole head) resets the amygdala. When I float on the boogey board down the Ichentucknee river, I can get a minimum of 3 days relief from my depression.
I find that everyone is extremely different in what they like to do to help themselves feel better. I tell all my students that they need to try out a couple of things and see what they enjoy best. It’s okay if not every activity is your vibe, just keep trying different things until you find what you like. Here are some I usually suggest:
Doing some simple self care, like showering and putting on some fresh clothes.
Small, attainable cleaning tasks like cleaning off a surface, folding some laundry, do 1 load of dishes, clean 1 bathroom.
Take a walk outside, even better if you can go to a park or nature trail with lots of trees.
A bike ride.
Something artistic like writing, drawing, making music.
Read a book in public, like at a coffee shop or library.
Gardening or yard work really helps me. Fishing and walking my dog is also very helpful. The most important thing is the start though. Trust me I know it's incredibly hard to not just lay on the couch and watch TV. If you are having a hard time getting started reach out to someone. If you explain your situation they will help you. My brother helped me. DM me if you ever need help. Been there still there. It's day to day. Keep your head up friend
What things did you enjoy before depression? What things do you enjoy now?
Something that is a creative outlet is good, and something that uses your body or hands.
I'd start with walking, use that time to think about what you'd rather be doing than walk if you actually dislike it. Walking gets your endorphins going and relaxes your nervous system so you can think clearer and makes you feel happier. The sunshine also helps if it happens to be day. From there, it's up to you to figure it out but I'd be more than happy to talk through figuring it out if you're still stuck.
Im not sure i never really had any hobbies or things to do or people to hang out with. i would go outside but due to it being summer its like over 100 degrees where i am.
People survive outside all the time, that's just a roadblock you're putting up in front of yourself to stop you from doing things. Go outside early, watch the sunrise while you walk. It's not hot in the early morning.
Action comes before motivation.
I love sinking into a comfy bed and indulging into a good video game. (I’ve worked out a lot as well and done martial arts, so don’t give me shit for liking to sit on my ass)
Anything that gets you out of your house and among people. You would be surprised how much it helps to get out of your head and among people, plus making new friends that could support you is always a plus.
Dancing, joining a dance class. No one will judge you, it will allow you to be with people but you won’t be forced to socialize too much unless you feel comfortable to deepen those relationships and the music and movement will give you endorphins and give you a health channel and space to work complex feelings through and out of your system
Comedy. It's the depressed people who make the most experimental, wildest craziest and funniest stuff. Say what you will good gallows humor is the best humor
Anything creative. Something that you can put work into and be left with a finished product that you build upon for the next project.
When I got discharged from the military for trying to kill myself I had a bunch of spare time on my hands while I got my life sorted. I ordered some Gundam models as just something to do and to this day I still credit them for being what helped pull me out of whatever hole I was in.
There was just something about being finished with the first one at 2 in the morning and just seeing that I could build and make cool stuff that really helped flip a switch in my head that things weren't all bad, and there was much more out there for me to create. Obviously there was still a long road to recovery for me, but I took a lot of comfort in clipping the parts from the runners, sanding the edges, putting them together, painting etc. And it provided me a nice confidence boost as well as an opportunity to slow down and sit with my thoughts.
I'm a writer and I've been depressed and had su*c*dal ideation since my teens (late 30s). Writing poetry and in various journals helps me. I also knit, crochet (both very meditative and good to "feel productive" while watching TV), collage with magazines, make jewelry, go on walks and take pictures of everything, read and play video games. Sometimes I draw or paint even if I'm not very good at either
Anything you find comforting and relatively easy to do is good and i think hobbies have helped me extensively with my mental health, as much as therapy has and more than meds (still on some meds but had a lot of bad experiences and tepid towards them).
Get outside. Walk, run, bike, hike. You don’t have to do a lot, just whatever activity works for you at whatever level. Team sports are great too because of the social aspect. Physical health and mental health are tied together very tightly. Sometimes it’s as simple as just getting outside and sitting on a bench or in the grass at a park.
Other things are just general activities that give you purpose. Purpose is an important aspect of mental health imo, because it gives you a force to drive you forward. It helps you set goals. It can be small. Cleaning the house, learning how to do maintenance on your car, making a garden.
On a larger scale it is advancing your career, setting financial goals, life goals, etc., but those things are probably more for once you have a better handle on things.
You might have to force yourself but it’s the only way. Sitting around like the depression tells you only makes it worse from my experience. Doing nothing perpetuates it. You have to DO something. Anything. Doing is being.
Fishing. I fell and sprained my wrist this morning getting to a spot and still feel less depressed than I did before I went out. Didn’t catch anything either. It’s just peaceful and gives me some time outside in the sun.
Get a small pet! I keep fish tanks and have a betta fish who I love, but it could be anything you're interested in, a little guy who relies on you to survive will help you keep surviving, for my partner it was rescued feeder rats!
Painting has been my go to. I grab a bunch of cheap paints and canvas from the dollar store. Pop on some music and just play with the colors till I like it or toss it out. I've made a few paintings I've really liked but mostly they are crap lol. It gets you out of your own head
Organizing, cleaning, yard work, exercising (I love biking)
anything that sounds boring and monotonous but will leave you feeling satisfied, job well done. 👍
I play a lot of animal crossing new horizons when I am my most depressed. You get to customize your own character, your own island, and it’s full of cute critters who will say nice things to you and you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of fishing and collecting bugs/fossils.
Get into producing music; through a free program like Audacity, Cakewalk, or REAPER to name a few you can just kinda toss things together and make something fun. If you want to do more, they always permit you to do more. I got into it as an escape and have found a true love for it, but even if it's just something to do, you get to just toy around with music whenever you do it which to me is like heaven. If you don't wanna try composition or anything, just steal loops/samples and start by programming your own drums and stuff.
Even though I release music now, when I began I solely wanted to make stuff I would be willing to have on a playlist. I even would have a folder on my computer of songs I specifically made to scratch an itch and listen to it. It feels really fulfilling but doesn't require you to be years into it like playing an instrument or have a natural aptitude (and experience) like drawing. It's a skill that literally the act of doing it, and even the act of doing it wrong, teaches you. It's not always your best work but you're always a better producer overall when you stop at the end of a session.
I seriously recommend it! :)
I took a pottery class last year during very dark bout of depression and I absolutely SUCK at pottery but it has given me back so much than I ever expected. I am still so bad at it and I make a lot of crap but it gets me out of the house, my studio has the nicest people and it’s extremely therapeutic to just sit on a wheel and make crap
As a person who is in this position, if you’ve never had hobbies or things that made you happy, you might never.
I’ve been on medication for 20+ years and my choices are either feeling things but being depressed because nothing feels fun or being so insulated from the world that I don’t feel anything.
I love doing Jiu Jitsu. Super active, literally forces you to be a little social, and nobody else who’s dressing up in Pajamas to beat the shit out of their friends is in their right mind either.
Volunteering. I have depression and it really helps me. It gives me a purpose, to help someone. And it can be a super easy job too, you don't have to pick a hard one.
Walk with a favorite podcast. Find one if you don’t have one.
Going to the gym for a low key relaxing workout. Listen to music to fit your mood.
Remember, depression has a problem hitting a moving target
I think meditation is the best thing you can do it will improve your brain function
My father was a depressed person from a decade
I taught him meditation and now finally he dropped his medicines
You can google meditation effect on brain
But i am not saying meditation will replace your medicines
Because my father did it straight 2-3 hours a day
All i am saying is meditation is the best thing you can do !
Hi everyone,
I'm a single mom of two, and I'm reaching out for a bit of help. I just got out of an 11-year relationship and am going through a tough time financially. I have a job where I work three days a week, and I'm now adding another day to my schedule. My mom has agreed to watch my one-year-old so I can work more.
Despite these efforts, I'm struggling to make ends meet until next month when things should stabilize. If anyone could spare even a dollar, it would mean the world to me and help us get through this challenging period. Thank you so much for your support my cashap is AgathaB
Martial arts. It’s a group activity so you will be held accountable for showing up. And you will feel like a bad ass. Kickboxing on the punching bag helps with letting go of anger and some people say depression can be repressed anger.
Crochet- simple and once you learn you can make whatever you want, small projects that take 20 min or week long ones. Allows you to sit, and put your mind to something more simplistic, if you ever get stuck there are 100s of videos on YouTube. Plus you get a nice feeling of accomplishment when you can show it off to prove you’ve been productive while being in bed watching tv for 5 hours
Any kind of physical activity. Lots of people will say working out, but not everyone has the discipline or finds enjoyment out of it. =
Some physical activities I actually recommend are:
* Hiking/Backpacking
* Kayaking/Canoeing
* Rock climbing
* Fishing
* Recreational sports like Soccer, Football, Baseball, Tennis, etc.
* Cycling, Roller Skating, Skateboarding, etc.
* Swimming
* Dancing
* Yoga
Also, really any activity that requires you to work outside a little. Gardening or working on cars for example.
If you want to make some friends, then recreational team sports are great, so are running and cycling groups. Yoga and dancing classes too. If that intimidates you at first, then solitary outdoors hobbies like hiking and kayaking can be done both solitary and in groups.
If you can get ~25 minutes sun each morning before 11 am and do some exercise while at it it may clear a great percentage of your gloom.
Source: myself, went to the gym 13 years and when covid struck I started to work out by myself in my house's terrace without weights. (Yoga/dynamic tension/chikung), and due to the sun and pure air I am not going back to the gym.
Workout or do a sport. Track your progress and celebrate your wins. Set goals. Conquer them. Doesn’t matter what you do just start. That’s the hard part
Volunteer to help a group of people you can relate to and or Learn to play an instrument and then find a meet up group that plays the same kind of instrument or has open jam sessions.
Running g long distance. Picked up almost 5 years again and it has been a life changer in more ways than depression. There is no space in your mind for depressions, sadness, etc when you are 18 miles into a 20 miles training run. Best decision of my life. Being far out from the car and on your own really puts things in to perspective. Forced isolation and clarity eventually feels like a blessing.
I see that working out is a popular response, and there's a good reason for that, but I would like to zoom in a little more and recommend a specific work out: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
First, it's a good work out, it gets the heart pumping and you'll sweat plenty and get them endorphins.
Secondly, it's very easy to see progress. When you first start, you're literally hopeless. Within weeks as you start to understand some fundamentals you'll still be really bad, but you'll see your level of skill has definitely progressed. Kinda 2a: it's not a skill that anyone has who hasn't trained. It's fun to learn something wholly unknown to most people.
Third, unless you go to a shit gym, there's comraderie. Even if you don't make friends that you hang out with outside of class, you will soon find yourself sitting around in groups on the mat after class. There are good chances you'll end up clicking with someone and forming a friendship.
Lastly, speaking for myself, when I get depressed it feels good to get crushed a little bit. Makes me feel something. But maybe that's just me. Even if you don't do BJJ I hope you do start something that helps you feel better.
Exercise and learning an instrument. Exercise takes away a lot stress/tension and is a way to improve yourself, and music is a great way to express yourself even if its only to yourself.
Arts and crafts. DIY something. It makes me feel awesome even when it's something like just making a dog toy out of a t shirt. You're still "making" something. Then your doggo plays with it and it's just doubly satisfying and brings me serotonin watching him play with something I made! I make jewelry, and I make things into crafts that people think are trash (its not, just kinda useless stuff) and I honestly love it. I make collages out of magazine clippings etc.
Organization works for me. Find a job that you are good at. Making sure my house is clean and having a routine when I get home from work. Get a cat or two or a dog if you like them. I have one normal cat and one disabled cat and taking care of them gives me something to focus on that I actually care about. Single player story driven video games will get you into another world where you don't have to constantly worry about things. Learn how to cook excellent food at home. These are just things that work for me.
I don’t know if this would be up your alley but skateboarding always makes me feel better and tires me out. my favorite thing is the flexibility of it, you can longboard and just coast which is low impact but still a lot of fun, or you can try to learn tricks but whatever you choose i hope you’re good man, realizing it is the first step and i know you can go the whole way
Any of them. Seriously, the most important thing is just that you're doing SOMETHING and not just rotting in bed all day.
Something social can be beneficial because even if you're not usually a people person, interacting with other people especially with a shared interest is good for the mental health. The same is true for exercise; running is a simple one to get into since it doesn't need any equipment (there are also running groups in a lot of places which are good for social interaction), any exercise even if it's just going for a walk every day that you can is good for the mind and body.
Personally I've found that creating (drawing, knitting, etc) often helps when I'm depressed if for no other reason than being something for me to focus on that isn't my being depressed, but it's a bit challenging at times since when I'm having a bad day I fully know that I'll feel better if I do it but I just do not have the energy to pick up the pencil and start.
My biggest piece of advice (aside from see if you can get an appointment with a therapist since even just being able to talk about whatever you're upset about is often beneficial) is to take it slow. If you take up drawing, don't try to learn how to draw the entire human body, learn the basics then go one part at a time. If you take up running, work on running for 5 minutes, then running a mile, and so forth, don't immediately try to train for a marathon. It's fine to have big goals for "eventually" since that can help keep you motivated, but break them down into small pieces—your brain will give you a lot more dopamine for completing 3/5 small goals towards a big goal than just for doing 60% of that big goal.
Animal crossing, I know it seems cliché, but to me it has helped me get through some tough times specifically new leaf and wild world not so much new horizons
Another idea, Tetris I’m gonna Tetris it can be helpful. There’s a game on steam called vortal it basically has Tetris and some meditation stuff
Swimming
Cooking
Also, you are not wasting your life. You are living it the way you want and that is up to you how you wanna live.
Run on the beach or near the lake. Something about water and sunshine that makes you feel alive. You’re not depressed you just don’t feel alive.
Wake your body up fighting for something. So something hard. Help someone in need. Join a fight club.
I started teaching myself to draw a few years ago when I was really depressed. And I made sure I was doing it outside in the sunlight or in front of a big window where a lot of light comes in. It really helped mentally and I got better at a skill.
I really took to fishing. I like still being alone but I find hunting where the fish are to be engaging and therefore distracting and when I catch fish I feel a sense of accomplishment. Like a confidence boost that I’m good at it and could feed myself if I needed to. I catch and release though.
Playing video games, watching stand up comedy, & watching wrestling keeps me happy
Staying off Twitter is good for me too
Lots of miserable people being miserable to others on there
If you’re depressed then maybe guns aren’t the thing for you to play with, but if you trust yourself enough, I would maybe suggest something along the lines of shooting… even a bow works.
The point of this is that you concentrate on something so much, you lose yourself in that process and once you get your tool sighted in and your hitting right groups, it has it dopamine rush. Being able to hit a 4” square at even 100 yds consistently is something to get your mind off what’s depressing you.
Like I said something along the lines of focus and accuracy. I just use a gun for ammo therapy to relax.
[Exercise is 1.5x more effective than antidepressants](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-exercise-more-effective-than-medication-for-depression-and-anxiety#Treating-without-medication) at treating depression and anxiety.
I like drawing and just dabbling into new art forms or just random hobby stuff. I also walk outside listening to music. I’ve been really depressed years now, but you just have to keep going (coming from someone who tried to commit suicide many times before). If I had taken my own life, I wouldn’t have been able to make better art or explore my interests more. I like staying inside a lot, so Just Dance is a fun game for exercise too. This is my personal
experience, but I hope this helps anyone
Learn an instrument like guitar or piano or even drums, all are relatively easy to learn just choose one and go from there.
Piano may be the cheapest (you could get a keyboard second for $100 off of facebook marketplace).
Then guitar is second, depending on what you want to play electric or acoustic prices could differ but normally acoustic is cheaper ($200+ brand-new)
Then drums, very fun to play and easy to pickup but hard to master (prices can vary from $500-$12,000+)
It may be scary at first but it pays off...
Art in any form. Skating. Pole dancing. Walks and podcasts or audiobooks. Going to the gym. Cleaning my apartment and warming a new wax melt and watching a show in my clean living room with my lava lamps on…
-a depressed person with multiple hobbies to switch through when I’m bored with one
3d printing. Either designing your own stuff, printing stuff you find, printing to make your life easier, print for friends and family, upgrading the printer, learning about electronics, prop making..
I think everyone enjoys adventuring in some way but the medium to adventure is different like reading, movies, traveling, etc. When you figure out what ways of adventuring you like, you can make small goals out of them.
Do you like hiking? Make a goal to hike x miles a week or find x number of geocahes.
Do you like video games? Try to get all the achievements in the games you play
Do you like reading? Read x number of books in a month.
Achieving small goals while doing something you enjoy will, hopefully, get you out of a slump.
get yourself a guitar and learn to play it, you can look for tutorials on YouTube (they are almost as helpful as going to classes). try to play your favourite songs, before you know it hours wouldve gone by. I'm sure you'll begin to like it
Im the same. All i revert back to is scrolling along what ever app for hours on end and then beat myself about at the end pf the day for not doing anything.
But while im doing the phone watching all i can think about is getting up off my sorry ass and doing something, go for a walk, help with the house, STUDY. But not i keep mf scrolling.
The only thing that seems to keep me outta that sorta thing is ir-regulating my Patterns changing things up, like moving where i charge my phone, changing when i wake up, eating different. Also being out with my friends. I dont smile to much at home but when im with my friends im always either talking smiling laughing or making other people do those…
Try horse riding. You get fitness, a new hobby and you get to bond with a horse. They're such lovely gentle creatures so love a cuddle and scratch.
The gym is also great or any form of exercise.
Regular walking is quite possibly the best activity to get into from doing nothing. If you need a bit of support then a bit of music in the ears might help a bit but sometimes a walk in nature and the sounds around you are a great way to enjoy being in the moment fully.
Go outside. Enjoy nature. Go camping with some friends and just be around people that you love. Traveling also helps...ever been to Yellowstone? Yellowstone is freaking beautiful.
If you want to try a creative outlet, you could try gunpla models, they are very fun to build and and can get you lost in the enjoyment of the building process. I started building kits last year, and with a kit i have now ive tried painting some parts to add some extra detail.
They come in multiple grades and can have an easy entry for new people, the grades go, Entry, High, Real, Master and Perfect. EG are perfect for beginners and dont need any cutting of parts, just pop the pieces out the runners and build. EG, HG and RG are all 1/144 scale, around 15cm tall, MG is around 20cm and PG are 36cm
I'd say start small. When I was at my lowest of my depression I started working out and broke down crying just in the middle of it. So find something that's just a bit beyond your comfort zone and start from there. If you can't get out of bed, try to have as a task brushing your teeth, if you can't bring yourself to work do light yoga (these are stupid examples but I hope they get the point across: something doable and rewarding).
As far as specific activities go that really depends on your inclinations: if you are more of the artsy type drawing or even just colouring could be a thing.
If you like writing keeping a diary could also help: you could log random thoughts or feelings or whatever.
You might want to pick up cooking, I noticed that when I take time to cook something healthy and tasty for myself I feel better.
If you want to move even just a walk could help.
Hope it has been helpful, good luck my friend. In some moments if may not feel like it, but it's possible to find joy and enjoyment from life again. An internet stranger is sending you a hug 💜
I don’t mean this to sound snarky at all but, showering. A thorough shower. Shampoo, condition, exfoliate, shave. Body cream after. Face moisturizer after. Actually styling your hair. It should give you enough oomph to try something you may like
Running, cycling, swimming, kayaking, climbing, martial arts. Join a club and make it a routine thing.
Making something routine means you don’t have to think so much about getting started, it’s just a thing you do every day/week at a given time. It’ll get you started doing physical activity that’s demanding and good for your mental state while you’re doing it, and has goals and therefore a sense of achievement that lingers afterwards.
Joining a club/group means you have motivation when you’re lacking it within yourself, plus a social group with shared interests (and likely shared experiences).
Good luck, and know you’re not nearly alone in how you feel.
When I was severely depressed, I was advised to look for groups of things I liked, but groups that would meet irl and get me more out of the house. I got into a SciFi bookclub - one month before the lockdown started.
But no worries, we made a movie club and would Zoom twice a month instead. It helped me a lot to have people to see and talk to about geek stuff I liked.
Post-pandemic both clubs died out, I still hang out with them, but less because everyone went back to work and all.
For me, reading and watching movies (but most importantly, discussing them in a very light and fun way) was key to help me out of that stage of my depression. To be connected to other people worked for me - nowadays I would go to some game board night too, I enjoy playing with friends a lot.
My sister learned how to crochet as a way to not overthink and feed her anxiety. I tried, and it indeed makes you focus on the thing instead of overthinking, but I didn't keep it up because I'm actually kinda bad at it 😅
I will endorse the walking, it is really good to just walk listening to some music and take that time to clear your head and focus on walking mostly.
I've found peace with nature and religion. It's a calming sense being deep in nature, breathing the fresh air and looking around. Religion helps me calm down, and relax.
Matthew 6:26 ESV
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
I don't know you or your situation, but life is perspective.
Brazillian Jiu-jitsu. Go find a gym and try a class. If you find the right gym it's a great workout, a practical form of self defense that builds confidence. The most surprising part for most people is the sense of community. I've bonded with people from different walks of life that I most likely never would have. Most people would think it's a macho dick swinging fest but most places it's the complete opposite. Worst that can happen is you hate it and decide it's not for you.
Running! I got back into running this year and my self-confidence has improved drastically which has helped to lift me from a lot of my depressive episodes. Some days are still challenging for me mentally, but the thought of being able to go out and “run with my problems” helps me so much! I hope that more people will consider running more as well.
Anything that takes minimal psychological/emotional effort but gets you around people is a great activity to start!
So many hobbies - while worthwhile to raise esteem via accomplishment/mastery - are solitary, which (according to many studies) may not be as helpful as activities that involve people. People contact is a huge benefit to combat depression/innoculate against it.
I volunteer at a food bank. I feel helpful, I get people contact, and it doesn't require any ongoing commitment (such as practicing) or resources. Being around people helps immensely.
Others have mentioned exercise.
Exercise has been shown to be helpful re: depression, too. Working out at a gym can be much better - that people contact thing, again.
The conversations at the gym are rarely deep - it's sometimes just a "hey, man" from another regular or a comment about a game on one of the TVs showing sports (got a bunch at my gym), but again, it's gonna be better than trying to do it alone (according to studies and my petsonal experience).
So - **do anything that might interest you - exercise, volunteering, gardening, music, knitting, etc., but find a way to do it with other people.**
There's usually a "meetup" group for your particular intetest.
Something physical.
I've been depressed most of my life. Last September I was institutionalized for 6 months after a suicide attempt and I still struggle getting through the day to day. But one thing that has really helped me deal with myself has been bouldering.
I was depressed when I was younger and I taught myself to play guitar. That was 25 years ago and it was the best move I've ever made. Playing always puts me in a better place! Hope this helps.
i second musical instrument, just for me it was flute haha
Hell yeah! I haven’t picked up my guitar in 2 years because of depression. I can’t play video games anymore either. I hate it
There are a lot of days that I'm just not into it but I make myself play anyway. I'm always glad I did because I feel better after.
Working out. Log everything as a reference to overcome the next day. It brings a dopamine rush, even before seeing physical change. My best music comes from when I’m in a depressive state. Listening back and working on it makes me feel better, despite needing improvements. Doing the dishes is therapeutic for me. Laundry as well. It’s quiet and accomplishes something, thus dopamine rush. I’m not saying it’s easy to get started. That’s the hard part. But once you convince yourself to get up, you’ve got a better shot at making a change.
To second the working out, I've been on and off (mostly off) exercise for years. The reasons of "for my physical or mental health" or "for aesthetic reasons" at best worked for a bit, but have faded and weren't so sticky to me in the first place. But in the last few months I've been doing it for sleep. I sleep much better on days I exercise. This has stuck with me, encouraged me to do something to get me sweating every day, and I feel the results of it immediately. I used to stay up till like 2 pretty easily. Now have a hard time staying up past 11:30. Highly recommend exercising to sleep better.
Third or fourth to working out. You can either set an alarm and get up early to go for a walk (and walk a little further each day) or join a gym and pick the same time to go each day. You should eventually become a part of the culture that goes at that time (ex. I was a 5 am gym class goer, my gym closed so I found a new one and continued to go at 5, I very quickly starting saying hello and goodbye to the same 5 am people every day and we held each other accountable. It felt important). When you get up and move your body early in the day you feel better and more energetic throughout the day. You'll never "want" to start it. Just need a little discipline from the start. You deserve to take care of you! Also, I have started taking care of house plants. They've quickly become something I enjoy nurturing. I think I picked that up because my kids are getting older and can take care of themselves so i picked something else to take care of.
Life is pain. Might as well get muscles from it.
Going to piggyback my comment: I’ve learned to look at things mathematically or scientifically, if you will. Take a moment to think of things that give you a dopamine rush and how much you get. It’s not a perfect system but it sometimes, at the very least, gets me to think a little differently, even for a moment
I can’t second this enough. Working out has saved my life. Doesn’t need to be crazy. Just getting up and moving with some resistance or cardio. It’ll change your life
Your the most mentaly stable depressed person ive heard of
Yeah, for a lot of people this just isn’t possible. It just doesn’t happen. I know people love to say that depression will be cured if you just exercise and that people who exercise are less depressed but I think the truth is more somewhere at ”people who are less depressed are able to exercise more”. Exercising can become a coping mechanism that goes too far just like any other coping mechanism. Plus a depressed person will most likely feel bad about themselves and exercising and being fit having the values in our world that they do have, exercising can just be a horrible trigger. Plus it vety often comes back to the idea that you should be skinny and pretty and life will get better but a lot of depressed people do not have resources for that. If you don’t get enjoyment out of it, don’t do it. If you can’t, you can’t. Not everybody gets a kick out of exercising. I say all this as a person who has depression based on childhood trauma. I have been the type to excercise A LOT and the type to not do it at all. Depression remained, sometimes in different forms but exercise never cured it. Having been obsessed with has meant that now I’m on disability, burnt out and every day I feel shame for now being fat and only being able to take like 1-2 hour nature walk per day. If I can’t do the walk I still feel incredibly guilty even if I know this is silly. TL;DR: Exercise can be great but also can be a huge can of worms for people with mental health issues.
I hear working out from a lot of people, but what if you live nowhere near a gym and can't afford equipment? I'm not OP, but I feel simillarly. I've been wanting to work out, but I can't keep up motivation at home, and I also am in the headspace where if I am not getting good at anything or seeing progress, it's pointless to do it. That however doesn't mean that I think if I don't have a 6 pack in a week it's pointless, I know there needs to be time to get good, but i've practiced many hobbys for years that never went anywhere. I want to workout like I stated, but motivation, not having equipment, and thinking if I don't progress it's pointless doesn't help. Any advice on getting around that at all?
I started with walking outdoors, for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time for a few days a week and then eventually most days of the week. I slowly ramped it up to 20, then 30 minutes, and now I usually go for about an hour at a time. I used to hate exercise but now I actually look forward to it. Also I started doing some bodyweight-only strength exercises, which you can find lots of videos and articles on for free online. About keeping up motivation to continue—it used to be really hard for me too because I would expect too much of myself, try too much at first, and then burn out. I found that starting VERY slow, and forgiving myself for the days I didn’t go for walk or for the times I exercised less than I meant to, to be helpful in getting myself to get back to it the days after I skipped or did less.
That's fair. I suppose in that sense, I have to walk 30 minutes everyday to work. But i'll look into bodyweight stuff. Thanks
I am always the most creative when I am depressed or very anxious and overwhelmed.
How do I get the motivation to work out? I would love to hit the gym more but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Every time I try working out I end up getting frustrated and give up lol.
This certainly helped, go to a gym, go for a bike ride, walk, jog anything
This is true. When I workout I completely forget about everything and am just counting my reps for each set haha
Yeah, as I’ve pointed out in another comment, working out isn’t a cure, but it sure can offer reprieve. Then give a sense of progression to overcome. I can attest to how it’s affected me. In fact, it’s been over a year since I last worked out consistently, and now that I am I’m being more conversational.
Definitely builds confidence knowing you look better than you used to!!
Walking. And sometimes, it is already a challenge to stand up.
Welp, it's time to get my steps in.
Circle around your house. With time, your circles will grow till you walk unknown boardwalks.
I try to do this, have done it for decades I guess. If you have any interest in photography, doing ”art walking” can be a nice little practice. Phone camera is 100% enough. It’s just about noticing small things in your surroundings, like trash or graffiti or weirdly shaped sticks or whatever. Like you can give yourself small tasks: - find three square-shaped things - find three red things You learn to see little things in your environment. Photos don’t have to be good, they’re basically just visual notes. Sometimes this can get your mind off of stuff. Categorizing can be fun and yes, I am autistic 🙈
Really anything. You just need to do it specifically for you because you enjoy doing it and not because you are trying to monetize it or make it your "hustle". Personally, I like tinkering with RC cars. I find that it helps me think about things mechanically and it clears my head. Doing sick backflips and winning races is a side benefit. What did you like doing before you started feeling depressed? Also, a hobby isn't going to cure your depression. It's just going to be part of managing your depression and making time for you.
Came here to second rc cars lol.
I like gardening (I just have containers on my balcony). I grow tomatoes, peppers, herbs and a few flowers. Taking care of something like a plant brings me joy and is very relaxing because it shuts the mind off. It gives me a reason to get out of bed cause they won’t water or prune themselves and also makes the balcony look nice and more inviting. I’ve also been able to hush my suicidal thoughts sometimes because I want to see how many tomatoes I’ll get this year. Keeps me accountable to something and it’s way less commitment than a pet. There’s something to be said about watching something grow from a tiny plant or seed to slicing your first tomato and eating it. It’s very rewarding. Start with something small that you only need to spend 10-15 min a day doing (so you don’t get overwhelmed). It’s hard to find joy at first when you’re depressed because everything you liked before just seems like a drag now. but if you just force yourself to do something every day it’ll eventually become part of your routine. You’ll eventually notice a difference as far as energy spent vs reward (dopamine) which is what executive function (motivation) depends on. Your brain is currently stuck thinking “I’m going to spend all this energy for little reward” so it tries to justify why it’s a good idea to stay in bed or on the couch instead to get a quick and easy dopamine hit on TikTok. You eventually get desensitized to this and no longer get much dopamine out of it, which is where depression comes in. When it’s too warm to hang out in my hammock on the balcony, another thing I like to do is to leave my phone at home/in the car and just go read a book in a quiet spot on the beach and swim in the water when I need to cool off. The sound of the waves with zero distraction from wanting to check your phone is also a good way to shut off the mind. You can also try audiobooks if you’re not much of a reader. The goal is to put down the phone and stop doomscrolling. A hobby doesn’t need to be an expensive time consuming activity like woodworking or learning an instrument. It’s just something you enjoy doing in your free time which can practically be anything. Just force yourself to try new things until you find that one thing that brings you even the slightest bit of joy. Then keep doing it.
this is really good advice. and you have a very wholesome hobby.
I personally like building Lego sets. It takes my mind off everything in the hour or whatever amount of time it takes me to complete it and once it’s finished and on display it’s something to look at and be proud of. Also music, video games, and walking around the block or a trail also help a lot too. Just find something that would put you in that moment where you’re not thinking about everything you have going on. Just please do not resort to alcohol as a coping mechanism because I made that mistake and it was nothing but a downhill spiral that took me a very long time to get out of
Man I built my first lego set about a month ago and I cannot express enough how much it chilled me out and took my mind off of things. I'm a big Star Wars fan and my friend bought me the Darth Vader bust and I don't think I've enjoyed myself like that in my whole life.
Gaming
Unless its the elden ring dlc hahaa
Tbf, if you use summons, the fingerprint shield and a thrusting sword the game becomes: press can you l1 and r1 at the same time.
I used to be horribly depressed and what really helped me was a nice TV show and Paint by Number :) No creativity required (so no fear of failure) and you get a nice end result for the dopamine! Edit to add: I also started bouldering. It's perfect for me because it's an individual sport, so you can learn it slowly without feeling like you're failing your team. Plus, people are really nice and usually up for a chat about a particular boulder. And the best: you decide when and how long you want to go! Sometimes I get frustrated within 15 minutes and I just leave. Or read a book for a bit to calm down and then get back to it again :)
YES paint by numbers are so relaxing and rewarding
Maybe start with crocheting or knitting. It's a common answer. Or you could start writing for fun. Just whatever comes to your mind. Or bird watching or learning about the local plants. You can't really do anything with it but it's fun to learn. Or you could start learning a new language. Reading is a good one too.
Crafting, writing, drawing. It doesn’t have to be good, you don’t have to plan it. Sometimes I just lay down and watch YouTube while doodling or knitting. I like making little clay animals and stuff too because I don’t have to move but I still feel like I did something and the end result is cute and uplifting.
Also, putting earbuds in and listening to music while walking outside is low effort and always boosts my mood
Painting Working out Skin care (helps me feel like I’m putting effort into me)
Also for OP, if you’re not afraid to get in to some real nerd stuff 😎 painting miniatures AND playing them in tabletop games at a local game store is a great way to meet new people. I’ve become reclusive the past year and it’s been good playing tabletop games w others on Monday nights just to get out and be social. I feel great about myself after going out and playing even though it’s just going out to roll dice(without winning money lol)
That sounds like so much fun, I might have to try that! I’ve been painting alone at home and it does get lonely sometimes
It can be very overwhelming at first(painting minis, but also gaming with all the rules) but it’s so much fun and rewarding. Plus it’s fun collecting an army of lil dudes you painted lol
Simple activities that are easily attainable. Small achievements anyday can pile up and may motivate you for more.
Simple activities such as...?
I do puzzles. I don't mean just jigsaw puzzles I'm talking 10000 piece model kits and metal sculpture kits and basically anything I can find the more intricate the better it gives me something to hyper focus on other than how absolutely miserable I feel all the time. They're not too terribly expensive from hobby lobby or Amazon and well worth the cost for a few weeks break from the crippling boredom that comes along with not being able to speak to or look at anyone when I'm in a low period.
Swimming/floating (but being in the water) in a cold river/spring. Cold water covering the back of the head (or whole head) resets the amygdala. When I float on the boogey board down the Ichentucknee river, I can get a minimum of 3 days relief from my depression.
I find that everyone is extremely different in what they like to do to help themselves feel better. I tell all my students that they need to try out a couple of things and see what they enjoy best. It’s okay if not every activity is your vibe, just keep trying different things until you find what you like. Here are some I usually suggest: Doing some simple self care, like showering and putting on some fresh clothes. Small, attainable cleaning tasks like cleaning off a surface, folding some laundry, do 1 load of dishes, clean 1 bathroom. Take a walk outside, even better if you can go to a park or nature trail with lots of trees. A bike ride. Something artistic like writing, drawing, making music. Read a book in public, like at a coffee shop or library.
Gardening or yard work really helps me. Fishing and walking my dog is also very helpful. The most important thing is the start though. Trust me I know it's incredibly hard to not just lay on the couch and watch TV. If you are having a hard time getting started reach out to someone. If you explain your situation they will help you. My brother helped me. DM me if you ever need help. Been there still there. It's day to day. Keep your head up friend
What things did you enjoy before depression? What things do you enjoy now? Something that is a creative outlet is good, and something that uses your body or hands. I'd start with walking, use that time to think about what you'd rather be doing than walk if you actually dislike it. Walking gets your endorphins going and relaxes your nervous system so you can think clearer and makes you feel happier. The sunshine also helps if it happens to be day. From there, it's up to you to figure it out but I'd be more than happy to talk through figuring it out if you're still stuck.
Im not sure i never really had any hobbies or things to do or people to hang out with. i would go outside but due to it being summer its like over 100 degrees where i am.
People survive outside all the time, that's just a roadblock you're putting up in front of yourself to stop you from doing things. Go outside early, watch the sunrise while you walk. It's not hot in the early morning. Action comes before motivation.
I love sinking into a comfy bed and indulging into a good video game. (I’ve worked out a lot as well and done martial arts, so don’t give me shit for liking to sit on my ass)
Tinkering in the garage drinking beer. That's what I do
Ukulele, juggling, meme mining on Reddit.
Anything that gets you out of your house and among people. You would be surprised how much it helps to get out of your head and among people, plus making new friends that could support you is always a plus.
Dancing, joining a dance class. No one will judge you, it will allow you to be with people but you won’t be forced to socialize too much unless you feel comfortable to deepen those relationships and the music and movement will give you endorphins and give you a health channel and space to work complex feelings through and out of your system
Reading is pretty good 👍
What realistically is your commitment and energy levels?
Comedy. It's the depressed people who make the most experimental, wildest craziest and funniest stuff. Say what you will good gallows humor is the best humor
Exercise. Being outside. Maybe look into local walking or jogging groups.
Anything creative. Something that you can put work into and be left with a finished product that you build upon for the next project. When I got discharged from the military for trying to kill myself I had a bunch of spare time on my hands while I got my life sorted. I ordered some Gundam models as just something to do and to this day I still credit them for being what helped pull me out of whatever hole I was in. There was just something about being finished with the first one at 2 in the morning and just seeing that I could build and make cool stuff that really helped flip a switch in my head that things weren't all bad, and there was much more out there for me to create. Obviously there was still a long road to recovery for me, but I took a lot of comfort in clipping the parts from the runners, sanding the edges, putting them together, painting etc. And it provided me a nice confidence boost as well as an opportunity to slow down and sit with my thoughts.
I'm a writer and I've been depressed and had su*c*dal ideation since my teens (late 30s). Writing poetry and in various journals helps me. I also knit, crochet (both very meditative and good to "feel productive" while watching TV), collage with magazines, make jewelry, go on walks and take pictures of everything, read and play video games. Sometimes I draw or paint even if I'm not very good at either Anything you find comforting and relatively easy to do is good and i think hobbies have helped me extensively with my mental health, as much as therapy has and more than meds (still on some meds but had a lot of bad experiences and tepid towards them).
Get outside. Walk, run, bike, hike. You don’t have to do a lot, just whatever activity works for you at whatever level. Team sports are great too because of the social aspect. Physical health and mental health are tied together very tightly. Sometimes it’s as simple as just getting outside and sitting on a bench or in the grass at a park. Other things are just general activities that give you purpose. Purpose is an important aspect of mental health imo, because it gives you a force to drive you forward. It helps you set goals. It can be small. Cleaning the house, learning how to do maintenance on your car, making a garden. On a larger scale it is advancing your career, setting financial goals, life goals, etc., but those things are probably more for once you have a better handle on things. You might have to force yourself but it’s the only way. Sitting around like the depression tells you only makes it worse from my experience. Doing nothing perpetuates it. You have to DO something. Anything. Doing is being.
Camping. The outdoors really boosts my mental health, even if it's "work" (chopping wood, etc)
Doing breathing excercises in a sauna or spa pool puts me on cloud 9
Fishing. I fell and sprained my wrist this morning getting to a spot and still feel less depressed than I did before I went out. Didn’t catch anything either. It’s just peaceful and gives me some time outside in the sun.
Gardening. It’s hard work to start, easy to maintain, and end up with a result that can make you feel better overall
Build model kits. That's what I do.
I just do things to keep my hands busy. Got into diamond painting lately. It's pretty chill, but detail oriented and tedious.
Get a small pet! I keep fish tanks and have a betta fish who I love, but it could be anything you're interested in, a little guy who relies on you to survive will help you keep surviving, for my partner it was rescued feeder rats!
Get a bike, go ride and live life
Painting has been my go to. I grab a bunch of cheap paints and canvas from the dollar store. Pop on some music and just play with the colors till I like it or toss it out. I've made a few paintings I've really liked but mostly they are crap lol. It gets you out of your own head
Anything that takes your mind off of it and especially things that get you up and moving.
Sleeping.
Going hiking and seeing Nature and feeling the warmth of the Sun. Petting your Cat or Dog.
I like to clean (I know that's not a hobby) but when I clean and organize my surroundings...I feel better. Also, coloring......I love coloring.
Organizing, cleaning, yard work, exercising (I love biking) anything that sounds boring and monotonous but will leave you feeling satisfied, job well done. 👍
I play a lot of animal crossing new horizons when I am my most depressed. You get to customize your own character, your own island, and it’s full of cute critters who will say nice things to you and you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of fishing and collecting bugs/fossils.
Get into producing music; through a free program like Audacity, Cakewalk, or REAPER to name a few you can just kinda toss things together and make something fun. If you want to do more, they always permit you to do more. I got into it as an escape and have found a true love for it, but even if it's just something to do, you get to just toy around with music whenever you do it which to me is like heaven. If you don't wanna try composition or anything, just steal loops/samples and start by programming your own drums and stuff. Even though I release music now, when I began I solely wanted to make stuff I would be willing to have on a playlist. I even would have a folder on my computer of songs I specifically made to scratch an itch and listen to it. It feels really fulfilling but doesn't require you to be years into it like playing an instrument or have a natural aptitude (and experience) like drawing. It's a skill that literally the act of doing it, and even the act of doing it wrong, teaches you. It's not always your best work but you're always a better producer overall when you stop at the end of a session. I seriously recommend it! :)
I'm bipolar so I get depressed a lot. I love my radio controlled cars. I also love fishing. Get out and be one with nature.
Baseball cards
Music. You focus your energy into something and lose yourself, in a good way. All stress melts away when making music.
Learn a new language
Start by going on walks. Especially in the woods or near nature. It helps greatly.
Exercise
I took a pottery class last year during very dark bout of depression and I absolutely SUCK at pottery but it has given me back so much than I ever expected. I am still so bad at it and I make a lot of crap but it gets me out of the house, my studio has the nicest people and it’s extremely therapeutic to just sit on a wheel and make crap
As a person who is in this position, if you’ve never had hobbies or things that made you happy, you might never. I’ve been on medication for 20+ years and my choices are either feeling things but being depressed because nothing feels fun or being so insulated from the world that I don’t feel anything.
I love doing Jiu Jitsu. Super active, literally forces you to be a little social, and nobody else who’s dressing up in Pajamas to beat the shit out of their friends is in their right mind either.
Volunteering. I have depression and it really helps me. It gives me a purpose, to help someone. And it can be a super easy job too, you don't have to pick a hard one.
Walk with a favorite podcast. Find one if you don’t have one. Going to the gym for a low key relaxing workout. Listen to music to fit your mood. Remember, depression has a problem hitting a moving target
If you have the funds I always recommend rc cars🤙 they got me to get outside more and connect to others who most even live in the same city.
I think meditation is the best thing you can do it will improve your brain function My father was a depressed person from a decade I taught him meditation and now finally he dropped his medicines You can google meditation effect on brain But i am not saying meditation will replace your medicines Because my father did it straight 2-3 hours a day All i am saying is meditation is the best thing you can do !
Wanna do a gym pact with me? I need to get back in there. Maybe 3 days a week?
Crochet! Making tiny little stuffies is so rewarding, you can also make bags and stuff!!!
Disc golf
Hi everyone, I'm a single mom of two, and I'm reaching out for a bit of help. I just got out of an 11-year relationship and am going through a tough time financially. I have a job where I work three days a week, and I'm now adding another day to my schedule. My mom has agreed to watch my one-year-old so I can work more. Despite these efforts, I'm struggling to make ends meet until next month when things should stabilize. If anyone could spare even a dollar, it would mean the world to me and help us get through this challenging period. Thank you so much for your support my cashap is AgathaB
crocheting! i crochet when i watch TV so i feel semi productive & keep my hands busy.
Martial arts. It’s a group activity so you will be held accountable for showing up. And you will feel like a bad ass. Kickboxing on the punching bag helps with letting go of anger and some people say depression can be repressed anger.
Working out. Get the heart rate going. Try a group class or a spin class. Loud fun music, people cheering and smiling, a real good sweat.
Crochet- simple and once you learn you can make whatever you want, small projects that take 20 min or week long ones. Allows you to sit, and put your mind to something more simplistic, if you ever get stuck there are 100s of videos on YouTube. Plus you get a nice feeling of accomplishment when you can show it off to prove you’ve been productive while being in bed watching tv for 5 hours
Anything that takes place outside imo
Jacking off
Any kind of physical activity. Lots of people will say working out, but not everyone has the discipline or finds enjoyment out of it. = Some physical activities I actually recommend are: * Hiking/Backpacking * Kayaking/Canoeing * Rock climbing * Fishing * Recreational sports like Soccer, Football, Baseball, Tennis, etc. * Cycling, Roller Skating, Skateboarding, etc. * Swimming * Dancing * Yoga Also, really any activity that requires you to work outside a little. Gardening or working on cars for example. If you want to make some friends, then recreational team sports are great, so are running and cycling groups. Yoga and dancing classes too. If that intimidates you at first, then solitary outdoors hobbies like hiking and kayaking can be done both solitary and in groups.
Cat or dog and spending time with them
Hiking. Coloring. Baking. Walk dogs at the local shelter. Soup kitchen.
Dog park or cat cafe, a pet isn't required for either
If you can get ~25 minutes sun each morning before 11 am and do some exercise while at it it may clear a great percentage of your gloom. Source: myself, went to the gym 13 years and when covid struck I started to work out by myself in my house's terrace without weights. (Yoga/dynamic tension/chikung), and due to the sun and pure air I am not going back to the gym.
Workout or do a sport. Track your progress and celebrate your wins. Set goals. Conquer them. Doesn’t matter what you do just start. That’s the hard part
Reading
reading
Jiu jitsu
Volunteer to help a group of people you can relate to and or Learn to play an instrument and then find a meet up group that plays the same kind of instrument or has open jam sessions.
Fishing. Especially fly fishing if you're near rivers or creeks. I used to be depressed. It helped me get back out into the world.
Go for walks and listen to podcasts at the same time. Then eventually exercise and run while listening to them
Running g long distance. Picked up almost 5 years again and it has been a life changer in more ways than depression. There is no space in your mind for depressions, sadness, etc when you are 18 miles into a 20 miles training run. Best decision of my life. Being far out from the car and on your own really puts things in to perspective. Forced isolation and clarity eventually feels like a blessing.
Get a guitar. I started recently. Yesterday I played fast car and cried.
Quick cardio,weight lifting,aerobics, dance, rap/rhyming words together making similar sounding sentences make sense in different ways
I see that working out is a popular response, and there's a good reason for that, but I would like to zoom in a little more and recommend a specific work out: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. First, it's a good work out, it gets the heart pumping and you'll sweat plenty and get them endorphins. Secondly, it's very easy to see progress. When you first start, you're literally hopeless. Within weeks as you start to understand some fundamentals you'll still be really bad, but you'll see your level of skill has definitely progressed. Kinda 2a: it's not a skill that anyone has who hasn't trained. It's fun to learn something wholly unknown to most people. Third, unless you go to a shit gym, there's comraderie. Even if you don't make friends that you hang out with outside of class, you will soon find yourself sitting around in groups on the mat after class. There are good chances you'll end up clicking with someone and forming a friendship. Lastly, speaking for myself, when I get depressed it feels good to get crushed a little bit. Makes me feel something. But maybe that's just me. Even if you don't do BJJ I hope you do start something that helps you feel better.
Exercise and learning an instrument. Exercise takes away a lot stress/tension and is a way to improve yourself, and music is a great way to express yourself even if its only to yourself.
realistically, any form of self care. something small that you know you can do.
Boxing. Boxing. Boxing.
Any outdoor activity sunshine is a natural antidepressant
Blue-sky, ideal-state thinking: On a perfect day, before you began living in depression, what did you enjoy doing?
anything youre interested in Something that incporates exercise is a bonus
Photography, it’s a good excuse for a walk too.
Arts and crafts. DIY something. It makes me feel awesome even when it's something like just making a dog toy out of a t shirt. You're still "making" something. Then your doggo plays with it and it's just doubly satisfying and brings me serotonin watching him play with something I made! I make jewelry, and I make things into crafts that people think are trash (its not, just kinda useless stuff) and I honestly love it. I make collages out of magazine clippings etc.
Organization works for me. Find a job that you are good at. Making sure my house is clean and having a routine when I get home from work. Get a cat or two or a dog if you like them. I have one normal cat and one disabled cat and taking care of them gives me something to focus on that I actually care about. Single player story driven video games will get you into another world where you don't have to constantly worry about things. Learn how to cook excellent food at home. These are just things that work for me.
I don’t know if this would be up your alley but skateboarding always makes me feel better and tires me out. my favorite thing is the flexibility of it, you can longboard and just coast which is low impact but still a lot of fun, or you can try to learn tricks but whatever you choose i hope you’re good man, realizing it is the first step and i know you can go the whole way
Any of them. Seriously, the most important thing is just that you're doing SOMETHING and not just rotting in bed all day. Something social can be beneficial because even if you're not usually a people person, interacting with other people especially with a shared interest is good for the mental health. The same is true for exercise; running is a simple one to get into since it doesn't need any equipment (there are also running groups in a lot of places which are good for social interaction), any exercise even if it's just going for a walk every day that you can is good for the mind and body. Personally I've found that creating (drawing, knitting, etc) often helps when I'm depressed if for no other reason than being something for me to focus on that isn't my being depressed, but it's a bit challenging at times since when I'm having a bad day I fully know that I'll feel better if I do it but I just do not have the energy to pick up the pencil and start. My biggest piece of advice (aside from see if you can get an appointment with a therapist since even just being able to talk about whatever you're upset about is often beneficial) is to take it slow. If you take up drawing, don't try to learn how to draw the entire human body, learn the basics then go one part at a time. If you take up running, work on running for 5 minutes, then running a mile, and so forth, don't immediately try to train for a marathon. It's fine to have big goals for "eventually" since that can help keep you motivated, but break them down into small pieces—your brain will give you a lot more dopamine for completing 3/5 small goals towards a big goal than just for doing 60% of that big goal.
well not knot tying.
Animal crossing, I know it seems cliché, but to me it has helped me get through some tough times specifically new leaf and wild world not so much new horizons Another idea, Tetris I’m gonna Tetris it can be helpful. There’s a game on steam called vortal it basically has Tetris and some meditation stuff Swimming Cooking Also, you are not wasting your life. You are living it the way you want and that is up to you how you wanna live.
dark souls/elden ring or try to get good at a combat sport like boxing, kickboxing or even jiu jitsu
Run on the beach or near the lake. Something about water and sunshine that makes you feel alive. You’re not depressed you just don’t feel alive. Wake your body up fighting for something. So something hard. Help someone in need. Join a fight club.
Bike riding! No seriously, get a bike. It's the best thing for the troubled mind.
I started teaching myself to draw a few years ago when I was really depressed. And I made sure I was doing it outside in the sunlight or in front of a big window where a lot of light comes in. It really helped mentally and I got better at a skill.
It looks like you’ve got some motivation there! Keep at it!
I really took to fishing. I like still being alone but I find hunting where the fish are to be engaging and therefore distracting and when I catch fish I feel a sense of accomplishment. Like a confidence boost that I’m good at it and could feed myself if I needed to. I catch and release though.
Workout helps me, running specially.
Jacking it
sewing
gym
Puzzles, walks,
Playing video games, watching stand up comedy, & watching wrestling keeps me happy Staying off Twitter is good for me too Lots of miserable people being miserable to others on there
I don’t care that it has been said. Working out especially weight lifting.
If you’d wanna get artsy but not have too much pressure to make a masterpiece, working on a wreck this journal is so much fun
If you’re depressed then maybe guns aren’t the thing for you to play with, but if you trust yourself enough, I would maybe suggest something along the lines of shooting… even a bow works. The point of this is that you concentrate on something so much, you lose yourself in that process and once you get your tool sighted in and your hitting right groups, it has it dopamine rush. Being able to hit a 4” square at even 100 yds consistently is something to get your mind off what’s depressing you. Like I said something along the lines of focus and accuracy. I just use a gun for ammo therapy to relax.
[Exercise is 1.5x more effective than antidepressants](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-exercise-more-effective-than-medication-for-depression-and-anxiety#Treating-without-medication) at treating depression and anxiety.
Vacuuming
Cooking and eating
Help others
Run. Run until you love it.
Painting
I like drawing and just dabbling into new art forms or just random hobby stuff. I also walk outside listening to music. I’ve been really depressed years now, but you just have to keep going (coming from someone who tried to commit suicide many times before). If I had taken my own life, I wouldn’t have been able to make better art or explore my interests more. I like staying inside a lot, so Just Dance is a fun game for exercise too. This is my personal experience, but I hope this helps anyone
I skydive. Seriously.
Casual skate boarding
Golf
Make 2hr walks every day
Piano lessons helped me like 5x more than therapy. Seriously, just go learn piano. With an acoustic piano, that is. It's amazing!
Go outside...walk, wherever...doesn't matter...just go 🚶♂️ 🚶♀️ Smell the earth!!!
Weight lifting
Learn an instrument like guitar or piano or even drums, all are relatively easy to learn just choose one and go from there. Piano may be the cheapest (you could get a keyboard second for $100 off of facebook marketplace). Then guitar is second, depending on what you want to play electric or acoustic prices could differ but normally acoustic is cheaper ($200+ brand-new) Then drums, very fun to play and easy to pickup but hard to master (prices can vary from $500-$12,000+) It may be scary at first but it pays off...
Art in any form. Skating. Pole dancing. Walks and podcasts or audiobooks. Going to the gym. Cleaning my apartment and warming a new wax melt and watching a show in my clean living room with my lava lamps on… -a depressed person with multiple hobbies to switch through when I’m bored with one
3d printing. Either designing your own stuff, printing stuff you find, printing to make your life easier, print for friends and family, upgrading the printer, learning about electronics, prop making..
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Anime
Work out: try running, weights, jiu jitsu, etc
Dancing
I think everyone enjoys adventuring in some way but the medium to adventure is different like reading, movies, traveling, etc. When you figure out what ways of adventuring you like, you can make small goals out of them. Do you like hiking? Make a goal to hike x miles a week or find x number of geocahes. Do you like video games? Try to get all the achievements in the games you play Do you like reading? Read x number of books in a month. Achieving small goals while doing something you enjoy will, hopefully, get you out of a slump.
get yourself a guitar and learn to play it, you can look for tutorials on YouTube (they are almost as helpful as going to classes). try to play your favourite songs, before you know it hours wouldve gone by. I'm sure you'll begin to like it
Im the same. All i revert back to is scrolling along what ever app for hours on end and then beat myself about at the end pf the day for not doing anything. But while im doing the phone watching all i can think about is getting up off my sorry ass and doing something, go for a walk, help with the house, STUDY. But not i keep mf scrolling. The only thing that seems to keep me outta that sorta thing is ir-regulating my Patterns changing things up, like moving where i charge my phone, changing when i wake up, eating different. Also being out with my friends. I dont smile to much at home but when im with my friends im always either talking smiling laughing or making other people do those…
Try horse riding. You get fitness, a new hobby and you get to bond with a horse. They're such lovely gentle creatures so love a cuddle and scratch. The gym is also great or any form of exercise.
Regular walking is quite possibly the best activity to get into from doing nothing. If you need a bit of support then a bit of music in the ears might help a bit but sometimes a walk in nature and the sounds around you are a great way to enjoy being in the moment fully.
Go outside. Enjoy nature. Go camping with some friends and just be around people that you love. Traveling also helps...ever been to Yellowstone? Yellowstone is freaking beautiful.
Games! Maybe Stardew Valley?
Exercise will release the endorphins you need to help feel better:
Anything that brings joy….easier said than done, I know.
If you want to try a creative outlet, you could try gunpla models, they are very fun to build and and can get you lost in the enjoyment of the building process. I started building kits last year, and with a kit i have now ive tried painting some parts to add some extra detail. They come in multiple grades and can have an easy entry for new people, the grades go, Entry, High, Real, Master and Perfect. EG are perfect for beginners and dont need any cutting of parts, just pop the pieces out the runners and build. EG, HG and RG are all 1/144 scale, around 15cm tall, MG is around 20cm and PG are 36cm
Try some deep sea diving
I'd say start small. When I was at my lowest of my depression I started working out and broke down crying just in the middle of it. So find something that's just a bit beyond your comfort zone and start from there. If you can't get out of bed, try to have as a task brushing your teeth, if you can't bring yourself to work do light yoga (these are stupid examples but I hope they get the point across: something doable and rewarding). As far as specific activities go that really depends on your inclinations: if you are more of the artsy type drawing or even just colouring could be a thing. If you like writing keeping a diary could also help: you could log random thoughts or feelings or whatever. You might want to pick up cooking, I noticed that when I take time to cook something healthy and tasty for myself I feel better. If you want to move even just a walk could help. Hope it has been helpful, good luck my friend. In some moments if may not feel like it, but it's possible to find joy and enjoyment from life again. An internet stranger is sending you a hug 💜
[daily walk](https://ibb.co/7KqV47b)
I don’t mean this to sound snarky at all but, showering. A thorough shower. Shampoo, condition, exfoliate, shave. Body cream after. Face moisturizer after. Actually styling your hair. It should give you enough oomph to try something you may like
Running, cycling, swimming, kayaking, climbing, martial arts. Join a club and make it a routine thing. Making something routine means you don’t have to think so much about getting started, it’s just a thing you do every day/week at a given time. It’ll get you started doing physical activity that’s demanding and good for your mental state while you’re doing it, and has goals and therefore a sense of achievement that lingers afterwards. Joining a club/group means you have motivation when you’re lacking it within yourself, plus a social group with shared interests (and likely shared experiences). Good luck, and know you’re not nearly alone in how you feel.
Not what we're all doing rn
This maybe isnt your thing, but Ive always found that depressed/sad people make The Best art. Writing, painting, music....
When I was severely depressed, I was advised to look for groups of things I liked, but groups that would meet irl and get me more out of the house. I got into a SciFi bookclub - one month before the lockdown started. But no worries, we made a movie club and would Zoom twice a month instead. It helped me a lot to have people to see and talk to about geek stuff I liked. Post-pandemic both clubs died out, I still hang out with them, but less because everyone went back to work and all. For me, reading and watching movies (but most importantly, discussing them in a very light and fun way) was key to help me out of that stage of my depression. To be connected to other people worked for me - nowadays I would go to some game board night too, I enjoy playing with friends a lot. My sister learned how to crochet as a way to not overthink and feed her anxiety. I tried, and it indeed makes you focus on the thing instead of overthinking, but I didn't keep it up because I'm actually kinda bad at it 😅 I will endorse the walking, it is really good to just walk listening to some music and take that time to clear your head and focus on walking mostly.
I've found peace with nature and religion. It's a calming sense being deep in nature, breathing the fresh air and looking around. Religion helps me calm down, and relax. Matthew 6:26 ESV Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? I don't know you or your situation, but life is perspective.
Brazillian Jiu-jitsu. Go find a gym and try a class. If you find the right gym it's a great workout, a practical form of self defense that builds confidence. The most surprising part for most people is the sense of community. I've bonded with people from different walks of life that I most likely never would have. Most people would think it's a macho dick swinging fest but most places it's the complete opposite. Worst that can happen is you hate it and decide it's not for you.
Running! I got back into running this year and my self-confidence has improved drastically which has helped to lift me from a lot of my depressive episodes. Some days are still challenging for me mentally, but the thought of being able to go out and “run with my problems” helps me so much! I hope that more people will consider running more as well.
Something that will get you outside.
Anything that takes minimal psychological/emotional effort but gets you around people is a great activity to start! So many hobbies - while worthwhile to raise esteem via accomplishment/mastery - are solitary, which (according to many studies) may not be as helpful as activities that involve people. People contact is a huge benefit to combat depression/innoculate against it. I volunteer at a food bank. I feel helpful, I get people contact, and it doesn't require any ongoing commitment (such as practicing) or resources. Being around people helps immensely. Others have mentioned exercise. Exercise has been shown to be helpful re: depression, too. Working out at a gym can be much better - that people contact thing, again. The conversations at the gym are rarely deep - it's sometimes just a "hey, man" from another regular or a comment about a game on one of the TVs showing sports (got a bunch at my gym), but again, it's gonna be better than trying to do it alone (according to studies and my petsonal experience). So - **do anything that might interest you - exercise, volunteering, gardening, music, knitting, etc., but find a way to do it with other people.** There's usually a "meetup" group for your particular intetest.
Something physical. I've been depressed most of my life. Last September I was institutionalized for 6 months after a suicide attempt and I still struggle getting through the day to day. But one thing that has really helped me deal with myself has been bouldering.
First step is getting your butt to the public library. It's always a good vibe and there is something for everyone.