Depression is not a choice. It can happen to the best of us. Sometimes life knocks you down and you find it difficult to get up. Depression can also come out of nowhere. The study of psychology has proven that there is no perfect remedy for depression. You simply learn to manage it. You could use anti-depressants and although very effective, it does not completely cure, it merely suppresses. It’s like having an anxiety disorder. The two are often connected. I find that I have to stick to doing a few things every day to bring some kind of normal to my life. Structure is important when living with depression. There have been times where a shift in routine could send me off the edge. Depression never leaves you but you learn to manage it. I have found ways to manage my own depression by doing these 5 things every day.
- Walk
It almost sounds too simple to have any impact. Walking through a beautiful area can really make me feel a whole lot better. Sitting on the couch, falling deeper into your depression can be a slippery road. I do understand that many times depression is also associated with fear of leaving your house. Let me be a witness to you today and tell you, getting out of the house will change your life. The fresh air, nature, people and getting your blood flowing is all good for you. You are opening your mind to new things and it is wonderful. There will be a shift in your mood. Research has proven that there is a link between physical activity and your state of mood. Nature has been known as a healing factor and when you suffer from depression, your body requires emotional healing.
- Gratitude
I know it is very difficult to be grateful when you really feel like giving in. We all have something to be grateful for and putting it on a list will serve you even better. In the midst of a terrible day I started thinking about the things that were good in my life. Then I started writing it down. While writing, I started crying, and then I started smiling. It was a magical experience. Sometimes I would be grateful for just opening my eyes. The next day may be really bad but I will be grateful for the sandwich I just got to make. If you are able to read this, you have something to be grateful for. Gratitude is about steering away from the bad thoughts and towards positivity. If you practice gratitude, you will find beauty in every day, no matter how big or small.
- Meditate
Every day for 20 minutes a day, I meditate. I relax my mind and my body and just give over to the universe. My breathing is controlled, my muscles are relaxed and so is my mind. This has made the biggest difference in my life and I will recommend it to everyone. Learning to quiet your mind is a wonderful skill for someone with racing thoughts the entire day. Meditation will teach you do conquer your thoughts and that brings calmness. I know it is difficult when you start out, so even if you start with quieting your mind for 5 minutes, it is still significant. You are essentially giving your mind and body a break for those few minutes to rejuvenate and repair itself.
- Pray
Yes I know many people think of prayer and meditation as the same thing. For me though, when I meditate I focus on myself. I focus on my breathing, my presence and my mind. When I pray, I talk to God. I say what is on my mind and leave there with hope and faith that everything is going to be all right. Knowing that I can pray and have ‘Someone’ listen has brought me great joy and comfort. I feel like I have some friend who waits there to hear just from me. It’s pretty awesome and has helped me a lot.
- Eat a balanced diet
So you already saw this one somewhere and it is starting to get annoying. There is a reason why people advise a healthy lifestyle. You cannot keep on putting that junk food into your body and expected a great result. Having 10 cups of coffee and day with a cheese and bacon burger will not bring you happiness. Neither will a green smoothie, but you will have more energy and a positive mind. Eating healthy will help you achieve a good state of mind. There is a saying “we are what we eat” and I believe this to be true. If you remove all the toxins from your body by eating a healthy, nutritious diet, you will see the benefits.
Some people struggle with depression badly and sometimes the only thing that might help is to seek professional help. Psychiatrists are professionals and have studied hard to get where they are. Researching dissertation ideas to write their psychology dissertation was brutal. How they are qualified enough to help you get better. If you are finding it difficult to manage your depression, please seek professional help.
Bailey Burns is a content manager at http://psydissertation.com/ and an active guest post writer. She works, travels around the world and writes posts for people. She never give up and tries to change the world for better. Bailey dreams of a big happy family and a great career.