Sometimes mental health can be a bit tricky. What makes some people feel better might make others feel really crappy.
If you haven't been feeling so hot, these little seemingly normal things might be a problem. To help, BuzzFeed Life talked to a few mental health experts about the most common behaviors that might not be as helpful as you think — and what you might want to consider doing instead.
1. You binge-watch Netflix whenever you're feeling run down.
2. You avoid stressful situations when you're anxious so save yourself even more anxiety.
3. You take mental health days when you're feeling overwhelmed with life.
4. You get a lot of sleep. Like, a LOT.
5. You distract yourself from the things you're worried about.
6. Similarly, you ignore your negative thoughts so they don't get you down.
7. You make to-do lists when you're depressed to help give yourself a sense of direction and accomplishment.
8. You're putting off therapy until you're sure you really need it.
9. You journal all your negative thoughts and emotions to work through them.
10. You think lots of positive thoughts in hopes that good things will come your way through the magic of abundant thinking.
11. You're relying on self-care and ~mental strength~ to deal with a serious funk.
"Depression is a serious medical disorder," says Rego. "It's not about how strong you are — as it can impact anyone. Telling people things like this can actually make them feel worse, as it can create a sense that there must be something wrong with them if they are not feeling better." Don't put that pressure on yourself.
Better advice: Even if you're not sure whether you're dealing with situational or clinical depression, don't hesitate to talk to a professional to see what steps are right for you to start feeling better.