Therapist Tips: Feel Better Now – Self-Care For Depression

Has depression got you in its teeth? Don't let the blues consume you! Fight back with novelty and gentle self-care. Licensed therapist Elizabeth Singer, MFA, LP advises taking your depression into your own hands to start feeling better now.

While seeking the help of a therapist is in no way shameful, there are certain tactics you can use on your own. Listen to someone else's iPod or change the radio station to something you don’t normally listen to and branch out into music you don’t know. Why? Listening to music for many individuals can be a cathartic experience, and broadening your horizons can take you somewhere new without ever leaving the room.

Here's a favorite – Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G, Second Movement:

Take a cold shower. It may be a shock at first, but it will distract your nervous system and give you some relief. However, if you absolutely don't feel like you can take the cold, it’s okay. Take a hot shower and rub lotion into your skin for as long as you can. Be sure to incorporate music you don't know into the mix.

It may seem so obvious, but any therapist will tell you that laughing can only help. Watch a good comedy routine and just let yourself feel good.

Here are Obama and Seth Green at the White House Correspondents' Dinner:

Watch flash-mob videos, because your inner spear carrier will thank you. Eat something green…and no, grapes don't count. Put an orange on the table, with the palm of your hand on the orange. Go in circles and you will find that it relaxes your face. Remove yourself completely and walk it out, or rather stomp it out. Remember that depression tends to be at its worst in the mornings but you will start to feel better around 4 p.m.

Depression distorts time and tells you mean stories about the past and the future. Don't believe the nonsense your brain is generating. Therapist Elizabeth Singer, MFA, LP is well aware that you don't want to do any of these things, and you would rather someone do it for you. Don't let depression get you. Shake your fist at the ceiling and rail against the injustice. Do it now!