Experiencing a bad day is normal and can happen to the best of us. Depression, on the other hand, is a completely different story. There is a great difference between being sad and being depressed difference between being sad and being depressed – depression leads you into a dark alley where you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Luckily, there are many ways that you can save yourself from depression. Changing your lifestyle and working consistently on improving your quality of life will help you fight depression and find self-love that you deserve.
Here are some tips that you might find useful in your battle with depression.
Reach out
Don’t isolate yourself from the world no matter how tempting it is. The first step to fight depression is recognising that you need help. Reach out to your friends and family about the symptoms that you are experiencing; opening up and talking about your feelings will help you tremendously gradually if you give yourself the time.
The world around us is evolving; there is no shame anymore in seeking medical help. If your symptoms are severe, or you just need a professional to vent out to, seek medical attention. The road of finding the right therapist for, you might be hard at the beginning, but it’s worth it when you start seeing progress.
Try new things
Taking up a new hobby will keep you busy and might give you the satisfaction of doing something that you love. You can try meditation to get in touch with your inner self and find your peace of mind.
Exercising regularly or doing yoga is proving to be an antidepressant on its own; studies have proved their effect is similar to cognitive and dialectical behavioural therapy. Concentrate on workouts with a meditative undertone, or you can do your normal workouts, but consider incorporating meditation and yoga sessions in your daily routine.
Go on an adventure
You might just be stuck in a rut. Your responsibilities might be suffocating you with stress and anxiety. You need to try new things and challenge yourself. You can consider going on Hawaii cruise sailings for a change of scenery.
Nature and chilling by the beach might do the trick and be the perfect solution to get out of your misery.
Depression has its ways to leave you physically and emotionally drained, you might feel that it’s hard to even get up and leave your bed. Do the things that used to excite you or that you used to love even if you don’t feel like it.
The hardest battle is the one with yourself
It’s important to pay attention to your mental health. If you are down in the dumps, finding the time and the energy to pamper yourself is essential. Don’t give in to your self-loathing, stress, and stay healthy to rewire your brain to have a more positive outlook on the world.
To manage your symptoms, you need to identify your triggers, so you can work your best to avoid them; use your logic to rationally analyse all the negative thoughts you get to overcome them.
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Image credit: Freepik
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg. He is also the editor-in-chief of Psychreg Journal Psychology, and writes a weekly column for Free Malaysia Today.
