Sometimes we struggle with a low mood, these depression tips can help provide some relief.
Feeling Down? These Depression Tips Can Help
Most people feel down and stuck sometimes… procrastination, the lack of energy, low self esteem can all be signs of depression.
There is help and hope. You can feel good again!
I help clients take the key steps that are vital for their recovery from depression.
Call today to start you personalized depression recovery program!
Here Are 5 Depression Tips To Help You:
First, To Recover From Depression, Get and give support!
Even though you may feel reluctant to confide in others, reach out and speak up. Finding people that you can talk with openly with is a basic human need. A licensed therapist can help you recognize and change personal behavioral and thinking patterns that may be contributing to your depression. Friends, volunteer projects, community organizations all probably need your help too. Along with getting some quality attention for yourself, it’s often helpful to those who are dealing with depression to get out there and give some support to others.
Second, Get Exercise To Ease Depression!
Even if it’s the last thing that you feel like doing, move your body. Take a brisk walk for twenty minutes. Find a buddy and commit to exercising and you’ll be less likely to just skip it. Pay for a class and you’ll be more likely to prioritize exercise into your life. Most people find that exercise provides enormous relief to their depression.
Some of my depression clients swear by cardio. Others find relief from their depression through strength training, dance or yoga. The body is the foundation level of our being, so whatever form of exercise appeals to you is likely to be have powerful anti-depressant effects.
It just takes doing it.
Third, Get Outside!
Resist the temptation to sit inside. Remember, the television can be your worst enemy when is comes to depression. It’s likely that you will feel much better if you can go outdoors and have some fun.
Take breaks and get some natural light.
Be around something green.
Fourth, Depression Can Mask Hidden Feelings
Get your feelings out!
Sometimes we lose track of how we feel. We feel numb. Depression can feel like a heavy blanket. Many people find that if they lift that blanket, there are other feelings underneath. Sadness, anxiety, fear, loneliness, anger and other common feelings can all be associated with depression. Keeping a diary can help you to discover what might be going on underneath your depression.
Fifth, Depressing Thoughts?
Be a skeptic. Don’t believe everything you think!
Learning to take a step backwards and evaluate your thoughts can be a huge boon. Every day we have thousands of thoughts rattling through our heads. Some thoughts intensify our emotional reactions, and some help us cope. Not all of our thoughts are worth having or believing. Some only contribute to your depression. If you find yourself having negative, undermining thoughts, challenge them.
One way to challenge your thinking is by looking for exceptions to your beliefs. For example, if you are feeling unimportant, make a written gratitude list of all the people, and animals in whose lives you make a difference.
Recently, a severely depressed client told me how he found relief from writing a list of things that he mildly appreciated. In the midst of a major depressive episode, he felt it was too much of a stretch for him to write about things that brought him pleasure. His list included things like:
- Decent coffee
- A quiet apartment
- Clean bed sheets
- His cat
- Fresh air on his deck
These were all things that he had been overlooking, and he described that writing them down “actually lifted his mood a bit”.
Remember, depression doesn’t often just go away on it’s own.
I hope that these depression tips provide you with some relief. It’s important for all of us to have ways to feel more balanced and in control. But remember, research shows that especially if you suffer from moderate to severe depression, it’s unlikely to go away on it’s own. In fact, getting quality depression therapy is of vital importance.
If you are you ready to feel better, I’d like to help!
To learn more about how counseling for depression can help, click here.