Hope for the Depressed Woman: Week 4 – Triggers and Tips for Success
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!
Share this with someone you love!
Love & Blessings,
Micah
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I have found when anxiety and depression cause you to just want to become introvert, getting out and reaching out to someone in need can help. It helps me take the focus off of myself and see someone else’s need that God is allowing me to meet. Looking for ways to be a blessing and getting out of my house have been huge ways to help me combat those paralyzingly emotions.
Yes, I definitely agree! Getting out and looking for ways to bless others always seems to help! Thanks for joining the conversation!
These are great tips, Micah. Sunlight works for me, too. When we go through days (that turn into weeks) of rainy weather, it’s almost more than I can bear not to have it. And … as you probably already know … that Vitamin D the sun brings … is an Rx for making us feel better!
Yes! I also take Vitamin D supplement. Such a help!
Micah, You are an inspiration. I’m sending several friends to read this series…I think it will be a gift to women struggling through depression to hear your honest story and ways you have found hope. Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks so much, Angela!
Hi Micah. It was a joy meeting you (& your sweet mother!) at SheSpeaks. These are good tips and encouragement. There are many women fighting this quietly, alone. After asking several military wife/friends, I found that many of them walked through depression, but many of us did so quietly. I’ve walked the dark and ugly road. Reaching out to a trusted friend who came alongside and prayed like Jesus himself was instrumental. She “showed up” daily even though we lived several hours apart. The Lord used her then and continues to do so. A better balanced diet, sunlight, being surrounded by God’s Word, and music were all light to my darkened world. Love that you’re sharing, bringing Light.
It was so nice to meet you too! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with a godly friend! That’s awesome!
Thanks for sharing another encouraging post, Micah! I think those “triggers” are very real – for some even more than others.
I love this line from your post, “What I have learned is when I continually seek Him, I eventually find Him.” Sounds like Jer. 29~
Came over on Women Helping Women. Glad to read your post.
Hope you have a blessed day~
Melanie
Thanks, Melanie! So glad you stopped by!
Some great tips – never easy, but important!
Thanks, Steph!
Some great ideas here!
Carol, I appreciate you stopping by!
Not to long ago I found myself starting on a donward spiral of self loathing and constantly focusing on my problems. I felt like I couldn’t get away from the things bringing me down even when by all outward appearances everything was going good. When I finally decided that I couldn’t let go on my own and turned it all over to God was when I finally started to feel sane again! I have been digging into His Word and spending more time in prayer then ever in my life. Since starting my journey of growing closer to God I can honestly say that I have found the peace that passes all understanding. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t still struggle but I now know that when I turn my heart and mind to Jesus He will ALWAYS help me through.
Jayna, I love this! How amazing is full surrender! Thank you for sharing your experience!
I recognize and relate to all of these trigger Micah! I am so thankful for beautiful women of faith and hope like you who are willing to share their vulnerabilities to bring light into the lives of others. One of my major triggers is an overwhelmed schedule and I need to be honest with myself, my husband and others when I feel the weight of tasks mounting up. I have a real struggle asking for help and it’s been one of my solutions! I need to get over myself and the pride of getting it all done…and reach out to the people the Lord has placed in my life! :) #RaRaLinkup
That’s one for me too, Sarah! Thank you for bringing that to the conversation!
Yes, it’s so helpful to know your triggers! I find actually sitting down and writing out a list to be helpful. I also keep track of hormonal changes, because they can really throw me for a loop. If I at least know it’s “that time” I can accept it better and give my self lots of grace. Another thing that can help with the weather one is visiting a green house in winter, it really does help me remember spring will come.
Thank you for these tips!
Than,ks for your series on depression,. You see I am constantly in a state of depression. On a scale of 1 to 10 I think I am a 1 or 2 – that being mild. I’ve never hit 10 but have curled up in bed and could not even open my Bible. I am officially bipolar and was raised by a bipolar mother,. I have 2 bipolar daughters and one is schizophrenic. Actually all things considered I am content with who I am. I copied many ot the things you said from week 1 to week 4 to encourage myself. Thank you and keep blogging we need you!
Linda, you are so brave to share your story! Thank you for being so transparent. I believe if more people would speak up, fewer people would suffer in silence. You are an inspiration!
Micah, great encouragement! Thank you for your transparency in sharing this with everyone and for the tips to help. Great series!
Thanks for linking up with us at Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday! God bless!
Thanks, Jenifer!
Such an important topic you’ve been covering these past few weeks, Micah! You are giving others so much freedom to understand they’re not alone. Keep it up sister and I hope your weekend is wonderful:)
Thanks, Meg! Have a great weekend!
wonderful advice.
Hello Micah. How lovely of you to visit the Thriving on Thursdays linky party. I’ve really enjoyed reading your series for depressed women. I’ve suffered from depression on and off for a few years and there was some really interesting points in your blog posts. I’m featuring this post at tomorrow’s linky party in the hope that many other women will get some great advice. Hope to see you again some time.
Anne @ Domesblissity
Anne, thanks so much! I hope it will touch many lives! Thanks for the feature!
I loved this and I love your tips with scriptures to go with them.
I get depressed in the winter and when my hormones change. I pinned this to my Deliberate HEALTH board.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely evening.
xoxo
Jennifer, thanks so much for reading and for passing this along on Pinterest!
Hi, Micah! This is my first time visiting your blog, and I want you to know that I appreciated this post so much! It blesses me to read of how you’re comforting others with the same comfort you’ve received (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Thank you for alerting us to some common triggers for depression, and for sharing how we can be proactive in defeating it. I particularly love your emphasis on getting into God’s presence – His Word says there we’ll find fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)! I’m glad you linked this with us at Grace & Truth – this will be my feature at A Divine Encounter on Friday. :)
Jennifer, thanks so much for visiting! And for featuring my post! I pray it reaches many readers and spreads hope!
Micah, these are great spiritual as well as practical applications.I have been through depression…many times…I guess I’m just pre-disposed to it. Weather, hormones and seasonal changes (esp winter!) all contribute.
Having gone through menopause, I’m now on the other side of mood swings-your comment that hormones have a lot to do with it are so right on. Being a Christian, we can exacerbate the depression by self-inflicted and false guilt over something like hormones and our already depressed state causing us to over react to something. We then tell ourselves, “Oh, I shouldn’t have done that. I’m such a bad mother/wife/friend/daughter/employee/fill in the blank. We believe these lies and then slip further down the slimy pit of depression.
That’s why it’s so important to have accountability…a friend, a mentor–someone who cares about us who can tell us in a kind way—and I emphasize kind, because when you’re depressed, you don’t need strong and in your face (I need that now though!)—that you’re headed the wrong way. Someone who will lead you back to the Right way, the way of the Lord, and help you with practical applications as well as spiritual.
Some people, especially Christians, over-spiritualize everything and will give us prescribed scriptural applications to rid ourselves of the spirit of depression. While I don’t discount that, and at times, I recognize that in my own life, it’s not always that easy and straightforward. Those of us who have gone through depression know this, and those of us who haven’t need to know that it is a very real struggle. Sorry so lengthy. Great post, and great tips.
Mary, thanks so much for your thoughts on this sensitive topic! I love the points you bring to the conversation! So true!
Wow! I’m just now in my life realizing and finding out how much of an impact my hormones have on me. I’m 30 and didn’t ever have a female in my life growing up. I feel like a ton of bricks has landed on me in the last few months. I’ve become so many different kinds of emotions. It hit me right after I felt like I had come out of my depression I had no idea what hit. I’m now learning it could be me hormones. ? truly sad to say, but I feel like giving up some days, but am really trying my best to Smile and be thankful and not too hard on myself. I’m being honest when I write, one minute I’m up and the next I’m down. God is with us all, is something I tell myself on the daily I pray often and feel like God see sees me and will help me overcome.
Sweet Shana, keep holding on and don’t feel bad about going to get your hormone levels checked. Please reach out to a trusted friend, mentor and/or doctor. Hormones can definitely be a major factor in the way you feel. I’m praying for you today! Love and blessings to you precious sister!