HFGWD Presents 10 Ways to Improve Your Depression on a Budget:
1. Be Depressed. Being depressed is cheaper and frankly easier than everything you’re doing to avoid feeling depressed. Treat it the way you would treat a flu. Tell everyone you’re contagious, take off your bra and disappear into some mindless programming. While you shouldn’t do this every day, some days are mandatory.
2. Stop spending time with shitty people.
3. Set reasonable expectations for your mood. On a scale of 0-10, where 0 is suicidal and 10 is ecstatic joy, let 5 (neutral) be your goal. Neutrality is an underrated sweet spot. You’re not supposed to feel good all the time (I only just learned this).
4. If you’re gonna consult a doctor, consult one who already knows you. Your OB/GYN is a great place to start. They’re really smart about women’s health and you can work it into your annual visit and co-pay.
5. Annnnd, since you’re already getting stuck with a cold, metal speculum, get stuck with a needle too. Ask your doctor to do some blood work. You could be short on vitamins, like D or B. Vitamins aren’t a fix-all but they’re cheaper than a depression-fueled 72 hour hold in a psychiatric unit.
6. Stretch every day for just 10 minutes. When you live with depression, exercise feels impossible. One of the many benefits of stretching is a decrease in depression and menopause-related symptoms. True Story. Google it.
7. Buy some new jeans. I don’t know if this will help your depression and it definitely won’t help your budget but sometimes a girl needs jeans.
8. Reduce the sugar and saturated fats in your diet. Don’t hate me for saying that, it’s science.
9. Lay off the sauce. Alcohol is a depressant. Depression is a depressant. Depressant + Depressant = More Depression.
10. Happy music. While listening to sad music when you’re depressed is strangely satisfying, it’s not helpful. At all. Like, ever.