My Top 3 Tips for Getting Through a Major Depressive Episode

I just recently recovered from the worst depressive episode I’ve had in the last decade. For two weeks I barely did anything but cry, sleep, eat, and watch tv. I knew it’d be temporary but that didn’t mean much to me when I was in the thick of it. Now that I’m through the worst of it and my mood has lifted significantly I have been able to reflect on what I did that I think was most helpful to get me through those two weeks. With 20 years of experiencing major depressive episodes under my belt, I did come out of this one relatively quickly and was able to hold onto hope that I’d get through it. Here are my top tips for getting through a major depressive episode. 

Get out of Bed

If you do only one thing in the morning, get out of bed. I don’t care if you spend the rest of the day sitting on the couch in your pajamas, teeth unbrushed, watching tv, don’t do it in bed. Bed is for sleep and sex only and the more you have that ingrained in your body, the easier it will be to keep your sleep schedule regular. Maintaining your sleep schedule is always number one priority when you’re depressed because it is so much harder to recover from a depressive episode if your sleep is off. On top of aiding with sleep hygiene, it is much easier to motivate yourself to do other things if you’re already out of bed. 

This was the first time I ever stuck to this rule during a major depressive episode. It’s a boundary that I’ve had established for myself for years now which made it easier to stick to when I was really low. The best part about it was that the end of the day as I crawled into bed I had something to celebrate— I set a goal for myself and stuck with it. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment as I turned in for the night and I soaked that in as much as I could. Instead of going to bed feeling like I wasted another day being depressed, I held onto the fact that I accomplished a goal.

Do One Thing That You Don’t Want to Do

Brush your teeth. Walk to the end of the block. Text a friend. Shower. Wash one dish. Do one thing that is hard for you and one thing only. Choose something that is challenging enough to feel like a win but easy enough that you’ll actually do it. If you’re overthinking or dreading it, it’s too hard. Don’t make a big deal about it and don’t attach anything to it. Just get it done. If after that, you feel like doing more, great. If not, it’s no big deal because you’ve already got your win for the day. Trust me. This challenge alone helped me stick to my daily skincare routine most mornings and even shower a few times. 

Stock Your Freezer

Let’s face it. Most of us are not cooking when we’re depressed. We’re scrounging through the pantry for any semblance of nourishment. Make it easy on yourself and have some appetizing meals stocked in your freezer. Throw in a bag of frozen broccoli while you’re at it. Choose things that you will actually eat when you’re depressed; meals that are substantial, nourishing, and comforting. We have a hard time finding anything that brings us joy when we’re depressed. Food can be such an easy joy if you’re already prepared with ready to go meals in your freezer. I don’t care if it’s mac and cheese or those old tv dinners they served us as kids in the 90’s. Anything that tastes good is perfect. Sure, they’re not Michelin star but they’re much better than that stale box of crackers you would be living off of otherwise. 

Do this before you get depressed because most of us are not making trips to the grocery store when we’re at our lowest. I am always stocked with a few frozen tamales, frozen bag of broccoli, frozen pizza, a couple boxes of mac and cheese, and instant ramen. Choose items that always sound appetizing to you and keep a few on hand. 

Final Thoughts

Major depressive episodes make you feel like the world is ending and that you’ll never be happy again, and most of the time it’s really hard to talk yourself out of those thoughts. Don’t rely on logic to counter those negative feelings— use action instead. Getting out of bed and doing one challenging thing are two actions that will make you feel better. Maybe not instantaneously, but compiled overtime you will start to feel the difference. Having your freezer prepped with palatable, easy, and minimal clean up meals will make life so much easier when you do hit that low. You deserve to be nourished and comforted when you’re depressed so do this one simple thing before you get too depressed; you’ll be thanking yourself later.

Getting through a major depressive episode truly is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get better, but it will take time and setting yourself up for little wins along the way is a great way to aid in your recovery without feeling overwhelming. Remember, you will get through this. Whether it’s your first depressive episode or your 20th, this is temporary so don’t give up hope. As always, you are not alone and you are enough.