How to get out of depression on your own?
Modern life goes on at such a fast pace that the average person does not find enough time to sleep and rest. Every day we are surrounded by a huge amount of extraneous information: forced communication with a large number of people at work, intrusive advertising, unwanted noises on the streets, the use of a computer and smartphone for work and leisure. As a result, one day our psyche cannot withstand such a volume of external stimuli and a breakdown occurs: a person is attacked by a state of causeless lethargy and apathy, nothing pleases, a lack of vital energy is felt, this is the state called depression. As a rule, this condition goes away after a few days on its own, if you have a good rest, sleep or experience pleasant emotions, in such cases, you get out of depression without serious consequences.
Depression differs from melancholic mood and fatigue in that it lasts for several weeks and does not go away, even if a person’s life consists of a series of joyful events. Depression is most often affected by women, but men also often have not the best moments in life.
Depression symptoms
By knowing the symptoms of depression, you will be able to recognize the disease in time and immediately make an effort to get out of depression. The symptoms are as follows:
* Loss of interest in old hobbies and lack of desire to do something new;
* Inhibition of intellectual and mental development: difficulties in perceiving new information, forgetfulness, absent-mindedness, fatigue;
* Violation of the usual sleep and rest and lifestyle;
* Unreasonable body aches, loss of appetite or uncontrollable hunger;
* Lack of motivation to lead a social life, reduction to a minimum of social contacts.
* With some especially severe forms, a person begins to think about the meaninglessness of his existence. * It seems that there is no more purpose and meaning in life; thoughts of death appear. A person with this form of depression does not necessarily have to talk about suicide, he himself may not be aware of his subconscious aspirations. If you have such feelings, it is better not to try to get out of depression on your own, but immediately contact a specialist.
Emotions and feelings of a person in depression can also be expressed in a passion for dangerous and extreme sports (skydiving, mountaineering, descending from mountain rivers), in joining street fights or dysfunctional companies, in the appearance of self-destructive habits (smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs ).
The external manifestations of a person’s disorder are good, because relatives and friends will pay attention to changes in his behavior and offer their help. It is much worse when the disease is experienced by a person alone. It is difficult to get out of depression in such moments, because it is not possible to recognize it.
Most people choose to ignore the manifestations of the disorder to the last, despite the fact that every day they can get worse. This position is erroneous, since every day it will be more difficult to get out of depression. You’ve probably noticed that you can easily cope with stressful situations, but as soon as you go on a weekend or vacation, your life changes as if under the influence of “evil fate”. On weekends, things always break, plans are disrupted, and strange diseases arise. The long-awaited vacation can begin with an unreasonable cold with a high fever … In fact, our body is very wise. The disease occurs in order to make you rest and slow down the pace of life.
How to fight at the physical level
1 Pay attention to your food. During depression, the body does not produce enough of the hormone of joy – serotonin. Eating excessive amounts of carbohydrates and sugar interferes with its normal production. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, red meat, whole grain breads, dried fruits, seafood, nuts, and quality dark chocolate. If necessary, in order to get out of depression, you can drink a course of high-quality vitamins (in the absence of medical contraindications).
2 Go for beautiful walks. Fresh air is very healthy. If your commute to work passes a park or alley, slow down and enjoy the beauty of nature and the singing of birds. If you are feeling sad, melancholy, or melancholy, you can visit a public place, such as an exhibition or a shopping mall. There will be a lot of people and events around you that will distract you from sad thoughts. Surround yourself with people, maybe it will be a help to get out of depression.
3 Exercise regularly. You don’t have to sign up for a gym to keep fit. Enough 30 minutes of classes at home. Finish the session with a set of stretching exercises. You can do yoga, swim, ride a bike, or learn dance moves from online lessons. Choose the type of physical activity that suits you best and gives you pleasure.
4 Get enough sleep. In order to get out of depression, it is very important to sleep at least 8 hours a day in order to recover on a physical and emotional level. Regular lack of sleep reduces the body’s defenses and weakens the immune system, further exacerbating depression. Hence the malaise, and the feeling of being overwhelmed in the morning. Try to change your routine so that you go to bed no later than 23.00 or earlier (if possible). Before bed, it is recommended to take a relaxing bath and do quiet activities such as reading. Do not watch TV or use a computer before going to bed, so as not to excite the nervous system.
5 Refuse any kind of psychostimulants: strong coffee or tea, energy drinks, smoking, alcohol or dietary supplements (for example, tincture of Eleutherococcus, which increases our endurance).
6 Add more light to your life (literally). The sun’s rays contribute to the production of the hormone of joy. That is why on gloomy autumn days we suffer from blues and low mood, and in spring and summer we feel a surge of strength. Spend as much time as possible outside during the daytime. If you spend a lot of time indoors, provide adequate lighting.
How to fight on a psychological level
1 Change yourself or change your attitude towards life. Depression is a sign that something in your life is not going the way you would like or planned. It’s time to work hard on problem areas of life. How to do it – everyone decides for themselves. If you can change something, do it with your best efforts. If the situation does not depend on your efforts, accept life as it is and do not suffer because of it.
2 Fill your life with new people and events. Perhaps the depression started because your life became boring and uninteresting. Get rid of the routine, don’t let life feel like Groundhog Day. Try to communicate more often with new people from whom you can learn something. Try to discover a new hobby or go on a journey. Nowadays, one-day bus tours that are held on weekends are very popular. Even such a short trip will shake you up and give you new emotions. New impressions are especially good for those who are sad after parting with a loved one. Use this method to get out of depression on your own.
3 Do what you’ve been putting off all your life, make your old dream come true. Express relief for depression is an event that triggers an adrenaline rush. The most affordable way to get an adrenaline rush is to try a ride on an attraction that you have been afraid of all your life.
4 Learn to zero. In both work and personal life, we have cases that have not been completed for any reason. For example, an unfinished report, an unfinished painting, an unfinished pantry. These cases are pushed into a back drawer, but you do not forget and often think about them. Unfinished business draws out our life energy even when you are not thinking about them. A great time to start decluttering your life. Do the things that really matter to you. Get rid of those things that will not bring you any benefit or joy. Organize your closet, apartment, computer folder, and you will soon notice that life is getting easier.
5 Art therapy. You can use creativity to express those feelings that you don’t want to talk about out loud. Any creativity in its essence is very similar to meditation: you immerse yourself in a pleasant activity and relax. Ideal for art therapy painting your feelings in the form of images.
6 Help those who are even worse. You can provide all possible help to those who need it. For example, enroll in a volunteer squad, participate in a charity fair, take care of an animal from a shelter.
7 Fill your life with pleasant details. Find a reason to be happy every day. Even if you have to go to an unpleasant job, take time to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or chat with a pretty girl for a few minutes. Small joys are needed in order to charge you with positivity and energy. Also, if possible, remove the negativity from your life: stop seeing people, after communicating with whom you feel melancholy in your soul, do not watch depressive films, do not listen to sad music.
8 Keep a gratitude journal. In the evenings, write in it everything for which you are grateful to the past day. Over time, you will learn to find advantages for yourself even in the most unpleasant situation. In those moments when you feel sad, you can re-read this diary, immerse yourself in pleasant memories and be charged with positive.
Getting out of depression is not so easy if you don’t have the strength and desire to do something. At some times, you may not even want to get out of bed. At such moments, you do not need to force yourself and force yourself to do something. Try to take a few days off and spend time in peace and quiet without doing anything. Just lie down, rest, gain strength. After a few days or even hours, you will feel better and will feel like doing something. Use the tips above at this point.