For the last 11 years or so of my life, I’ve battled both depression and anxiety. I’m fortunate enough that my depression isn’t severe, but every so often I do fall into pretty intense depressive epsiodes. It’s like a flip switches – I don’t want to create, I don’t want to spend time with friends or family, I just want to lay in bed and scroll something hoping for a kick of dopamine. Simply put, it kinda sucks.

I recently went through an episode where I felt all of my will & drive to do anything remotely productive disappear. I couldn’t get myself to write a video, my productivity at my day job suffered, and I became more of a recluse to those I love. As I’m climbing my way out of the rut I’ve been in, I’m reminded how undeniably important self care is for those who are suffering from mental health. it’s so easy to stop taking care of yourself, but now is when it’s more important than ever. Here’s what I’ve been doing to take care of myself:

Eat something good for you.
​I know going all in on the junk food and sweets is so tempting when you’re in a depressive state. As someone who has struggled with overeating these things his entire life, this is one I struggle with nearly every time. When I’m depressed nothing sounds better than a good pastry, or an entire package of Oreos. We all have our vices. But, when you feel yourself wanting to binge on snacks and nothing else – that should be a good reminder to feed your body something fueling and nutritious. Or, hell, sometimes something that’s just cooked will do the trick. Don’t worry about the macros, or the protein intake, just make something other than an instant meal or snacks.

P.S. it’s okay if you still want to eat some oreos, I won’t stop you 😉

Keep up your morning & night routine
​When I’m depressed and I’m getting ready for bed, the last thing I want to do is do my proper night routine. The thought of washing my face and moisturizing, brushing my teeth, shaving, whatever is in the regimen for the night is exhausting. Instead of feeling like you have to do your entire routine, maybe just do the important ones – brush your teeth, do a 5 minute pick up around the house, washing your face, etc. It’s not so much the activity you do, but the routine itself. Knowing you’re doing something that you do regularly can help.

Get plenty of rest (take a nap if you need to!)
​ This one is pretty self explantatory. Get some sleep, it’s not going to hurt. You can even take a nap if you need it! Here’s my secret – since I’m a remote worker, sometimes I’ll spend my lunch break taking a nap.🫣

Keep up on your water intake
​I don’t know why it is this way for me, but when I’m deprssed, I avoid drinking water. I wouldn’t say I’m doing it intentionally – I think it’s moreso that I’m looking for postive stimuli that flavored drinks, coffee, and soda give me. Just remember to drink enough water.

Exercise
​when I was at the peak of this 2-3 week episode, I went the gym maybe one day per week, compared to my normal 3 days per week. Just getting myself out of the house and convincing myself to do something challenging was monumental for my mental heatlh. I know it’s hard ot push through, but you have to take steps to better yourself if you want to get back on track.

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​Therapy (if you can afford it)
​I’ll be one of the first to tell you that you can’t out-self-help your depression. No amount of self development can stop a chemical imbalance in your brain. While there are self help techniques such as meditation and deep breathing that can help, there is no amount of cold plunging, inspiring book-reading, or self development YouTube content that can help you the way that good, old-fashioned therapy can. If you can afford it, speaking to a licensed professional about your struggles, and how to navigate your life will pay itsefl back tenfold.

If you’re struggling with depression, I am sending nothing but good vibes your way. Know that your storm will pass, and there will be light again.

As always, I appreciate your reading of this newsletter. I will see you in the next one!

Cheers,

Drew