Depression can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time, and it can be hard to know what to do when it happens to you. This mental health problem can stem from various causes, and the amount of time it lasts can vary widely. When you’re feeling sad or depressed, it can be challenging to do things you usually enjoy, and it’s easy to feel like you have no reason to get out of bed in the morning.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that major depressive disorder is one of America’s most common mental illnesses.
Depression can make life very difficult to live, leaving you feeling unable to cope with the daily stresses of life. Consequently, many individuals believe they are trapped in depression and cannot escape on their own. Fortunately, there are some ways to assist you in learning how to cope with depression and get your life back on track. While medication and therapy are two very effective ways to help treat depression, there are also many things you can do on your own that may make you feel better.
These five ways aren’t quick fixes either but can be effective long-term strategies for dealing with depression.
Take Your Diagnosis Seriously
The foremost thing you can do is confess that you have depression. Too often, people blame something else for their symptoms, from overwork to not enough exercise or too much alcohol. But in most cases, those factors may aggravate your symptoms, but they aren’t usually the cause. You can start addressing depression by acknowledging it exists and trying your best to learn about it as much as possible. It’s hard work, but knowing how depression affects your body will help you take steps toward feeling better.
Look for Help and Support
Friends, family, and partners might not always know how to help you through depression, but their presence can still make a big difference. Sometimes it’s enough just knowing that someone is there for you. If your loved ones are unsure of what they can do or say, tell them how they can support you and find a professional company like Inner Acceptance Therapy that helps people affected by mental illness live happier lives. They have certified mental health counselors in Houston, TX, to help enrich your life with true happiness. They also have virtual sessions, so you an access quality care from anywhere in the world.
Be Gentle and Compassionate With Yourself
Many people think that if they can be strong and rigid enough, their sadness will disappear. But in reality, mental illness is not only stronger than you are; it’s also smarter than you are. And it knows that if it uses enough emotional blackmail tactics, you’ll feel so guilty about feeling sad or angry or depressed that you’ll take your own self-judgment as proof that something must be wrong with you. So instead of denying your feelings, acknowledge them. If guilt tries to come along for the ride, welcome it into your car; don’t kick it out of your life forever because you can’t accept its presence right now. Addressing it head on and recognizing it, is the key to mitigating it’s effects.
Focus on Gratitude
Are you feeling down? One of the easiest ways to feel better is simply to give thanks for all you have. Take five minutes every day, find five things you’re grateful for, and then write them down in a notebook or journal. The simplest way of doing so is to list three things that went well today and two things you are thankful for. Focusing on gratitude helps improve overall happiness, mood, hope, self-esteem, optimism, social support networks, and coping skills. And even if it doesn’t help get rid of your depression altogether, it will make life easier and happier.
Get The Right Treatment
Just because you’re diagnosed with depression doesn’t mean you need antidepressants, which often take weeks or months before they can take effect. If your doctor prescribes them, be patient — it might take some time before they start working. In addition to medication, seek out other treatments such as therapy (talk therapy) or cognitive behavioral therapy. At Inner Acceptance Therapy, we offer online and in-person counseling services by licensed mental health counselors and therapists and offer a variety of life saving techniques.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that depression can be managed through therapy, medication, exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle changes. You can learn how to deal with depression by talking about it openly with others in your life who love you. The most important thing you can do is get help from a doctor or therapist who has experience treating depression and anxiety disorders. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide attempts and other serious problems. If you think you may be depressed, contact a professional mental health therapist or counselor right away at Inner Acceptance Therapy so that you can get help.
The sooner you get the right treatment for depression, the more your chances of defeating it.
