Talk To A Mental Health Professional About Your Depression Treatment
Dont let your depression go on so long that it becomes debilitating. If youve tried all the tips weve given here today and youve talked to a friend or loved one about how youre feeling, you should be proud. However, if you still cant seem to shake your depression, and being depressed in bed is becoming something that interferes with your daily life, you should consider talking to a mental health professional.
A doctor or therapist can help you come up with a new depression treatment plan or adjust your current one to help you manage depression. Make sure that youre communicating with them so they know how severe your depression has become. They can help you better understand what type of depression youre dealing with or if other mental health conditions are affecting your energy levels.
It might be something as simple as adjusting the dosage or type of medication for depression youre on, or it could also be a matter of finding the right combination of therapy and medication.
More Spirit Fillers Less Time Killers
Very often, the cycle of depression feeds on itself. We feel depressed, so its really hard to find the motivation and energy to do the uplifting things that have the potential to feed our spirits. Then we feel even more depressed. And so it goes.
This tip is about raising your awareness of how you fill the hours in your day. Its far too easy to spend our days doing things that fill our time, but dont necessarily fill our spirits. I know it can be hard to break out of our usual routines and do something thats new or different or that might bring up emotions. But in the end, finding activities to fill our spirits helps so much with decreasing depression and increasing peace.
Of course, everyone needs to find what feeds their spirits. One person might love gardening and another person might find it to be a chore. One person might enjoy cooking and someone else doesnt like cooking at all. Its such an individual exploration, but the bottom line is, if we keep doing what were doing, were going to keep getting what were getting. If you have been spending a lot of time in negativity, inactivity, or isolation, in order to lift your spirits, youll need to make some changes.
Think about the ways that you spend your time. Not just the usual things you do each day like work, school, childcare or meal preparation, but the things you do in between the things you do:
Why Is Dealing With Depression So Difficult
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.
Its the Catch-22 of depression recovery: The things that help the most are the things that are the most difficult to do. There is a big difference, however, between something thats difficult and something thats impossible. While recovering from depression isnt quick or easy, you do have more control than you realizeeven if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. The key is to start small and build from there. You may not have much energy, but by drawing on all your reserves, you should have enough to take a walk around the block or pick up the phone to call a loved one, for example.
Taking the first step is always the hardest. But going for a walk or getting up and dancing to your favorite music, for example, is something you can do right now. And it can substantially boost your mood and energy for several hourslong enough to put a second recovery step into action, such as preparing a mood-boosting meal or arranging to meet an old friend. By taking the following small but positive steps day by day, youll soon lift the heavy fog of depression and find yourself feeling happier, healthier, and more hopeful again.
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Counter Depression With Exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , getting regular physical activity can make you less likely to develop depression. Exercising three to five times weekly for 30 to 60 minutes can provide mental health benefits because exercise is a good way to get “out of your head” and focus on moment-to-moment sensations, such as your breathing and movements.
Five Ways To Break The Cycle Of Depression And Give Yourself A Boost
Every now and then, we all feel low, often it passes quickly, and we get back to our normal routines. However, for some a low mood can last a long time, leaving you feeling like you’re stuck under a dark cloud, hopeless and isolated. It may have started gradually and over time depression causes you to lose interest in things you used to find enjoyable and it’s a struggle to carry out day-to-day activities.
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Tips For Living With Depression
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Everything feels more challenging when you’re dealing with depression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like a struggle.
But there are some things you can do to cope with your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Here are eight tips for living with depression.
This video has been medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD.
Exercise Is Something You Can Do Right Now To Boost Your Mood
Your fatigue will improve if you stick with it. Starting to exercise can be difficult when youre depressed and feeling exhausted. But research shows that your energy levels will improve if you keep with it. Exercise will help you to feel energized and less fatigued, not more.
Find exercises that are continuous and rhythmic. The most benefits for depression come from rhythmic exercisesuch as walking, weight training, swimming, martial arts, or dancingwhere you move both your arms and legs.
Add a mindfulness element, especially if your depression is rooted in unresolved trauma or fed by obsessive, negative thoughts. Focus on how your body feels as you movesuch as the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, or the feeling of the wind on your skin, or the rhythm of your breathing.
Pair up with an exercise partner. Not only does working out with others enable you to spend time socializing, it can also help to keep you motivated. Try joining a running club, taking a water aerobics or dance class, seeking out tennis partners, or enrolling in a soccer or volleyball league.
Take a dog for a walk.If you dont own a dog, you can volunteer to walk homeless dogs for an animal shelter or rescue group. Youll not only be helping yourself but also be helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable.
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When Antidepressants Are Necessary
âIf you are so depressed that you canât get up to wash or do your chores, and just getting out of the house feels like a tremendous hurdle, medication is definitely the way to go,â she says. âAntidepressants can help take the edge off and allow you to engage in therapy and get out of the vicious cycle.â
Medications may also help by stopping some of the negative thinking patterns that make it difficult to see out of a depression, she says. Thoughts such as âthis will never end and will go on foreverâ make it hard to move forward. âTherapy is beneficial along with medication, especially if you have psychosocial stressors in your life that are contributing to how you feel,â she says.
Some antidepressants are started at lower doses in case there are any side effects. After one or two weeks, doses can be gradually increased — if needed — to get the desired effects on your mood. Antidepressants typically donât work overnight. Some may take longer than others to kick in. It usually takes about six weeks, on average, for antidepressants to begin to have a positive effect on your mood, Virk says. âBe patient and stay in close contact with your doctor.â
The good news is that there are many antidepressants for your doctor to choose from today. If one doesnât work, they can adjust the dose, switch to another, or even add a second medication to the mix.
When Should I Get Help For Depression
If youve done your best to challenge negative thinking, boost your motivation, and make positive lifestyle changes, and yet the signs of depression in your life are only becoming more present, it may be time to seek the help of a mental health professional. They can provide medical advice, help avoid making your depression worse, and teach you how to avoid the kind of major depressive episode that can really take you down emotionally.
Whether you need to better understand the root of your depression through the use of treatment facilities, antidepressant medications, therapy or some combination, there really is zero shame in this. Needing help does not mean youre weak. And even though you may have convinced yourself that youre a lost cause, research shows that your depression can be treated and you can feel better.
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Learn To Recognize Negative Thinking
Sometimes these thoughts can be obvious, such as times when you berate or criticize yourself. Other times, they can be more subtle. You might find yourself engaging in things like catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking.
Catastrophizing involves always anticipating negative outcomes. All-or-nothing thinking means that you think of things as either successes or failures with no in-between. Once you get better at recognizing these cognitive patterns, you can start working on some healthier replacements.
Try These Five Tips For Decreasing Depression
There isn’t a quick fix as in Boom, youre cured and will never again be beset by the blues. But, there are techniques that can help lift the emotional paralysis and ruminating that often accompany depression. Both of which make it much more difficult to focus on the behavioral changes that are necessary to prevent a relapse. Luckily, there are ways to punch holes in the curtain of unrelenting darkness.
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Learn How To Stop Negative Thoughts
Depression doesn’t just make you feel bad, it can also cause you to think more negatively. Changing those negative thoughts, however, can improve your mood.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that works to alter common patterns of negative thinking called cognitive distortions in order to eliminate depression. There are also many self-help books, apps, and online courses that can help you learn how to change your unhealthy thinking patterns.
The symptoms of depression, such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating, make procrastination tempting.
Putting things off fuels depression. It can lead to increased guilt, worry, and stress.
It’s important to set deadlines and manage your time well. Establish short-term goals and work hard to get the most important things done first. Each task you successfully complete will help you break through the habit of procrastination.
How To Get Out Of Depression: Coping Skills
Do as many of the following as frequently as possible , and chances are high that youll begin to notice a real difference in your overall mood. Heres the clincher, though: you probably wont be motivated to do any of these at first because depression doesnt do much for your motivation.
Understand this, though: its perfectly normal to feel unmotivated until youre halfway through. As you practice these coping skills, they will only get easier.
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Testosterone: The Feeling Of Power
Testosterone is the hormone of power, strength and capability. For both men and women, testosterone can completely change the way you feel. Now, testosterone is a tricky onetoo much and it can make you feel aggressive . Too little, and you feel powerless, lethargic, and limp . Some crazy facts about testosterone:
Basically, I want to know
How long is your finger?
Sounds dirty, doesnt it? Now, now, get your mind out of the gutter. Im talking about moods here! Heres a photo of my hand. For some reason, it feels weirdly intimate posting a picture of my hand. Oh well!
How To Tell If Youre Depressed
Itâs common to feel crummy for a while after a breakup. But major depressive disorder, or clinical depression, is different than normal sadness. Itâs constant, lasts at least 2 weeks, and can affect all aspects of your life. Stressful life events, like a breakup, can trigger depression. But itâs possible to have depression-like symptoms without having a mood disorder. Itâs important to know what symptoms to look for.
To have clinical depression, you need to have several of the following:
- Ongoing sadness or worry
- Thoughts of death or suicide
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Spend Time With Friends And Family
When you feel like the cycle of depression is beginning, call your friends and family. Make plans to go to dinner, hang out, or play board games. The very nature of depression is isolation. So, whether you sit on the porch with a neighbor and talk about nothing or play a softball game with the family, not being alone will help break the depression cycle.
Avoid Feeding Your Depression
Feeding depression creates a snowball effect: For example, if you throw a few crumbs out on your balcony or sidewalk, a few pigeons will show up. If you keep throwing out crumbs, by the end of the week a multitude of pigeons will have flocked to the area. Similarly, depression thrives on doubts, fears, and negative thoughts which feeds more depression. Learn to identify the negative thoughts and worries that are fueling your depression so you can replace them with positive, more realistic thoughts.
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When To Get Professional Help
Check in with your primary doctor or a psychologist if your low mood is constant and doesnât get any better after a couple of weeks. You should make an appointment earlier if you canât do normal activities, like bathe, eat, or go to work.
Your doctor might want you to try one or both of the following:
- Talk therapy. A counselor can help you process your thoughts and emotions in a healthy way. You might benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy , interpersonal therapy, or problem-solving therapy.
- Medication. Antidepressants work on chemicals in your brain that affect how you feel and deal with stress. You might need to try several options to find the right one. Give them at least 2-4 weeks to work. Donât stop taking them without talking to your doctor first.
- Get help right away if you think about hurting yourself. Thoughts of suicide are a serious symptom of depression. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline any time of day at 800-273-8255.
Show Sources
Sarah Rosenbloom, clinical assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine clinical psychologist, Sarah Rosenbloom & Associates.
Mental Health Centre, University of Alberta: âSurviving a Relationship Break-Up â Top 20 Strategies.â
Cleveland Clinic: âBroken Heart Syndrome.â
PLoS One: âRomantic relationship breakup: An experimental model to study effects of stress on depression symptoms).â
Create A Wellness Toolbox
A wellness toolbox is a set of tools that you can use to help soothe yourself when you are feeling down.
The tools you find most helpful might not work for someone else so it’s important to carefully consider what things can help you feel your best.
Think of things you like to do when you’re happy. Then, when you’re feeling down, try one of those activities.
Cuddling your pet, listening to your favorite music, taking a warm bath, or reading a good book are just a few tools you might find helpful.
Create a list of the activities you might try when you’re feeling bad. Then, choose an activity to try when you’re having a particularly rough time.
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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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Though easier said than done, the times you feel most like slumping on the couch are the moments you should force yourself to take a walk, cook a meal, or call a friend. If you’ve ever been depressed before, do whatever it was that helped you feel better before. Coping strategies that have worked for you in the past are a great place to start. Activities that help you calm down and that raise your spirits are important, even simple things like baking brownies, taking a bath, or listening to upbeat music. Act against the critical inner voice that tells you nothing will help. Remember its only purpose is to keep you from feeling better.
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