Things I Did to Get Out of a Crippling Two-and-a-half-year Depression: Mental Health Resilience Tips from Comedian Gary Gulman

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has long been a fan of comedian Gary Gulman. Aside from being absolutely hilarious, Gary is very dear to AFSP because of his openness about his own lived experience of suicidal depression. His 2019 HBO special The Great Depresh — a brilliant combination of standup and documentary — focused on this part of Gary’s life. In the special, Gary spoke frankly and realistically about being hospitalized for his mental health, as well as his experience with electroconvulsive therapy. In his book Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s, and acclaimed Off-Broadway stage show Grandiloquent, Gary continued to demystify the topic and encourage help-seeking — something all the more powerful and hopeful for the life-affirming humor he brings to the subject.

More recently, Gary has shared 100 practical and insightful tips on his Instagram account about how he stays resilient and proactively manages his mental health on a daily basis. Here are just a handful. See what works for you — and we encourage you to share this article on social media with your own thoughts on what helps during a difficult moment, tagging @afspnational.

Things I did to get out of a 2 and a 1/2 year crippling depression.

1)  Go for a walk, preferably with someone or a dog, set a timer for 5 minutes. You can walk home after 5 minutes OR try for another 5.

50)  My recovery was not linear. There were incremental, gradual improvements and then setbacks and regression but over weeks and months I felt a little better and then a lot better especially when I added exercise and socializing to my program.

52)  My "Goals" lists were always a source of disappointment and stress. When I switched my focus to IMPROVE, all the pressure and anxiety disappeared and every area I looked to improve got better; dramatically. I had so little control over outcomes and so much control over whether I did some things every day to get incrementally better.

54)  Don't overdo it with exercise! When exercise is so challenging that you dread it or need several days to recover, it's not serving your health, mental or physical. Increase difficulty GRADUALLY and remember you do this to feel better.

59). Overwhelmed? By a task or project? Think back on all the skills you've acquired, all the tasks and endeavors you've completed successfully. From tying my shoes in kindergarten to getting my book published; it all felt IMPOSSIBLE at first. Repeat this mantra: I WILL FIGURE IT OUT

61)  Read & Heed! When I was 20 a man visiting my uncle Norman CASUALLY mentioned that he took antidepressants. He said it with the same vibe you'd tell people that you wore a brace after knee surgery. I WAS STUNNED. I was on Prozac and intensely guarded that secret, but that man's honesty that day made me feel better, less alone. You may never know the IMPACT you can have just by being honest about your condition.

Things I did to get through The Great Depresh 62)  To keep from isolating I would accept invitations and tell myself I only had to stay for an hour. If I was enjoying myself I'd stay longer.

73)  There was an extended period during the worst of my illness when I discontinued my therapy because my brain was not receptive to talk therapy. My depression was too severe and my anxiety was too agitated. My psychiatrist compared talk therapy during that deep of an illness to be like trying to rewire a house while it's on FIRE. Focusing on getting my chemistry in order through meds and electro-convulsive therapy was a prudent decision that I made in consultation with my therapist and psychiatrist. I have been back in weekly therapy for 6 years and it remains an indespensable component of my maintenance.

76)  I've been in therapy for 36 years. There've been times when I thought, "Shouldn't I be cured by now?" Then I think about how much time I've spent running to train my heart and using weights to sculpt my oak-like gams, my prodigious chest, bowling ball delts and biceps and my Pterodactylian latissimus (dorsi) and I think maybe 45 minutes a week tending to my BRAIN is a solid investment of my time. Love, G$

100)  You are going to get better. When you do, share your story and coping mechanisms and treatments with people who want to hear it. Sharing your journey will remind you to keep applying your wisdom and reinforce your knowledge and is a great way to return the generosity of the universe or whatever you believe in. Thank you for all your encouragement and love. 100 is a good number to stop at. If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

All my <3

Gary