Depression is a serious condition that can affect your life and the lives of those around you. It’s important to know how to recognize depression and seek help if you think that you or someone else may be suffering from it.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what depression is, why it’s important to address the issue head-on, and offer some tips on how best to cope with this difficult time in your life.
1. Understand Your Emotions
- Recognize your feelings.
- Identify the source of your emotions.
- Develop coping mechanisms to deal with negative emotions and situations.
2. Develop a Support System
- Surround yourself with positive people.
- Seek out professional help.
- Reach out to family and friends for support if you can’t find it elsewhere, or consider joining a support group for people who are going through similar situations as yours.
3. Practice Self-Care
- Set healthy boundaries.
- Get enough sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours for adults, but it’s important to figure out what works for you and your body. If you’re not sleeping enough, it can lead to depression and other health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
- Exercise regularly–and make sure it’s enjoyable! You don’t have to run marathons or lift weights at the gym; even walking is beneficial when done consistently over time (and can be great exercise if you live in an urban area).
4. Find a Positive Outlet
You may have heard that taking up a hobby is a great way to combat depression, but what exactly does that mean? It can be anything from knitting to drawing or painting. You could even try learning a new language.
The key here is finding something you enjoy doing and pursuing it with gusto. When you’re focused on something positive, your mind will start to shift away from negative thoughts and feelings–and the more time you spend enjoying yourself, the better!
5. Focus on the Present Moment
- Focus on the present moment.
- Practice mindfulness and learn to be more mindful of your thoughts and feelings.
- Learn to focus on something other than your depression, such as a hobby or activity that brings you joy.
- A great tool to distract and occupy your mind when you are overwhelmed or in the thralls of your depression is to force your brain into a stimulating and deep thinking activity. Try playing the “going on a picnic” game. This is super simple you start by saying “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to pack (choose an item that starts with the letter A)”. From there you will repeat each item and each round move up the alphabet. You will find that this activity is incredibly mentally taxing and allows your brain to detract from the negative emotions you were feeling and was causing you to enter an overwhelmed state.
6. Set Realistic Goals
When you’re depressed, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But if you set realistic goals and break them down into manageable tasks, it will be easier to celebrate your successes along the way.
For example: If your goal is to go back to school full-time after being out of school for several years, try starting by taking one class per semester until you feel ready for more challenging classes. Or if you want to start running again but have been inactive for months or years due to depression, begin with walking around your neighborhood or park at first before progressing into jogging or running over time as needed (and always listen carefully for warning signs from your body).
7. Be Kind to Yourself
The first step to overcoming depression is to forgive yourself for mistakes you’ve made in the past. If you’re struggling with guilt over something that happened, try to remember that it’s OK to make mistakes and learn from them.
If you find yourself engaging in negative self-talk on a regular basis–telling yourself things like “I’m such an idiot” or “Why do I even bother?”–try replacing those thoughts with more positive ones. For example: “I may have done something wrong, but I’m still learning how to be a better person.” This will help keep your spirits up when things get tough!
Finally, practice self-compassion by reminding yourself that everyone makes mistakes sometimes (and if they don’t then maybe they’re not human after all). You might even want try writing out some encouraging affirmations so that when times get tough again later on down the road there will already be some positive reinforcement waiting for you at home base!
Recap
In this blog post, we’ve covered the following:
- The symptoms of depression and how to recognize them.
- How to get help for your depression if you need it.
- Ways to cope with the feelings that come with depression, including exercise and meditation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, please seek help immediately by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/, where trained counselors are available 24/7 via text message or online chat services like Skype or FaceTime Audio calls as well as in person at one of over 140 crisis centers across America!