Rosie's Story: Day-to-Day Activities I Do to Deal With Depression

This program is for people who have depression, their care partners, and others who want to learn about how staying on top of activities of daily living -- along with treatment -- makes a difference in recovery. The goal is to help you know which basic actions you can take as part of your care plan for major depressive disorder (MDD).

You'll watch a video featuring Rosie's personal journey and explore

• Which daily activities matter when it comes to your well-being

• How to make lifestyle changes to support your MDD recovery plan

• Ways to find support

Most people with MDD find that their daily activities are affected, including their ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life. Yet keeping up with those day-to-day actions is as vital to your MDD treatment plan as talk therapy and taking medicine.

It's important to make sure you're

• Getting enough sleep -- going to bed at a regular time helps

• Enhancing your diet -- reducing sugar and unhealthy fats, and eating plenty of vegetables and fruit

• Managing stress -- what works for you (a yoga class, meditation, playing music) might be different for someone else

• Making exercise a priority -- you may not need a 60-minute daily gym workout, but activities such as a 15-minute walk, a bike ride, or gardening may help

• Staying connected with family, friends, or a support community to avoid feeling isolated

MDD is a serious condition; but together with your healthcare provider, you can focus on making lifestyle changes that enhance your recovery.

Rosie experienced many health issues, including fibromyalgia, brain surgery, and a thyroid condition, that triggered her depression. But she also had depression as a young girl and postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, which later led her psychiatrist to diagnose MDD.

Watch Rosie's story to learn how she found a way to still keep up with her daily activities even during tougher times of depression. Whether getting up each day and making her bed, staying active, taking her daily medicines, or connecting with friends, Rosie shares how those actions help her manage her MDD.

PatientsLikeMe is an online patient network where people can find support, track their conditions, and share information. You can visit this website and join the Mental Health and Behavior Forum where people share how they cope with daily activities, what treatments they take, and more.

A PatientsLikeMe member gave this advice to others diagnosed with MDD:

"Get a good sweat up (exercise) for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. A walk outside is a good thing. Try to help others -- it can help you a lot. If possible, be socially active -- maybe meet someone a couple of times a week for coffee in the morning."

"...Build a team -- people you trust, or you can start slowly to build good relationships. Doctors, counselor, pharmacist, friends for fun, etc."

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed the program: Rosie's Story: Day-to-Day Activities I Do to Deal With Depression