Depression can be caused by a variety of things. For example, it could be because the death of a loved one, because of a physical illness, or maybe because of one losing their job. Someone with depression may have feelings of loneliness, have limited energy for activities in their life, and could have difficulty finding the good thing about life. A lot of people can have little periods in their life where they feel discouraged, but for some people, it can go a lot deeper than that and can affect their life greatly.
A lot of people with depression can have extreme mood changes or may not want to be around other people. With this, they could become upset for not being able to change it and could end up becoming even more discouraged. One way to start to deal with this is to understand how severe your depression is and to research the right treatment options for you.
There are a lot of different symptoms of depression, one being emotional which can be feelings of guilt and being cold towards family and friends. Another is behavior, which can include having no interest to participate in activities, neglecting responsibilities, and not having a much interest in your personal hygiene. Another big one is physical symptoms. Physical signs of depression can be lack of energy, insomnia, and stomach pain or nausea.
Coping with depression isn’t something that will happen overnight. It will take a lot of time and a lot of effort. Talking to your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills would be an awesome first step to take, but, I’m here to also give you some more tips on dealing with depression, as well.
#1 Be Social
Try to spend time with your family and friends regularly. You may want to go somewhere to be by yourself, but being social with people often will help you feel less depressed. With this, you could also even join a support group. You can encourage each other and it may not make you feel as alone as you might.
#2 Exercise
Getting up to go and take a walk may not be the number one thing at the top of the list of the things you want to do today, but with a little research, I found out that exercise can actually help a lot with depression. Studies have showed that exercise can be just as effective as antidepressant medication. Something as simple as a ten minute walk can improve your mood for a couple of hours.
#3 Routine
Getting into a routine can also be another suggestion that could help with depression. Maybe having trouble getting to sleep is a problem for you, then it would be a great idea to go to bed at a certain time and wake up at a certain time. Have a set time for when you eat because not having a routine may make you forget such things.
#4 Healthy Eating
On the concept of meals, another good thing to do would be to eat healthy. Stay away from sugary foods as these could quickly lead to a change in your mood and energy. It is also very important not to skip meals. Going too long without a meal can make you feel tired and you could be irritated, so it’s said that it’s best to eat something every three to four hours.
#5 Think Positive
Now, while I know it’s impossible to be told to just think positive and that it’ll happen right away, but I do think the best way to start is by surrounding yourself with positive people. Take notice of how they are dealing with things in a positive way, even if the situation isn’t so good. You could think about how you would deal with things if you were in that situation.
#6 Activities
By keeping yourself busy with an activity that you enjoy or that you think you will enjoy, it will prevent you from thinking negative thoughts. You could do this by something like painting, and even taking care of a pet. Taking care of a pet can be very beneficial because it requires routine, and animals will give you nothing but love.
#7 Goals
Set goals for yourself. With depressions, you might feel like you won’t be able to accomplish anything and will therefore make you feel worse about yourself, but by setting goals, you can succeed in something everyday, which is why it would be best to start off with small things before challenging yourself even further.
While those are some good ways to deal with depression, you could always also talk to a friends or family member that you trust, and even meditating. They can all help with coping with depression, which won’t be an easy thing to do. It is very important to not put too much pressure on yourself. Think about setting goals for yourself that was just mentioned, and start off light. If you go straight in and expect everything to immediately change for yourself, you will most likely come out disappointed in the end. Don’t expect too much from yourself and start off with things that are attainable to reach in your day-to-day life.
You could always do as much research as you like on depression and try to understand it better. Getting information on this can help with guilt and fear which are often associated with depression.
Whether it’s busying yourself with an activity you enjoy, setting up a routine for yourself, or making a list of goals that you would like to accomplish, you are coping with depression better and better every single day. Don’t lose hope, know that you are not the only one dealing with depression, and realize that everything will be okay in the end.
