Top Tips For Fighting Off Depression
Activity is a great way to fight off depression. One thing is for sure, doing nothing about depression is the best way to get it to spiral out of control. If you have been feeling depressed, you should see your doctor and follow his or her advice. You should also take a proactive stance to help yourself. Here are some great ideas for fighting depression.
Get out and get moving. You may not feel like being active, but if you can just get started, you will soon feel better. Try swimming and sitting in a hot tub to start out. These activities are both soothing and stimulating and will help lighten your mood and provide you with both exercise and relaxation. Commit to a swim a couple of times a week, and soon you will feel like doing more.
Gradually add walking, cycling, aerobic type exercises, games and more to your daily routine. Remember to strike a balance by doing some strength building exercise, some cardiovascular type exercise and some relaxation and stretching, such as yoga. All of these things work together to keep your body healthy and strong and promote good blood circulation to the brain. Additionally, staying fit will help balance your hormones and stimulate your brain to promote feel good endorphins to lighten your mood.
When you are depressed, you may not feel like eating. Alternately, you may have cravings for foods that are not good for you because the sugar and chemicals they contain may give you a buzz. It is important that you eat a balanced, healthy diet to help alleviate your depression and balance your system. When you eat a natural diet that is low in sugar, simple carbohydrates, chemicals and additives, you will soon notice a difference in the way you feel and the way you look!
Take up journaling and use your journal to identify and explore situations that have added to your feelings of depression. Sometimes just writing your feelings down will enable you to let go of them and move on. Journaling also helps you organize your thoughts and make sense of them. Talking your thoughts and feelings over with a friend, family member or trusted counselor or member of clergy may also be helpful.
Cultivate positive thoughts and feelings. Listen to and watch inspirational media. Watch funny movies and programs. Listen to uplifting music. Spend time with people you enjoy. Take care of pets or a garden. Draw, paint, sing, dance and participate in other creative endeavors. Doing positive, active, uplifting things will brighten your spirits and help you feel better about yourself and the world in general.
Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Whenever you find yourself feeling pessimistic, look for the flip side of the coin. Identify the good things in a situation and dwell on those instead of the bad. Focus on your positive attributes and the good things in your life.
When you take proactive steps to deal with depression through proper treatment, good diet and exercise, self discovery, creativity and the cultivation of positive thoughts, you will soon find yourself feeling better and better. Follow the advice presented here to enhance your depression treatment or even overcome depression on your own.
