5 Ways You Can Support Yourself Dealing With Depression

Sometimes it’s easy to think that everyone else is happy all the time but the reality is that we can all use some support from time to time when it comes to dealing with depression. Many people don’t realize that depression affects over 16 million people over 18 years old in the United States, and those are just the diagnosed cases. Living with mental illness is an invisible weight and struggle that many people deal with. 

Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to take the steps that will help you to feel better. Sometimes, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like exercising or spending time with friends, can seem exhausting or impossible to put into action.

If you are struggling with depression, or know someone that is, this blog post is full of tips and tricks to live with your best life possible, no matter what you’re going through. 

Many doctors look at managing depression in a similar way as managing other chronic illnesses. In fact, depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the US and research suggests it is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors. This difficult condition does not discriminate. It can begin anytime, in any race or gender, and at any income level.

Common Symptoms of Depression

Not everyone who suffers from depression will experience every symptom but here are some of the most common:

• • Feelings of sadness that seem overwhelming
  • A loss of interest in your normal and favorite activities
  • Problems with your appetite, including overeating or not any interest in eating at all
  • Having trouble falling and staying asleep, or even sleeping too much during the day
  • Lethargy. Feeling very tired and without energy all of the time
  • Feeling irritable and grouchy for no particular reason
  • Thinking about death or even suicide
  • Physical aches and pains throughout your body

How To Help Yourself Handle These Symptoms

1. Diet and Exercise – Exercise and a healthy diet can make a significant difference to how quickly you recover from depression. Both will improve your general health as well.

A healthy diet can help lift your mood. In fact, eating healthily seems to be just as important for maintaining your mental health as it is for preventing physical health problems. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something, even a snack, at least every three to four hours.

Being physically active can lift your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, encourage the release of endorphins (your body’s feel-good chemicals) and improve self-esteem. Exercising may also be a good distraction from negative thoughts, and it can improve social interaction.

2. Find/Build Your Support Network- Getting support plays an essential role in overcoming depression. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression. At the same time, the very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help.

When you’re depressed, the tendency is to withdraw and isolate so that connecting to even close family members and friends can be tough. You may feel too exhausted to talk, ashamed of your situation, or guilty for neglecting certain relationships. But this is just the depression talking.

Staying connected to other people and taking part in social activities will make a world of difference in your mood and outlook. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it won’t mean you’re a burden to others. Your loved ones care about you and want to help.

3. Spend Time In Nature- Living around trees and walking in nature can boost your mood and may even help you live longer. It can lower levels of depression, stress, and anxiety, too. When you see and hear birds and trees and other natural sounds and sights, it’s easier to put negative thoughts and worries to the side. So find time to take a walk or just sit outside. 

4. Reduce Stress/ Pursue Things That Bring Joy- When you’re under stress, your body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. In the short-term, this is a good thing because it helps you gear up to cope with whatever is causing the stress in your life.

Over the long run, however, stress can cause many problems for you, including depression. It’s important to avoid too much stress, and this includes work-related stress. If you’re employed, you may be able to work shorter hours or work in a more flexible way, particularly if job pressures seem to trigger your symptoms.

While you can’t force yourself to have fun or experience pleasure, you can push yourself to do things, even when you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much better you feel once you’re out in the world.

Even if your depression doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more upbeat and energetic as you make time for fun activities. Pick up a former hobby or a sport you used to like. Express yourself creatively through music, art, or writing. Go out with friends. Take a day trip to a museum, the mountains, or the ballpark.

5. Practice Mindfulness- It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing.

Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”, and you can take steps to develop it in your own life. Writing can help you express your emotions and track your mood. It’s a private way to let out your sadness, anger, pain, or anything else you’re feeling. When you look back and read what you wrote, it can also help you notice how people, places, or events made you feel. 

If you’ve taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still find your depression getting worse, you might consider seeking professional help. Needing additional help doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel like you’re a lost cause, but depression can be treated and you can feel better!

Don’t forget about these self-help tips, though. Even if you’re receiving professional help, these tips can be part of your treatment plan, speeding your recovery and preventing depression from returning.

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