How I Manage My Depression

MedCircle Host, Kyle Kittleson, discusses living with Depression and reveals 3 (less obvious) ways he manages feelings of depression. Outside of therapy and medications, Kyle explains how he leverages radical acceptance, behavioral activation, and intentional distractions to help manage his depression.

#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthmatters #depression #depressed #majordepressivedisorder

[Anyoneoutthere]

I never seem to get a break from how I’m feeling no matter what I’m doing. It’s so frustrating. It’s like my mind won’t forget how I feel. No matter what.

[nataliegrimes]

I love to take free local classes at the Public Library. It's a good way for me to get out of the house & try something new! Recently, I did a watercolor painting session with kind people of all ages & we just learned together. It was freeing 💌

[cozycomfy]

Thank you. Having cancer, I distract myself with knitting....it becomes meditative. Having been depressed for many many years, on meds, but still get down days, walking also helps.

[patteegee]

Thank you Kyle for doing this video. I, too, have lived with major depression since childhood. Unfortunately my family never sought help for me and instead ridiculed me which caused me to feel defective, unloved and unloveable. I finally sought help for myself as a young adult and I am now 63 years old. It has only been this past year that I have accepted my illness and have changed my belief from feeling defective to having self compassion. This has been through the help of medication and therapy. I use the same techniques that you describe. I have also found listening to uplifting music, singing, and moving my body to shift my mood. More recently, I have forced myself to socialize in small doses, which I resist doing, but then often I am glad I did so. The one thing that changed my life this past year is acceptance of "what is" in all aspects of life.

[dreamscape]

Hey Kyle! Thanks so much for this. It's just nice to feel not so alone... One of my main ways of dealing with my depression is dancing. Recently joined a dancing meetup group, and it's really been a game changer. In those moments when I don't feel like going, I force myself to just get there, and it's ALWAYS a great time!! Even after work, I put my headphones in, and dance to my playlist...sometimes I've danced for 2 hrs straight. I'm bipolar (unmedicated), with CPTSD, and very high functioning autism. Dancing really helps in the down of bipolar, but also during my mania phases. I actually look forward to my mania because I can now refocus, and burn it off in healthier ways, like dancing. I'm also an artist, and when you mentioned painting, it resonates...it's also another way of helping, because the canvas is one of the few places I can be truly free, and create another reality...and that's liberating!! Cooking and cleaning are other ways I deal with it. Trying new recipes, and a clean home are cathartic...also playing with my cats, and finding ways to make their lives enjoyable really helps break me out of the depressed feelings too. P.S. I also make lists of every good lesson life has taught me. Because even in the bad times, there's still something good to be learned. Love ya'll at Med Circle!! You've helped in so many ways over the years, and so thankful for what ya'll do here 🎉🥂💃🏼🎨🎉

[emmyluyckx]

Thank you Kyle! It is allways comforting to hear about the struggle of other people with depression... at least I'm not alone. I struggle since I was 15 and now I'm 75! Maybe not encouraging for the younger people! But beside therapy and medication the idea of complete acceptance is also for me very helpfull. It took me a long time to get there but now it helps me through the darkest episodes.

[kyndralee]

Really enjoyed these tips for handling depression. I was extremely depressed over the last year, and I had every intention of going to the gym. But I was waiting for the motivation which never arrived.
One way I handle my depression is through my social media account. I take a video maybe edit it and add music. I’ve been doing this daily for at least a year. In doing so it gives me a chance to focus and creates a theme for the day. I’m getting much better at handling my depression because I’m learning to manage it

[g.d.anonymous]

You hit the nail on the head. During the day, when I get myself into gear, and go for a walk, I feel much better. But it's hard getting myself into the mindset. "It ain't easy" but just do it.

[Stellar_Drift]

Kyle is so insightful. His 2nd and 3rd ideas I sometimes do, but I really have to try hard to do them, there are days where I just want to relax in bed, and decompress from the day's events. I have ADHD so having days where I'm busy really takes a lot on me and I just want to relax and do nothing afterwards, I enjoy spending time on my own and have some me time.
Sadly I can't think of anything to help with depression that hasn't already been said, I'm still finding them out for myself

[vivianac]

Thank you for these videos and for all the MedCircle content. I have anxiety and the "do it anyway" strategy has helped me a lot too. I hadn't felt motivated in years and I was scared of the outcomes of every little decision so I procrastinated on important things, which made me more anxious bc 1. Things were piling up and 2. I felt like I was wasting precious time just running away from my responsibilities.

So I started scheduling these tasks like, "tomorrow at 9 am I will make this call. No matter what happens afterwards. Whether it goes well or not, it will be done." And it was scary at first but I felt immensely relieved afterwards because 1. Done!!!! No more worrying about it, it's over!!! And 2. I felt accomplished, whether it went well or not, because I said I was gonna do something and I did it, and that was enough.

[autumngryffinnheart]

Thanks Kyle. I love my pets and motivation to get out of bed every day is to see them and feed them. They need me! Doing something kind and thoughtful for someone - easy as a mum :)

[G]

Thank you so much for this video, Kyle! One thing that worked for me when I was depressed, was helping others in their own difficulties (i.e. a friend needing help with overcoming a difficult experience, helping people with decorative ideas for their home, volunteering for a great cause etc). That was a great distraction but also very therapeutic because it gave me purpose in helping others, and in continuing to live my life as fully as possible despite the harsh environment I was in that was feeding my depression at the time. I hope this little tip can help anyone who is suffering 🙏🏻

[tina]

Thanks Kyle! I've probably in my denial phase again since technically I only have mild depression and on the minimal dose of SSRI so it never hit me in the head when those around me suffer much severe symptoms. I always lack motivation so I did use the "just do it" method before but I always feel bad about not enjoying it at the end of it even though its thereotically supposed to be enjoyable/fun.

Something that I do, not sure if it has to do with depression, is singing. I have a bad habit of bottling up my feelings and I noticed since a few years ago that singing out loud really helps me get going doing my task or not ruminating. I'd have my lyrics of the songs that I'm into out and sing along multiple times (multiple sessions) till I remembered it so that I can sing while doing my work (which is pretty boring/demotivating since its a repitative task).

So yeah, I'm glad my current work has hybrid shift so that I can work from home when I'm in low mood so that I can finish my work while singing/blasting songs out loud

[sosanosa]

I'm really glad you did this video, Kyle🥰 I'm actually going to get paint supplies tomorrow and YouTube a video on how to paint my dog's portrait cuz I love him so much🥰

[dorothynegri]

I always love to hear what you have to say. Have a great holiday weekend. ❤️🤍💙

[jodyjames]

I live at the Oregon Coast. My intentional distraction is walking on the beach. This activity helped me get through the pandemic. Cooking also is an activity that helps me.

[LockedEmpressTarot]

I started taking yoga classes. Right away I noticed that it was hard for me to ruminate and follow along with the instructions to get into the next position.

[heidigarvis]

AKA Get busy! Easy to say, hard to do, absolutely essential to distract myself and re wire my thoughts. A good medication and talk therapy and I feel better. Thanks for your thoughts, love your channel ❤

[blubbblubb]

Nice video. However, I really struggle with behavioural activation. I can force myself to a lot, if there are certain reasons behind it. In depression I usually struggle a) with a extreme loss of energy, so in addition to lack of motivation there comes somatic pain, tiredness, exhaustion etc. and b) I don't feel any of the positive effects of normally good things. If I am fine, sport often brings a really good feeling afterwards. If I am moderately depressed, after the action I feel as numb or bad as before the action. Further, there is usually a list of really important or urgent to dos, which have higher priority in my mind than going for a walk in that moment. Therefore I even don't allow myself to do "nice" things (I am working on that in therapy). All of these make it almost useless to even try...


I am totally with you about radical acceptence. I am rather irritated, that people around me do not accept the fact. I see it as a chronic illness just as crohns disease, migraine or sth. I have it, I suffer from it and my episodes come on a regular timely basis without any specific cause in that moment. People around me (incl. professionals) still keep asking for THE outer cause, why I started to be depressed again or why I am better.... and it frustrates me that my disease should be attributed to outer acute causes which might be controllable... I am trying to deal better with it and work on my issues in therapy (resulting from complex trauma) and still looking for a working medication, which might alleviate the episodes. But I really accept the fact, that it does not need any specific acute cause and that it is neither my fold, nor 100% controllable

What helped me the most over the years is: self-education and self reflecting, as well as contact to other people with lived experience. I learn so much and have much more knowledge and tools and options available from which I can try to do the right ones. For example I learned and reflected about my cognitive distortions and do not believe everything, that my mind tells me. Further, I know I am not alone and which kinds of therapy are currently out there (incl. somatic based psychotherapies, polyvagal theorie-based therapy or Schema-therapy). Without the world wide web and many books I also wouldn't know much about trauma, especially complex trauma or narcicissm. Knowing more helped me understanding more, which helped me change more. Longterm things are really improving for me. Never give up!

[ActionPills]

💊 Radical acceptance of depression, acknowledging its presence and accepting the ebb and flow of its impact on life.
💊 Implement behavioral activation, taking action and engaging in activities even when motivation is lacking, to experience the benefits on well-being.
💊 Focus on intentional distractions, prioritizing healthy coping mechanisms and engaging in mindful activities to break free from rumination and gain a temporary respite from depression.