Hope for the Depressed Woman: Week 4 – Triggers and Tips for Success

August 3, 2015

Welcome to Week 4 of Hope for the Depressed Woman. If you missed the first few posts of this series you can view them here – Week 1: Slow Down, Week 2: Breaking the Silence, and Week 3: Medication or Meditation. Throughout this series I am sharing my personal experience with depression and the things I learned along the way. I don’t share this to glorify myself or to give medical or physical advice (I’m not a doctor or counselor), but I share from a deep place of my heart that once ached with feelings that I could not understand. God has freed me from depression and I hope sharing my personal experience will encourage you if you have struggled in this area of life.

WEEK 4: TRIGGERS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

After months of tears and breakdowns, I was finally armed and ready to avoid ever going back into the dark pit of despair. I have learned that there are certain things I can do to avoid or combat the depressive thoughts that threaten to drag me back into deep depression. I am not assuming everyone’s experience will be the same as mine, but I am sharing my experience in hopes that it will help someone who can relate.

Here are a few major triggers and tips on how to plan for success:

1. Hormonal Changes – Hormones have played a major role in my depression. When my hormones are unbalanced, I am unbalanced. It can mean extreme fatigue, irritability, anxiety and run the gamut all the way to extreme depression.

Planning for success: Mark the calendar. I prepare myself mentally knowing I will need to work harder to be kind and calm. Does this mean I succeed every month without an emotional outburst or breakdown? Of course not. I still have my moments, but they are fewer than they used to be. Mentally preparing yourself can make a huge difference when you feel like lashing out, melting down or locking yourself in the closet with a pan of brownies and box of tissues.

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Proverbs 25:28(ESV)

2. The Weather – The winter months really take a toll on me. Being inside and snuggled up on the couch is nice for a while, but eventually I begin to feel lonely and sometimes blue. If I stay inside too many days in a row I have the tendency to fall back into the trap of depression.

Planning for success: Open the blinds and crank up the music. It’s amazing what natural sunlight does to brighten the room and the mind. I love to stand close to a window and watch God’s creation. There is something about acknowledging my Creator that instantly encourages my heart.Turn up Christ-honoring music and dance in the kitchen like no one is watching (maybe you’re not a dancer, just move). When I allow the sun to shine on my face and the sound of worship to ring in my ears, I want to move. When I move, my mind is energized and I smile. When I smile, I am taking a huge step to combat depression. I know depression is deeper than a smile on the face, but I am just sharing what works for me.

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 43:5(NASB)

3. Tragedy and Heartbreak – There are many things in life that we cannot control. Sometimes circumstances completely paralyze us and quickly send us into a downhill spiral of depression that seems impossible to emerge from.

Planning for success: While there’s no cure all for depression, the Bible does give us hope that we can find peace and rest in God’s presence. I know what it’s like to open my Bible and desperately want God to heal my heart and mind, but feel so distant that I wonder if God even remembers where I live. What I have learned is when I continually seek Him, I eventually find Him. It might be hard for those who have not experienced depression to understand this, but it’s the truth. If you are feeling like God is not hearing your desperate cry, continue to seek Him. Day by day, moment by moment.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13(KJV)

If you are experiencing depression and these tips just make life seem more complicated, you need to seek help. Please reach out to a professional who can help you get on the path to managing life and healing.

If you have been through depression, PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND TIPS on how you avoid going back into that dark place in the comments below.

So many women are suffering and your story might be the thing that gives them the hope they are looking for!