The first thing to know about depression is that it is not similar to sadness. When you are sad, it lasts for a limited time, and you move out of it after a while. But depression is a continuous feeling of sadness that doesn’t go away easily, not without an intervention. Truth is that depression is a clinical state and more often than not would require a proper treatment from a psychiatrist.
There are a lot of reasons why people feel depressed. Most often they start with a cause of grief, stress, or emotional reasons, like heartbreak or financial reason, and so on. Most people are depressed might not be able to see a positive outcome in any situation. A state we refer to as hopelessness and helplessness. The thoughts become negative, which makes it impossible for them to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Depression can make you feel lonely, anxious, and hopeless. But, it’s not the end of life. You can certainly get better. Some counselors can help you get out of depression by getting you on medication and doing cognitive-behavioral therapy.
[su_note note_color=”#f6f6ee”]Also read: 5 Personality traits that are actually signs of an anxiety disorder[/su_note]
Also, you can try to get out of depression on your own by using the following methods.
1. Confess in your family or close friend
Sometimes you are depressed, but you are not sure about the same. You feel empty but think it is because of sadness or loneliness. You are confused and no one can see the mess you are in. It can happen, especially if you bottle up your emotions and feelings.
Thus, make sure you confide in a close friend or family member about the same. Let them know that you are sad for a long time, and it might be depression too.
They may be able to help you figure out a reason for the same. Once you recognize why you are sad or why your thoughts are negative, it becomes a bit easier to try and get out of it.
2. Don’t isolate yourself, it can worsen your depression
One thing that most depressed people do is isolate themselves. They withdraw into a shell and don’t interact with people. It is the worst thing you can do to yourself as it worsens your depression.
You may not feel like it but you need to go out and meet people. For instance:
- Meet friends who are positive and encourages you to have fun
- Meet your family members, spend time with them, and so on.
- Find an activity that you can do or used to love doing. Enroll in classes, it may be hard to get out of the bed to do it, but after a while, it will become easy.
- Cut down on social media. It gives a temporary respite as we ignore our feelings by watching videos or celebrities online. But overall, it can make your depression worse.
3. Eat right and exercise
A healthy lifestyle can help you a lot in overcoming depression. When you eat more fruits and vegetables instead of junk or processed food, you feel good. Such foods are addictive, and they drain you of energy, and you feel bad about eating something that is unhealthy for you. Eating junk or overeating is a part of depression that leads to obesity which leads to more depression, it’s a vicious circle.
Make a diet planner include more protein and fiber into your diet to have more energy throughout the day.
Furthermore, exercise daily. Get in 45 minutes of exercise regularly as it helps you stay fit, and also keeps you happy mentally.
4. Listen to music
Depression starts with sadness, when you don’t do anything about that feeling or get over it, it can last and lead to depression. When you are sad, one thing that can make you feel better instantly is music.
Listen to upbeat music, and dance your heart out. Once you feel positive and happy, it becomes easy to push the negative thoughts to the back of your head, and get better.
5. Don’t keep living in the past
Living in the present is the best way to live. If you keep thinking about the past or future, it will stress you out. When you are depressed, you keep seeing the bad things you went through, which leads to negative thinking.
So, try to move forward. Don’t blame others or yourself or hate yourself for whatever you did or didn’t do in the past.
6. Manage your stress
When you worry too much about every little thing, it leads to chronic stress. It along with anxiety can lead to depression. Thus, manage your stress, and don’t worry about things too much.
Give your best to everything, but thinking about a particular thing all day is not a way to live. Practice meditation and sleep for eight hours at night to manage your stress.
Remember, if these tips are not working for you, you should seek professional help. There is nothing to be ashamed about it. Mental pain is the worst, leading to physical problems, isolation, and so on. Also, a doctor will assess the level of your depression. If it is low or moderate, you can get better with cognitive therapy. Otherwise, you would need therapy and medication both. To get better and lead a normal life, take help now.
Disclaimer: Depression is a clinical disorder and requires a treatment like any other health condition. Do not ignore the symptoms of depression. See a psychiatrist as soon as possible.
