In Honor Of World Mental Health Day Let’s Talk Mental Health Solutions
October 10th was World Mental Health Day. I didn’t write about it yesterday because I was traveling, but I don’t want to skip over such an important day. 18.5 percent of American Adults suffer from some type of mental illness every year. That’s 43.8 million people or almost 1 in five. Take a look around your office. There’s a good chance that there are several people in your office who have some sort of mental illness right now and you’re not even aware. Of those, over 6 million are suffering from depression.
I’m one of those people. I have anxiety and depression which is well managed by medication. The downside? Medication makes me fat. But, since my choices are to be fat and happy or thin and an anxious depressed mess, I’ll take the plus size clothing, thanks. You wouldn’t know that I suffer from depression if you met me, by the way, even before I was on medication because I’m good at putting on a happy face. And chances are, there is someone at your office, or maybe you, who is also good at getting through life when she feels rotten.
If you’re depressed, you still have to go to work and earn money. It’s how it is. Plus, you need that health insurance more than ever! Some of the best tips I’ve ever read on functioning with depression come from Jennifer P, also known as, Captain Awkward in her 2013 article, “How to Tighten Your Game When You’re Depressed.” I strongly recommend reading the whole thing, but here are some of her ideas:
Ask for Help
Find Hope In New Treatment Options
If youre on antidepressant medication and symptoms are still bad and you are too depressed to work, you shouldnt give up on feeling better.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a depression treatment that has shown great results, particularly in patients with treatment-resistant depression.
- TMS works by reactivating parts of the brain that become dormant from depression.
- TMS is highly effective and doesnt come with the side effects associated with antidepressants.
- TMS is also covered by insurance and Medicare.
- A typical TMS treatment takes 18 to 19 minutes, and you can drive afterward, meaning you could do it during your lunch break at work.
If youd like to try TMS, Success TMS is a national provider with locations across the country.
You can learn more at SuccessTMS.com, or give us a call at to check your insurance coverage and get started.
Build A Support Network
One of the most important things you can do to help yourself with depressionother than medication and therapyis to develop strong social support.
For some, this may mean forging stronger ties with friends or family. Knowing you can count on supportive loved ones to help can go a long way toward improving your depression.
For others, a depression support group can be key. It may involve a community group that meets in your area or you might find an online support group who meets your needs.
Read Also: What Is The Depression Hotline
Feeling Lonely In A Marriage How To Deal With Loneliness In A Relationship
You might expect to find yourself feeling lonely after a breakup, but what about when youre still with someone?
Feeling alone or feeling lonely in a relationship is more common than youd think.
Over time, people can drift apart or take each other for granted, and you might feel like your spouse just doesnt get you anymore.
Here are four tips on how to deal with loneliness in a relationship:
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder is depression that gets triggered by a change in seasons, usually when fall starts. This seasonal depression gets worse in the winter before ending in the spring.
Some people may get a mild version of SAD known as the winter blues. Its normal to feel a little down during colder months. You may be stuck inside, and it gets dark early.
But full SAD goes beyond that its a form of depression. Unlike the winter blues, SAD affects your daily life, including how you feel and think. Fortunately, treatment can help you get through this challenging time.
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Share A Good News With A Friend
Well, we have mentioned above to connect with others to battle off your feelings of loneliness but this point in this list of things to do when you feel sad and alone is unique on its own.
Generally when we call a closed one or a friend we are subconsciously involved in complaining about our lives but take a moment and share one piece of happy information with your pal. It will deepen your relationships and feed your brain with positive hormones.
Understanding How Much Depression Impacts Lives
There are varying degrees of depression. Certain people experience depression in lapses, while others are ongoingly depressed. Nevertheless, depression literally has the capability to impact every aspect of an individual’s life. In many cases, depression doesn’t simply wear off or subside. This is why it’s so very problematic when depressed individuals are told to simply shake it off or “get over it.” Depression literally does not work this way.
Mental Impacts
It goes without saying that depression has a very real impact on people’s mental state. Depression quite literally changes brain chemistry and the manner in which individuals see the world. Someone who is going through depression may feel anxious, habitually empty, and they may also experience thoughts of suicide. It’s not uncommon for people with depression to struggle with even getting out of bed in the morning or doing things which are considered basic by most people. It’s important to remember that just because the mental impacts are not able to be seen with the naked eye , this does not make them any less real.
Emotional Impacts
Physical Impacts
Reviewing the impacts of depression can be a lot to take in. This type of mental health issue is very scary and nothing to crack jokes about. However, having an awareness of the effects associated with depression allows for a deeper understanding of steps to take if and when you’re going through this struggle yourself.
Read Also: What Is The Treatment For Clinical Depression
Don’t Suffer In Silence
Get support, whether from family, friends, your academic advisor, campus counseling center, or a trusted online community. A heart-to-heart talk with someone you trust can help you get rid of toxic feelings and may even give you a fresh perspective.
If these steps don’t bring relief, or if you are still unable to cope and feel as if the stress is affecting how you function every day, it could be something more acute and chronic–like depression. Don’t let it go unchecked!
How To Practice Focused Meditation
Here are six tips to help you practice focused meditation. Based on your availability and interest, these tips may change and evolve. Thats the point: to create a structured practice that caters to your needs.
1. Find a Comfortable Seat
As with any meditation practice, comfort is truly key. The physical body responds to meditation practice by alerting you to whether it is comfortable and supported or stressed out and in pain. This is best observed in practitioners who tend to slouch and lose the tall, supported spine that is essential to meditation practice.
A simple rule in meditative sitting is to ensure that your hips are higher than your knees. Therefore, choosing to sit in a chair instead of on the floor may be a smart decision or perhaps propping yourself up on a cushion. For meditation techniques overall, it does not matter how you sit. All that matters is that you are supported and comfortable sitting for some time.
2. Choose Your Object of Focus
Every meditation training session is going to be different because no single day is the same for any one person. Therefore, experienced meditators know that choosing an object is more about listening to what you need at this time versus following any doctrine or rule.
3. Set Your Desired Time or Go With the Flow
Likewise, if you have the time, you can also listen to your body and come out of your meditation when you feel its right to do so. This is often a beautiful practice of listening and tuning in.
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What Does Procrastinate Mean
To procrastinate is a common word that is used in place for delay or postponement of something crucial. When you procrastinate, you may not find yourself saying, “I do not want to do anything.” Instead, you may find yourself shifting the dates and saying, “I will do it later.” For example, if you have some crucial work to do and you procrastinate, it means you moved the date forward for reasons that may not be so strong. Sometimes, it may be due to a mental illness that affects your behavioral health. Most of the things that people procrastinate on usually need immediate attention. Procrastination is linked to depression as a mental illness, irrational behavior, substance abuse, anxiety, low self-esteem, and some neurological disorders like ADHD.
Fortunately, there are certain ways that you can deal with this feeling and improve your behavioral health. The first helpful thing is to forgive yourself. Forgiveness is a mental health treatment technique where you let go of the past. Since you have procrastinated in the past, you may feel some kind of way when you’re trying to set new goals. However, forgiving yourself helps you look ahead.
The Benefits Of Focused Meditation
In this style of meditation, what youre really doing is exercising your mental muscles. Your brain is highly affected by dedicated and concentrated meditation practice.
Scientists have performed countless studies on focused meditation and have found that active meditators have more gray matter volume in their brain and, therefore, offsetting the cognitive decline that comes with aging. So, not only does practicing focused meditation help you learn how to focus better on certain tasks, but it also improves similar functions, such as memory.
Likewise, it helps in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, which our society is currently crippled with. By settling your attention on an object, you are essentially building your ability to observe your thoughts and sensations from a place of objectivity. This allows you to detach from negative self-talk that is often the breeding ground for depression and other mental illnesses.
From a guided meditation for focus to practicing it yourself, daily meditation for focus comes with several benefits:
- Itll reduce stress
- Helps you to focus on the present moment
- Increase your creativity and imagination
- And boost your patience and tolerance for things.
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How Can I Help Someone With Depression
Depression is a serious but treatable disorder that affects millions of people, from young to old and from all walks of life. It gets in the way of everyday life, causing tremendous pain, hurting not just those suffering from it but also impacting everyone around them.
If someone you love is depressed, you may be experiencing any number of difficult emotions, including helplessness, frustration, anger, fear, guilt, and sadness. These feelings are all normal. Its not easy dealing with a friend or family members depression. And if you neglect your own health, it can become overwhelming.
That said, your companionship and support can be crucial to your loved ones recovery. You can help them to cope with depression symptoms, overcome negative thoughts, and regain their energy, optimism, and enjoyment of life. Start by learning all you can about depression and how to best talk about it with your friend or family member. But as you reach out, dont forget to look after your own emotional healthyoull need it to provide the full support your loved one needs.
Understanding depression in a friend or family member
Depression is a serious condition. Dont underestimate the seriousness of depression. Depression drains a persons energy, optimism, and motivation. Your depressed loved one cant just snap out of it by sheer force of will.
Get In Touch With Mother Nature
Do you know there is a concept of nature walk which is found to boost mental well-being and reduce the feeling of depression by nearly 70%?
All you have to do is go out, take a walk in nature, and heal. It is indeed one of the healthiest things to do when you feel alone. Make sure you soak yourself up in this nature walk by keeping your digital devices at home and by rejoicing in what mother earthhas to offer.
Read Also: Behavioral Strategies To Overcome Depression
Lay Down In The Grass Facing The Sky This Works Best On A Full Moon As The Energies In The Ground Sip Directly Into The Body And Contribute To A General Good Mood
98. Masturbate. I cant stress how much good youre doing to yourself. Serotonin kicks back in a matter of minutes.
99. Spend time amongst animals. Horse riding is fantastically soothing. Sitting with your pet and caring for them is brilliantly helpful. Animals may not speak, but they feel our pains and are able to calm us down.
Stressed Or Depressed Know The Difference
If you are feeling overwhelmed by stress, you are not alone it’s practically a fact of life on college campuses. A poll conducted by mtvU and the Associated Press in the spring of 2009 reported that 85% of students say they experience stress on a daily basis.
Stress is good if it motivates you but it’s bad if it wears you down. Many factors can contribute to the stress you experience, and this stress can cause changes in your body that affect your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.
Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression.
The good news is that depression is a highly treatable condition. However, it’s not something you can snap out of by yourself, so it’s important to get help. How do you tell the difference between stress and depression? Both can affect you in similar ways, but there are key differences. Symptoms of depression can be much more intense. They last at least two weeks. Depression causes powerful mood changes, such as painful sadness and despair. You may feel exhausted and unable to act.
Here are common signs of stress and depression. Which fits you best?
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Go To Sephora And Smell All Fragrances Youre Curious About Scents Help Us Detense And Feel Generally Better Get A Free Make
44. Go shopping. If you cant afford shopping, just browse through the stores you like.
45. Take a short walk in nature and breathe in all the fresh scents.
46. Hug someone you love, if thats something you can do. Hugs that last longer than 10 seconds are scientifically proven to heal.
47. Take a long shower. Warm water soothes our tired bodies and invigorates our cells.
48. Try a 10 minute yoga exercise for depression and loneliness.
49. Lay in bed. Cover yourself in nice smelling sheets. Warmth brings us comfort.
50. Talk to a stranger on Quora if you have no one to talk to. You can even do it anonymously. Most people there will offer great life advice.
What To Do When Depression And Anxiety Mix
Kara Mayer Robinson Jabeen Begum
You’ve noticed some changes lately. Maybe you feel sad, hopeless, or donât get any joy out of activities that used to be fun. Sounds like depression, right?
Maybe that’s not all. Sometimes you’re worried, afraid, and just plain uneasy. Isn’t that a sign of anxiety?
Not so fast. Itâs normal to have ups and downs or to have things youâre concerned about. You might be going through a difficult time. Your doctor can help you figure out if itâs actually a condition and what would help.
Depression and anxiety are like flip sides of the same coin, says therapist Nancy B. Irwin, PsyD. “Being depressed often makes us anxious, and anxiety often makes us depressed.”
If you have both conditions, there are lots of ways to get help.
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How Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Diagnosed
If you have symptoms of SAD, dont try to diagnose yourself. See a healthcare provider for a thorough evaluation. You may have a physical issue thats causing depression. But many times, seasonal affective disorder is part of a more complex mental health issue.
Your provider may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. These mental health professionals talk to you about your symptoms. They consider the pattern of symptoms and decide if you have seasonal depression or another mood disorder. You may need to fill out a questionnaire to determine if you have SAD.