The hardest lesson to learn when you are recovering from depression is that your isolation is just making you worse. Go be with friends that uplift you and love you. It works wonders.
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It is hard but it works. So does being out in the sun. In nature. That can be hard too. In my quite a few years, however, I’ve come to know and trust that everything is temporary. It will pass
Your post is so timely. My beloved son has struggled with anxiety/panic disorder & depression for 30+ yrs. I am going to share this positive advice. Thank you. ❤️
Easier said than done. I went over a friends place - and she looked at me and said “You are not yourself.” I thought NO SHIT. Not at all helpful. I need better friends.
This video on the topic did notably improve my life. There's no magic bullet but it does a good job of explaining all the reasons it can be so hard and why it's worth fighting through them anyway
If you do not have people to hang out with or can't leave your house, they have online groups. Zoom groups were you can just listen to people with similar problems. It Helps.
I used the NAMI website. You can find groups for your particular situation. Some states have a local NAMI website also. In case you would like to try in person.
Absolutely does. I think people look down on their online relationships and friendships too much. They are just as valuable and impactful as “irl” ones imo
My depression comes from my Grief after losing both of my parents. Daddy passed last summer on 7/3. Momma just passed on 1/2, 6 months later. I was their Caregiver. I make sure I go on my morning walks. It helps me.
When you are suffering from a deep depression, you cease to care about many things. You feel worthless. You feel that you are a burden to society; therefore, you want to die just so you can make it easy on everybody. I hate it when people say suicide is a selfish act. It is not.
I totally get that. I fight for my husband because he needs me, but if it were just me, I would have been gone a long time ago. I always felt like I don't belong here. My heart can't take all this misery in the world.
SO true!! Just like when Fred Noonan had to navigate using the stars, sometimes ya gotta find your own bright spots in life to guide you! 🌟 Surround yourself with stars (friends LOL) and not empty skies! 🛩️💫 #FindYourNoonan
People that have never suffered from a deep depression think we can just snap out of it. We cannot because we are void of happy thoughts by then. Although I fought getting help, I'll admit that talking to a professional and taking Prozac did help me. Don't judge what you don't understand.
Nisse...Correct. Most people don't understand that a deep (clinical) depression is vastly different from what most people call depression. Mild, moderate forms of depression could be helped with a walk in nature, with getting out into social experiences. Deep depression has changed brain chemistry.
The brain chemistry cannot be helped by walks in nature, etc. Deep depression typically needs medication to help restore the brain's balance, sleep and appetite issues or over time the brain might recover. It's good to try to educate others on the difference, as it could save lives.
Depression for me is an emotional spiral. It starts with not enjoying things and people I once did. I pull back. Then, I stop reaching out; because I do not want to be a "downer" to my support network. Then, with life so busy, I drift away, re-enforcing the isolation. Soon, I am truly alone.
even just going outside really!! ('going on my stupid daily walk for my stupid mental health 😠') i totally don't manage to do it every time but what helps me is setting myself up for success (lol) by reducing the amount of obstacles by doing small stuff in advance when i'm feeling okay-ish
For those that have been pushed away by people who have depression. Please just recognise that it ain't you. Give them another chance. Repeat as necessary, you could be saving a life.
It can be worse if your friends don’t understand or contribute to your feelings of being a burden on others. Plus, it’s most certainly worse when you are suffering from abuse that your friends don’t understand.
I’ve gotten to a point multiple times where I think “life just doesn’t feel worth living anymore…” (just lamenting.) Today is one of those. I was like “now I know I haven’t talked to friends in a while.” Called a beloved friend. Talked for 2.5hr. Joy is back. Love. Hope. Silliness.
Get outside.
Mail a letter by going to the post office.
Walk in a park.
Eat at McDonald's, not the drive through
Anything that let's you outside, and maybe see people.
This works for some, absolutely. But some of us can be so deep that it takes so much effort to try to make those friends who love us comfortable. I know they’ll argue with me if I say I wish I didn’t exist…and then I’ll just politely agree to make them feel like they helped. And I still wish it.
So true! Our brains are such liars. Opposite action: when I'm struggling w/depression symptoms my brain tells me nobody wants to be w me, I'm too much, blah blah. It's a liar, when I start getting the message, I do opposite action and go to a friend, or just get out the house. Helps so much.
Isolation definitely makes things worse. Not being able to get around much this past year really dragged my depression down and that opened the door to me being more needy and ending a close friendship
While good advice. Everyone's journey with depression is different. For those who cannot do as suggested it can be damaging and shaming. Isolation is not a choice for some, but a physical symptom of depression. The ability to physically interact in anyway is impossible.
I am happiest being isolated and not have to worry about getting sick from people who are thoughtless, and who are willing to bring illness into my elderly life.
True, I just don't have IRL friends, and frankly, sometimes isolating feels way too tempting...
So to cheer everyone up, here's cows (No, I will not explain what's the deal with these cows, just accept them and their love into your life, look how cute pico cowson is):
A friend of mine's wife shared a lesson she learned: When she was sad and depressed, she went out and window shopped. However, what she was shopping for were other women to compliment. When she complimented them, she felt better. Lifting them up lifted her in turn.
The fewer of us, the better, the quieter we are, the better - the loud ones are called incels who suck at hating themselves, so they sap it from the rest of us who know better
It’s counter intuitive when depressed to get out and not be alone. It takes a lot of challenging and convincing to break avoidance patterns and succeed at behavior activation but it’s like a light switch when patients try.
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It’s immensely difficult to force yourself to when you’re deep in depression, but it really does help a ton!
but!
it'd work
and
no cocaine
Does anyone else feel that keeping friends is too exhausting?
https://youtu.be/I9hJ_Rux9y0?si=QmR1Sm7EcSajw8V1
It's sad how many trolls make light of this problem.
Personally, I didn't know until I crashed.
Get outside.
Mail a letter by going to the post office.
Walk in a park.
Eat at McDonald's, not the drive through
Anything that let's you outside, and maybe see people.
It helps me.
I'm lucky. I was able to find stuff to help me get by. I'm watching from my porch the people walking dogs.
Little things add up, just like the little things that bring us down.
Go for that drive!
But I am doing my best despite the isolation.
But I agree. At one point, you have to break the isolation barrier.
All my friends are dead. Takes to damn long to train a new one!
So to cheer everyone up, here's cows (No, I will not explain what's the deal with these cows, just accept them and their love into your life, look how cute pico cowson is):