Toxic Behaviors To Avoid When You Are Depressed

Depression hurts everyone we are assured every day on the TV Commercials and if you ever had an extended bout of depression you will be one of the first to agree. We are not talking about the 5 minutes of feeling down because things are not going right, but actual minor depression. For some of us that may happen after a bad break up, loss of a loved one, or the sudden and extremely destructive loss of a job / income. In other cases it is a seasonal occurrence which we are fighting through. At the worst case scenario it is a more on then off condition, in which case depending on the severity of it you may require the care of a skilled in this field physician.

Regardless of which of the above named form of depression you may find yourself in, we can actually make things even harder for us to "shake it off" or "climb our way out of the abyss" if we fall into the trap of these extremely toxic behaviors.

Staying alone all the time

I know that often times when we are in the grasp of a bout of depression the last thing we want is to be in the company of others. The laughter of happy people can often feel like a slap into our face, but the last thing you want to do is stay by your-self constantly. No matter how uncomfortable it may feel at first, being around people who wish to draw your attention outward can make a big difference.

When you are alone you can easily get stuck in the already contaminated thought patterns of your own mind, allowing the depression to cause a constant replay of the "issues" that have caused your spiral to begin with. Imagine depression like a whirlwind which will only suck you in deeper and deeper unless you find some outside force to hold on to.

Surrounding yourself with negative People

So you finally decided to go out and hang out with others. Congratulations, I am very proud of you! Remember that who you surround your-self with is just as important as it is not to stay alone. "Misery loves Company" states a very old saying and nothing could be truer then that. If you surround yourself by other depressed people, or extremely negative people you will not be able to find something positive to fill your thoughts, but suddenly feel yourself often times worst then before. Since negative (miserable by nature) people are perversely only happy when they or others around them are sad and miserable, they will do anything possible to keep you in your destructive mindset.

Take a close look at the circle of friends and family members you keep and start weeding them out accordingly. Everybody has a bad day from time to time, but if the person is ALWAYS having a bad day, then strike them quickly from your circle of friends. Being around that type of person is going to just feed into your own negative and painful outlook.

Accepting emotional and verbal abuse by others and yourself.

Do you realize that when you are already depressed you are much more perceptible to emotional and verbal abuse? It is almost as if your backbone is slowly eroding. Most of the time our own mind is constantly abusing us in horrible and unfair ways, often worst then you would ever even consider doing to others.

When you are hearing those negative words coming your way, do your best to reject them immediately. For example the next time someone tells you..."Oh get over it already; it is all in your head!" Look them dead in the eyes and simply respond. "Yes, you are right it is all in my head since that is where I think, but unless you have anything to say that can actually help me get better, I would appreciate if you keep that sort of statement to yourself." No, you are not helpless when it comes to depression, but you really have to want to get better and not depend on others to do it for you.

(I have been suffering from depression since I was 9 Years old, and I can happily say that I have learned to recognize and intercept the times when depression hits. It is now under control without medication or psychiatric care. If I can do it, so can you!)

Watching sad movies

If you feel like watching TV, may I suggest comedy instead? If you just broke up you don't need to be watching Romance or Drama Movies. The overdone story lines are just going to make you focus even more on your situation. It is said that if you watch someone else sad story it makes us take our thoughts away from our own, but in reality you are more and likely to find yourself in one of the characters. You do not need anyone validating your situation even more.

Trying to eat all your sorrow and fears in

If you lost someone dear to you or are worried about an overwhelming situation, it doesn't help if you are eating all your emotions up. I know from my own personal situation that people get tired of dealing with drama, but that is where you have the option to journal, draw it out (paint) or find a spiritual support group. Not one that is going to feed it deeper, but one that is going to "lift you up", by reminding you that you are a wonderful and special person. Those groups can be part of any religion, so nobody has to be left out. Be careful not to be pulled into a cult.

Alcohol, Drugs or over eating

At this point you have enough problems without willingly adding another problem to it. Alcohol and Drugs may dull the pain for a moment, but in the end it will magnify the problems. Overeating too will not be a solution you want to pursue. Try to do things that will have a positive long term impact instead.

Staying inside and in the dark.

For seasonal depression often known as S.A.D. being outside in sunlight can be an elevator. In some cases being deprived of sun light can throw us into a deep funk. Take a nice stroll outside in a Park, along a nice Path etc. Going outside and smell "the Roses" can help you as well. Even if you can't afford to buy a lot, sometimes just window shopping and visiting a Flower Shop can brighten your day.

Perhaps these things won't cure you, but ending those behaviors can at least give you a leg up in the fight.