Why Do I Go In And Out Of Depression

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.

Coping With Depression Tip : Reach Out And Stay Connected

Getting support plays an essential role in overcoming depression. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression. At the same time, the very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help. When youre depressed, the tendency is to withdraw and isolate so that connecting to even close family members and friends can be tough.

You may feel too exhausted to talk, ashamed at your situation, or guilty for neglecting certain relationships. But this is just the depression talking. Staying connected to other people and taking part in social activities will make a world of difference in your mood and outlook. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it wont mean youre a burden to others. Your loved ones care about you and want to help. And if you dont feel that you have anyone to turn to, its never too late to build new friendships and improve your support network.

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National Alliance On Mental Illness

The National Alliance on Mental Health is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with mental illness. They provide information, support, and referrals to people with mental illness and their families. You can contact them through their website or by calling 800-950-NAMI or texting NAMI to 741741.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Depression In Men

Different men have different symptoms, but some common depression symptoms include:

• Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
• Feeling anxious, restless, or on the edge
• Loss of interest in work, family, or once-pleasurable activities
• Problems with sexual desire and performance
• Feeling sad, empty, flat, or hopeless
• Not being able to concentrate or remember details
• Feeling very tired, not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
• Overeating or not wanting to eat at all
• Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
• Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
• Inability to meet the responsibilities of work, caring for family, or other important activities
• Engaging in high-risk activities
• A need for alcohol or drugs
• Withdrawing from family and friends or becoming isolated

Not every man who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some men experience only a few symptoms while others may experience many.

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How To Pull Yourself Out Of Depression With Flow

Pulling yourself out of depression takes effort . Depression makes it so that you typically dont feel up to spontaneous bursts of energy. Its unlikely that youll suddenly decide to spring out of bed, head outside, and paint a gigantic mural that decorates the entire front of your house. It is very likely, though, that you go buy some painting supplies and paper, and spend time every day painting, even if its just for a short amount of time.

Depression can make it hard to think of ideas. To get around this depression roadblock, create a collection of activity ideas, things you like, used to like, or would like to try. You can use a jar or a box, and you can decorate it to make it look attractive to you. This is your flow jar, so have fun making it look appealing. Using craft sticks, note cards, or anything else you can write on and that fits in your flow jar, brainstorm activities that could bring you flow. Keep these ideas in your container, and when you need activity ideas, pull one out and immerse yourself in it .

There really is no limit to flow-inducing activities, as long as theyre safe. They can be artsy, crafty, musical, athletic they can involve nature or urban settings they can be indoor activities or outdoor.

Actively engaging in experiences that create flow will help pull you out of depression.

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Establish A Morning Routine You Enjoy

From our sleep habits to work life, we naturally thrive on schedules. If youre constantly feeling like you must drag yourself out of bed every day, that mental mindset might be contributing to why its so hard to get up in the first place. These negative thoughts can hold you back immensely and, in some cases, make your depressive symptoms worse.Instead of focusing on those negative thoughts, which can ultimately lead to a stressed and rushed morning where youre constantly feeling behind, try creating a routine that you can find joy in.Whether its meditating in the morning, doing a quick 10-minute stretch, making a fun breakfast, getting outside for a walk, or even getting a full 30-to-60 minute cardio workout in, giving yourself something you enjoy to look forward to might make it easier for you to begin your day.

Signs And Symptoms: How To Identify Depression

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersdiagnosed with major depressive disorder

Do you:

• Constantly feel tearful, empty, or worthless?
• Have little interest or pleasure in your work, hobbies, friends, family, and other things you once enjoyed?
• Notice dramatic changes up or down in your appetite or your weight not related to dieting?
• Often feel listless or fatigued for no obvious reason?
• Have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
• Find yourself wringing your hands, pacing, or showing other signs of anxious restlessness or the opposite, moving or speaking more slowly than usual?
• Struggle with insomnia or sleep too much?
• Have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death?

To be diagnosed with MDD, one of your symptoms must be a persistent low mood or a loss of interest or pleasure, the DSM-5 states. Your symptoms must also not be due to substance abuse or a medical condition, such as thyroid problems, a brain tumor, or a nutritional deficiency.

Of course, its normal to have any or all of these symptoms temporarily from time to time. The difference with depression is that the symptoms persist and make it difficult to function normally.

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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.

Recognize The Importance Of Self

Self-care is essential for good physical and mental health. Self-care activities are any actions that help people look after their wellbeing.

Self-care means taking time to relax, recharge, and connect with the self and others. It also means saying no to others when overwhelmed and taking space to calm and soothe oneself.

Basic self-care activities include eating a healthful diet, engaging in creative activities, and taking a soothing bath. But any action that enhances mental, emotional, and physical health can be considered a self-care activity.

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How Are Depression And Anxiety Diagnosed

There are no specific tests but your GP may perform some blood tests for other health conditions that share similar symptoms with depression or anxiety.

Your GP will need to get a good picture of the way youre feeling mentally and physically. They will ask you lots of questions about your symptoms and the changes youve noticed.

It can be difficult to think about specific answers on-the-spot but the following suggestions might help you plan ahead for your appointment.

• Make a list of all your symptoms, whether they are worse at certain times of the day or on particular occasions, how long youve had them and their effect on your day-to-day life and relationship with others.
• Explain any circumstances that could be contributing to these symptoms and the way you feel.
• Take a list of all medications you currently take, including any supplements or non-prescription medication.
• Be as open and honest as you can remember anything you say is confidential.

Walk Away From Depression

Motivation to exercise may be scarce when you’re feeling well, let alone when you are depressed, but try to do it anyhow.

“The typical things that we all know are important to taking care of ourselves become that much more important when you’re dealing with depression,” Browning says.

Exercise is a proven tonic for depression. For decades studies have been showing that aerobic exercise improves mood in people who are depressed.

Researchers recently found that the amount of aerobic exercise recommended by the CDC for general good health — equivalent to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at least five days a week — can bring about big improvements in depression.

The study, published in the January 2005 issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine, involved people with mild-to-moderate depression who did various amounts of exercise for 12 weeks. All groups in the study, including those in the control group, who only did stretches, had some improvement, but those who exercised as much as the CDC recommends fared best. In that group, 46% of the people reduced their symptoms by one-half, as rated on a scale of depression severity, and 42% no longer qualified as depressed when the study ended.

It’s important to start slowly with exercise. Decide what you can do, and as Aikens suggests, do a little bit less than that. If you think you could manage a 20-minute brisk walk, try 15 minutes first, and don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel better afterward.

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When To Get Professional Help For Depression

If youve taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still find your depression getting worse, seek professional help. Needing additional help doesnt mean youre weak. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel like youre a lost cause, but depression can be treated and you can feel better!

Dont forget about these self-help tips, though. Even if youre receiving professional help, these tips can be part of your treatment plan, speeding your recovery and preventing depression from returning.

What Are The Different Antidepressants And How Do They Work

• SSRI This category of drug includes fluoxetine , citalopram , and sertraline and targets serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps control mood, appetite, and sleep.
• SNRI SNRIs include drugs like duloxetine , desvenlafaxine , and venlafaxine , which block the reabsorption of both serotonin and another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine.
• NDRI This class of medications includes bupropion.
• TCA TCAs include such drugs as imipramine and nortriptyline . These drugs were among the earliest antidepressants to come on the market. These days, doctors generally only turn to them when treatment with SSRIs, SNRIs, and NDRIs has failed.
• MAOI MAOIs, including phenelzine and isocarboxazid , were the first antidepressants developed. Theyre rarely used today, in part because people who take them require careful monitoring to prevent negative interactions with certain foods and other medications.

All antidepressants can have side effects, but some may be more problematic than others. You may need to try several different medications, or a combination, guided by your doctor, before you find what works best for you.

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Why Does Depression Make It Difficult To Function

• Depression vs. Bipolar Disorder

Sometimes depression can sneak up on us, seeping into our lives without detection until it hits hard weeks, months, or even years later. Other times it shows up suddenly, like a heavy, wet blanket that has been thrown on top of us.

Either way, one of depressions hallmark features is our loss of interest in seemingly everything, whether its a favorite pastime or the people closest to you it can make getting out of bed at all nearly impossible. The world, which once seemed round, flattens out. Were no longer having any fun and sometimes its downright hard to function.

The culprit? In the case of clinical depression, usually its a symptom referred to as anhedonia.

Diagnosing And Treating Depression

There’s no physical test for depression.

If you experience depression symptoms most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks, you should visit your GP. This is especially important if:

• you have symptoms of depression that aren’t getting any better
• you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• your work, relationships with friends and family, or interests are affected by your mood

It can be hard for people with depression to imagine that anything can help them but the sooner you seek help, the sooner the symptoms start to get better.

Your GP may examine you and perform blood or urine tests to make sure there isn’t another condition causing your depression symptoms, like an underactive thyroid.

When you see your GP, they’ll try to find out if you have depression by asking you questions. These are likely to be about your health, how you’re feeling, and how that is affecting you mentally and physically.

Telling your doctor your symptoms and the affect they are having on you will help your GP to tell if you have depression, and how severe the condition is. It’s important to be as open as possible.

Your conversation with your GP will be confidential. This rule can only be broken if your GP thinks there is a significant risk of harm to you or others, and that telling a family member or carer would make that risk lower.

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Volunteering Can Be A Great Way To Do Both

Knock out a few birds with one stone spending time with other people and doing something new by volunteering and giving your time to someone or something else.

You may be used to receiving help from friends, but reaching out and providing help may actually improve your mental health more.

Bonus: People who volunteer experience physical benefits, too. This includes a

Pull Yourself Out Of Depression With Flow

Flow is a state of being fully engaged in whatever it is youre doing in a given moment. With flow, your mind is still, and your whole being is immersed in the activity youre doing. Flow means letting go, and it means diving in. When you are experiencing flow, even your depression is suspended.

Flow pulls people out of depression because it pulls them out of the lethargy and despair depression causes. Flow also provides successes and positive experiences, which boost self-confidence and help people begin to believe in themselves again.

Flow helps people feel better about their experiences further, after engaging in an experience that creates flow, people feel better about themselves. After doing an activity that brings flow, people tend to describe themselves positively, stating that they feel active, motivated, creative, and strong .

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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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