Depression, by its very nature, can be a lonely experience. Your symptoms may cause you to withdraw from those around you. It can leave you feeling like you're completely alone and that no one understands what you're going through. But you're not alone, and there are plenty of blogs, books, and resources to help you through this time.
Sometimes, simply being able to hear from others who have experienced the same type of feelings can help you have hope when you're feeling depressed.
Many organizations and individuals have started blogs to help those with depression find a road to recovery and healthy living. Some of the blogs below are places where you can find personal stories to see that you're not alone in your struggles. Others are filled with information and tips that you can apply to your daily life to experience relief from your symptoms.
If you're ready for this, it's a great way to help put an end to the stigma around depression and mental health.
Best blogs about depression
The internet is full of helpful resources like blogs for people living with depression or a loved one. These are just 10 great blogs that are worth mentioning, but there are many more. Don't be afraid to explore around to find the ones that work the best for you.
- Postpartum Progress
Postpartum Depression can be somewhat of a unique situation since it is tied with your parental situation at a full of transition. The depression blog Postpartum Progress is written by a woman who experienced her own challenges and now helps others. The blog is full of information that can help you feel like you're not alone and give you strategies and tips to help.
- Time To Change
Time to Change is a blog that is working to end the stigma that surrounds mental health challenges. This helps people see that others are experiencing the same types of challenges as them, but it also shows that people experience mental health challenges differently.
The more comfortable people can get at talking about mental health challenges like depression, the easier it will be for other people.
- NAMI blog
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) works hard to help end mental health stigma while also providing people struggling with depression and other mental health disorders with valuable resources.
Their blog is full of great information if you're struggling or if you have a family member or friend that is. You can learn tips that you can apply to daily life, what resources are available for your use, how to help a friend or loved one, and ways that you can be a part of the solution to make important changes within our laws to address mental health challenges and get people the help they need.
- Blurt
Blurt is a blog that is all about helping those with depression. It's a place where you can go when you're struggling to feel like anyone understands you. It's also a place where you can find advice and support, give advice and support, and connect with other people.
Blurt is more than just a blog. It's an online library full of valuable resources for anyone living with depression.
- Heads Up Guys
While depression symptoms can apply to anyone, some things can show up a little differently for some men. For example, some men find that their depression is more likely to come out as anger instead of sadness. Some men also struggle more to acknowledge their feelings, making it harder for them to admit when they are struggling.
Heads Up Guys is a depression blog specifically for men. The blog is full of helpful tips, personal stories from men with depression, and information to help you better understand what you're experiencing and what you can do about it.
- ADAA Blog
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has a blog with tons of information geared towards struggling people with mental health challenges linked to anxiety and depression. You can find helpful tips, tricks, and information to use whether you're the one struggling or if you have a loved one that is.
- A Splintered Mind
When we think of depression, we don't tend to think of humor. But the depression blog, A Splintered Mind, delivers on it. It's a blog addressed to overcome both depression and ADHD. There are new blog posts every week, and it has a very personal touch to it compared to some organization blogs. You may find that it draws you in and provides comfort in knowing exactly when to expect a new post.
Depression Warrior
The Depression Warrior blog is all about surviving depression. It's run by a woman who has been diagnosed with and struggled with several different diagnoses, including Major Depressive Disorder.
- Lawyers With Depression
Depression doesn't discriminate based on job, income level, or anything else. The Lawyers with Depression blog is full of helpful information and personal stories to let you know that you're not alone. If you like the personal tone more than reading something from a large nonprofit organization, this is a blog that you may enjoy.
- Tame Your Brain
The Tame Your Brain blog is run by a woman who has struggled with depression for over 50 years. The website is full of helpful resources, including exercises that can help your depression, such as learning how to neutralize bad memories. There is a wealth of information on this blog that can help you if you're struggling with depression.
Best Books On Depression
If you'd rather read a book instead of looking at a blog, there are plenty of great books on depression that you can turn to. Some popular and helpful ones include:
- The Depression Cure by Stephen Ilardi, PhD
- The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb, PhD
- The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman
- Depression-Free, Naturally by Joan Mathews Larson, PhD
- Feeling Good by Dr. David Burns
- Change Your Brain by Dr. Daniel Amen
- Undoing Depression by Richard O’Connor, PhD
- Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
- Spark by John J. Ratey, M.D
Depression Podcasts
If reading isn't up your alley, you may want to check out these depression podcasts instead. You can gain helpful information, learn about tools and resources, and hear from others experiencing similar situations as you. Here are some popular mental health podcasts:
- The Hilarious World of Depression
- Mental Illness Happy Hour
- The Struggle Bus
- Happier with Gretchen Rubin
- Mentally Yours
What About Social Media For Depression?
If you love to be on social media, you can use that to your benefit as well. Look for accounts to follow that provide great tips and advice around the topic of depression. Find people that motivate and inspire you to continue taking care of yourself and taking the next step in your treatment process.
It can also help people follow who makes you laugh, even if it's not related to depression. Sometimes laughter really can be great medicine.
One word of warning about social media usage. There have been studies that have found negative connections between social media use and anxiety and depression. If you spend a lot of time on social media, pay attention to how you feel afterward.
If it feels like your symptoms are worse or you feel more down after scrolling for a while, consider taking a break from it. Spend that time you would normally scroll through your feed, reading blogs and books or listening to podcasts instead. Only use it if it works the best for you.
Getting Help For Depression
While there are many great depression posts, and you can search for the best books for depression, feeling better may take more than that. Reading about and learning about depression is helpful, but it might not be the thing that really helps you to start feeling better in your own life.
Depression blogs, books, and even podcasts can help you learn tools available and tips to manage your symptoms and help you not feel alone in your struggles. They still aren't replacements for treatment.
If you think you might be struggling with depression, you can take an online depression quiz to see if it might be a good idea for you to seek further treatment. Some treatment forms that many people find helpful include therapy, lifestyle changes, and some also benefit from medication.