9 Ways to Deal With Depression

Growing up, I can remember having many bouts of depression. For whatever reason, I would feel so hopeless and powerless to my outside circumstances. Having this victim mentality did not help me at school or at home. I ended up visiting many different psychologists and psychiatrists who tried to assess my psyche. I also ended up taking various medications like Stratera and Concerta. I don't wish depression on anyone and I am happy to say I made it through. It was not without difficulty, but it was all worthwhile.

Depression makes a person feel empty and fatigued. This makes it difficult for individuals suffering from depression to seek any medical help. Yet, there are ways through which you can feel better and slowly improve the overall situation.

Here are a few strategies to implement if you or anyone you know is suffering from depression:

1. Become a Part of a Support Group

Medication and therapy are usually seen as obvious solutions. Other than these, you can decide to become part of some support group and develop social support. It doesn't necessarily mean to bond with strangers. You can bond with family and friends to improve your overall depressive situation. For many people, these depression support groups become crucial to healing their emotions. You can always search for a network in your local area or find an online support group fulfilling your needs.

2. Embrace Yourself

Depression is a common phenomenon. It affects millions of people all around the world. The key to improving is to embrace yourself, love yourself, and whatever that is you are going through. You may have heard that self-love is the best love. I have found this to be true in my life as well. The more I started to love myself, the more love I was able to give others. Before you are able to pour out, you must always fill your cup.

3. Know that Tomorrow is Another Day

Always remember that what happens today will not happen tomorrow. For example, if you are not able to fulfill your goals today, you can always try attaining them tomorrow. Know that some days are difficult in life whereas some days are also good. There won't always be good times but there won't always be bad. Learn to roll with the punches and go with the ebb and flow of life. Welcome every day with gratitude as it comes along and start fresh on the next. A quote that helps me is to know that "Today is the first day of the rest of my life."

4. Work Towards Your Stress

Whenever you are faced with stressful situations, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. This helps to deal with the stress on some level. However, too much of it causes problems including depression. Try to distract yourself and reduce stress so that you don't end up becoming depressed.

5. Improve Sleeping Patterns

Your mood and sleep are related. According to a study conducted in2014, about 80% of people facing depressive episodes experience unhealthy sleep at night. You can either feel exhausted and not getting out of bed all day or have difficulty falling asleep at night. For a night of better sleep, turn off all the electronics just an hour before you go to bed. You can use a dim light for reading a book etc.

Use your bedroom for sleep only so that you can associate your bed with relaxation instead of something that stresses you out.

6. Focus on the Positive Parts Instead of the Negative Ones

Depression tinges everything with negative emotions. Instead of focusing on things that went bad, focus on all the other things that went right. Push yourself to think positively and write down a happy event that happens each day. This would help you in developing a positive mindset.

7. Change Your Diet

Diet and mental health are linked. Several studies indicate nutrition’s link to mental illness. Many brain-essential nutrients are related to depression. For example, according to a study in 2012, zinc deficiency results in depression. What we put in, we get back out. If you don't want to feel like garbage, monitor what you consume. Take care of the body and it will always take care of you!

8.Focus on Your Goals

Set a few small goals instead of doing nothing. For example: create a to-do list of your home chores such as taking the trash out instead of cleaning the house. Once you have taken the trash out, set another small goal. This will help you to work on things instead of doing nothing and falling into a deep depressive mood.

9. Appreciate Yourself

Anything you achieve in life is worth appreciation even if it's little. You must celebrate it at some level to appreciate yourself. Congratulate yourself for making it this far because many people have not. Learn to recognize your achievements as this is one of the most powerful weapons against negativity and depression. The memory you create this way is quite powerful against any negativity that may be surrounding you.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this and would like more inspiration, check out my newest book on Amazon! 🙏🏾