We all have to find what works for us, especially with coping mechanisms for depression.
- Some of it involves discovering the ways in which we become triggered in our environments so we learn ways to avoid or resolve those triggers in the first place.
But it also involves finding healthy ways to bolster our own moods and daily mental health. I bought a bicycle recently that I use to navigate my vast city whenever I feel down or need a mental boost. While I don’t get nearly as much time as I would prefer for riding my bike or doing other outdoor recreation activities, I always cherish the times when I do. It’s a nice thing having a hobby that gets your mind off negative thoughts and the stress that accumulates in your life. But I’ll be the first to admit that some of us need chemical coping mechanisms from time to time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I tried antidepressants because I was genuinely interested in improving my chronic depression and that is the medication my psychiatrist suggested I try first. While these SSRIs inevitably didn’t work out for me after trying and failing to respond to five different medications, I know of people who improved after they tried one or more of the drugs. Instead, I use medical marijuana and have a medical marijuana card in my home state. I have a cannabis physician who writes a recommendation for marijuana that I take to the state Department of Health who then issues me a medical marijuana card that I can use at cannabis dispensaries to purchase medical cannabis products. I prefer inhalation products like cannabis vaporizer pens, cannabis flower products, and cannabis concentrates. I tried using cannabis edibles, but they stopped being effective for me fairly quickly.