You want it all to stop, even if for just a second, but that sinking feeling in your stomach just doesn’t go. Nobody can see the storm you’re struggling to get out of. It’s impossible to explain. But tell you what, it passes. It may take days, weeks or even months, but it passes. You may not see it, but there’s always a way out. So, the next time you feel low, try this.

1. The first thing you should be doing is to keep yourself busy. When you’re depressed, you become hopeless and pessimistic, even cynical. It’s best not to ponder over things that would suck you deeper into sadness. Try to do as many things as you can in a single day. Exhaust yourself so the moment you reach your bed, you fall off to sleep.

2. Remind yourself of what you really are and what you can be. Think about all those times when you were really, really proud of yourself. List down every time when you achieved something, no matter how small it may be. Like the time you passed that exam in school with flying colours despite not having studied a word, or the first time you rode that bicycle or that time when you conquered your fear of heights when you attempted your first bungee jump.

3. Find a confidante. You may think nobody understands but given the awareness these days, everybody knows depression is a serious problem. They won’t judge you. It could be your best friend or a family member you really, really trust. Just open up. Talk about how you feel. They’ve known you since you were a kid, they’ve seen you overcome every hurdle, they love you and would do anything to make you happy once again. They’ll remind you of your fighter spirit you seem to have forgotten.

4. Sometimes it may feel that your emotional baggage and the truths you hide may be too much for your loved ones to handle. That fear of being judged and disowned is very understandable. We’ve all been there. Sometimes, it’s best to keep things from people you know. It’s so much easier to talk to a stranger, who knows nothing about you, who doesn’t feel obliged to be nice to you, someone who doesn’t sympathise with you for once, someone who just listens, and understands without judging you. Try making a new friend and confide in them. You’ll be surprised to know how easy it is to open up to someone you know nothing about, someone who knows nothing about you.

5. Watch something funny when you’re alone. No matter how sad life may be, some things never cease to be funny. Like ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S.’. For a moment, just forget all you’re going through in life, sit back and just enjoy. We know it’s easier said than done but it’s definitely worth a try, don’t you think?

6. What’s your favourite food? Order in and indulge in your biggest temptations. It’s okay to pamper yourself a little. We often tend to lose appetite when we’re depressed. Make sure you’re never skipping your meal.

7. Whenever you feel you can’t take it anymore, change something in your life. Get a new haircut or buy something you’ve really wanted. Get a body massage. The happiness may seem momentary and might even actually be, but it’ll do you good in the long run. You just gotta know how to nip those outbursts in the bud.

8. Play with a dog. It’s therapeutic. Spend some time with a furry friend, no matter how miserable you feel about yourself, they’ll always love you like you’re the most perfect person ever. Cuddle them, take them out on a long walk, talk to them. You’ll know a new side to your personality, you’ll know what happiness really means.

9. Days when you feel so suffocated, you just feel like ending your life are common occurrence in depression. Those are the times when you’re the most vulnerable and susceptible to taking impulsive decisions. We understand it may not be the right time to call up your confidante. So, just pick up a pen and paper and write a journal. Pen down your thoughts. It’s your little secret – a chance to say everything you couldn’t possibly say to a person. Be uninhibited. Write down your deepest secrets, your darkest thoughts, your biggest fears. Get it out of your system. It’ll help lessen the emotional baggage.

10. And sometimes, it’s just best to let go. Let the tears roll out, you’ve been holding them for too long. Know that it’s alright to cry, sometimes, even necessary. All that you’ve kept bottled inside you since so long needs to come out. Crying will cleanse your mind and make you feel better instantly. It’ll feel good to have shed some of the mental pressure.

Of course, overcoming depression is a struggle, probably the toughest one of your life, but isn’t that what life is about? Getting out, emerging as a stronger person, defeating everything that stops you. And you’ll come out of it, like all of us do. No, we’re not saying it’s simple. We’re just saying you’re much, much stronger than you think you are.