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- Step back and self-reflect. Whenever I start feeling depressed, I try to stop, reflect, and get to the root of my feelings.
- Reach out to someone. I used to bottle up my feelings out of fear that I would be judged if I talked about them. I’ve since learned that reaching out to a loving, understanding person is one of the best things I can do.
- Listen to music. Music can heal, put you in a better mood, make you feel less alone, or take you on a mental journey.
- Cuddle or play with pets. I have really sweet and happy dogs that are always quick to shower me with love whenever they see me. Spending quality time with a loving pet can instantly make your heart and soul feel better.
- Overview
- Learn How Depression Affects You
- Practice Identifying Emotions
- Explore Ways to Cope
- Take Small Steps
- A Word From Verywell
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Depression is more complicated than most people think. It’s not just about being sad and it certainly isn’t about being lazy. But those are common misconceptions that sometimes prevent people from seeking treatment and getting the help they need to feel better.
Even when you’re experiencing depression, it can be tough to identify how you’re feeling and it can be hard to take steps to improve your mood and outlook in the moment.
That’s why we put together this article—to help you on your journey in coping with your symptoms. A better understanding of how you’re feeling and what action you can take can empower you to live your best life even when you’re feeling depressed.
Some people experience more irritability than sadness when they're depressed, other people report feelings of guilt and hopelessness. And while some people report their emotions stay pretty constant, other people say their depression causes their emotions to shift pretty quickly.
Before you can make decisions about how to best cope with depression or what types of treatments you want to try, it’s essential to gain a better understanding of the emotions you’re experiencing.
Research has also shown that depression can affect how people interpret emotions. One study found that depressed people were less able to accurately recognize happiness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise. Another study found that depressed people are good at recognizing sad facial expressions, but struggle with other emotions, including happiness and surprise.
Some strategies that can help you better identify what you are feeling include the following:
•Keep a journal: Write down what you are experiencing and feeling in an emotional journal. As you write, you may find it easier to recognize your feelings. This can also help you spot patterns in your emotional responses.
•Track a single emotion: It can also be helpful to track a single emotion over time. Start noticing when you feel something, whether it's sadness, joy, or gratitude. With practice, you can better identify the feeling and what is causing it.
•Expand your emotional vocabulary: Recognize that emotional responses can be complex and mixed. Finding new ways to talk about emotions can add greater depth and understanding. Rather than just describing yourself as "sad," you might characterize what you feel as glum, dejected, regretful, downhearted, or sorrowful.
Identifying these emotional components you're encountering can help you develop strategies to feel better sooner. And while everyone's experience with depressive symptoms is a little different, developing a better understanding of the emotions you're encountering can help you determine which coping skills work best for you.
In addition to identifying your emotions, it is important to start taking steps toward changing those feelings. Treatments for depression are typically multi-faceted and can include medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes. Some self-help strategies that can improve your ability to cope include:
•Creating a daily routine: Sticking to a consistent routine can be helpful when you are dealing with stress and depression. Having structure in your day also makes it easier to stick to healthy habits that can combat feelings of depression.
•Giving yourself things to look forward to: Research has shown that anticipating positive future events can positively affect well-being. It is essential to find things to look forward to, no matter how small.
•Getting regular exercise: Exercise can be helpful in both the prevention and treatment of depression. One study found that low, moderate, and high-intensity exercise effectively treated mild to moderate depression.
•Setting limits on social media/technology use: Spending too much time glued to your smartphone or tablet can also harm mental health, particularly when that time is spent scrolling through social media. In one study, social media users experienced a 70% increase in self-reported symptoms of depression.
•Spending time with others: While depression may cause you to want to withdraw from your loved ones, research has shown that decreased social support has a negative effect on depression symptoms. If you've withdrawn or isolated yourself, start taking steps to reach out to trusted friends and family members.
Your depression will try to convince you that nothing will work to help you feel better. It’ll tell you there’s no use in trying any formal treatment, and any steps you take to improve your emotional state will be useless.
It may tell you there's no sense in taking medication because it won't work. Or, your depression might try to convince you that you shouldn't talk to a therapist because talking won't help. Consequently, you might not take any action that could help you feel better.
While it’s important to have professionals who are helping you manage your depression, like a physician and a therapist, there are also many strategies you can try at home to alleviate your symptoms.
In this special series, we’ve gathered some tips and strategies for coping with the various emotional aspects of depression. If you give them a try, you might discover that they help you experience some relief from your symptoms of depression.
What Does Depression Feel Like?
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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
1.Dalili MN, Penton-Voak IS, Harmer CJ, Munafò MR. Meta-analysis of emotion recognition deficits in major depressive disorder. Psychol Med. 2015;45(6):1135-1144. doi:10.1017/S0033291714002591
- Spend more time with sympathetic friends and relatives. So long as they are receptive, talking to others about our feelings helps us to process them, put them into perspective, and obtain advice and support.
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Try to reduce your levels of stress. Simplify your life, even if it means doing less or doing only one thing at a time.
- Do more of the things you normally enjoy, even if they no longer seem appealing. Read your favourite childhood book, watch a movie, prepare a meal, schedule a call with an old friend—anything that gets you out and takes your mind off negative thoughts is likely to make things that much better.
- Get out of the house, even if only to buy milk or walk in the park. Bright daylight, fresh air, and the hustle-bustle of everyday life can all be helpful, as can the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.
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