Managing Depression and Zero Waste
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Living a zero-waste lifestyle is something that has continued to gain popularity over the last several years and it's clear to see why. With mounting threats to our climate and current way of life, a zero-waste lifestyle seems like the perfect way to reduce the impact we have on the earth.
However, while the benefits are clear, I want to talk about the challenges–particularly for those who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses.
Depression, if you’re unfamiliar, is a mental health condition characterized by a lessened emotional capacity, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, and feelings of sadness. It is also a condition that I manage daily.
Tasks that may seem simple or basic to others can become seemingly insurmountable obstacles for those of us managing depression. As you can imagine, this has a huge effect on daily life and when combined with the pursuit of a zero-waste lifestyle, which requires consistent effort and commitment, can feel even more overwhelming.
But all hope is not lost. As someone who is managing depression and is highly interested in maintaining a zero-waste lifestyle and preserving the beauty of our environment, I have some insight to share.
I do first want to point out that everyone’s journey is and will be different. What works for me may not work for you. However, by sharing my experience, I hope to inspire others to find creative ways to overcome the same obstacles.
I also hope to contribute to a shift in the zero waste movement to one of compassion, inclusivity, and accessibility over shame, aesthetics, and perfection.
So come along with me as we navigate the intersection of sustainable living and mental health, balancing how to care for the planet while also caring for ourselves.
Depression
Everyone’s experience with depression will differ, but to use the National Institute of Mental Health’s definition, depression is a mental illness that causes “severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working.”
I also think it's helpful, for those who do not experience depression, to reference the definition of the verb depress which is “to lessen the activity or strength of.” In this case, we are discussing a disorder that literally lessens the activity of emotion in the brain–particularly positive emotions.
You may not typically think about the little joys that come from doing daily tasks but the reward center is a crucial part of our motivation to do daily maintenance tasks. When that reward center is (literally) depressed, it can make simple daily tasks suddenly feel impossible–tasks like getting out of bed, practicing personal hygiene, or preparing meals. (More on that here)
When it’s a challenge to meet just these basic needs, adding the extra effort of a zero-waste lifestyle is not logical or sustainable.
Additionally, depression can often bring about unpredictable changes in mood. This has two main effects. The first of which is that it is challenging to create a routine. You may be able to be productive on a “good” or “high” day but unable to maintain that productivity on a “bad” or “low” day. Conversely, you may struggle to keep the “bad day” routine when you’re in a better mood with more energy and motivation.
The second effect of unpredictable moods involves the shame that is often prevalent in the zero-waste community when someone stumbles and produces more waste than they “should.” I’ll dive deeper into that one in just a moment.
Zero waste
I think Caity sums up some of the big issues with the zero waste movement in her 2019 post Why the Zero Waste Movement Isn’t Sustainable. It's still very relevant today. The first of these issues is accessibility. There are actually three parts to this. I’ll touch on financial and physical accessibility first since this applies to even those without depression or other mental illnesses.
Financial Accessibility
Most information about zero waste these days comes from blogs or zero waste stores–two places whose goal is to sell you something. As a blogger myself, I do understand this–everyone has to make a living. However, this leads to the idea that to go zero-waste, you must go out and buy loads of fancy glass containers, cotton un-paper towels, and beeswax wraps.
Did I really just include affiliate links when I’m criticizing others for doing the same thing? Yes. Like I said, everyone needs to make a living. And IF you can afford these things they are great! But this is FAR from being your only option.
For now, I just want to point out a couple of things. First is that you don’t need to buy all this stuff new! You could produce even less waste by buying secondhand (hello thrift stores and Facebook marketplace) or simply using what you already have–yes, even if it's *gasp* plastic!
Speaking of plastic, if you already bought it you might as well use it until it has no life left! I always thought it was contradictory to throw out plastic you already have to put products in a separate container that had to be made so you could buy it for really no reason but the aesthetic….
I’ll go more in-depth on my best zero-waste-on-a-budget hacks in next week's post.
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Physical Accessibility
The second accessibility issue is physical accessibility. If you live in a large city, this probably isn't an issue for you but for the rest of the country, bulk stores are not always available, nor are they plausible.
For about 7 years now I have lived in cities with populations over 100k and both of those had one or two zero-waste or refillable type stores that focused on specific niches. These were great but were simply not enough to be zero waste in all areas of the home.
Practical accessibility
The last accessibility issue I want to highlight specifically relates to those with depression or other mental illnesses. It is personal or mental accessibility. As stated above, it is particularly hard for people managing depression to show up every day and do things the way they know they “should” when there is simply no internal reward for doing so.
When in a depressive episode, often for a task to get done it needs to be as simple as possible with minimal steps.
For example, eating is more accessible in a depressive episode when you can reach for a paper plate and plastic fork and throw them away afterward versus finding a clean plate and fork and then having to clean those things.
Cleaning up a mess is easier with a single-use paper towel that goes in the trash versus a cloth that then needs to be wrung out, hung to dry, and eventually washed.
There are several more aspects of the zero waste movement that I could critique, and if you’d like to see that post along with my alternative solutions please let me know in the comments!
But for now, I'll leave it at that.
So how do we bridge that gap? How do we make zero waste more accessible for those managing a lower emotional state–and honestly everyone else too?
Redefining What It Means To Be Zero Waste
When it comes to striving towards a zero-waste lifestyle while managing depression, we can make things a lot simpler just by redefining what it means to be zero-waste. The only options don’t have to be perfection or shame. We can find a way to balance self-care while still caring for our environment.
We should remember that zero waste is a journey, not necessarily a destination. It is a big change and you will stumble and that is ok. Just get back up and take another step when you're ready. Every step counts and backtracking or pausing does not negate the progress you have made and will continue to make.
Whether it's reducing waste in a single area or making conscious choices when possible, it's important to acknowledge and appreciate every effort we make. Remove the shame of not being perfect and replace it with the grace and kindness you would give anyone else for their imperfection.
Don’t focus on the things you aren’t doing. Instead, take a moment to list the things you ARE doing. And give yourself a little appreciation while you're at it! You’re making an effort and that is always better than not even trying!
Most importantly, I want you to remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. You must take care of yourself and prioritize your own mental health before you can direct that compassion outwards. You are not helping anyone or anything by downplaying your own happiness and well-being.
While the zero waste movement isn't going to change overnight and there will still be others in the movement looking down from their high horse, remember that they do not know your situation and if no one else is, I am proud of you for making the effort. And if you “should” be anything, it is proud of yourself.
Okay, if you made it this far I hope this helps reframe the idea of conquering the zero-waste lifestyle while managing a mental illness. I'd love to hear below the specific ways that you juggle both! And, as always, if you enjoyed reading this and would like to receive similar content directly to your inbox, enter your email below, and I'll make sure you get notified when new posts are up!
