What are some quick ways to relieve depression?

Blowjobs.

Do you exercise? Go to the gym?

I find that a good session of cardio (running on the treadmill or stairclimber) or lifting weights can get my mind focused on other things and relieve some of my stress and anxiety.

Fish oil.

Write down a Gratitude list every morning - a sincere, earnest list of 10 things for which you are grateful. Read the list throughout the day and be genuinely grateful for those things. Repeat every morning. It sounds hokey but it really works.

Regular exercise if you don’t have a health condition that makes it too difficult. It will go a long way in making you feel better.

And again I’ll assert that a few experiences with ayahuasca reset my whole world view and honestly eradicated a lifetime of depression and suicidal ideation.

Get out of the house!! Seriously. Even if you can't walk or exercise, go to some place where you are not surrounded by four walls. If you can get to a park or some other place of beauty, fine, but at least put yourself somewhere where you can see trees and an expanse of sky. Then try to relax your body and take a series of ten slow deep breaths.

Pop Tarts and massages.

Sunshine and exercise. Low vitamin D is linked to depression.

I do this:

Going for a walk/hike. It gets my circulation going and fresh air is always good. The sun gives me also Vitamine D. A cup of coffee afterwards. You need to get your ass up and leave your shell. I know it's so hard.

Or as R2 said working out although the gym makes me more depressing. I prefer working out on the fresh air like running or biking.

Vitamin D and St. John’s wort did nothing for my depression. Exercise always helped it but had to be done consistently and regularly. Alcohol made it worse. Klonopin made it worse. Zoloft numbed my emotions and made me feel less sad but after a while less alive, which led me back down a dark road of “what am I even here for?” Wellbutrin made me giddily happy, and turned out essentially to be speed, and after several months caused extreme sweating, hot flashes and 20-pound weight gain. Pharmaceutical psychotropics can be useful in the short term but I think they fuck up the body and mind with long-term use. Psychedelics hold great potential for permanently curing anxiety and depression among many people.

Sunshine, fresh air and exercise always make me feel better. Can you get a pet or visit with someone who has pets?

Well, since you asked . . .

Ketamine infusions help many people, including me, immediately.

I second exercise if you can’t do cardio or weights a walk outside breathing fresh air helps.

[Quote] And again I’ll assert that a few experiences with ayahuasca reset my whole world view and honestly eradicated a lifetime of depression and suicidal ideation.

What did you see?

If you want a permanent resolution to your depression addiction, OP, you’ll need to do a deep dive into your psyche and find a path beyond conventional medicine, which is designed *not* to get you over your hurdle.

R12, my goodness!

R6 here; many depressives cannot go straight to exercise, even walking; it's like asking a painter to go from finger paints to "Starry Night." But they can just GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE HOUSE. A mental shift takes place from indoors to outdoors, which can be very soothing if one just REMAINS STILL instead of attempting to force oneself into exercise, which can be very daunting and can deepen depression further if you "fail"

Once outside, remain STILL and soothe yourself by just taking the outdoors in, no matter where you are. Focusing on an expanse of sky or large trees can go a long way to quieting the chatter in the mind. It is a sensory experience, just take it in. Then start pulling in those deep breaths slowly; relax your body and quiet your mind. If it's sunny, great, but experience whatever nature is doing at that point. It just rained where I am and the air is fresh and feels scrubbed. Sometimes light wind and breezes feel good as you experience them. Obviously you can't go out in a raging storm, but most of the time nature is welcoming. Don't feel pressured to DO anything - just experience it outside of the confines of walls.

And for the love of God, even if you're an animal lover, now is not the time to start wrestling with some new PET, esp one you are not familiar with. And DO NOT go through that tortuous regimen of useless drugs described by poor R10!!

Just experience the comfort of STILLNESS, which includes quieting the internal chatter (Buddhists call it "monkey mind") and relax your body with the deep breathing. As I said, this really works, and gives you some much needed respite from your "self."

I have suffered from low-grade depression my entire life. Sometimes it's worse than others. It is a cliché and others have mentioned it, but nothing works better than exercise, even just a half mile walk to the store. I used to wait tables, and I would find that my depression disappeared as soon as I started to work, and had to walk around the restaurant, and did not think about myself.

The only things that work are those things that depression explicitly makes difficult or impossible.

1) Getting out in the world, out in the sun, reaching out to friends, having lunch or dinner with others

2) Getting exercise

3) Asking your doctor for help, for prescriptions, for referrals to therapy

I know for a fact all these things will help. I'm also depressed and I know for a fact I'm not going to be doing any of them becaue depression itself makes it damn near impossible.

Yes, isolation is the best nutrition for your parasitic depression.

Do something for somebody else. Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Buy the local homeless coffee. Overtip.

What R6 said. That should be the first step. Then work on exercise getting therapy if you can.

exercise AND getting therapy ^^

"Forest bathing," aka gentle nature walks, helps me TREMENDOUSLY

We need to be surrounded by plants and our feet have to touch the Earth on a regular basis. Laugh but it’s true.

Join local environmental group or "friends of [your local park]" helps too

Get off the internet for starters.

Masturbating, internet trolling, call a helpline, stop sulking, make a list of everything positive in your life and start seeing the glass as half full.

Honestly everyone gets depressed at some point in life, suck it up and find a coping mechanism.

Unless you're a broke, homeless ugly midget with a micro penis there is no reason to be depressed.

Masturbation to orgasm.

I think you got great suggestions - exercise, yoga, walk, sunshine, gratitude list, volunteering, hard work, pets. Don't do drugs unless your depression is linked to bi-polar. See a nutritionist - maybe your diet can be improved and help your state of mind Hospitals look for cuddlers for newborns - find something you like that takes your mind off of you. Count your blessings - and don't do anything stupid. Hang in OP.

Exercise in an environment where you don't get to judge yourself. (Cross training if you are an athlete, if you are not athletic this usually means getting outdoors to exercise.)

If you are physically unable to exercise a companion animal is the next best option for managing spikes in a depressive mood. Horses are genuinely the best anti-depressant followed by dogs.

Money is the only thing that can cure you.

Make yourself go through the motions of productivity. Take a shower, shave, brush your teeth, get dressed, clean up your place. They're mindless activities but are immediate samples of your control over your life.

Buy yourself a colorful, red scarf.

Church

Put on a happy face.

r33 ≠ Kate Spade

Try out diet changes. For example we have severely limited sugar intake and carb intake. I've lost about 10lbs so far. And I'm happier.

Switch to a plant-based diet.

Drag, ice cream, and disco.

All the things noted above (exercise, diet changes, etc), but also set some short-term achievable goals - that makes you feel like you're accomplishing something. I feel energized when I feel like I've met certain goals and objectives.

Here's one that helps me: do NOT listen to your favorite music.

When I'm very depressed, listening to my favorite genres makes me even more depressed. Focuses me on the past and the passage of time.

I read some interview with Kim Gordon where she said she listened to lots of rap when she was going through an atrocious divorce from the Sonic Youth guy.

So I tried it -- it works.

It is so foreign to me that I can just let the rhythm of it and the humorous or clever or braggadocio lyrics wash over me and it clears the mind.

Nowadays too you can google the lyrics to figure out what they are talking about which is an additional distraction.

Also, zoloft.

23 years? Get to a therapist and he or she might refer you to psychiatrist even for short term drug therapy. Everything else is bullshit. All these other sops are for occasional light depression. But almost a quarter of a century? You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Here's a quick way I've just learned about: Prāṇāyāma, the spiritual practice of breath control. Ignore the woman in the image linking to the article, prāṇāyāma is an ancient practice and yogic discipline. Typically prāṇāyāma is practised after the physical movements of asanas, so your body benefits from some relaxing activity prior to the breath practice.

Getting out of town for a few days does wonders. Even if it's just a weekend trip. Being in new surroundings will get you out of your head a little bit and help to gain a bit of perspective. I tend to walk a lot when I'm in a new city as well, which also lifts the mood. Creative hobbies are helpful too - photography, painting, music, whatever floats your boat.

There's lots of studies which show that getting more sunlight, exercise (30 minutes of brisk daily walking) and excellent quality, fresh foods are a quick fix for depression OP.

Listen to “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. It’s impossible to be depressed after that.

Get a roomful of puppies!

I just heard these on a podcast (sober guy radio), worth a shot. Yes it’s focused on living a sober life but these can be applied to anyone. I’m not alcohol free but I am way way more depressed and panicky when I’m hungover.

t1.tGet your ass up early

t2.tFirst thought gratitude

t3.tDrink a glass of water with Lemon

t4.tRead for 10 minutes

t5.tPray/Meditate for 10 minutes

t6.tExercise (for me it was walk the dog, then go on a 30 minute run)

t7.tEat some healthy shit (continue eating healthy shit throughout the day)

t8.tCall a friend (or connect with just one person who you’ve lost touch with)

t9.tGo to a meeting (or find a podcast)

t10.tEnd night with tea, water, reading, meditating, prayer, conversation etc.)

Adding: eliminate toxic people, therapy, road trip out of town, or making plans you can look forward to. Lately I realized that some days I’m feeling really low I do NOT speak to another human being. (Wake up, work which is solitary, home, gym, bed). Try to make an effort to at least say hello to people. It helps a little.

Also - love the idea of making small obtainable goals to achieve.

Are you fat?

I have to agree with r43 ‘s first two paragraphs.

I have to be in a good or improving mental state to listen to my favorite music.

Otherwise I descend into the abyss. It’s like I’m grieving or something.

I watch a double feature of “The Sound of Music” and “The Trouble With Angels”.

Seriously.

I remember a study came out a few years ago that daily walks, sunlight (of course, you could walk in the sun), and fish oil were as effective, if not more, than prescription antidepressants. The trick, as has been mentioned up thread, is getting yourself up and out to do these things when you're depressed. It's a head fake, you just have to get out there.

Make yourself shower, preferably in the morning, every day, no matter what. Make you're bed and don't eat foods that make you hate yourself.

Inherit a lot of money!

R43 thank you! I always thought that was my imagination but music always sent me into a tailspin when I was depressed. I could always tell when I felt better because that’s when I would play my favorite music again.

R55 here, make your* bed, obviously. That and a shower help set the tone for the day. If you can't swing a morning shower every day, at least take a quick rinse that night. Make yourself do these things. These are just small acts of self respect that you should make a habit.

Treat yourself to some self-improvement purchase, teeth-whitening strips or a nicer than usual shaving cream. It might not feel natural at first to take better care yourself, but fake it til you make it.

St John's Wort tea (2 bags). Seriously. I am not clinically depressed, but it helped a lot with caffeine withdrawal depression which sucked big time.

Lots of good suggestions above. I would recommend a multi-vitamin as well. Lots of vitamins figure into state of mind. Also get your thyroid levels checked when you next see a doctor.

Did someone call me?

Go to a gym or a fancy spa, go to the steam room and sauna (no, not to fuck) and get a massage and exfoliation.

Then go have some hot soup and go to bed early.

A long nap, an hour on the treadmill, cleaning your apartment and sorting your stuff, watching tv shows or documentaries if they work as a distraction for you. If you have anxiety try cutting out caffeine. Do go to the doctor though, Prozac helps me so much and I can function like a normal person thanks to it

Don't sleep one whole night.

Do not do this regularly.

After you get a very temporary reprieve by being awake one night, find a decent shrink. Read up on the loss of REM sleep by staying awake one night.

Exercise helps me a lot. And weights especially.

Ask bourdain! He has permanent relief tips.

Sam-e helps some people, you can get it anywhere. Cryotherapy if you have a center near you. If you have apathetic type depression vs anxious, lower carbs and more protein. Being in sunlight. Activity if you can make yourself do something. I know you said no drugs but some 'natural' drugs like mushrooms are said to help, create more brain connections.

The one thing I MUST emphasize from personal experience.

Get to a doctor, even a general practitioner.

And LISTEN if they say try a med.

The meds can and do work.

I speak from experience.

Are you a messy depressed person? Set a timer for ten minutes and just clean like hell for ten minutes every day.

No phone, no snacks, no fiddling with the TV, just clean. It's only ten minutes. You can get a lot done in ten minutes if you move.

Sweep/vaccum & swiffer your kitchen and wipe the counters down one night. Dust and wipe down outlets and lightswitches another night. Clean toilet and wipe down sink area and faucet another night. Consolidate/throw out papers, clean out refrigerator another night. Ten minutes!

Make bed. Shower daily. Clean like hell for ten minutes a day. Small, self-improvement indulgences here and there.

It won't cure anyone, but these are things anyone can do and they'll certainly help a lot.

On any given night when you know you will be alone and undisturbed...

1) change your bedlinens and take a piping hot shower (using any particular lotions you love), 2) unplug all devices/screens and remove them from your bedroom, 3) put on your silkiest underthings and get into bed, 4) fix the sexiest, most natural erotic image that turns you on personally into your mind, 5) hyper focus on this fantasy and edge over it, for as long as you possibly can (and as loud).

You won’t be depressed after you come that way. It’s also a tried and tested way to beat Xanny withdrawals.

R71- Posting from some Sex Addiction Clinic in Arizona

Ice-cold non-alcoholic drinks can take the edge off a little from moment to moment.

I agree with R43 about not listening to the old songs you loved and seeking out new music instead. For me though, I started listening to classical and Early Music. I feel like I am learning something, too. And the music is uplifting - better for depression.

i got depressed when i got my heart broken several years ago. I dont know why , or if I heard that advice somewhere - but i started jogging. Honestly, my depression was gone. that quickly.

My partner uses CBD Oil for anxiety. It helps people with all kinds of issues, emotional and physical.

Piano wire.

[quote]the gym makes me more depressed.

The awful music alone would do me it. I don't know how I put up with those places for as long as I did. There was one with no music except what you carried with you, but that was only one out of IDK, six gyms I've belonged to.

If you live in the countryside, walking in nature is nice.

Walking in cities aren't as fun anymore because they are rundown and people are dressed badly. They have also gotten rid of independent stores.

That "people are dressed badly" depresses you to the extent you don't go walking? Oh, my.

watch funny videos

My saviours out of a pit of several years were 18 months of taking daily high-grade 10,000IUD vitamin D supplements, eating a very basic diet of fruit/vegetables with grains and cutting coffee/bread/meat, and finally moving away from my family/town of origin to do something more challenging elsewhere. My depression mostly had to do with hormones and adrenal toxicity/stress, but I was also stuck in a rut.

Sometimes I feel as if I am suspended in mid-air with nothing down beneath except the end of the world.

Acupuncture, OP. A few years ago, I got very depressed. I decided to try acupuncture as a way to mitigate the problem. The first session lasted an hour. I got three different set-ups with the needles. I felt great by the time it was over and continued to be energized all through the day and into the night. That euphoria passed after a few days, but I was still not nearly as bad as I had been prior to the acupuncture. I worked out a schedule with the doctor that was twice a week for two months, then once a week for two months ,then every other week for two months. Nothing has ever worked for me the way that did.

OP, most of these answers don't seem to really get the "Stuff that requires mental energy is often impractical." bit. People in general don't seem to grasp how utterly debilitating a serious depression can be. If you can't even get out of bed, almost none of the suggestions offered are even possible. When I was that low, the best thing I could do was be kind to myself and just coddle myself as much as possible. Snuggle down in your bedding, put your favourite movie or dvd on or watch cat videos on the internet. Whatever your favourite distraction is, go with it. When you feel able, make yourself a coffee , tea, hot chocolate, whatever you enjoy most. Treat yourself like you have a bad case of the flu.

I know a lot of people reading this will say that this is bad advice and just giving in to the depression. Garbage. Trying to make yourself do more productive things, like take a shower or change your bed linen when you just can't is only going to add guilt and self-recrimination to your already depressed mood. Until someone has been so depressed that they literally don't have the energy to get out of bed, they can't understand and so they should keep their opinions to themselves, especially fuckwits like R29.

R76, are you in California? I want to try CBD but it seems like the “good” kind isn’t legal where I live.

Bump

The gym helps a lot. Even very short workouts under 30 mins. Gets the blood pumping which clearly out some stress hormones sitting in the bloodstream, and makes yo feel like you accomplished something positive.

Hiking also helps

True r88

I also recommend having your testosterone levels checked. If it's not the cause of your depression, it can help alleviate side effects from depression and drug therapies (like limp dick or misfiring) and encourage your compliance with drug therapy. Also treatment's relatively fast compared to behavior therapy or antidepressants and, if it's the cause, you should notice an improvement in weeks.

If you're not compulsive or given to addiction, and can get yourself out of the house, I vote playing Powerball. If you can afford six dollars a week, play a single $3 ticket during each drawing (there are two drawings per week). I find it a poor man's antidepressant in as much as it's entertaining to fantasize sometimes and you actually have a -chance- at winning, but it's definitely quick and cheaper than sustained therapies. If you are totally broke, compulsive, or addictive, please ignore this advice, as your chance of winning is miniscule and not worth the risk to yourself or your finances.

Can you get outside and walk a block or so? I started by walking to the mailbox and back and added a few steps each day. Getting out of the house and walking is free and really helps my mood.

I don't think there is a cure for depression. It is a serious medical condition. It is more like fighting against it, which can be frankly more exhausting. Bad therapists make it worse. You can make time and peace for yourself, siting outside in the Sun and MOON light. Both are a nice little elixir.

I think the best way to deal with depression, is to say I have depression. This is me now. You learned to be depressed because life is not all rainbows and lollypops. And who wants to live in a fake reality? But, the beautiful and awe of sunlight on this earth and the Cosmos are also reality.

An endless loop of "Walking on Sunshine", "Put on a Happy Face", The Sound of Music, and The Trouble with Angels would be a very special trip to the Ninth Circle of Hell.

Simple.....

This saves my life:

Snuggle with a dog or cat. Preferably one that you own.

Stop looking for validation. 29 years depressed? Gurl, you must be joking, or thoroughly messed up and people around you don't just slap you silly. You are depressed, you know why, do something about it.

Nature walks and just being with people helps a lot!!

Regular good sleep does help, because lack of sleep can contribute to depression. But you also need to have a regimented routine, going to sleep at a certain time, gettign up at a certain time. Certain amout of exericse is important, as is doing proper upkeep around you home. Cleaning, tidying some cooking. A messy house also contributes to feeling bad. Go out and take walks whenever you can, talk to and see friends regularly. Treat yourself to something out of the ordinary from time to time, a good movie, a good meal, a trip to a museum, or go out of town. Breaking up your routine occassionaly to not get into a rut is as important as have a routine.

Sleep, exercise really helps, healthy diet, vitamin deficiencies have been linked to depression so a multivitamin couldn't hurt, orgasms

What keeps mine in check:

I bought a bike. I ride it twice a day, just anywhere, usually an hour in the morning and an hour in the early evening. No goals, no getting somewhere, just ride and turn around when you feel like it.

Do you live near the ocean? I spend one day every two weeks, all day at the beach. Again, just go and have no plan, no expectations. Try to lie under an umbrella close your eyes and just deep breath and relax.

Do go to a gym. Don't make an aggressive schedule. Just start at one day a week maybe. Do the treadmill. Then some days start lifting some weights.

I stopped taking an antidepressant. I do take a Xanax every once in w awhile.

See if you can get to a shrink. My sessions went on for about 8 years. I was seriously fucked up.

Make some small plans. Something that will not cause you stress. Try to not be so hard on yourself. Cut yourself some slack.

Something mindless, colorful, and fun like a finger painting kit or spirograph. The craft store has a lot of fun things that don't cost much. Just walking through and looking at the stuff can lift your mood.

No booze - it is a depressant after all

R95 learning how to breathe ('Bellows') and sit properly (Zazen) using Qi Gong gave me newfound energy and flexibility after an entire adolescence of depression, abuse, ennui and unfortunate pharmaceutical run-ins. Even my mind feels like it's back to the quickness I had as a pre-teen.

I'm not even hardcore about the practise and that's all I knew how to do for ages (I don't know all that much more now, really, teaching myself in spare evenings/days off from an ebook), but just reworking those two fundamentals helped reduce my stress/anxiety/depression drastically and furthermore helped fix the nerves/muscles in my spine and legs that awful manual jobs were fucking up. I'm not far off 30 years old but after a couple of years of very casual practise I feel as limber and energetic and calm as I did before puberty. I can hardly believe just a bit of regular stretching and focussed breathing could do what it has done for me.

I've recently started trying out Deer Pose to see if it can help sort my dythsmic/PCOS-y symptoms out next.

antiu-depressants. Do not fuck with alternatives. This is serious business.

Get out of the house. Go outside walk around. Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. Don't eat things that cause inflammation like too many bad carbs or sugary things. Yes, Alcohol is bad. Talk to people. Interact socially. If that means you go to the mall and talk to salespeople WTF ever but get some social interaction of some kind. And make a plan. Every single day, do something. If that means listening to music, going to a movie, eating breakfast out, make sure you bathe and dress every day. Those are my suggestions.

go to the gym every day and really work up a sweat..........have a routine in place where you do a series of activities each day in addition to the gym, keep busy, dont lounge in bed, dont overeat...........dont do drugs or drink and see if being on a strict regiment helps.

Watch Bridesmaids

bump for more Depression relief ideas, in this age of loneliness, climate anxiety, and Democracy under threat

Ashwagandha has been a help for me. Never been a fan of herbal solutions when a chemical option is available but I gave it a shot and it helps, especially for getting a good night’s sleep.

I was diagnosed several years ago with severe anxiety, and either persistent depressive disorder or major depressive disorder, depending on who was treating me at the time.

I've been through several doctors, and tried a variety of meds and counseling - which included Celexa & Zoloft, but what ultimately ended up working for me personally was Prozac. It's not a wonder drug, and in and of itself won't magically cure depression, but it helped dampen some of the anxiety spikes for me.

Counseling did in fact help me (though I was always skeptical about it before hand).

Working to improve your health certainly helps and boosts your confidence, but I would also suggest taking inventory of the people in your life and weeding out those causing you stress.

i masturbate to (str8) double anal.

Volunteer, seriously, with some kids and have fun being silly and curious with them all day.

Kittens, buy 2 lil baby kittens and expand your life i to a fur family.

Smoke a giant fat joint and put on the simpsons season 2-9

disregard the stupid assed suggestions at r113.

Not a solution but a help for me was getting tested for food allergies. Turns out I was allergic to almonds so all the raw almonds, almond butter, almond milk I was eating was adding to my brain fog, body aches and general lethargy. When I cut out the almonds I had a little more energy to devote to helping myself.

B Complex can give a little energy boost, I like the Doctor's Best Fully Active B Complex, good price and quality ingredients and contains the more effective form of B12.

You probably already know to get your thyroid checked.

watch double-anal and jack off.

Acupuncture, OP.

I've struggled with depression for a number of years, related to PTSD. A couple of years ago, the PTSD got triggered in an unusually severe way. It was awful. I knew my physician also was trained in Chinese medicine, so I called him. He told me that acupuncture is sometimes very useful. So, the next day, I crawled into his office and had my first experience with acupuncture.

In an hour, he did three different set-ups with his needles placed in various places all over my body. Sometimes I felt the needles, but other times, I did not feel them at all. There was nothing that I could fairly characterize as pain. The doctor told me that I might feel very fatigued later in the day, or I might feel energized. I got energized. I felt great at 6 p.m. Still great at 10 p.m. At 2 a.m., I was still wide awake and feeling really good about things. It was the most unexpected outcome, but it was real.

I worked with him twice a week for a month. Then once a week for a month. Then once every other week for a month. And then we were done. It was enormously useful to me. The immediate intervention in the cycle of depression was greatly appreciated. And over the course of three months, the depression subsided. I still go do my talk therapy every week, but nothing like that crisis moment has returned since the dayI started the acupuncture.

No drugs. No surgery. No ECT. There is no reason for anyone not to give this a try. Do try to find an experienced and well-trained practitioner.

Get out of house. Exercise. See and talk to people. Jerk off before you go out or after, which ever makes you cum. Also, get body work - vigorous massage that resolves knots.

Exposure to nature. Getting out of the house and finding a way to concentrate on what is beautiful and innocent in nature, it's a way to get your mind off yourself and onto something that makes you appreciate how lovely life can be. I find that going birdwatching or photographing nature during a walk or hike takes my mind off myself and relieves depression.

Hire a smoking hot escort for the evening.

Do K