From Crying To Functioning: A Guide For Depression Recovery

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. It can have significant impacts on a person’s daily life, functioning, and overall well-being. That’s why being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of this disorder can be helpful, so you can seek the appropriate support for the diagnosis or treatment of this serious but treatable illness. Crying spells are just one of the many potential symptoms of depression. Read on to learn more about this disorder and tips for addressing symptoms on the road to healing.

What is depression? Definition and types

Depression, also known as dysthymia, can affect how you feel, behave, and think. It’s a mood disorder with symptoms that can range from mild to severe, potentially seriously impacting daily functioning and putting overall health at risk. Depression can take a variety of forms depending on who it affects and when. Some of these mental health conditions include:

• Major depressive disorder
• Persistent depressive disorder 
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Postpartum or peripartum depression
• Bipolar disorder*

*Note that bipolar disorder is not a type of depression, but it may include depressive episodes as a key symptom.

Recognizing the signs of depression

The experience of sadness or crying spells alone does not necessarily indicate the presence of mental health conditions like depression. In order to be diagnosed with an illness like major depressive disorder, the most current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that an individual must be experiencing five or more symptoms for a period of two weeks or more. These symptoms include:

• Depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Fatigue
• Restlessness or slowness
• Significant changes in appetite or eating patterns
• Significant changes in sleeping patterns
• Sense of worthlessness or excessive guilt
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm

Crying spells and depression

If you cry or feel sadness or similar emotions from time to time, it doesn’t necessarily indicate the presence of a disorder like depression. Sadness is a normal human emotion and crying is a natural response to it. However, if accompanied by other symptoms, crying spells could be a sign of depression.

The answer to the question, "Is it healthy to cry?" is technically yes, as emotional tears contain hormones that may help reduce pain and contribute to calm feelings. Plus, repressing emotions can lead to health problems over the short- and long-term, so releasing them in this way can be positive. That said, being unable to stop yourself from crying or crying so often that it causes distress or trouble functioning is not considered a healthy behavior. In a case like this, it’s usually best to connect with a mental health professional who can provide gentle, compassionate care for the symptom(s) you may be experiencing.

Tips for depression recovery

If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, it’s usually important that you meet with a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist as soon as possible for medical advice and a diagnosis, if applicable. The most common treatment for depression is some form of therapy, sometimes in combination with medication and/or certain lifestyle changes. In addition to receiving treatment from a licensed professional, the following tips may help you learn to cope with certain symptoms of depression, such as crying spells or trouble functioning.

Understand the disorder

Understanding more about depression could be a positive first step toward managing this type of illness. For example, you might familiarize yourself with the key symptoms and how they may manifest in different people, habits that could help with treatment, such as meditation, and events or situations that tend to worsen your symptoms, such as stress or a lack of sleep. The more knowledge you have, the more engaged you may be able to be in your own treatment.

Practice self-care

Self-care is generally thought to be a core pillar of overall health and wellness, and focusing on this area may be especially helpful to those who are experiencing symptoms of depression or another mental illness. Self-care practices that could help promote improved mental health, particularly in those with depression, can include:

• Getting enough sleep
• Eating nutritious foods
• Exercising regularly
• Engaging in a meditation practice
• Building a strong social support network

Develop healthy coping strategies

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a coping strategy is “an action, a series of actions, or a thought process used in meeting a stressful or unpleasant situation or in modifying one’s reaction to such a situation.” You may be better equipped to manage symptoms of depression if you can find healthy coping strategies that work for you.

An example of an unhealthy coping mechanism for a mental illness like depression would be substance misuse such as drinking heavily, which will generally not help with the problem at hand and may cause additional ill effects and risks. Examples of healthy coping mechanisms could include challenging negative thoughts, reaching out to social support instead of self-isolating, and sticking to a self-care routine as best you can.

Build a support network

Research suggests that having a high level of social support—that is, family, friends, neighbors, and others who you can lean on during difficult times—may correlate with better sleep quality and a decreased risk of depression. That means cultivating a strong social support network may help you in the process of managing an illness like depression. Friends and family can act as a listening ear, a source of advice, a source of encouragement, or even just quiet company when you’re going through a difficult period.

Seeking professional help for depression

Again, it’s recommended that you reach out for support and mental health or medical advice if you’re experiencing symptoms of depression or another mental health condition. Meeting with a therapist is one way to seek advice and diagnosis, if applicable. They can help you address your symptoms, recommend treatment, and learn healthy coping mechanisms to help support yourself along the way. 

If you find attending in-person therapy sessions to be intimidating or inconvenient, you might consider online therapy as an alternative. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, or in-app messaging to address the challenges you may be facing. Medically reviewed research suggests that online therapy can represent a viable treatment option for those experiencing depression, so this format may be worth exploring if it works better for you.