Living Well

Living Well

5 Water-Rich Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated

Watermelon, cucumbers, and yogurt are water-rich foods that can help you stay hydrated. Here's why hydration matters when you live with a chronic condition.

Living Well

My Playlist for Motivation and a Mood Boost When My Depression Is Taking Over

Here’s a personally curated playlist, designed to inspire and empower you on your journey living with depression.

Living Well

Why You Should Eat More Nuts

Nuts contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health and help reduce inflammation. Here's how to add them to your diet.

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4 Ways My Dog Helps Me Fight Back Against My Depression

Having a pet benefits my mental health in ways I couldn’t imagine. Read on for a brief outline of the ways my dog helps me everyday.

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My Daily Routine as a Remote Worker Living with Depression

To support my mental health, I've come up with a few daily tips that help me feel my best. Here's what an ordinary day looks like for me.

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My Food Shopping Checklist for a Healthy and Handy Pantry

Amidst the challenges of depression, having a go-to grocery list can relieve some of the burden of this task. These essential items ensure I always have convenient, dependable options at home.

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Am I Getting Enough Protein?

Registered dietitian Christine Byrne explains why eating protein is important and how to add more to your diet.

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10 Ways to Embrace Uncertainty When You Experience Chronic Illness

Chronic illness isn't predictable, but you can learn to surf the waves for greater well-being.

Living Well

6 Tips That Help Me Keep a Clean Home with Depression

Finding the motivation to stay organized can be a challenge with depression. But having a clean space can do wonders for your mental health. Here are some hacks that might make the process a bit easier.

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13 Things I Carry with Me for Everyday Support

Here’s a look at some staple items that help me get through the day.

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Feel-Good Fuel: 10 Yummy Foods to Boost Your Mood

Foods rich in omega-3s and antioxidants can boost your mood by supporting your brain and reducing inflammation.

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Can Depression Make You Sick?

Mental health can affect more than just your emotions — it can also affect your body. Read on to find out why and how depression relates to pain and sickness.

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What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Here's what to know about ultra-processed foods, how they can affect your health, and how to spot them.

Living Well

6 Tips for Navigating the Job Search with Chronic Illness

In this column, Kathy Reagan shares advice and resources for finding employment when you live with a chronic condition.

Living Well

5 Foods to Lower Triglycerides

Filling your diet with fatty fish, soy protein, and other whole foods can help lower triglyceride levels. Here’s how to get more of them in your diet.

Living Well

How Music Can Level Up Your Next Walk

Listening to music can boost your mood and make walking feel easier. Check our feel-good song recommendations for your next walk around the block.

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The Link Between Situational Depression and Chronic Illness

Learn about the difference between clinical and situational depression among people with chronic illnesses like COPD.

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How Rejecting the Hollywood Ending Has Helped Me Cope With MS

I used to be annoyed by movies with sappy, happily-ever-after endings. Then, I discovered the wisdom and realism in indie films and older flicks and found they had a lot to teach me about coping with a chronic illness.

Living Well

6 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfasts to Start Your Day

Eating antioxidant-rich foods can help reduce inflammation and kickstart your morning. Here are 6 anti-inflammatory breakfast recipes to get started.

Living Well

Bezzy Members Share Their Favorite Holiday Traditions

Bezzy community members share why making gifts and spending time with loved ones are among their favorite holiday traditions.

Living Well

Living My Faith: How Spirituality Helps Me Cope with Chronic Illness

MS has helped me find a new connection to God, and with it, new purpose, community, gratitude, and more.

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Why a Freelance Career Is Right for Me and My Depression

Having a flexible, remote job has done wonders for my mental health and productivity. Read on to learn why, and some other advantages of this type of work.

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Workplace Stress Worsened My Chronic Illness

My Crohn's disease came out of remission after 10 years, and I believe workplace stress played a major role. Here's how I handled it.

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My Favorite Seafood Recipes When Cooking Just Feels Like Too Much

Seafood offers some health benefits for depression. Here are my go-to meals when I want something simple and delicious.

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How to Find Meaning After Grieving the Former You

After my diagnosis, it took time to accept my new life. But I still struggled to understand its meaning. The sixth stage of grief helped me find meaning.

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The Unexpected Benefits of Rowing for My Mental Health

We all know that exercise is good for the brain. But you might find that some workouts are more helpful for you than others.

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How Movement Became My Medicine

I was only 4 years old when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Slowly but surely I started to understand the consequences of missing playtime and not moving my body.

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Gardening Is My Mindfulness Practice of Choice — Here’s Why

Watching my plants grow and bloom, as well as the benefits of grounding, are just some of the ways gardening teaches me to be more mindful for my chronic illness.

Living Well

A Public Health Crisis: Preventing Loneliness in Chronic Illness

Loneliness is more prevalent than ever in the U.S. — and people with chronic illness are likely familiar with it. Here's how to stay socially connected even when symptoms or flare-ups get in your way.

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How ASMR Can Benefit People with Chronic Illness

If you live with a chronic illness, ASMR may help you feel relaxed, comforted, or even relieved from chronic pain. But triggers aren't the same for everyone.

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If You Experience Health Anxiety, You’re Not Alone

Health anxiety is common in people living with chronic conditions — and your fears are real and understandable. Learn tips for reducing anxiety and how to get help if needed.

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Consistency Is Overrated

Consistency helps us feel safe and reduces anxiety. But it also can create unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to redefine consistency (and success) so you’re OK with the ebbs and flows of life.

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4 Ingredients and 4 Recipes for the Depressed Brain

Certain nutrients can have an impact on your mental health. Here are some mood-boosting ingredients and a few delicious recipes that include them.

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Here’s How I Manage the Depression That Comes with Chronic Illness

Living with chronic illness can open the door to depression. Isolation, poor medical care, financial challenges, and grief have all been contributing factors in my experience. Here's how I have managed.

Living Well

The Mindflight Journal: A Journal for Chronic Illness

Meet Nicole and Aisley, the mom and daughter partnership behind the Mindflight Journal. Building from their own experiences, they've designed a journal for those living with chronic illnesses. Trust me, it's a game-changer.

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The Importance of Being a Hustle Culture Dropout When You’re Chronically Ill

The constant pressure to go-go-go took a toll on both my physical and mental health. Then I realized I could opt out.

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How the Spoon Theory Helps Me Explain My Health

It can be hard to explain the way that a chronic condition impacts your daily energy. The spoon theory is a clever way to help get the point across.

Living Well

Realistic Approaches to Setting Resolutions When You Live with a Chronic Condition

Living with a chronic condition often means working within your body’s parameters, which can mean editing your expectations. Always give yourself grace and remember that your New Year’s resolutions — if you choose to set them — don’t have to “match” anyone else’s. They only have to feel helpful to you.

Living Well

Mindset Matters: Moving Through the Strange Feeling of Grieving Your Old Life

Grieving your old self is a little different than grieving a loved one who's passed. Here's how I moved forward.

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How to Deal With Depression During the Holidays

The holiday season is ‘supposed’ to be filled with joy, but for many of us, the opposite is true. Luckily, there are some things you can do to cope with holiday depression.

Living Well

We Need to Talk About Chronic Pain and Suicide

People with chronic pain are at a higher risk of mental health conditions, which can lead to suicidal ideation and suicide. Several factors can heighten this risk, which is why it's important to speak up about it.

Living Well

How I Navigate Professional Life While Living with a Chronic Illness

When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I was terrified that my career was over. These tips helped me adapt my work life so that I could excel.

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How to Set and Achieve Your Goals with Chronic Illness

Managing your chronic illness on top of life's everyday tasks can be overwhelming. These tips can help you find the motivation and inspiration you need to reach your goals.

Living Well

How Depression Lies and Learning to Talk Back to It

All I could hear was the voice of my depression. Talking back to it was a type of narrative therapy that helped me silence it.

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What an Increased Awareness of Depression Means for Those Who Have Lived With It for Years

Depression is in the spotlight more than ever before — what does that mean for those who have lived with it for years?

Living Well

How Nature-Based Therapy Can Improve Your Mental Health

Medication isn’t the only way to treat your mental health when you live with a chronic condition. You might be surprised by all the benefits you can find right in the world around you.

Living Well

I Felt Alone with Postpartum Depression — But You Shouldn’t Have To

Postpartum depression can be a scary and lonely journey. Spreading awareness is an important way to help parents feel less alone and get the support they need.

Living Well

Bezzy’s Guide to Mental Health Resources and Support

The following mental health recommendations and resources have been compiled from information on Bezzy’s sister site, Psych Central.

Living Well

Meet Your Guide: Sam Camp

As a community guide for Bezzy Depression, Sam Camp is looking forward to helping others looking for connection and support.

Living Well

Life After Depression: When Am I OK?

Rather than viewing my depression as an on-off switch, I’m trying to adopt a nuanced and accepting mindset.

Living Well

Nature vs. Nurture: How Exploring Underlying Emotions in Therapy Has Helped Heal My Depression Symptoms

With the help of my therapist, I've gotten to a place where I believe that most good things coming my way will be a result of feeling more, rather than less.

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How I’m Learning to Trust the Joy

Feeling good after my depressive episode ended caught me by surprise. Now, I'm learning that joy can be part of my emotional landscape.

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Welcome to Bezzy Depression

Bezzy Depression is a free online platform bringing new meaning to the word “community.”

Living Well

9 Helpful Tips for Working from Home with Depression

While depression and working remotely can feel lonely, you’re not alone.

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5 Ways Depression Has Enhanced My Life

Depression can be devastating for the 300 million people worldwide experiencing it. The author has been diagnosed with conditions ranging from persistent depressive disorder, to major depressive disorder, to bipolar II. While she wouldn’t wish depression on anyone, she also believes that experiencing and surviving depression has its upsides. Read on for 5 ways depression has made her life more joyful.

Living Well

5 Small Ways to Get Organized When Your Depression Has Other Ideas

If you have mental health challenges, like depression or anxiety, it can make organizing seem daunting. But staying organized can actually help your mental health. Here are five small ideas for those days when you don’t want to put a plate in the dishwasher and might feel like nothing is “sparking joy.”

Living Well

How I Keep My Confidence While Having an Invisible Illness

Since my bipolar disorder diagnosis in 2011, I’ve struggled with depression, too. Today, I know I’m more than my condition. This is how I got to where I am.