Depression is a severe medical disorder which negatively affects your outlook on life. It slowly drains your motivation, hope, and energy thus making it difficult for you to feel better. In three people, one person experiences depression. One in ten people will experience moderate to severe depression.
The key to overcoming depression is to start small. It takes time to get better. For each day, make positive choices. When dealing with depression, you have to exert an effort and take action. It can be hard to take action when you are experiencing depression but just as what Peter Pan said “Think happy thoughts” is one of the ways to start. Think of things that you can do to feel better. Go out and exercise, spend time with your family and friends or find an enjoyable hobby.
The most helpful things are the things that are most difficult to tackle. However, by doing something that you can do right now, you are on your way to becoming a better version of you. We have here ten small and definite ideas on how to deal with depression healthily.
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Reach out, get support and stay connected
To overcome depression, having a support helps sustain and maintain the healthy perspective that you plan to build. It can be tough to connect to family in friends when you are depressed, but by getting involved in social activities and staying connected with other people, it can make a difference in your outlook and mood. Being around people can help you feel less depressed.
Find someone who is a good listener. He or she doesn’t have to be able to fix you. The act of talking to someone face to face can relieve depression. Keep up with social activities and surround yourself with people who will make you feel a little less depressed.
You can also opt to go and volunteer. Research has shown that by providing others the support they need, it will help boost your mood. You can start by volunteering, help someone or better yet by listening to a friend. It doesn’t have to be big; small things can help you go a long way.
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Do the things that make you feel better
Be it forcing yourself to do things even if you don’t feel like it, by doing things that will make you feel good or better you are giving yourself the opportunity to have fun and experience better things. It might surprise you afterward how much better you are feeling. Even if doing fun activities doesn’t remove your depression immediately, you will slowly feel more energetic when you participate in fun events and happenings.
The following list of things can help you feel good and deal with depression.
- Spend more time with nature
- List the things that you like about yourself
- Take a long and warm bath
- Read a good book
- Play with pets
- Listen to good music
- Do a spontaneous thing
- Watch funny videos
- Finish small tasks
- Go out with some friends
- Pick a hobby
- Express yourself
- Take a day trip to some places
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Have a healthy routine
Check if you are sleeping enough. By sleeping less than eight hours, you let your mood suffer. Have a better sleeping schedule and don’t sleep too much or too little. Another thing to check is your stress level. See what stresses you out and find a way to regain control and relieve the pressure. Lastly, have a relaxation practice every day. Try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation and others.
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Move a leg
Exercise helps improve a person’s mood. Being considered as a powerful depression fighter, it is one of the most critical ways of recovering from depression. Research has shown that by exercising for at least 30 minutes in a day, you are experiencing what a medication for depression relief can do for you. Exercise also shows that it prevents relapse when you are already well.
Now getting an exercise can be a hard task but by starting small like walking for 10-minutes can drastically improve your mood for the next two hours. Exercise helps keep you energized and decrease fatigue. The best practices to choose are the ones that are rhythmic and continuous. Some examples of these activities are swimming, martial arts, walking, and dancing.
To achieve a better result, find yourself an exercise partner who will drag you out of bed during your lazy days. If you cannot seek one, get yourself a dog or volunteer to walk dogs for a rescue group or an animal shelter.
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Eat a healthy and balanced diet
Have a good knowledge of what foods to eat and not eat. Decrease your food intake of things that affect your mood and brain. Some examples are alcohol, caffeine, and trans fats. It is also important to remember not to skip meals. By skipping meals, you allow yourself to be tired and irritable. Reduce the number of times you eat sugar and refined carbs like sugary snacks, comfort foods, and baked goods. These may be “feel-good” foods, but they can quickly lead to a mood or energy crash.
To add to your diet, take in vitamin B-complex supplements. A lack of this vitamin has shown to trigger depression. Lastly, eat foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These acids play an essential role in stabilizing the mood of every person.
On getting professional help
If you have taken the small steps and made positive life changes but still find your depression to be getting worse, ask advice from professionals. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak. The negative thoughts in depression can make you feel hopeless, but know that depression is treatable and you can be better!
Depression is a severe issue that when left untreated can lead to suicide. Suicide dramatically affects the people around you. The persons left behind will have to deal with the grief, loss and the afterward cleanup services such as the Biohazard Cleanup.
Don’t forget about all the mentioned self-help tips to help you get better than your current self. By seeking professional help, you’re on your way to a speedy recovery.
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