Hey friends, I've been a little quiet here lately. And maybe just a little quiet in general.
Like so many people out there, this novel coronavirus and the stay at home order triggered depression for me.
At first I just thought I was tired, maybe just lacking motivation. But after weeks of isolation, I knew exactly what was wrong. Depression is a monster I've come to know and understand.
Like so many people out there, I found myself suddenly crying a lot for no reason at all, with no appetite, seeking comfort in a glass of wine, and actually angry at myself for not getting more done.
My to-do lists I wrote out glared at me, and my inner critic who only values me for how much I can get done in a day scoffed at my lack of productivity. The less I got done, the worse I felt about myself, the less motivated I felt to do anything at all.
The thing about depression is, the hardest things to do are the things that help the most.
Luckily, I've beat this beast before. So even though it was hard, I knew what would help.
Today I woke up without crying. I got out of bed and looked at what I needed to get done for the day without worrying or making back up plans for if I just couldn't. I didn't need to put on make up before I taught on zoom because there wasn't evidence of tears to hide. I am okay.
I consider myself lucky. I have my yoga practice, my meditation practice, opportunities to walk outside in beautiful weather, and a lot of family close by. I have this incredible community on Instagram of humans I've never met in person but feel real connections with. But I'm luckiest to have a partner that loves me and supports me through anything and everything. He's seriously my hero and I'm so happy I get to do life with him.
If you're struggling through these times, know that you're not alone. We are in unchartered waters and that may trigger you.
You are not broken. You are not alone. You can beat this.
These are my top six tips for dealing with depression during the novel coronavirus. The stay at home orders make it tough to reach out in ways you may have before, but different doesn’t mean impossible.
If you’re experiencing severe depression, please reach out to a licensed therapist. So many amazing therapists that maybe you couldn’t see before are now offering online sessions. Take advantage of their expertise!
Move your body.
When you’re battling depression, getting out of bed may feel like a feat all by Itself. Rolling out your yoga mat? Doesn’t even cross your mind.
But believe me, movement is so necessary to shake the stagnant energy out of your body. Studios and gyms are closed, but luckily there are infinite amounts of free and affordable online classes available at any time. Exercising releases endorphins that make you feel good - and actually give you energy.
I found that I would get on my mat and turn on a video but then not always follow through with doing it. My motivation would get me as far as searching for a video and pressing play, but sometimes couldn’t take me farther than that.
That’s where live yoga classes come in. Many studios are offering live classes via Zoom and other platforms where your teacher can see you practicing. Teachers can give you personal verbal assists and you get that yoga community feel without breaking the stay at home orders.
I teach live classes almost daily. You can join me and other amazing teachers on Downtown on the Move for a library of recorded classes plus live classes daily.
If yoga isn’t your thing, try a HIIT class, Pilates, Bootcamp, Barre, or even just turn on some loud music and dance until you sweat!
Get outside.
Sunshine is so healing, especially when your inner world feels dark. To pull myself out of depression this time around, I took two walks a day. Parks are still open around me so usually I take one walk around a park nearby, and one around my neighborhood. It feels good to be outside, get some sun, and move your body. The change of scenery will do your body and your mind good.
If you have a fur baby, bring them along - they’ll love it and it’ll give you someone to feel accountable to. Taking care of your pets is another helpful tool for getting out of depression.
Stay socially connected, but physically distanced.
Isolation is a form of punishment in prisons. We are not meant to be alone.
Your mental health depends on staying socially connected, while your physical health depends on being physically distanced.
Luckily for us, there are so many apps and services out there that make face time possible even during the pandemic. It’s important to not only hear your loved ones, but to see their faces too. Schedule a zoom call or facetime call with friends or family. I’ve had brunch with friends who live across the country, played games with my sister in California, and had a weekly check in with friends that live across town. Have a virtual house party.
Practice gratitude.
Every day, write down three things you’re grateful for.
Maybe today you’re grateful for toilet paper, a comfortable bed, and internet. It doesn’t have to be anything big.
Take a moment each day truly feel grateful for something. The more you practice feeling gratitude, the stronger the neural pathways that give you the spontaneous experience of gratitude become. The happiest people are truly the most grateful.
Create a routine.
These stay at home orders have shaken up our routines. We have a new normal. So we have to establish a new normal routine.
Now isn’t the time to create a superhero routine that the most productive version of you could barely stick to.
Now is the time to create a simple framework that you can easily fall into that will give you a sense of normalcy.
For example, my morning routine involves getting up, scraping my tongue and brushing my teeth, making a celery juice and a coffee, drinking those, and journaling a bit. That’s it for now. It used to involve yoga, breath work, meditation, Ayurvedic practices, cold showers, journaling…. but when I was in a dark place, just getting up was hard enough.
So rather than set myself up for failure and expect a lot out of myself, I treated myself like I’d treat a friend. If I got out of bed and did those three things, that was one success for the day.
I also found that I needed set meal times and a nightly routine and bedtime. Once I added those, I started to feel like myself again. Little by little.
Find a therapist or support group.
Especially if you are already experiencing symptoms of depression, it’s important to get online and find a therapist or support group. Now more than ever it is easiest to find online therapy. Take advantage of it. You do not have to do this alone.
Stay happy & healthy while staying at home, friends! Sending you all big virtual hugs.