6 Common Pitfalls That Make Major Depressive Disorder Worse

1. Believing Depression Is a Personal or Moral Failure

One of the most harmful myths about MDD is that it reflects a lack of willpower, resilience, or personal strength. In reality, depression is a medical condition that affects how the brain regulates mood, thoughts, energy, and behavior. Genetics, brain chemistry, stressful life events, trauma, and physical health conditions can all play a role in its development.

Blaming yourself for having depression can increase feelings of shame and make it harder to reach out for help. Like other health conditions, depression is not something you can simply snap out of. But with the right combination of treatment, support, and self-care, many people experience significant improvement.

2. Not Taking Care of Your Body

Fatigue and lack of energy are common symptoms of MDD.

If you have this condition, you may find it difficult to even get out of bed, let alone attend to your hygiene, nutrition, and exercise needs. But paying attention to those very things, while not a cure for depression, can help you feel a lot better.

“One of the most crucial mistakes is not taking care of yourself or practicing proper self-care,” says Zishan Khan, MD, a psychiatrist with Mindpath Health in Frisco, Texas, who treats people with depression. “If you are not sensitive to what your body needs and push it past its limits, it can very well worsen your depressive symptoms.”

Several self-care strategies could help, he adds:

Try to eat a nutrient-dense diet. One review found that people with depression who followed a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and fish experienced significant improvements in depressive symptoms compared with those who did not follow a nutritious diet.
Aim to exercise most days of the week. Staying active for at least 30 minutes a day, three to five days a week, could substantially improve MDD symptoms.

Anything from jogging or biking to gardening counts. Find something that you enjoy and brings you pleasure, so it’s easier to be consistent.
Plan to practice good sleep hygiene. Research shows that poor sleep timing, duration, and quality can have a negative impact on mental health.

To promote a good night’s sleep, be sure to go to bed and wake up around the same times each day; keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet; and avoid alcohol and nicotine close to bedtime.

If you’re having trouble making self-care a regular part of your routine, be sure to reach out to your mental health provider, who can help you make a plan that’s manageable for you.

3. Judging Yourself for How You’re Feeling

It’s not uncommon for people with MDD to be hard on themselves for how depression affects them and their ability to function.

But judging yourself for having depression or struggling with symptoms can make life with the condition even harder.

“Because having depression still carries a cultural stigma, it’s not surprising that someone with depression might judge themselves for having thoughts or feelings related to being depressed,” says Alice Hua, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant director at the University of California San Francisco Medical Student Well-Being Program.

It might help to reflect on any self-critical thoughts you’re having and reframe them in a more helpful way, Dr. Hua suggests.

For instance, she adds, try to limit any thoughts beginning with “I must,” “I have to,” or “I should” — such as “I should be feeling better” or “I have to start exercising” — because those thoughts reinforce self-judgment of depressive symptoms. Instead, try reframing those thoughts as empowering ones that start with “I want to” or “I plan to” — such as “I want to feel better” or “I plan to start exercising.”