whats your favorite, low-effort depression hack? I'm talking VERY low effort stuff that packs a mean punch...

Question

Ella McMahan · Answer

One thing each day: I heard something once that’s really helps when I’m feeling depressed: if you know you need to do something simple like cleaning your room when you’re depressed, do one thing each day towards the goal. I’m talking day one is sit up in bed, day two is put your feet on the ground, day 3 stand up, day 4 bend over, day 5 pick one thing up, etc.

you may end up doing more, you may not! But if your goal was just to stand up, doing that alone feels like an accomplishment.

Evan McAvenia · Answer

stretching in the evening!: feels great! only takes a few minutes!

Zoe B · Answer

get your nails did: with or without fanciful designs, up to you, but I always feel more put together and grown-up, and have a slightly better outlook on the world, when I have a manicure. photo from this spring, when my ladybug manicure by my beloved @ladypanda.nyc (on IG) was an instant shot of serotonin every time I looked at my own hands.

Anna · Answer

Be Unreasonably Kind or Generous to Someone: It’s bananas what a mood boost this is. Seeing other people light up packs a punch. Entry level is to give a retail worker or server a very large tip. Harder when you’re down is to engage a stranger in pleasant small talk or really ask someone how they are — make someone feel seen and valued. Level up is to call or write to someone to express your sincere, specific gratitude for them. Feel like you’re part of the world and connected to the flow of it.

Annie Pontarelli · Answer

Keep Your Freezer Stocked: This is more helpful ahead of time of course, but having food, preferably with some vegetables, in my freezer that I could easily heat up has saved me on days when I can't imagine cooking a real meal. I always have a few types of pasta sauce like this kale one because pasta always makes me feel a little bit better.

Jeanine Nault · Answer

Candlelight shower: A bath is too much work for me sometimes. The movement and warmth of the water by candle or a night light can really help me. Bonus if you can get a good cry in there too! Always makes me feel better

JaperMoon · Answer

Sing along to a song you love: As loudly as you can. For me, it’s Fiona Apple every time.

If you cant do this at home, try to find someplace you can, like in a car or in the woods.

Sophia You · Answer

walk: walk out your door then to the next street then to the next street as far as you can go until you have to turn around. if you can do this while listening to music or a podcast you like that’s awesome, but if you’re just wandering in the wind like a victorian ghost in a nightgown (tshirt and sweats) that’s fine too. you might see something that makes you feel another emotion than sadness and if nothing else you’re a depressed person who got some steps in and they can’t ever take that away from you.

Katie · Answer

Just turn on the shower water: That’s it. All you have to do is turn it on. If you do that and then turn it off, you’ve done exactly what you’ve planned and you don’t need to feel guilty. If you do that and then happen to jump in for a shower, that’s a bonus. (When depressed, showering was a huge chore. But little baby, extremely achievable goals helped me reawaken my sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. And 80% of the time, once the water was on, I ended up taking a shower. But the other 20% I just turned it off again and practiced keeping my promise to just do one thing.) if this makes sense?

Mary · Answer

Watch a very scary movie: Feeling scared is feeling something

amy hagedorn · Answer

watch something familiar: there are actual studies about how rewatching things soothes da brain. For me LOTR, Rupaul's Drag Race, or like any teen rom com movie from the 90s/2000s usually helps <3 <3 <3

Jennifer · Answer

Pet a dog: Studies have shown that it's super good for your health and well-being. A good mood booster and also they like it. Everybody wins!

Kate · Answer

Finch app: The Finch app may feel a little silly, but it really works well to gamify the littlest things (brush your teeth, take a deep breath, drink a glass of water) that can be hard to do when feeling extremely low. It can pre-suggest these things very well, and also has calming soundscapes, breathing exercises, little journaling prompts, and other digital self care tools built in.

Valerie · Answer

Drink water, take a shower, eat something: I struggle with severe depression, too. Taking care of myself usually falls through the cracks when I’m really depressed. Over the years I’ve figured out the basic care tasks that make me feel a bit better (yours might be different!) but for me, eating food, drinking a huge cup of water, and taking a shower usually make me feel more alive. Bonus if you have some lotion to slap on. Bigger stuff like taking a walk, journaling, reaching out to a friend etc is more likely to happen if my body has the basic things it needs to function. Good luck ♥️

Anna · Answer

Get yourself near some water: Shower, bath, beach, pool, rain, babbling brook, heck even youtube video of your favorite water based vista.

Rachael · Answer

Saffron Extract: I’m counting down the days until I’m not pregnant anymore. Yes, for a cute baby, but also so I can take my saffron extract again 😭

Regulates my nervous system like nothing else. It also helped my anxiety immensely.

Taking this every day, and buying a really big and delicious cookie. My quick and easy depression hacks 😅 one short term, one long term ha