What do you when you face this.

[JDBar]

I recommend sleeping. When you sleep, your brain stays on, and your subconscious has a chance to process all your thoughts without the filter that your conscious puts on it. Your subconscious can provide answers that your brain would otherwise naturally conclude might be unorthodox, even if it's not. It's said that Albert Einstein figured out key elements of his theory of general relativity in his sleep. And personally, I always feel much better after sleeping no matter how depressed I am the night before.

If sleeping doesn't work, a positive self-healing self-hypnosis track may work. You can find them all over YouTube. You don't necessarily have to believe in hypnosis, because your subconscious may pick up the positive vibes and you'll gradually transition to a healthier state of mind. It's hard to explain, but it does work for a lot of people.

Meditation is also a very healthy pick-me-up. Unlike prayer, it doesn't necessitate that you believe in a deity. Through some simple patterns of breathing (i.e. breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, repeat), you can get a healthy consistent flow of oxygen to your brain. Clear your mind and try not to think, and if you do think about something then don't think about it for too long. Let your thoughts drift along in your head. Do this for at least half an hour, or until something in your head tells you it's time to stop. Follow this up with a casual walk, and just take in the nature around you. I'm no tree hugger, but there's always something relaxing outside in the right conditions.

I deal with depression on and off for the past three years, and doing one of the above always helps. Either that or I start a new digital painting in Photoshop, or I watch documentaries about theoretical physics and philosophy.