Share you tips for getting out of bed with depression

[Quest4Peace]

It's interesting reading how others cope with depression. I've always suffered from depression since I was a kid. Some periods were much darker than others but that cloud of hopelessness has always been present in some way, shape, or form. For many years I tried to combat it with alcohol and substance abuse but that only made it more complicated and eradic.  I'm an addict, plain and simple.  But, last year I hit my absolute rock bottom emotionally and psychologically so I went to rehab-then a sober living environment and eventually back out on my own. I've found that by not abusing drugs or drinking alcohol my life is MUCH less complicated and somewhat manageable.  I still have spurts of depression but I think everyone feels a little hopeless at some point in their life. For me, I set my alarm an hour and a half before I have to leave the house every morning and I get up immediately when it goes off. I drink a 5 hour energy and smoke a cigarette and immediately get in the shower. Then by the time I'm showered and dressed I read a brief 1-2 page daily meditation that seems to get my head in the right gear for the day, eat, and head to work. I will also attend a few AA or NA meetings a week just to keep things in perspective and also because for me they are very therapeutic. Between the meetings and my work schedule, depression has not been nearly as intrusive or dominant as it always has in the past. For me, keeping busy and also trying to get out of self are both detrimental to battling my depression.  I don't drink anymore because it always takes control at some point and I end up making the same mistakes again and again. I was also an active opiate addict for many years so I know that my life is completely unmanageable if I'm using opiates or any n@rcotics for that matter. The only thing I take is K-pins and occasionally I'll rotate through a few benz-OH-s to keep my tolerance low and my mind and body relaxed. Anyways, that's my 2 cents on depression.