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Coping with Depression

What is depression—and how to cope with it.

By Paisley HansenPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Depression can be defined as a mental health disorder that consists of being in a depressed mood, or having a loss of interest in daily life activities. Some may have what's known as chronic depression, which is defined as someone who has depression for a long-period of time. Because of these circumstances, Depression is considered a well-known disorder that almost everyone in their lifetime goes through. That also relates to why a vast number of people have a difficult time coping with depression, as it could lead to serious complications in health issues, or in some cases, thoughts of suicide. Symptoms of Depression can include a variety of issues such as fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia, excessive crying, lack of concentration, and more.

Depression isn't a mental disorder that only affects the average person; those who achieve great success in one's livelihoods can also be affected. There are countless stories of beloved celebrities such as Kurt Cobain, Robin Williams, and Chester Bennington coping with chronic depression, as all three of them eventually committed suicide.

What causes depression?

One major question that a lot of people ask is, what is the direct cause of depression? According to medical experts, there are multiple causes of depression that stems from biological, psychological, or social distress. However, there are certain events that may contribute to how a person functions in their brain. Unfortunate events such as losing a family member, or dealing with on-going verbal, or physical abuse may have a direct link in changing one's mood. Despite even that person being granted much success throughout his or her life, it only takes a single life event to change their mindset in a negative fashion. Unfortunate events that happen in one's childhood affect someone mentally throughout adulthood, such as being bullied as a child, or coming from a sketchy background.

Another reason influencing the way someone copes with depression is due to personality traits. Meaning that the traits of a person's personality, whether it may be low-self esteem, or social anxiety, can factor greatly into one's mood. Examples of these traits affecting a person mentally include having to deal with social situations at school or at work. Many people who have social anxiety tend to struggle greatly when it comes to depression, because there's an ongoing concern over gaining acceptance. Social anxiety in a lot of ways can also tie into having a low-self esteem, as it was mentioned earlier. Having low-self esteem may factor into being overly concerned with peer judgement, as a person relies on the positive judgement of their peers to have a better self esteem. Depression can also be caused by a poor diet that a person feeds off of, which is contrary to having a healthy diet that can help greatly to reduce depression. An unhealthy diet, or worse, may do the opposite. Inactivity can also contribute to one's mental health in a negative way.

How to cope with depression

In regards to how a person is to cope with depression, whether or not their disorder isn't going away, there are countless ways for every person to reduce mental stress, and continue on with their normal lives. As dieting was mentioned above, eating a variety of foods that contain nutritional value can give off better vibes for one to be in a better mood. Exercises and other forms of activity, such as playing sports, or even bodybuilding, can take one's mind off depression. Another great method to reduce stress is to spend time with friends and family, so a depressed person can discuss their problems with someone they trust. Although there are countless types of antidepressant medication a person can take to reduce stress, if one decides to go the natural way, there are also numerous methods to minimize depression. In conclusion, a depressed person should always have faith in themselves at all times.

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About the Creator

Paisley Hansen

Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, fitness, beauty, and fashion. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book or hitting the gym.

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