You're never ready for a depressive episode. None of us ever are.
You can feel it approaching. The subtle shift in your mood, the gradual dip in your energy - it's familiar territory.
I've seen countless patients crushed under the weight of depression. I've felt its suffocating grip myself.
While we can't always prevent these episodes, we can prepare for them. It's not just about surviving the episode itself. It's also about minimizing the collateral damage that follows.
7 Depressive Episode Treatment Strategies
I've developed 7 tips to help you survive your next depressive episode:
Stock up on paper plates and plastic utensils. Sounds trivial, right? But when dishes feel like climbing Everest, this simple hack can lower your anxiety and increase the likelihood of eating.
Prep simple meals. Frozen lasagna, meal replacement shakes - anything that requires minimal effort. Your brain needs fuel, even when you don't feel like eating.
Create an accessible "depression nest." Set up your primary living space with books, crafts, and healthy coping tools within arm's reach. Make the good stuff easy to access, and the harmful stuff hard to reach.
Set up your meds in advance. Use a pill organizer. Don't let medication withdrawal compound your depression because opening bottles feels impossible.
Tell people you're struggling. Give your support network a chance to show up for you. Don't suffer in silence.
Set screen time limits. Your phone is an easy escape, but it can consume your entire day. Leave room for small, healing activities.
Stick to sleep hygiene. Even if you're exhausted, try not to spend all day in bed. It wrecks your sleep cues and can trigger insomnia after the episode passes.
These aren't magic solutions. They won't make depression disappear. But they can be the difference between losing weeks of your life and maintaining some functionality and potentially shortening the episode's duration.
Think of it like preparing for a natural disaster. You can't stop the storm, but you can minimize the damage. Another way to prepare is by recognizing depression and anxiety symptoms as they are coming on.
This video will help you prepare for your depressive episodes.
- Scott
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