It is normal for every person to have ups and downs from time to time. At some point in our lives, we all go through difficult situations that result in sadness. It’s normal the sad times to last up to few days, but if you are feeling sad for weeks and even months, then this is a warning sign. The term that explains this condition is “depression”.
Depression affects different people in different ways. This condition can be recognized by several symptoms such as: feeling sad and hopeless for longer time; losing interest in things you used to enjoy; and constant feeling of fear and insecurity. Regardless of the symptoms and the way in which depression affects you, this serious condition can interfere and affect many segments of your life.
Depression can lower your abilities for working, studying, sleeping, entertaining etc.
Depression can be a result of:
- Genetics
- Traumas of early childhood abuse
- Serious illnesses
- Conflicts with family members
- Financial problems
- Death or loss of someone close
- Unemployment
- Social isolation
- Taking medications
As the causes for depression vary with different people, depression can be treated in different ways. If you are facing a severe depression, you can help yourself with few things that can be done without an assistance of a doctor. Take a look at some of the things that can help you to manage depression.
Identify the cause of your depression
You need to first identify the things that make you feel sad and lonely. When you have determined the causes of your depression, you will know what actions need to be taken.
Connect with people
To deal with various mental conditions like depression, the support of your best friend or trusted family member is vital. Share your problems with a person you feel comfortable with. It is always helpful to hear the opinion of someone who cares about you. Simply said, “A problem shared is a problem halved”.
Find time to do things you enjoy
Following the same working routine every day can be exhausting and boring. Spending bigger part of your day in the workplace means that you aren’t spending enough time on things that make you happy. You need to make the weekend days special moments for relaxation. Listen to music, read interesting books or watch some comedy.
Limit the unhealthy habits
Try to eliminate alcohol, caffeine and smoking. To clean your mind, you should first clean your body from all the toxins you consume on a daily basis. Instead of coffee, cigarettes and alcohol try to include more vegetables, fruits and healthy beverages in your diet.
Look on the bright side of life
Before going to bed, make a list of things you are grateful for. Change the perspective by which you see the things around you. Always try to see the positive side. Problems are a matter of perspective, and how to deal with them depends on how you see them. In short: Be and feel positive.
Meditate
Meditation can help you ease the anxiety. You only need a few minutes per day to practice meditation. According to numerous researches, meditation is proven to be very effective when it comes to changing the brain’s neural pathways, which can make you resistant to stress and anxiety.
Try hypnosis
Hypnosis is another technique that can help you to free your mind from unnecessary worries and harmful thoughts. You can do hypnosis by yourself. There are a lot of reliable sources on the Internet from which you can learn how to perform self-hypnosis. If you practice hypnosis for 5-10 minutes per day, you can change the way your brain reacts to certain things and situations.
Be active
Keeping your body active will lower the stress. You can’t be strong mentally if you are weak physically. The physical exercise is the perfect way to relieve the emotional intensity. Keeping your body active will help you clear your thoughts. If you start exercising for at least a half hour on a daily basis, you will be able to deal with problems and negative situations more calmly.
Set some goals
When you don’t have any goals to achieve, there will be nothing to motivate you. Set a challenge and do something you haven’t done before. For example, start learning a new language, start practicing sports you haven’t been doing before, etc. This will help you to build a strong self confidence.
Work smarter
Try to avoid the boring work routines. Start prioritizing the tasks that are of grater importance. It is important to achieve a good balance between your personal life and your work. You should love the work you do. The depression can also be caused by frustrations related to tasks we do not enjoy doing. To love your work means to enjoy what you are doing and not to see the work tasks as something that you are obligated to do.
Accept things as they are
There is no point of trying to change the things you have no influence over. Accept the fact that in some situations we simply cannot do anything.
