For mild depression, I've found a few things help:

• get out of the house and do something new
• get some exercise or physical activity in general
• go outside and get some sun and fresh air, enjoy nature
• volunteer or do something to help someone else

For the most part, these actions are about getting out of my own head and to quit dwelling on myself, my problems, etc. These things are healthy distractions that force me to focus my attention elsewhere and help give me a better perspective overall.

Improve diet, exercise and sleep.

Quality of sleep is very important for my mental health. Complete darkness, a good pillow that stays cool and provides the right head support, melatonin supplements 1 hour before bed and a “gravity blanket” all help.

The gravity blanket is my latest addition. It also helps with ADHD so I use it to calm down my 8 yr old son before bedtime.

I find that an anti-inflammatory diet helps fight depression. Stay away from processed and high sugar foods. Good anti-inflammatory supplements are fish oil and turmeric/curcumin.

Therapy. If you can find the right therapist.

For me, it's exercise and practicing my instrument. But there is no guarantee these will always work. Winston Churchill referred to his depression as his "black dog." It was always lurking nearby to attack, sometimes at unexpected times.

I bottle it up inside and hate everyone around me. But it’s easy because they usually deserve the resentment.

Although, I do RP on forum boards and that helps.

I do so terribly, I indulge in copious amounts of alcohol during my off time, and a fair amount of cigarettes at work to stave off the creeping thoughts. Then again I am in my more macabre moods today so don't take this rant of mine to heart as it's not 100% of the time....anyways...

Medication has been one failure after another, with some making it worse; others just adding to the list of symptoms; and a few that had me unable to distinguish reality from dreams.

Therapy doesn't do much for me either, I just feel like I'm being informally interrogated and it just puts me on the defensive.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid, and while I thought it was just a mis-diagnosis as "wow what a shock, a young boy fidgets at his desk at school and doesn't pay attention to boring school subjects. Who'dve thunk-ed-dededed it?!!?!?!"

The more that I look into it now, meh they may have been right, and that may be the overlooked factor in all my treatments thus far. For now it's dark humor and wine.

I suffer from boughts of high anxiety that can lead to crippling panic attacks, but therapy Deffinetly helped me to learn to cope with it, and I discovered if I step back and analyze the surroundings and situation and watch my breathing, everything else falls in to place. As for the depression, talking it out with someone close always helps or watching something im intrested in and even meeting new people can help me. Therapy and a whole lot of self reflection have made a world of difference for me. I still battle with it but it is much more manageable.

I feel your pain. I've had severe depression since I was a kid. Would burst out in tears for no apparent reason sometimes. To cope I would go to sleep, listen to music, go to the libraries self help, psychology, philosophy sections, now I'm more into Astronomy. Music videos help a lot. Watching a movie that I can get lost in. Riding my bicycle. When I was a kid I rode all of the time and built my own bikes. I've done counseling and gone to psychiatrist to try different meds since I was in my 20s. Was on Paxil for years. I do not recommend it. It killed my libido and sexual functioning. I dropped it and everything went back to normal. I do strongly recommend trying meds. They do help me and millions of others. Also my doctor sent me to a sleep study. Discovered I have sleep apnea. My brain was waking up many times an hour. You can die from sleep apnea. Not being able to sleep soundly all night can really effect ones mood during the day.

I have depression, anxiety, and ADD. I am also most likely on the spectrum, but there currently is no protocol in place to diagnose autism in adults. Aside from my medication, my most reliable coping method is to binge watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Previously I have been on meds, zoloft comes to mind and something else later. The meds had some weird side effects, I started some uncharacteristic behavior. I got off all meds, I use B vitamins, exercise, yoga, healthier eating, and I resolved some of the issues that were bothering me. I still veer into depression with great regularity, but I know I will be OK, that the episode will pass. For me, I noticed a change when I stopped eating processed foods. I don't eat any food that have a commercial, except nuts. Cashews are good for depression. I eat foods as they are found in nature, not boxed, processed, or fake; and usually limit sugars.

Does anyone actually cope with depression and anxiety? I have learned to live with the person I have become on very bad days. But coping? Nope. Never

I get up and go fishing. Always good medicine.

A little off topic, but you're welcome to join the reenactors group here: "Historical Re-enactors & Cosplayers" Group

You'll be sick of me before the evening's out. There's an Autism/Aspergers group which you're welcome to join

Any tips or advice,how do.ypu all cope?

Thank you all for your comments !

Poorly. Hatred and disgust for the unworthy living surfaces and I just try to figure out how to forcefully sterilize the global population.

I also have depression but I don't want to take drugs. I paint but it's not like it used to be. Many people around me have died lately and I have cancer, so I feel like I have a legitimate excuse to be depressed, not just because I'm mentally ill. I don't believe I am . My daughter thinks I need to see a shrink but I gave that up years ago. I just need something or someone in my life . I hate being alone. I keep isolating myself more and more. I'm not sure how to get out of this funk.

TMG(tri-methyl-glycine) for depression; kava kava for anxiety. Also exercise helps for both.

Medication, therapy, mindfulness practices like meditation, writing, singing, rest, supportive friends, self-care.

Some sort of distraction, playing music or hanging out with friends. When I'm alone l have found nothing that works, and l hate it. In the 90's l was on Zoloft for a couple of years, and that worked great. I should have probably stayed on that.

Non-religious people don't often have a support network like that of the religious, so we have to take better care of each other, & get involved in the community.

I get and clean a lot lately. Or music.