The fight with depression is never easy… and I am saying this from personal experience. But here are 6 tips that helped me get back on my feet.
1. Focus on consuming nutritious food
Food plays an important part while coping with depression. If you are depressed, you will notice that the dishes you used to enjoy before this long period of sadness don’t make you feel excited anymore. Unfortunately, some people also indulge in the habit of eating fast food.
This is a destructive coping mechanism. It can lead you on the path to a sedentary lifestyle and will damage your physical health. Multiple researchers have found a direct connection between eating habits and mental health.
A study was conducted in 2012 that discovered the deficiency of Zinc has a tremendous effect on emotional well-being. With these findings, Nutrition psychiatry is growing into a mainstream subject.
So, you need to eat healthy foods to boost your overall health and self-esteem. Including fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods in your diet is a great way to start your journey. Make sure to keep omega 3 in your daily food to improve your emotional health.
Consuming omega 3 every day through direct food like salmon fish and fish oils can be costly. Instead, you can opt for omega 3 supplements.
2. Dedicate 30 minutes or 1 hour daily to workouts
Physical activities can take you a long way in coping with depression. But here’s the truth: you won’t want to get out of bed, but you have to force yourself to do it. Once you start following a daily routine, it will eventually get better.
Exercise will help you to release stress. In case you are not ready for a workout session, try walking, dancing, yoga, stretching, or doing household chores. Anything that makes you get up from your bed and requires you to move in different places will count.
When you start accomplishing these small things, you’ll achieve a sense of satisfaction which will ultimately improve your self-esteem. Further, strength and fitness will keep you emotionally happy.
3. Take help from friends, family, and support group
A depressed person doesn’t like doing anything like going out with family, partying with friends, etc.
As much as you try to isolate yourself, if you want to walk out of this phase, you’ll need them. They can save you from your own negative thoughts. Sharing your pain with close ones can help you cope with your depression. Further, encouraging words from these people will help you fight.
If you feel like you don’t have anyone to share your pain with, join a support group. There will be multiple people who are going through the same thing. Contact your neighbors to get information on community meet-ups in your location.
4. Stay away from any kind of addiction
People in depression often succumb to addictive substances or liquor. Some people even turn to drugs or alcohol to distract the mind. This is not a constructive way to fight depression.
Multiple studies have concluded that alcohol has negative impacts on medications that help to calm the nervous system. If you think you are indulging yourself in these addictions, stop it immediately or connect with rehab.
The only way to beat depression is to keep yourself healthy mentally and physically. Getting rid of addictions is a step towards it.
5. Improve your sleep pattern
Your sleep pattern tells a lot about your depression level. After food, depression plays with the sleep routine of the patient. Either they’re sleeping all the time or not sleeping at all.
The research was done on this topic in 2014. It showed patients who show symptoms of major depressive disorder experience sleep-related problems.
To find your way out of this rut, you need to stop using electronics one hour before sleeping time. Add some dim lights to your room and schedule some time for relaxing activities.
Further, make sure that you are not working in your bedroom. Use the bed only for sleeping or any stress-busting purpose.
6. Talk to a psychiatrist
If you feel all these five tips are not helping you and your symptoms are getting worse by the day, get in touch with a psychologist. They are professionals in this field and know how to help you.
If you don’t want to visit one physically, you can also seek counseling services online via service providers like onlinepsychologist.com.au/. They help you find the right psychologist that best suits your needs.
Over to you…
Apart from all this, keep reminding yourself every day that this is just a phase and you’ll soon find your way out… and you will, I promise!
