Dealing With Depression

Depression is a disorder that is evidenced by excessive sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable things, and low motivation. Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to take the steps that will help you to feel better. Sometimes, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like exercising or spending time with friends, can seem exhausting or impossible to put into action. Battling depression is tough. Thankfully, there are many ways you can fight depression.

1.Do Things That Make You Feel Good.

In order to overcome depression, you have to do things that relax and energize you. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning how to better manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, and scheduling fun activities into your day.

2. Reach Out To Friends And Family. Talking about what’s causing you stress or bringing you down can help lessen the intensity of these thoughts. Give those closest to you a chance to help out. You may feel too exhausted to talk, ashamed at your situation, or guilty for neglecting certain relationships. But this is just the depression talking. Staying connected to other people and taking part in social activities will make a world of difference in your mood and outlook. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it won’t mean you’re a burden to others. Your loved ones care about you and want to help. And if you don’t feel that you have anyone to turn to, it’s never too late to build new friendships and improve your support network.

3. Find Something To Look Forward To. When I’m down I search for something to put on the calendar that makes me happy and excited. Book a trip, buy concert tickets, plan a party—whatever brings a flush to your cheeks and rumble of joy to your belly. My biggest mood-turnarounds arise when I begin a project that can potentially create some good in the world and lead to fulfilling connections.

4. Challenge Negative Thinking. Do you feel like you’re powerless or weak? That bad things happen and there’s not much you can do about it? That your situation is hopeless? Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself and your expectations for the future. Once you identify the destructive thoughts patterns that contribute to your depression, you can start to challenge them with questions such as:

• “What’s the evidence that this thought is true? Not true?”

• “Is there another way of looking at the situation or an alternate explanation?”

As you cross-examine your negative thoughts, you may be surprised at how quickly they crumble. In the process, you’ll develop a more balanced perspective and help to relieve your depression.

5. Keep Doing Thing. Often when you’re depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell, but being around other people will make you feel less depressed. Try concentrating your attention anywhere else – go for a walk, work on a hobby, meet a friend for coffee. The main thing here is that you want to avoid lying about and stewing in misery all day. Once you get going, you’ll also usually find you have more energy than you thought you would.

6. Exercise. When you’re depressed, just getting out of bed can seem like a daunting task, let alone working out! But exercise is a powerful depression fighter and one of the most important tools in your recovery arsenal. Research shows that regular exercise can be as effective as medication for relieving depression symptoms. It also helps prevent relapse once you’re well.

7. Avoid Or Limit Alcohol. Some of the tips above are about coping with depression by distracting ourselves. Drinking and other substance use may feel like a way to distract, distance, or numb yourself from the pains of depression, but it isn’t a healthy way to do it and will always turn into a bigger problem.

8. Eat Healthy. Reduce your intake of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fast foods, and processed foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole foods. Drink plenty of water and do some research on foods that are said to improve your state of mind and well-being. Improving your diet can be a positive project to keep you constructively occupied and focused when you're working through your depression. Plus, many healthy foods are effective at improving mood.

9. Seek A Therapist.

If you’ve taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still find your depression getting worse, seek professional help. Needing additional help doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel like you’re a lost cause, but depression can be treated and you can feel better! Remember, therapy isn’t about crying or pointless complaining; it’s about learning what’s underlying your depression, developing new skills for managing the stuff that life thows at us, and working toward improving and enjoying your life. When it comes to depression, there is no substitute for seeking professional help – if you’re feeling depressed, connect with a therapist as soon as you can.

Recovering from depression takes time. Even if you’re receiving professional help, these tips can be part of your treatment plan, speeding your recovery and preventing depression from returning.