Coping Skills for Depression: What Therapists Recommend 

What Are Coping Skills for Depression?   

The first step to coping with depression is knowing when it’s time to seek help if you’re beginning to recognize some of the symptoms we’ve listed above.  

Once you’ve begun treatment, like weekly sessions with a counselor or psychologist, your therapist may begin working with you to develop some depression coping skills — small actions you can take to reduce the intensity of depressive feelings and counteract any negative thoughts you may have by reframing them with a more positive outlook. 

Look at coping skills for depression as a set of pragmatic tools, strategies, and techniques you can apply in the moment, whenever a depressive episode is coming on, or if you’ve been having a particularly challenging day. Others may call for you to set aside dedicated time each day, a discipline that can help you regain a sense of control over your depression. 

Depression Coping Skills That Can Help  

The best coping skills for depression are ones that have been effective time and again in helping people coping with severe depression, but also ones that resonate with you.  

For example, during therapy, your therapist will offer a list of coping skills for depression to see which ones interest you the most. Healthy coping skills for depression that appeal to you are those you’re most likely to stick with, like starting a new diet or exercise regimen. When you’re depressed, your brain often gets stuck in negative thinking patterns that can be difficult to break away from. But the right depression coping skills can help you recognize them and shift your thoughts and behaviors in healthier directions. 

Here are some depression coping skills that therapists frequently recommend: 

Behavioral Activation  

Think about how you used to feel about the activities that once brought you joy. You may have enjoyed running or gardening, creating art or another meaningful hobby, efforts that raise your endorphin levels and provide a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and well-being. 

Behavioral activation seeks to help you recapture these sentiments, a valuable depression coping strategy to improve your emotional state by engaging in positive, rewarding activities and behaviors — some of which you may have drifted from due to a depressive disorder.  

Research shows that depression is often linked to inactivity, causing one to withdraw from the world. But behavioral activation is about intentionally choosing activities that are meaningful to you, even if your motivation is low. This is hoped to create positive reinforcement to make you feel better about yourself.   

You might start with something as simple as going for a walk outside, listening to music, chatting with a friend on the phone, cooking a nice meal for yourself or spending time with a pet. Over time, watch how these small actions can lead to big improvements in your mood and energy levels normally dampened by depression. 

Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques 

Depression can be particularly skillful at monopolizing your thoughts, creating a negative mental narrative that truly feels hard to break. Even in the best moments when struggling with depression, feeling mindful and grounded are the last things you might feel.  

True mindfulness involves bringing your attention to the present moment, without judgment. In being mindful of your mental state, you can harness more control over and choose to think differently, primarily because it interrupts the tendency to ruminate — dwelling on negative thoughts and circumstances — common to depression. 

Some of the best coping skills for depression rooted in mindfulness and grounding, your therapist might recommend include:  

• Meditation: By being still for just a few minutes a day, you can notice clearly when negative thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them go and replace them with positive ones. You might do this as a sitting or walking meditation, or as a body scan meditation, where you’ll lie on your back and be mindful of sensations in your body, good and bad. 

• The Five Senses (or 5-4-3-2-1) exercise: Take a piece of paper and write down five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste. “This exercise helps bring you back to the here and now,” says the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). 

• Breathing techniques: Following your breath is another type of meditation to keep you grounded in the present moment, in the now. The DBSA recommends placing one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest; while breathing in, the former hand should rise while the other stays still. Breathe for five seconds, hold for five and exhale slowly. 

• Get physically active: The simple act of moving your body can do wonders for releasing endorphins and feel-good hormones that depression can sap. A walk around the block, doing jumping jacks, or graduating to join a gym and developing a dedicated fitness routine are actually mindfulness exercises because they enable you to pay attention to your body with each movement. 

Journaling 

Writing down your thoughts, feelings and experiences throughout the day can be a powerful, transparent way to process your emotions when coping with depression, especially if you feel depressed and it’s difficult for you to verbalize them during talk therapy. 

Journal whatever comes to your mind. Write about how you’re feeling right now and why you’re feeling that way. Document something that went well today. How did it affect your mood? Putting it down on paper can help you process complex emotions and begin to identify patterns in your thoughts and moods. Things begin to fall into place when you review your journal, which can be invaluable to your progress in therapy.  

There are also no rules for journaling. Write or draw whatever comes to your mind and what feels right in the moment. It’s for you to make sense of your thoughts and feelings and doesn’t need to follow a certain structure. Your journal is private, and there’s no requirement to share it with anyone.  

Journaling can become one of your go-to healthy coping skills for depression because it’s accessible anytime. Try to keep a pen and paper ready at all times in case inspiration strikes you, or you can try journaling on your smartphone. 

Social Support   

The value of having a strong family or social network can’t be understated or underestimated. Support from people who love and care about you can speak volumes when you’re coping with depression, since one symptom of depressive disorders is the feeling of wanting to withdraw or isolate yourself from others. 

Your therapist may encourage you to reach out to friends, family or even support groups — shoulders to lean on and sympathetic ears to listen to when you’re feeling down. Sharing your experiences with a close friend or relative can foster connection and lessen loneliness, reminding you that you’re not alone in this world. Even a simple text or phone call can make a difference. 

If you’re not ready to talk openly about your feelings just yet, spending time with others in low-pressure settings — such as watching a movie together or taking a walk — can help you feel less alone. Always remember that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.