Dealing with stress and depression

Trying to keep your life from falling apart when you are depressed is difficult. Trying to keep your life from falling apart when you have depression and you are stressed is nearly impossible.

The people around you don’t understand what the combination of both of these things can do to your mood, your body, and your sleeping patterns. They seem to think that it can’t be as bad as it really is, and just expect you to get over it.

I have been battling depression since I was 13 years old, so I know what dealing with stress on top of this is like. I have a few steps that help me when I am feeling overwhelmed with what is going on in my life.

Step 1) Keep a journal and write in it every night. This is very important because there are thoughts and feelings that you can’t really say out loud, or that you don’t want to say out loud.

Step 2) Take a bath. This may seem small, but if you can be in a room by yourself for at least 20 minutes, it helps to clear your head. Make that water as hot as you can stand it, and put a candle with your favorite scent in the bathroom with you.

Step 3) This is the final step, and the most important. You can’t forget to breath. When you are stressed, you have to make sure you breathe. Anxiety goes hand in hand with depression, and if you don’t remember to breath deeply, your chances of having an anxiety attack are heightened. You have to keep telling yourself that no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay, and you will figure it out as you go.

Just remember that life is like a rainstorm. One minute it will be thundering and pouring and the next, a beautiful rainbow comes out and things don’t look quite as dreary.