10 Tips for Dealing with Depression

10/7/2026 | By: Dr. Dana Harron

Depression Tip 1:  Increase Natural Light

When we are feeling depressed, we might not be as prone to go on a hike or picnic.  So we may not be getting as much exposure to sunlight as we might.  For some, the lack of sunlight can make depression worse.  The brain relies on the sun to know when it should be manufacturing our “feel good chemicals”.  Even just spending a few minutes sitting in the backyard, gazing out a window or standing in your doorway can help your system to kick-start.

Depression Tip 2:  Increase Movement

Although it’s the last thing in the world you feel like doing, just a short walk can help the body and brain to re-calibrate.  If you aren’t up to a walk, give yourself some grace and just try to do some gentle twists or even neck stretches while you watch TV.  

Depression Tip 3: Watch out for Black and White Thinking

Black and white thinking is depression’s bestie.  This is when you think of things in all or nothing terms instead of appreciating nuance and progress.  If you skipped right past the “increase movement” tip because there’s no way in hell you’re going to participate in a triathlon - you might be in this territory.  Black and white thinking often tells you it’s hopeless and useless to do anything about your depression at all, because it won’t make it go away.  

Depression Tip 4: Increase “Healthy Self-Talk”

So of course a part of you knows that any progress would be good, and that some having slightly less depression might be preferable to sitting in the muck.  Let that part speak in your head once in a while.  You don’t have to fully sign on or believe everything the “healthier” part of you says, you just have to keep yourself from arguing it out of existence.  Another place this is really valuable is when it comes to how you think about yourself.  You don’t have to erase self-doubt or “negative self-talk”, but don’t shut down the other perspectives in your mind either.

Depression Tip 5:  See Some People Sometimes

Depression can cause us to pull away or to feel like socializing would just be too much. At the same time, one of the ways that we stay healthy is by having social relationships.  So if there’s a social even that you are on the fence about or a friend who is offering to briefly stop by, lean into it when you are able

Depression Tip 6:  Draw it Out

Drawing is really low-effort - you really just need a pen and the back of an envelope.  Even just doodling can help your body and brain to increase energy and vitality.  Making art about depression or the circumstances around your depression can also help to get it out so that it doesn’t just stay bottled up inside of you, even if it’s just for your eyes.

Depression Tip 7:  Get Off or Curate Socials

What’s there to do when you are down in the dumps but scroll, scroll, scroll?  I’ll tell you what - literally anything.  The news isn’t going to make you feel better.  Seeing other people’s highlight reels isn’t going to make you feel better.  You get a brief dopamine boost every once in a while when you see something genuinely interesting (that’s what keep folks addicted) but it isn’t worth all the damage to your psyche in the meanwhile.  If you can’t get off altogether, curate your feed so that the messages you’re receiving are gentle and uplifting.

Depression Tip 8:  Look for Hope

There’s a reason that they say “where attention goes, energy flows”.  At any given point in time, more is happening than our brains are able to process.  So we select some pieces of information to deal with and ignore others.  Often, this selection process is informed by our dominant view of the world.  When you are depressed, you are likely to see things through a hopeless, negative lens.  But that doesn’t make it all of reality.  By consciously looking for hope, you can start to re-train your brain to have a more balanced perspective.

Depression Tip 9: Listen to Your Depression

Here’s where my Jungian stuff comes out.  Sometimes depression is a message from your unconscious.  Maybe you need a retreat from the world for a bit.  Maybe you need to re-connect with parts of yourself that got lost in toxic positivity.  Maybe something needs to change in your inner or outer life that this depression can bring your awareness towards.

Depression Tip 10: Consider Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can offer support and accountability in the early phases of depression recovery, and as you find your footing again might offer a deeper examination of what this depression has been about for you.  Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consultation to learn more about how a Monarch therapist can help.