Depression: The top tips to help you overcome it

Sadness is a natural human emotion that all of us have faced. But sadness is also one of the factors that can lead to depression.

Depression is a disorder. It is evidenced in a person who is sad, lacks the motivation to do anything and generally has no interest to do anything at all.

Depression has negative impacts on an individual because it drains them of energy and hope.

Feeling blue is part of life and it can be caused by several factors. They include the following.

• Failing to accomplish our dreams.
• Disappointment from the people around us.

When these events occur, a person has to find a way to face them and most of the times it is hard to come to terms. It is estimated that one in every three persons face depression.

For instance, in the event of a loss, the feelings of sadness can stretch for a long time. They can take up weeks, months or even years before acknowledging that someone is gone. The feelings will always return during birthdays and anniversaries.

If the feeling of sadness is persistent it is more likely to interfere with how you deal with other people. Moreover, it will also come in the way of involving oneself in illegal drug use or the abuse of alcohol. These are all signs of depression.  If you or someone you know has these signs then you should go to ARCProject if you are in the UK or some other center like them in the United States.

The best way to overcome depression is to seek professional help and have a strong support network around you. However, jumping back to normal from depression is not as easy as it sounds.

The key is to start feeling better about yourself and taking control. This is disregarding how persistent or stubborn your depression might be.

The Top Tips to Help You Battle Depression

Here are a few tips to help you deal with depression.

1. Look for signs and symptoms of depression.

There are many signs associated with depression. It is actually very easy to diagnose and evaluate yourself by looking at some of these symptoms. If you face any of the following symptoms of depression then seek help immediately.

• Persistent sadness.
• Inability to perform everyday activities.
• Feeling worthless.
• Self-blame
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Body pains.
• Being easily irritable.
• Body pain or cramps.

2. Seek professional help that will help you understand why you are facing depression.

Depression can also be a side effect of medical conditions. This means that there are some illnesses that can take the form of depression.

Seeking the consultation of a doctor can be another way of identifying the physical causes of your depression. If there are any then it can then be treated.

Some conditions that might mimic depression include the following:

• Lack of vitamins and minerals in the body.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Medical conditions that are faced by women including PMS and postpartum depression.
• Medical treatments which have side effects.

3. Reach out to a strong network.

One of the major tendencies of depression is withdrawing oneself from their social network. A person is more likely to isolate themselves from friends and family.

It is therefore difficult for a person to beat depression on their own. If you are depressed then high chances are you feel ashamed of talking to anyone about your problems. But reaching out can be a major step to fighting off depression.

There are many ways to reach out and seek help. Here is what you might want to try out.

• Talking to close family and friends.
• Try out fun activities with the people around you.
• Get a pet.
• Make face to face conversation a priority.
• Join a support group.
• Support other people who are around you.

4. Go out and do fun activities

Learning to overcome depression can be better handled by indulging in fun and relaxing activities. So go climb a mountain, take a road trip, take a walk in the park, express yourself through art or writing and so much more.

Scheduling fun activities is a great way of managing stress and forget all the troubles one is facing. This involves living a healthy lifestyle that will keep one in check in all that they do.

However, one thing about depression is that it drains you of all the energy and motivation to indulge in anything. But learning to push oneself beyond the limits can be a great way of fighting it off.

5. Get moving and change your lifestyle

Regular exercise is also an effective way of coping with depression. A depressed person might feel overwhelmed to get out of bed every morning and even the thought of working out can be daunting.

However, research has it that exercise helps to release a natural antidepressant chemical. For instance, a 10-minute walk can help improve your mood for almost two hours.