# Small self care things that help me get through depressed days

**URL:** <https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/small-self-care-things-that-help-me-get-through-depressed-days/55479>\
**Category:** Depression\
**Created:** [November 7, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/small-self-care-things-that-help-me-get-through-depressed-days/55479 "2026-11-07T14:00:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eric\_Vasquez](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Eric\_Vasquez](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Eric_Vasquez)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/small-self-care-things-that-help-me-get-through-depressed-days/55479/1 "2026-11-07T14:00:10Z")

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On depressed days, I keep self care almost embarrassingly basic. I drink a glass of water before coffee, take a shower even if I don’t feel like it, and open the curtains for a few minutes. Sometimes that’s all I can manage, but it gives the day a little shape.

One thing that surprised me was how much putting on clean socks helps. A few months ago I was having a rough morning and changed out of the same clothes I’d slept in. I still felt awful, but I felt slightly less stuck. Now I try to do one small physical thing, one practical thing, and one comforting thing, like walking to the mailbox, washing a few dishes, and watching something familiar.

What small self care habit helps you get through the worst days?

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**Author:** ![Kathy\_Mendez](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kathy\_Mendez](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Kathy_Mendez)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/small-self-care-things-that-help-me-get-through-depressed-days/55479/2 "2026-11-07T16:30:53Z")

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The clean socks detail makes sense to me. Small changes that give your body a fresh signal can help when your mind is refusing to budge.

One thing I do is make the bed, even if I leave the rest of the room alone. It takes a couple of minutes and gives me one finished task to point to. Sometimes that little bit of order is enough to get me moving toward food or a shower.

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**Author:** ![Kelly\_Alexander](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelly\_Alexander](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Kelly_Alexander)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/small-self-care-things-that-help-me-get-through-depressed-days/55479/3 "2026-11-07T16:32:24Z")

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The clean socks thing is surprisingly effective. I’ve had mornings where changing into fresh clothes didn’t fix anything, but it made staying in bed feel a little less inevitable.

One practical thing that helps me is brushing my teeth while the shower warms up. It’s small enough that I don’t have to negotiate with myself, and once I’m standing in the bathroom, getting into the shower feels more possible. Your three-part idea is useful too. I might borrow that on the rough days.