Even with extreme luck, depression may still creep in and spoil things. 

Life is filled with ups and downs, and each individual has their fair share of them. 

What matters is how you react to these unfortunate situations; thus, it is crucial to learn ways to cope when bad things happen.

One way of coping is to figure out what you can do. 

Avoid focusing on negative emotions such as depression, sadness, pain, or anger when things don't go your way.

It is better to think of ways to solve the problem immediately and get back on track.

Also, you can cope by avoiding the replay of old events that caused your depression. 

Holding on to the past can create room for depression to dwell. 

The mind tends to hold on to these memories because you have not truly healed from them.

The habit of replaying and overthinking your bad experiences is a bad habit you need to stop.

Similarly, there's a lot to learn when faced with life difficulties.

Picking up on your mistakes and learning from them will allow you to see the positive side of every depressing situation.

Continue reading this overview to gain deeper insights into healthy and effective ways to cope with depression when bad things happen:

Figure Out What Can be Done About the Depression 

As humans, our first reaction when faced with difficulties is to lament and complain. It is okay to feel these depressing emotions; however, it is more important to think of solutions as soon as possible. 

Figuring out what can erase the depression is an excellent way to cope when bad things happen.

You need to realize that your dissatisfaction and annoyance won't solve anything if you don't kick into action. 

To start, give yourself some time to regulate your depression. 

You need to feel to be able to think and act.

Set a timer, take a deep breath, and calm yourself down.

After you take time to yourself to get a clear head, carefully assess the situation. 

Ask yourself questions like "when did this happen?", "what caused it?" and "what can I do to fix it?".

If you think you could have handled the situation, you might begin to feel regret; however, keep focused on what you can do instead.

The next step is to kick into action immediately. 

Regardless of how many hurdles you face,

take the first step. 

Starting from somewhere kicks you into action and helps you with your problem-solving flow.

Avoid Replaying Old Events

Overthinking and replaying old events is very unhealthy, and you should make an effort to desist from it.

Note that replaying old events and assessing the situation is different from obsessing over the negative past and getting depressed. 

If you want to learn to cope when bad things happen to you, avoid replaying old events.

You tend to worry over past painful situations when you have not fully accepted what happened.

Accept that it is alright to make mistakes and let bygones be bygone. 

Be kind to yourself as you remind yourself that it is okay, thus, allowing your mind to heal.

When memories of painful events creep in to depress you, try to distract yourself. 

Focus your attention on something fun and relaxing. 

Engage yourself in activities you do for comfort but do it in moderation—don't overwork yourself.

Similarly, your mind might linger on painful experiences because you regret not speaking up for yourself.

This is a crucial point in deciding whether to go back and address it or let go. 

Connect with your inner emotions, think thoroughly and make the right decision for yourself.

Pick Up Life Lessons 

Your mistakes don't define you or make you who you are. You simply did not know better. 

When you make a mistake, you get a learning opportunity to make the correct judgment and act rightly when faced with a similar situation. 

Seeing whatever comes your way as life lessons will teach you to cope when bad things happen.

When you make certain decisions and get a bad outcome, you need to acknowledge the wrong decisions you made. 

You can only learn from your bad choices if you see them as what they are; bad choices.

Take some time to self-reflect on the choices you made.

Purposely looking inwards will allow you to realize where you got it wrong. 

Self-reflections give you insight into your lifestyle, how it impacts your choices, and the results you get.

After introspecting, apply the lessons you have learned to your current reality. 

Continue to practice what you have learned till you see improvements. 

You can also keep track of your progress by having an accountability partner.

Grieve

Whether you are suffering from depression because you lost a loved one, pet, or opportunity, it is vital to allow yourself to grieve. 

Although the pain you get from loss can be immensely crushing, you can truly heal when you allow yourself to face your feelings. 

Grieving is one way to cope when bad things happen.

Expressing how you feel could go a long way in your grieving process. 

You can write down how you feel in a journal if you can't bring yourself to talk to someone. 

Try to let out your depressing emotions however way you can.

As difficult as it may be, get back to living.

Moving on can be a challenging stage in your grieving journey; however, returning to your routine can help. 

Doing the things you used to do will enable you to become reconciled with your loss.

Equally, you should always look after your health. 

Your mind can heal faster when your body is in good condition. 

You should also avoid using drugs or alcohol to make yourself feel better.

Accept Support 

Whatever depressing circumstance you might be facing, someone out there is going through something similar.

While the amount of depression, pain, anger, or regret you feel can differ, accepting support from people who can relate helps you cope when bad things happen.

Also, it is okay to let people know you are not okay.

You don't have to explain what happened to you and how you feel in detail.

Simply telling someone close to you that you are not okay is enough.

When bad things keep happening to you, it is easy to accept them and get used to the feeling. 

Understand that nobody deserves to go through depressing moments; so, seek comfort with a friend when you do. 

You can attend outings, go to the movies, go to the park, take a hike, or do other exciting activities with someone you are comfortable with.

If you don't have friends, you could sign up for support groups where you get to talk about your feelings with people with similar experiences. 

No matter what you are going through, you are not alone. 

You only need to reach out.

Conclusion

Often in life, bad things happen, things don't go as planned, and depression creeps in. We need to make the decision to pull through and remain happy despite the circumstances.

Learning ways to cope when bad things happen allows you to overcome depressing emotions and become mentally and emotionally stronger. 

The ways include figuring out what to do, grieving, accepting support, avoiding the replay of old events, and picking up life lessons.

Resources 

https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-help-when-youre-depressed-5-tips-for-reaching-out-and-finding-treatment/

https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/mental-health/a26887/ways-to-stop-dwelling/

https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/how-to-cope-life-is-crazy.htm

https://medium.com/wholistique/how-to-cope-when-bad-things-keep-happening-to-you-65247120603a

https://www.heysigmund.com/when-bad-things-happen-how-to-survive-thrive-and-never-look-back/

https://www.livinglocurto.com/coping-tips-when-bad-things-happen/