What To Do When You're Feeling Overwhelmed By Depression
Left unchecked, depression can quickly take your life over, causing you to feel miserable and even hopeless. You know that succumbing to the blues is not the answer, but what is? Fortunately, there are many things you can do to fend off depression and get yourself back on track.
1. Speak with your physician about how you're feeling. Your doctor can offer a lot of helpful advice about dealing with depression, including what may be causing it. He can explain the impact that physical situations have on your thinking and outlook. Tell him what's going on in your life and accept his insights.
2. Consider professional therapy. Regular sessions with a psychiatrist can do a lot to improve depression, including getting to the cause(s) of it. In fact, most people would benefit from professional therapy in one way or another. Events rooted in childhood, social anxieties and other problematic areas of your psyche can be explored and resolved. Therapists are trained to recognize the culprits of depression and know how to effectively eliminate them as obstacles to happiness.
3. Do more of what you love. Depression can naturally evolve if most of what you are doing everyday is difficult, stressful or even just plain monotonous. Learning to take control over everyday events and include more of the things you love will lead to more happiness and fewer bouts of depression. At the end of a long day, for example, try getting a few friends together or popping your favorite movie on, rather than just succumbing to tiredness or dissatisfaction. Counteract negatives with positives and your mood should even out, if not improve dramatically.
4. Change your environment. You don't have to move across country or spend a small fortune redecorating the home you have, just find little ways of making it brighter. Rearranging furniture, hanging new curtains and letting more sunshine in are just a few examples of the small changes that can make a big difference in how you feel. If cost is an issue, talk to a friend or relative about trading big-ticket items and stylish decorations. Paint your walls an attractive and mood-lifting color and hang something provocative up.
5. Take time out of a chaotic schedule. Feeling powerless can easily make you feel depressed, and most people lead crazy lives that give them the impression that everything is out of their control. Stop the madness and take a break, if not once each day then at least once every week. Step away from stress and enjoy a few minutes of relaxation. Doing so can invigorate you and renew your sense of direction, diminishing feelings of depression.
6. Take better care of your body. Sleeping, eating and exercising will all work toward improving your mental state, no matter what else is going on in your life. Eat well, get plenty of rest and enjoy regular exercise for the many physical health benefits and to keep the blues from taking over.
As soon as you begin to sense feelings of depression are creeping into your life, do something! Quickly diverted, the feelings should disperse and not become a problem for you. Life is way too short to allow depression to rule your life and rob you of happiness.
