Remember The Good Times
Thinking back on some of your past successes and happy moments can actually help you out of that funk. Positive thinking can alter your mood for the better and increase your serotonin levels. While thinking positive may be difficult while in the grips of depression, its an important first step to getting back on your feet.
You Feel Like Youre Constantly Faking It
âWe hear a lot now about imposter syndrome, where people feel that they are just âfaking itâ and arenât as together as people think. Thereâs a form of this for those who deal with major depression and other forms of mental illness. You become quite adept at âplaying yourself,â acting the role of the self that people around you expect to see and experience.â
â Daniel, publicist, Maryland
Remember That Theres A Season To Everything
Like natures seasons, we also go through seasons in life. Some seasons may seem longer than others, especially when it comes to dealing with emotions such as sadness, grief, sorrow, and depression. But just like nature, there is a beginning, and there is a renewal to every moment in our lives.
Take a moment to think back on the last five years. The chances are youve had your highs and lows, and maybe one particular year stood out more than the others. For that particular moment, event, or even year, it might have been hard to see the light or good that was to come out of it.
Trust that while it seems like everything is going against you, there is a close to every single loop in our lives. Its also meant for your growth mentally, physically, and spiritually to have these renewal periods.
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Set The Bar Ridiculously Low
To ensure that you don’t go from zero to 100 and back to zero again, lay the groundwork for success by initiating action in the smallest possible increments, suggests McMillan. Start by doing something simple and then continue taking small, incremental steps . Once you get moving you may be surprised that you feel inspired to do more, she says.
Reframe Your Thoughts To Stop Thinking About The Past
Lets say that after a break up, you keep telling yourself youll never find love again. Or, perhaps you got a not-so-glowing review from your boss at work, so now you’re convinced you’ll never be promoted and you might have chosen the wrong career entirely.
That’s when it’s time to change your narrative. Therapists call this technique cognitive restructuring and it’s a process in which you identify and challenge distressing and irrational thoughts. One way to do this: Simply turn a negative thought into a positive one. For example, says McMillan, instead of telling yourself, “Ill be alone forever,” try saying “I will find love again.” Youll feel more peace and less sadness, and eventually you will even believe it.
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Start A Meditation Practice
A consistent meditation practice can help you get in touch with your feelings by introducing you to your inner world. Youll get to see the full extent of what goes on in your mind. Awareness can be a powerful tool for broadening the gap between your trigger and response .
Smart small. Find a comfortable seated position with your back up against a wall. Relax your gaze or close your eyes. Maybe turn on a diffuser with some lavender essential oil. If it feels good, add some light classical music, a genre known for evoking powerful emotions.
Set the Insight Timer app for just 2 minutes and see what comes up in your mind. Congratulations, you just meditated. Theres no wrong way to do it.
Thoughts Of Death Or Suicide
A person with depression may think more about death and dying. They may also think about suicide and how they could end their life. The term for this is suicidal ideation .
Sometimes, a person may tell others about these thoughts. If someone is talking about death or suicide, this could be their way of asking for help, and it is vital to seek assistance right away.
Depression is a common but serious condition that can be life threatening. Not every person who thinks about suicide will attempt it. However, if someone mentions suicide, it is important either to contact a doctor or to help the person seek urgent medical care.
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When To Call Your Doctor
Know that you are not alone if you are experiencing some of the symptoms above.
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of sadness or depression for longer than a few weeks, consider reaching out to your doctor to determine the cause and what you can do about it.
Sometimes feeling depression is not a result of mental illness. It could be a medical condition, like hypothyroidism, for example, that can be causing symptoms of depression.
Once your doctor rules out any potential medical causes, they will be able to provide other options for your depression or refer you to a psychiatrist or therapist who can help you.
Depression Discussion Guide
Is It Selfish To Prioritize My Own Mental Health
The desire to help make the world a better place is an incredible thing. If you notice whats going wrong in the world and feel a responsibility to make it better, that says something really positive about who you are.
Youre still one person. And your ability to make a positive difference is affected by your mental health. If youre so discouraged you can hardly get out of bed, its going to be hard to make a big impact.
- Make time for self-care. Sometimes you need to drop the volunteer work and take a bubble bath. Dont feel bad about the fact that youre doing something for you. That bubble bath will help you feel refreshed and valued. When youre ready, youll have more of yourself to give.
- Make space for gratitude. The world kinda sucksbut its also kind of beautiful. You dont have to ignore the bad things to see the good things.
- Acknowledge negative emotions without dwelling on them. Our negative emotions are there to guide and protect us. They motivate us to make changes. Its when we fixate on them that they start to take over. If youre having trouble moving on, consider whether you might need some help with a mental health condition like depression or anxiety.
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How Is Depression And Anxiety Treated
If you broke your leg, you wouldn’t just struggle on without help. You’d get in seen to. Mental health is as important as physical health and can be treated successfully. There are several treatments available often a combination of treatments is needed.
If your symptoms are mild, your GP may take a ‘wait and see’ approach. They may give you some advice on how to cope with symptoms then see if symptoms improve within a few weeks.
Talking treatments
Theres something called ‘talking therapies’ now, which can really help people who are feeling low, anxious or out of sorts.
Talking treatments allow you to talk to a trained professional who can help you manage your thoughts and feelings and the effect they have on your mood and behaviour.
Examples of talking treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling. They may be one-on-one sessions or in a group environment.
If you are considering talking treatments, be sure to mention any cultural, language or religious needs you have or any hearing or sight problems, so they can be addressed when arranging therapy for you. Talking treatments are effective and available for free on the NHS.
We Can Be Kind To Ourselves
Depression likes to turn us against ourselves. Who knows our weaknesses better than we do?
Those thoughts of not being good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, get brought to the surface by depression. Whats worse, we start to agree with those thoughts.
We begin to accept those thoughts as truth. If we feel that way about ourselves, of course everyone else must feel that way too, right?
As my awareness of depressions influence grew, I started to regain my ability to be kind to myself.
It often means more than positive words in the mirror. I write down my positive thoughts in a journal, and I try to practice consciously reframing negative thinking.
When depression says youre not good at anything, I remember that ability to argue back. Im good at many things. I have so many positive traits we all do!
We are not our thoughts. Studies show acceptance and commitment therapy help to defuse those negative thoughts and lies that invade our personal space.
Depression doesnt get to tell us we arent good enough. We know were unique, and were the ones in command not depression.
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Antenatal And Postnatal Depression
Women are at an increased risk of depression during pregnancy and in the year following childbirth . This time frame may also be referred to as the perinatal period.
The causes of depression at this time can be complex and are often the result of a combination of factors. In the days immediately following birth, many women experience the baby blues, which is a common condition related to hormonal changes, affecting up to 80 per cent of women who have given birth.
The baby blues, or the general stress of adjusting to pregnancy or a new baby, are common experiences, but are different from depression.
Depression is longer lasting and can affect not only the mother, but her relationship with her baby, the childs development, the mothers relationship with her partner and with other members of the family.
Up to one in 10 women will experience depression during pregnancy. This increases to 16 per cent in the first three months after having a baby.
Small Steps Big Impact
If a person feels sustained, intense, feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.
However, there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.
Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.
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We Dont Have To Feel This Way
Learning I wasnt alone in my depression was the first step in a long process of discovery. The second revelation I had was that I didnt have to feel that way.
I dont have to be stuck. I dont have to feel consumed by despair or indifference.
I can feel better.
Theres nothing stopping me other than the voice in my head telling me that its pointless to try. Once I realize I dont have to feel bad all the time, I can start actively looking down that road of recovery.
How Can I Be Ok When The World Is Terrible
Lets be honest: The world can be a pretty terrible place. From personal losses to national tragedies and global disasters and everything in between Its easy to feel depressed about the state of the world.
Just thinking about the sheer amount of awfulness around us can be completely overwhelmingeven paralyzing. The problems are far too big for any single person to solve them. So what can you do? Should you do anything? Should you give up? Is there any should to begin with?
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But The Bad Days Are Unbearable
âNow for a bad day⦠I fight with myself to wake up and have to truly shame myself into showering and getting myself together. I put on makeup alert people about my internal issues. I donât want to talk or be bothered by anyone. I fake being personable, as I have rent to pay and donât want to complicate my life any more than it is.
âAfter work, I just want to go to my hotel room and mindlessly scroll on Instagram or YouTube. Iâll eat junk food, and feel like a loser and demean myself.
âI have more bad days than good, but Iâve gotten good at faking it so my clients think Iâm a great employee. Iâm often sent kudos for my performance. But inside, I know that I didnât deliver at the level I know I could.â
â Christian
Tip : Get A Daily Dose Of Sunlight
Sunlight can help boost serotonin levels and improve your mood. Whenever possible, get outside during daylight hours and expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Remove sunglasses and use sunscreen as needed.
- Take a walk on your lunch break, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, or spend time gardening.
- Double up on the benefits of sunlight by exercising outside. Try hiking, walking in a local park, or playing golf or tennis with a friend.
- Increase the amount of natural light in your home and workplace by opening blinds and drapes and sitting near windows.
- If you live somewhere with little winter sunshine, try using a light therapy box.
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Avoid Drugs & Alcohol
Drinking alcohol or doing drugs only make depression worse, yet many people turn to these options thinking theyll provide relief. If youre depressed, you need to stay as far from drugs and alcohol as possible.
These are just a few of the many natural ways you can help yourself beat depression. As always, in the most serious of cases, you should seek professional help, but for mild depression, these suggestions could prove beneficial for making you feel happier and more content.
How Can I Support My Mental Health
Having depression or anxiety isnt a sign of weakness and theres no need to feel embarrassed. Keep active in your community, consider joining a support group and do things that boost your mental wellbeing.
Self-help groups
Meeting other people who understand what youre going through can be helpful, especially if youre feeling isolated or lonely. You can find a local support group by asking your GP, or by contacting Mind, Anxiety UK, SANE or Rethink Mental Illness.
Keep a regular social routine
There are a range of services in the local community where you can meet new people and learn new skills. This will give you something to look forward to, and prevent you feeling isolated or alone. Your local Age UK can help you find an activity or group that will suit your interests.
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Understand Its Not Your Fault
Being normal or perfect is a myth. We all experience difficult times and difficult emotions. But when experiencing depression, one can feel isolated in their thoughts and feelings which if unchecked or untreated can lead to suicidal ideations. Thats why depression is so important to act upon rather than let linger.
Negative feelings will always come up. No one can walk around full of sunshine and happiness 24/7. We all get worn down. We all experience losses. We all need rest.
But when negative feelings overtake you, when you cant face the real world because of the sadness or difficult emotions you are feeling, thats when it can turn into depression.
We are a society that wants instant gratification. With that fix it now mentality we find it even harder to overcome our depression and find instead that we are masking our own feelings. It doesnt just go away. Theres no quick fix on how to not be depressed, as much as we want there to be one.
There are many causes of depression and many misconceptions about it as well. Namely, people think its an attitude thing or ungratefulness towards life. But there are many factors like genetics, chemical imbalance, stress, loss, trauma and more. Snapping out if it is not always possible. Read this article to read more about other factors that affects depression: Why Do I Feel Depressed Every Once in a While for No Reason?
We Can Cultivate Honesty
Depression tricks me into hating myself, but it also manipulates how I feel about the world.
When doubts about loved ones creep in, I take a moment and ask myself if I honestly believe they would want anything other than what was best for me.
When depression is pulling me under, trying to drown me, its whispering that those around me dont want to help.
Deep down, I know this isnt true. Our loved ones want us to be happy, healthy, and successful. Many of them would sacrifice for us to have the best of the best.
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Consider Getting Treatment For Your Mental Health
This might sound obvious, but a way to be more productive if youre depressed is to not be depressed anymore or be less so. Almost universally, people wait far too long before accessing treatment for their mental health. When I was a therapist, I would ask clients when the onset of the problem was. Frequently, the answer would be years ago, not months or weeks.
There are a variety of approaches you can try, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or medication. Taking a broad-based multivitamin and mineral supplement can also help you be resilient to stress and is a simple option, especially if your eating habits have worsened due to your depression. Learning self-compassion skills can also be extremely beneficial for depression, stress, and anxiety if you tend to be self-critical. Skills for identifying and disrupting rumination are important to master as rumination impairs mood, productivity, and problem-solving.
When youre depressed or experiencing emotions like grief or anxiety, you wont always be able to be as productive as youd ideally like. Give yourself grace about this. Try a 5 minute self-compassion meditation if you need it. Be patient with yourself but also give the recommended advice a try. Depression often causes people to have negative expectations, which can include expecting advice not to work for you. If you know this, you can avoid this trap and experiment with the strategies provided.