When you’re feeling down, there’s this natural tendency to look for ways to lift your mood. You think that if you just do this one thing, everything will get better. Maybe it’s that one thing you’ve seen on social media or something you’ve heard about in a self-help book. But the reality is, sometimes those quick fixes don’t really make you feel better at all. In fact, they might just make things worse. When you’re depressed, it can feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of searching for a way out, but not getting anywhere. You might think these things would be helpful, but you couldn’t be more wrong.
Spending hours scrolling through social media
It’s tempting, right? You’re feeling down, so you dive into your phone, hoping to distract yourself. But here’s the catch—social media can often make you feel more isolated and disconnected. Watching other people’s highlight reels, seeing pictures of happy faces, and hearing about everyone else’s perfect lives can sometimes amplify feelings of loneliness. Instead of helping, it can make you feel like you’re not measuring up. Scrolling can be a temporary distraction, but it doesn’t really address the root of the problem.
Buying stuff you don’t need
Retail therapy has a way of making you feel like you’re treating yourself, right? The promise of something new, shiny, or different can temporarily boost your mood. But in the long run, it’s only a distraction from what’s really going on. Once the excitement fades, the same feelings of emptiness are likely to creep back in. And let’s not even talk about the guilt of impulse purchases—it’s like adding extra weight to the emotional burden.
Ignoring your feelings
It can be tempting to push those heavy feelings aside, telling yourself you’ll deal with them later or that they’re not important. But ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. In fact, it usually just causes them to linger or even grow bigger. Suppressing emotions can create a cycle where you end up feeling more detached from yourself and the people around you. Acknowledging your feelings and giving yourself permission to feel them is a much more effective way to start processing and moving through them.
Trying to keep busy all the time
When you’re feeling depressed, keeping yourself constantly busy might seem like the solution. You think that if you stay occupied, you won’t have time to focus on how you’re feeling. But eventually, you burn out. You’re not really addressing your emotions, just avoiding them. Staying busy as a way to distract yourself can leave you feeling even more drained. It’s important to strike a balance between staying productive and allowing yourself the space to rest and recharge.
Waiting for a miracle
When you’re in the thick of it, you might find yourself waiting for some sort of magic fix, like everything’s just going to turn around overnight. But depression isn’t something that just gets “cured” out of nowhere. Expecting that one thing—whether it’s a perfect day, a new person, or a specific event—will suddenly solve everything only sets you up for disappointment. Real change takes time, effort, and a willingness to show up for yourself.
Overindulging in junk food
Sometimes, when you’re feeling low, the idea of eating your favourite comfort food seems like it will help you feel better. Maybe it’s pizza, ice cream, or that bag of chips that’s calling your name. But overindulging in unhealthy foods as a way to cope with your emotions doesn’t actually help in the long run. Sure, the sugar and fats might give you a short burst of energy, but they can also leave you feeling sluggish and worse afterward. It’s a temporary fix that doesn’t address what you really need: nourishment for both your body and mind.
Isolating yourself
It’s easy to feel like you just want to be left alone when you’re down, but isolating yourself can actually make things worse. While a little time to yourself is necessary, cutting yourself off completely from other people can make those feelings of loneliness and isolation even worse. Sometimes, talking to someone or just being around people you trust, even if it’s only in small doses, can help you feel less alone and more understood.
Focusing only on the past
When you’re depressed, it’s easy to get stuck in the past, thinking about things you could’ve done differently, missed opportunities, or the “what ifs.” While it’s natural to reflect on your experiences, ruminating on them for too long only keeps you stuck in that same negative headspace. Looking back at what went wrong will rarely help you move forward. Instead, try to focus on the present moment and what you can do now, however small, to improve your situation.
Drinking alcohol to unwind
Some people turn to alcohol as a way to cope when they’re feeling down. It might seem like it’ll help you forget or numb the pain, but alcohol is actually a depressant. It may make you feel better temporarily, but once the effects wear off, your mood can crash even harder. Drinking to cope only puts a temporary bandage over a much deeper issue, and over time, it can make you feel more isolated and disconnected from yourself and other people.
Over-scheduling yourself
You might think that the solution to feeling low is to just keep pushing yourself to do more, be more productive, or go to more social events. But packing your schedule full of things to do often leaves you feeling more drained and more disconnected from your true self. When you’re dealing with depression, overloading your schedule is counterproductive. It’s important to recognise when you need to rest and recharge, rather than always feeling like you have to keep pushing through.
Setting unrealistic expectations
When you’re feeling down, you might set unrealistic goals for yourself as a way to “prove” that you’re still capable. However, these expectations often set you up for failure. Expecting to be at 100% all the time when you’re not feeling well emotionally isn’t fair to yourself. Lowering your expectations and allowing yourself room to take it easy when needed can make all the difference in how you handle your mental health.
Trying to “fix” everything on your own
It’s easy to think that you should be able to fix everything yourself, but sometimes you need to reach out for help. Trying to solve everything on your own without outside support can leave you feeling overwhelmed and even more isolated. Talking to someone you trust, whether it’s a friend, family member, or therapist, can offer new perspectives and much-needed support. You don’t have to do everything on your own.
Ignoring professional help
If you’re struggling with depression, one of the most important things you can do is reach out to a professional. Whether it’s therapy, counselling, or speaking with a doctor, getting the right help is vital. While it can be hard to take that first step, professional support can help you navigate your feelings and find ways to cope in a healthier way. Trying to handle everything alone can keep you stuck in that cycle of feeling bad, but reaching out for help can be the first step toward breaking free.
