Do you feel depressed? Do you fear that depression is taking over your life? If you want to begin to feel better emotionally and start to ease yourself out of it, then keep on reading! I want to help you kick depression out of your life.
No matter where you are on your life’s journey, if you are not happy, worse still you’re tearful, numb, empty and full of despair, something needs to change. Life is too short to be lived in a world of hopelessness.
There are times as a Blogger when what you write really matters. This is one of those times.
As a life coach & motivational writer I help people to dream big, achieve goals and transform their lives. At times what I write will touch the lives of those I know personally, and this is one of those times.
The son of one of my friends, just 16 years old has been diagnosed as being depressed by his doctor.
A business associate also being diagnosed as depressed has been forced to be on the sick from work for the last 6 months, seems to be way over medicated, so much so he is unable to have a conversation with anybody.
Then a close friend of the family, a young lady in her early 20’s, who felt very stressed, lonely and has been told by her doctor that she has depression. She felt she had nobody to really talk to and connect with, she had friends but not really that she could count on. At times she felt isolated. Even worse, she felt like she was the only one having those feelings. Living in University, away from all her family, she was struggling adapting to this big turning point in her life. Things are made no easier by the fact that most of her money goes on rent, so she can’t go out that much and relies on others to be happy hanging out with her at home. Even more pressure is created by how hard she has to work with course work and then the added strain of going out on placement which is required for her course. At the back of her mind lies the knowledge that she’s meant to be having the time of her life after all that’s what the magazines say about 18 to 21 year old lifestyle, and so she tries to pretend she doesn’t feel as she does. Fortunately she now has owned up to it and seeked help. Source: Daily Telegraph
They’re not alone. You hear about so many people being on some kind of prescription drug, particularly anti-depressants, both young and old. It is certainly becoming more prevalent in younger people.Life can be hard at times and so unfair.
Before you read on, do you want to determine whether you are in fact possibly suffering with depression?
Most of us feel sad, discouraged, or “down” once in a while; but for some this is an ongoing situation. If you’re feeling like this and it’s beginning to effect your day to day life – you may be suffering with depression. Taking a Self-Test is a good way to identify whether you are or not.
Check out the depression self assessment test
What is depression? Depression derives from the latin word “depressio” – that means suppression. Depression is a disorder characterised by low mood and a wide range of other possible symptoms, which will vary from person to person. This illness can develop quickly or gradually, and be brought on by life events and/or changes in body chemistry.
Depression is a real illness that impacts the brain. Anyone suffering from depression will tell you, it’s not imaginary or “all in your head.”
Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.
We all go through times of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently down for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.
The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people can make a full recovery.
Let me share with you something I know. Life is not easy. It’s all about growth and development. Learning from successes and our failure. Accepting there will be good and bad times. Things have a habit of going wrong at times, and they’ll push you down. You have to learn to bounce back, refusing to let anything beat you.
When depression does get a grip over you, it’s not the end of the road for you, but you’ll need to take some important steps in order to beat it.
Let me offer you some important things for you to do.
First determine whether you have depression
The first and most important step in managing and coping with depression is to realise that the emotions that you are feeling are causing you a problem. It’s accepting you have depression. It is recognising that depression is having a negative impact on your life. It’s accepting there is a problem first and foremost. If you think you have depression it is vitally important to see your Doctor.
Determine the cause
Once you have recognised that you are suffering from depression, it is then important to try and identify the underlying causes and triggers of your depression. Understanding what causes you to become depressed allows you to identify ways to manage these negative emotions. Reflect on your life and see those things you’re not happy about, that you believe are getting to you emotionally.
Surround yourself with a good support network
Turn to you friends and family, don’t go it alone. Talk to them, share your feelings. You will find that by expressing your feelings and sharing them with others, it will feel as you’ve lifted a great weight from your shoulders. Keeping everything to yourself, trying to cope alone will simply worsen your condition. Counting on others for their support and advice is an important life skill, and as the saying goes two minds are better than one. So get busy on surrounding yourself with a good support network.
Stop socializing with negative people
Don’t let other people get you down. All of us have a few people in our social circle who spread negativity in all possible aspects. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid them but it must be understood that perhaps their negative ideas are having a detrimental effect on us. As far as you can you need to avoid them, instead hanging out with positive influencers.
Cut out the negativity
You have to cut out the negativity from your life as much as you can without letting it consume you. The worst offender is within you, the thoughts you have which to often are negative. You have to begin noticing how you are thinking, stop yourself being negative and do everything you can to begin bringing positive thoughts to the forefront of your mind. Using another common expression, it’s time to begin seeing the glass as half full. Start replacing your negativity with positivity.
Do More What You Like
What is it that you like doing the most? Well start doing more of it. Begin to fill your days with good memories, enjoyable activities, start remembering to have fun. Don’t rely on anyone else for this. Do things that only rely on you. Now I need to put a word of warning here. I’m not telling you to eat to much, drink lots of alcohol, or smoke to your hearts content. There are things you enjoy doing that are good for you. For me it’s going to the gym, writing a blog or reading a good book. These depend on nobody but myself.
Focus on getting healthy
This includes healthy eating habits, regular physical activity and sufficient sleep. The better you feel, the more energy you have the more able you will be to deal with your problems. Our diet has a direct impact on the way we feel. Getting a well balanced diet is a major step in dealing with depression. Eat healthy foods with balanced amounts of protein, fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Also ensure that you don’t skip meals as it makes you tired and irritable. Exercising releases feel-good endorphins into the body and boosts your mood almost instantly. It is scientifically proven that exercising battles stress hormones and helps you feel better almost immediately! Sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of depression so by simply getting enough sleep you are taking a big step in the right direction. It is during sleep that the mind, body and soul rejuvenate themselves.
Like yourself
You got to start seeing the good within you. Liking yourself. Be proud of all your achievements and accomplishments. We are always learning and growing so don’t expect to be perfect. It’s very rare for everything in our lives to be working perfectly, so accept some areas are always going to need work. Before life can really be great for you first you have to love yourself. Everything will get better for you just have to give it time. Pamper yourself and treat yourself as though you are the most important person in your life, which in fact you are.
Get Outside
The world is a wonderful place and there are so many wonderful things to see and nature to enjoy. Being stuck indoors, on your own, staring at four walls would drive anybody crazy. Go for a long walk outside getting out in nature and let its tranquil calming impact you.
Have a high sense of purpose
Having a strong sense of purpose is the fastest way to get out of depression. It is something that will lift you out of your bed every morning and at the same time will make you feel alive and full of energy. Everyone is passionate about something; there is no doubt in that. It’s simply a matter of finding what yours is and following it. I will write a post on this one point next week.
Use relaxation
It is essential you make an effort to relax your mind and your body. This is important for anybody. There are some amazing relaxation practices you can utilise, such as deep breathing , meditation and progressive muscular relaxation. Relaxation methods such as these provide you with healthier ways of coping, and help you stop depression from spiralling out of control. So start taking care of yourself, and make time for relaxation. Watch out in next few weeks i’ll be releasing ‘The VIP First Aid Kit’ that will include 10 relaxation audio scripts.
Ask ‘how’ not ‘why’
It’s easy to get caught up in the “why?’ We tear ourselves apart when we question ourselves in this way:
- Why did I mess things up so badly?
- Why did I have to say what I said?
- Why can’t I lose weight?
- Why do my friends always let me down?
- Why is everything so hard for me?
“Why?” isn’t the right question.
The right question is “How?”
- How can I change this?
- How can I turn this into a positive?
- How can I use this for good?
- How can I make sure this never happens again?
- How can I tackle this situation better?
- How can I achieve what I want?
These questions are going to find you solutions to your problems.
You have to be determined to turn your pain, loss and suffering around. TRY THIS ONE THING OUT, and see what a difference it will make to you.
Your problems do not define you, it’s how you deal with them that makes you who you are, now and in the future. Remember that what you’re going through is just your current situation and it will pass, but it’s not your life, it’s just your situation.
If you can contribute some important advice to help those suffering with depression please add it in the comments. I and particularly those reading this struggling with depression will appreciate the value of your contribution.
Share this and together lets change the world.
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I really like that you added a link to a self-test website. That is really nice.