How to Help yourself During Depression
December 11, 2009
During a depressive phase a person loses interest in day to day activities, has a dull morose mood, experiences frequent emotional outbursts or crying spells, and neglects his/her health and well being. If this tendency is not checked it could lead to chronic condition and even translate into a permanently depressive condition that can hamper day to day functioning.
If you feel you are depressed, a major initiative to overcome depression or handle it in a way that it does not impact your health and well being seriously has to be taken by you. Coping with depression does take its own time, however, you can guard against some practices that can have an adverse impact and cause further physical and mental health complications.
Do not be alone. Share your feelings with someone close to you, someone you can trust, who is not judgmental and won’t criticize you. If you feel it difficult to confide in anyone, writing down your feelings in a piece of paper, or maintaining a dairy or penning your thoughts through poems will help in releasing the pent up feeling and negative emotions experienced during this time.
Don’t seclude yourself, even though you feel like isolating yourself, staying away from others, locking yourself up in a room or not going outdoors. Don’t stop socializing or alienating yourself from people; it will push you further towards loneliness and helplessness.
Take up activities that interest you. Do not abandon your hobbies or daily routine activities. This will help you to get a break from constantly brooding about issues that depress you and break the cycle of depression. It will also release your pent up energies and frustrations in a positive way. Hobbies also help in releasing mental stress and generating positive feelings and happiness.
Keep your mind occupied. Work on something productive, something that needs your imagination, creativity and concentration. In fact work therapy is effective in getting over depression as it diverts attention from depressing thoughts, channelizes mental energy, generates positivism, enthusiasm, makes you feel productive, content and accomplished.
Keep track of your nutritional requirements. Do not skip meals or munch on junk foods. Diet comprising vitamin B, B6, folic acid, proteins, green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits will help in beating exhaustion and fatigue experienced during depression.
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