4 Ways to Cope with Depression Days

Mental illness in college is something that many of us struggle with, with the most common afflictions being depression and anxiety. Personally, I know my depression by the way that it keeps me rooted to my bed, exhausted and unmotivated to accomplish much of anything.

If this sounds familiar to you, you probably also know how impossible it can be to live with this mental illness. You have classes to go to, a job or internship you have obligations to, friends and family that are worried about you. It’s hard.

Because there will always be a day where you’d rather be a hermit instead of pretend to be okay, here are some ways to make your depression days easier on yourself:

Table of Contents

1. Shower, but make it easy

Sometimes, the simplest things that we take for granted in our daily routine are the hardest to accomplish on depression days. On the days that I stay in bed because of my mental demons, the first thing to get thrown away is my hygiene routine.

The way that I’ve solved this is by reducing my routine to a few simple steps so that I don’t feel overwhelmed. For instance, instead of my usual shampoo and conditioner, I reach for a 2-in-1, or on the really tough days, I just the dry shampoo. Instead of worrying about washing my face, I grab a face wipe. (I love Burt’s Bees face wipes for these kinds of days.)

These changes are enough to keep me feeling fresh and stop me from feeling worse than I would have if I skipped out, without forcing myself to spend all my limited energy on getting ready for the day.

2. Find a way to get all the nutrients that you need.

If you find yourself without an appetite on your depression days, there are several ways to make sure you get the nourishment you need.