Everyone feels down from time to time. That’s life. But what happens when certain situations become so overwhelming that you feel yourself falling into despair? Is it possible for a single occurrence in our lives to drive us to depression?
The answer is a resounding yes.
In fact, if you’ve been dealing with tough times lately and have been left feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope, it might just be possible that you’re experiencing what is called situational (or reactive) depression.
So, what can you do about it? And what is situational depression in the first place? Let’s find out.
What Is Situational Depression?
According to the American Psychological Association, the term depression denotes a “negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism, and despondency that interferes with daily life.”
However, while most people know that depression is a long-term feeling or state, situational depression is slightly different.
Namely, situational depression is a short-term occurrence that happens due to being exposed to stressful situations, traumatic events, or a rough period in your life. Some sources call it an adjustment disorder because it stems from an inability to adjust to certain types of negative events in one’s life.
But when, exactly, does situational depression occur?
Many situations can cause reactive or situational depression. These include stressful periods at work or school, illness, loss, financial challenges, relationship issues, or even general day-to-day stress.
Situational depression is a short-term occurrence that happens due to being exposed to stressful situations, traumatic events, or a rough period in your life.
What Are the Symptoms of Situational Depression?
Just like with a depressive disorder, the symptoms of situational depression vary from person to person. Nonetheless, there are a few common ways this state of mind manifests itself.
Situational depression can cause:
- Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and being overwhelmed.
- The inability to enjoy activities that used to provide fulfillment.
- Periods of uncontrolled crying.
- Anxiety, worrying, and stress.
- Disordered sleeping.
- Appetite changes.
- Difficulty focusing and carrying out daily activities.
- Social anxiety and apathy.
- Suicidal thoughts
Treating Situational Depression
If you’ve been suffering from the symptoms listed above or have been dealing with a large amount of stress lately, the best course of action is to see a professional.
While you could turn to a doctor for medication therapy, the better course of action for dealing with situational depression is psychotherapy. Because therapy focuses on teaching you how to develop and enhance your coping mechanisms, it can be the key to preventing future occurrences of situational depression.
What You Can Do on Your Own
Naturally, the fact that situational depression is best treated with the help of a professional doesn’t mean that there aren’t things you can do at home. Simple behavioral changes can go a long way and help you cope with stressful situations (that are bound to happen in everyone’s life).
1. Yoga
Something as uncomplicated as taking up yoga can go a long way in helping you treat situational depression. Not only is this form of exercise an excellent method to relieve stress, but scientific research has found that it can also be effective at treating depression.
2. Sleep
Another impactful thing you can do to treat situational depression is prioritizing sleep hygiene. Insomnia is associated with an increased risk of depression. So, ensuring that you’re getting enough high-quality sleep every night is crucial when treating reactive depression.
Small changes like limiting blue light exposure at night, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and choosing a comfortable mattress can help you get a better night’s sleep and instantly feel better in the morning.
3. Nutrition
Eating well is another excellent strategy for coping with situational depression. In fact, a diet rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, lean protein (like fatty fish, turkey, tuna, and chicken), and healthy fats will all help you keep your body and mind in a happy and healthy state.
If you don’t feel like making drastic changes to your diet, that’s completely understandable. However, make sure you avoid excessive carb and sugar intake and limit how often you cope with stress with emotional eating.
4. Nature
Another scientifically-proven strategy for combatting depression is spending time in nature.
On the one hand, this is because being outside provides an opportunity to get sun exposure, which raises vitamin D levels (and vitamin D has been found to have a relationship with depression). Considering this, it’s safe to say that planning to spend somewhere between 10 and 60 minutes outside makes for an excellent strategy for helping yourself feel better.
On the other hand, the benefits of being in nature are not just physical. Studies have shown that spending time outside boosts your mood, reduces stress, and improves creativity. So, it’s safe to say that there are no drawbacks to going for a nature walk. Even if it’s for a short one.
5. Mindfulness
Lastly, as you explore ways to cope with situational depression, you must not forget about the most impactful thing you can do. And that is to actively work on helping yourself feel better.
- You might find that practicing mindfulness helps you stay in the moment and notice all the beautiful things surrounding you (even if they’re infinitely small).
- Or, you might discover that keeping a gratitude journal helps you remember all the good things going on around you and prevents you from getting lost in a sea of stressful situations.
- Meditation and breathing exercises can also be helpful because they force you to be present and to focus on something as simple and calming as the action of breathing.
- Seeking out opportunities to talk to your friends and loved ones will help you improve your mood. Social interaction is beneficial to mental health; plus, it gives you an opportunity to voice your emotional state. That will, inevitably, allow you to look at things from a different perspective.
- Finally, don’t underestimate the positive impact of creative expression. Whether you decide to start journaling, painting, making music, or taking up a hobby such as making crafts, you can rest assured that you’ll feel better.
Final Thoughts
When you’re feeling depressed, it often seems like you’re going through things alone. But the truth is, that’s as far from reality as possible.
In fact, statistical data shows that the number of U.S. adults reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety has risen by a whopping 30% between January 2019 and January 2021.
So, if you think that you’re going through a bout of situational depression, do not despair. Not only are you not alone, but as you can see from the tips above, there are actual proven-to-work strategies you can start implementing to help yourself feel better.
Sure, the best way forward is to get the help of a professional therapist. But there’s still plenty that you can do yourself. So why not give it a go right away?
