How to Break the Cycle of Depression

Written By: Lynne Cole | Published: May 2024

Once you enter into a cycle of depression, it may seem impossible to break out of it. You start with mild symptoms of depression, which then cascade into fatigue, neglect of responsibilities and the inability to complete tasks, which in turn can lead to feelings of guilt. The cycle then starts again, each time getting worse and worse without treatment or action.

With the right treatment options and advice, you can break the cycle and develop better coping mechanisms.

 

Understanding the Cycle of Depression

The vicious cycle of depression is an unfortunate repeated pattern we can get ourselves in when depression goes unnoticed or untreated. It starts with regular feelings of depression, such as low mood and irritability, and moves towards fatigue and restlessness. When we feel tired constantly, we are less inclined to carry out day to day tasks, such as working, running errands and even showering. This can lead to feelings of guilt and hopelessness, which in turn can make us sad and angry, and the cycle starts again.

These cycles can be triggered by certain events, such as a relationship breakdown, grief or even if you’re just feeling stuck in life. For others, it may seem like there is no direct cause, but rather these feelings just appeared. Either way, you aren’t alone.

Recognising the Signs and Symptoms

If you believe you or someone you know has fallen into a depression cycle, it is important to be aware of the various different signs and symptoms before coming to any conclusions. Not everyone with depression is the same; some may be obviously sad and deflated, whereas others may seem to be handling life well (also known as high functioning depression).

Common symptoms of a person stuck in a depression cycle include:

• Low mood that persists
• Feelings of guilt and hopelessness
• Low motivation
• Low self esteem
• Feeling tearful
• Feeling irritable and intolerant
• Anxiety
• Suicidal thoughts
• More physical symptoms include:
• Changes in appetite and obvious signs of weight loss or weight gain
• Lack of energy
• Low libido
• Sleep disturbances
• Aches and pains that are unexplainable

Seeking Professional Help: Therapy and Medication Options

Depression cycles can seem hard to break, especially if they have been occurring for some time. However, there are ways to break the cycle and get back to the life you remember. Depression does not have to control you, and there are various therapies and medications out there for you to try.

As soon as you start to notice symptoms of depression, consider speaking with your GP about your mood and other symptoms. Doctors are able to provide advice and carry out blood tests to see if there is anything medical contributing to your depression.

They may also offer to provide you with anti-depressants for short term relief. Antidepressants, can help alleviate symptoms of depression and help you feel back to normal, but they don’t work for everyone. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most widely prescribed anti-depressants. Common examples include Fluoxetine, Citalopram and Sertraline.

As helpful as anti-depressants can be, you should consider talking therapies to help you get a handle on breaking reoccurring depression cycles, and provide you with helpful coping strategies you can carry with you for life. Popular forms of talking therapy for depression include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychotherapy and counselling.

Lifestyle Changes for Managing Depression

There’s no overnight cure for depression.

Many people seek treatment for years, but find different ways of keeping their emotions under control. There are ways in which you can adapt your lifestyle to help with breaking the cycle of depression, maintaining your mental health and developing helpful coping strategies.

Keeping a good diet can benefit your mental health in various ways. A balanced diet can contribute towards less mood swings and an improved ability to focus, with studies even showing that nutritious food can help those with depression and anxiety. Regular exercise can also release endorphins, leading to improved mood. Many people dread exercise, but a continuous routine will have more benefits than negative impacts on your life.

Most importantly, as hard as it may seem, you should try your best to socialise with those that care about you. Grab a drink with a friend, take a walk with a family member, or just go round to someone’s house for a cup of tea and chat. Depression cycles can make us want to hide away, but maintaining those relationships can help you unload and ensure you aren’t keeping your feelings bottled up.

It is also worth seeking mental health support from a professional therapist for an objective ear to help you develop more positive ways of thinking.

Building a Support System

As previously mentioned, relying on your loved ones for support can help decrease the burden tremendously. You should never think that your friends and family don’t want to hear about what you’re going through, and that they wouldn’t want to help you carry the load. Your loved ones care about you, and most would do whatever they can to ensure you’re feeling your best.

To break the cycle of depression, reach out to a loved one and maybe ask to go for a walk, or grab a cup of coffee. Just spending 30 minutes around someone you love could alleviate your mood, despite how you may feel. Seeing a therapist once a week could also help you work through these emotions and get to the root of them, helping you develop more positive ways of thinking that challenge negative thoughts.

Coping Strategies for Breaking the Cycle

There are various coping strategies that can help you break depression cycles. These include:

• Making a journal: taking note of your day and the emotions you encountered could help you understand more about your depression and develop ways to manage your emotions.
• Mindfulness: a technique proven to be one of the more helpful ways of managing your depression and anxiety, mindfulness allows you to be present, aware of where you are and what you’re doing.
• Relaxation exercises: such as meditation and yoga
• Socialising with family and friends
• Finding comfort in certain activities, such as watching your favourite film
• Exercise

Although it may seem overwhelming to undertake these tasks, doing so can give you a sense of accomplishment and take you on the right track to breaking the cycle of depression.

Overcoming Setbacks and Relapses

Breaking the cycle of depression, whether that was with self help, medication, therapy, or a combination, can be a wonderful feeling. Most people learn techniques that benefit them for life, and can be applied once someone feels depression beginning to take hold again. However, there is no shame in relapsing, and forgetting how to apply the techniques you’ve learnt.

You may be aware of how you can help yourself out of this newly formed depression cycle, but you may not have the energy to do so, and that’s okay. You aren’t a failure, or hopeless, and you have nothing to feel guilty about. Once you find yourself in this situation, the first step is to reach out. Perhaps you could save this guide to read once more if you feel it may benefit you.

Speak to loved ones, visit your GP, and if necessary, seek therapy again. Many people visit a therapist over years as required to attempt to get ahold of their mental health once and for all, and there is absolutely no shame in it.

Summary and Key Takeaways

If you’re wondering how to break the depression cycle, there are various avenues you can explore to start feeling back to normal. Self help, medication and therapy are all ways in which you can break the depression cycle; you may find that one method works for you, and some don’t, or you may also discover that a combination of strategies may help.

No matter what, help is always available, no matter how hard it may seem to reach out. Whether you feel more comfortable speaking to loved ones or strangers, therapy is a great way to unburden yourself and find new ways of thinking and changing negative thought patterns. Whether it takes a few sessions or longer, therapy options such as CBT and counselling are proven to be beneficial, and help you get your life back on track.