Depressive episodes are debilitating, to say the least. They come when you least expect them and gnaw at your mind, leaving you numb.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, I have the tendency to go through depressive episodes. These episodes generally last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. They usually happen for no particular reason, with no warning.

And there's not really that much to be done in terms of curing it. It's more about just getting through it.

Since we are nearing the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, I thought I'd give my advice on little things you can do when you're in a spot of depression.

Every person's mental health experience is different, so what helps me might not help you. Also, this advice is dealing with short-term depressive episodes, not chronic depression.

Here are four things that help me cope with depressive episodes.

1. Get dressed and make your bed.

Even if you don't have any plans besides staying home all day in a depressive puddle, doing these two small things helps put me into a more productive mindset.

Realizing I've been in my room all day, with blankets, snacks, and my laptop just thrown across the bed and myself still dressed in pajama pants at 5 p.m. usually makes me feel worse. It makes me feel like I'm just wasting away in my room rather than doing something with my life.

Getting dressed and making my bed sets me up for a more productive day.

2. Watch a feel-good movie or TV show.

My go-to's are usually the movie "Mamma Mia" and the TV show "Psych."

Saying laughing can cure depression would be completely ridiculous, but laughing does make it more bearable. Watching something funny and uplifting helps remove you from the despair that you feel like your life's currently in and reminds you it's not all bad.

3. Dive into your work.

Whether it's school or a job (or both), ignoring your responsibilities can make you feel worse in the long run, since it adds more stress on to you in the future. Also, working on something else can serve as a distraction.

Yes, it is harder to focus when depressed, but you need to push through it and force yourself sometimes so that you don't let this disease impact your day-to-day life.

4. Don't think too much about why you're depressed.

Questioning why you feel the way you do is best left in therapy.

Asking yourself things like "What caused this?", "Why did my mood suddenly shift?", and "Was it because of so-and-so?" can lead to really destructive thought spirals.

These thought spirals could lead you to believe that something that definitely didn't cause your depression in fact has.

It's easier to accept that sometimes mental health problems come without any kind of warning.

Don't focus too much on the "why" of it. Getting through it should be your main priority.

Instead, focus on how you will get better eventually. Even if it seems impossible at the moment, you will feel good again.