Why Is My Depression Getting Worse? 5 Alarming Bad Habits

Written By:

Written By:

Unhealthy Habits Making Your Depression Worse 1

Is your depression getting worse lately? If in spite of doing all the things you need to do, your depressive thoughts are overpowering you, you might want to take a look at your daily habits.

We know that to tell someone who is suffering from depression, that their habits are the contributing factors to their depression getting worse, might feel like shaming them for their condition. But that is not what we mean to do.

We are simply trying to bring your focus to some activities that might be keeping you stuck in a depressive mood so that you can be more aware of whatโ€™s working and whatโ€™s going against you in your quest to live your best life.

Read: 4 Causes Of Depression

What Is Depression? 

Is your depression getting worse?

Depression is a common yet serious mental health disorder that adversely impacts how we feel, the way we process our thoughts, and how we act. A persistent feeling of sadness with a loss of interest in everyday activities are symptoms of major depressive disorder.

Depression can develop owing to various reasons that include genetics, unfavorable social environment, trauma, abuse, regular stress (mental and physical), or even any adverse childhood experience.

Only a mental health expert can diagnose and identify the reasons for your depressive disorder. While you need a proper treatment plan to counter this mood disorder, there are some habits that can have a significant impact on your condition and lead to your depression getting worse.

Do you want to know what are the most common things that make depression worse? Dig in!

Why Is My Depression Getting Worse?

Here is the list of the most common habits that make depression worse:

 1. You Often Avoid Daylight

Missing the sun on a regular basis is making your depression worse. We need a good load of Vit-D daily to boost our moods. We absorb Vitamine D from the sun which spikes our happy hormones and enhances our overall well-being.

It can be difficult to push yourself out of the bed and get some sun when the dark clouds of depression are looming over your mind. But remember that if you want to climb out of this pit of depression, you need to make some hard choices. 

Read: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): How Seasons Can Affect Our Mood And Life

Things that make depression worse

2. Irregular Sleeping Habits

Irregular sleeping pattern is another reason for your depression getting worse. This is a vicious cycle that you need to break with your sheer determination. Depression can cause our sleep schedule to go haywire, keeping us awake at night, and groggy during the day.

Itโ€™s also not uncommon for people with depression to feel the weight of the world on their shoulders that they try to dodge by sleeping through the day.

But unfortunately both undersleeping and oversleeping can be detrimental to your mood and your mental health.

When depression is messing with your sleep and your willingness to face the world, you have to resolutely choose a self-care to-do list and a proper sleep schedule should come at the top.

Things That Might Help To Curb Your Irregular Sleeping Habit:

  • Avoid caffeine
  • Go to bed at the same time every day
  • Use an alarm clock to get up on time
  • Plan some fun activities to do in the morning
  • Practice yoga or meditation
  • Consult a mental health care provider for better sleeping habits

3. Isolation And Avoiding Social Interactions

People struggling with depression often isolate themselves from their loved ones and completely avoid any kind of social interaction. They might feel that they are a burden to others, unnecessarily occupying their time, or sometimes they just do not feel the urge to talk to anyone.

But this self-imposed isolation is one of the reasons for your depression getting worse. We are social beings and some amount of social contact is necessary for us to feel good about ourselves.

If youโ€™re still struggling, you might try out the following:

  • Make phone calls
  • Text your friends
  • Join a local peer support group
  • Volunteer for your community
Depression facts

4. Eating Junk Food

Sometimes, when everything seems hopeless, comfort eating provides the solace that you are looking for. Itโ€™s not unnatural to crave sugary stuff and other junk food with high saturated fat, during such times.

However, eating your feelings is not the right way and this very habit is one of the reasons for your depression getting worse. You have to make yourself opt for a balanced and healthy diet if you want to feel better.

5. Ignoring Personal Hygiene

When you are having a depressive episode, you might feel itโ€™s pointless to take care of your personal hygiene. You might fail to get yourself under the shower or even in a tub. You might skip brushing your teeth or doing your hair. Dishes on the sink might pile up and so do clothes in the laundry.

Yes, it can feel exhausting to do those things, but you have to remember how clean clothes, neatly made hair, and good personal hygiene make you feel. When you take care of your basic hygiene it has a positive effect on your mood.

On the same line, if you continue to ignore your body and your environment, it will have an adverse effect on your mental health, prolonging the depressive feelings of hopelessness.

Read: Depression Is Your Avatar

Depression facts

Take Baby Steps 

Depression coping statements.

As a prelude to walking away from your depressive mood disorder, you can just take one day at a time. If all these habits are overwhelming for you right now, make a list, and accomplish your tasks one by one.

Remember that help is always available and you do not have to do this alone. You can talk to a friend or family member, join a support group, or seek medical assistance from a mental health professional.

Itโ€™s also okay if you fall back into your old habits sometimes. Just be gentle with yourself and bring yourself back on the path to healing.

So that was our list of bad habits of people with depression. Let us know your thoughts on this by commenting down below.


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 stages of depression?

The 5 stages of depression are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

How to help my wife with anxiety and depression?

Listen to her, learn about her disorders, encourage her to seek treatment, use positive reinforcements for healthy behavior, donโ€™t expect overnight results, and be compassionate.

Is depression good for you in the long run?

Depression might help to know the deeper meaning of life and the purpose of living. People with long-term depression sometimes make important and positive changes in their life.

Does the way people treat you cause depression?

Depression can develop due to genetics, environmental, and social factors. Abuse, trauma, and ill-treatment can be contributing factors to depression.

Is it possible to kiss depression away?

A mental health expert can accurately diagnose and declare whether someone can kiss depression away for good. But, itโ€™s possible to control and reduce the effects of depression.


Unhealthy Habits That Are Making Your Depression Worse pin
Unhealthy Habits Making Depression Worse pin

— Share —

Published On:

Last updated on:

,

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Understanding Phobias: Serious Struggles, Not for Mockery

Understanding Phobias Types And Clear Solutions For It

Have you ever felt an intense fear of something others find harmless? Understanding phobias and why they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Let’s explore!

Phobias are real mental health conditions deserving empathy and care.

Key points

Phobias are intense, irrational fears that disrupt lives and are serious mental health conditions.

Mocking phobias worsens isolation and discourages sufferers from seeking professional help.

Phobias are treatable through therapies like CBT and exposure, emphasising empathy and support.

Phobias are often dismissed as quirky or humorous, b

Up Next

Mindfulness for Cravings: 3 Steps to Manage Impulsive Desires

Mindfulness for Cravings Steps to Manage Impulsive Desires

If youโ€™ve ever struggled with cravings that seem impossible to ignore, what if I told you mindfulness can help you limit that? The concept of mindfulness for cravings is a game-changer.

Instead of fighting the urge, this practice teaches you how to stop cravings by simply observing them without acting on them. Mindfulness for cravings can help you break free from the cycle of impulsive desires and regain control over your actions.

KEY POINTS

Cravings affect all of us. But some of us find that cravings lead to compulsive behaviors and addictions.

Compulsive behaviors and addictions are costly and destructive, creating greater stress and unhealthy coping.

Up Next

How To Set Boundaries Like A Pro: 5 Tips And Tricks

How To Set Boundaries Like A Pro Tips And Tricks

Knowing how to set boundaries is a game-changerโ€”itโ€™s how you protect your time, energy, and sanity without feeling guilty. Whether itโ€™s with friends, family, or coworkers, setting boundaries helps you avoid burnout and unnecessary drama. Letโ€™s talk about how to do it like a pro.

KEY POINTS

Upholding our boundaries means sometimes saying โ€œnoโ€ when others wish we would say โ€œyes.โ€

Setting boundaries can create conflict, even when our behavior is healthy and we act with kindness.

Itโ€™s normal to feel uneasy or even guilty after people react badly to our boundaries.

Up Next

Why ‘Lizard Brain’ Deepens Anxiety and Depression: Understanding Social Cognitive Network

Social Cognitive Network: Linking Anxiety to the 'Lizard Brain'

The social cognitive network is your brainโ€™s secret weapon for understanding people and emotions. But when it teams up with the amygdalaโ€”our ancient “fight-or-flight” alarmโ€”it can shape how we handle social cues, sometimes making things trickier.

KEY POINTS

The brain’s social cognitive network keeps constant communication with the amygdala, an ancient structure.

This shows that the amygdala influences the social cognitive network by providing emotional information.

This research has potential implications for treating psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Up Next

7 Myths About Trauma: What You Really Need to Know

Myths About Trauma: What You Really Need to Know

There are a lot of myths about trauma that can make it hard to understand what it really is and how it affects us. By clearing up these misconceptions about traumatization and psychological scars, you can better support yourself and others on the path to healing and resilience.

KEY POINTS

Trauma is often misunderstood and its significance can be diluted by overgeneralization and misinformation.

Debunking widespread myths can help foster a balanced perspective.

Not all adverse experiences equate to trauma.

Even though trauma is having its moment, t

Up Next

7 Simple Changes to Help You Snap Out of Apathy

Hereโ€™s How to Overcome Apathy in Just Simple Steps

Apathy means not feeling anything at all. Itโ€™s like silence in your head or a blank screen on a TV. Itโ€™s like eating plain, flavorless tofuโ€”nothing exciting, nothing terrible, just nothing. Youโ€™re not happy, not sad, not mad. You donโ€™t care enough to feel anything deeply.

People often say they knew they stopped loving someone when they couldnโ€™t even get angry anymore. The spark was gone, and so was the effort to fight or care. The relationship had flat-lined, like a heart monitor showing no life. Love had faded into nothing, and it didnโ€™t seem worth the energy to feel anything anymore.

Apathy is heavy in its emptiness. Itโ€™s not dramatic or loud, but it weighs on you all the same. You might want to feel somethingโ€”anythingโ€”but itโ€™s like your emotions are turned off, and no matter how hard you try, you canโ€™t flip the switch. Itโ€™s just

Up Next

The Benefits Of Meditation: A Single Practice to Transform and Potentially Extend Life

The Benefits Of Meditation: How It Can Transform and Extend Life

The benefits of meditation go way beyond just being calmerโ€”itโ€™s all about finding your Zen, living longer, and actually enjoying the moment. When you practice meditation, you tap into the importance of being present, ditch the chaos in your mind, and make space for a calmer, happier you.

KEY POINTS

The health benefits of meditation are innumerable including potentially increasing one’s lifespan.

Eliminating what the Buddhists call monkey mind is a surefire way to become more present to your life.

Higher social standing, once measured by leisure, is now measured by busyness.