Depression: how to bring back the joy of life without medication

With the onset of autumn, a decrease in daylight hours and the onset of cold weather, many are faced with depression, and sometimes it is not at all seasonal in nature. Depression depletes vitality, making it difficult to take action to help you feel better. Overcoming an illness takes time and effort, but it is not impossible. Here's how to deal with it.

Dealing with depression takes action, but taking action when it’s already engulfing you can be difficult. Sometimes even thinking about taking a walk or exercising can be exhausting. However, at first glance, the most difficult actions are those that really help. The first step is always the most difficult, but it is the basis of the second, third and all subsequent steps. Your energy reserves are quite enough to go on this very walk or just pick up the phone and call your loved one. By taking the following positive steps day in and day out, you will very soon get out of depression and feel stronger and happier.

Lose your temper and stay connected

It is important to get support from friends and family. But the very nature of depression makes it difficult to accept help, you isolate yourself from society, being "in yourself." You feel too drained to speak, and you may even feel ashamed of your situation and feel guilty. But this is just depression. Communication with other people and attending various events can take you out of this state, make your own world more diverse.

Depression is not a sign of weakness. It does not mean that you are a heavy burden on those around you. Your loved ones care about you and want to help you. Remember that we are all depressed from time to time. If you feel like you have no one to turn to, it's never too late to strike up a new friendship.

Seek support from people who make you feel safe. The person you are talking to should be a good listener, not a counselor. You need to speak out so that you are not judged or given advice. In the course of the conversation, you yourself will feel an improvement and, most likely, find a way out of your state. The act of communicating with another person is important so that you do not speak into emptiness.

Try to stick around like-minded people, even if you don't feel like it right now. Yes, you feel comfortable being in thought, thoughts and so on, and sometimes it really does good and enriches you, but not when you turn the wrong way and bury yourself in yourself.

It is also good to be supportive to other people. Research shows that your mood improves even more when you help someone. Providing help makes you feel needed. You can be a listener, help people in different situations, and even take care of animals. Everything will go for good.

10 tips for the first step:

1. Talk to a loved one about your feelings

2. Offer your help to someone with a similar situation

3. Have lunch with a friend

4. Invite a loved one over and make it a tradition to do it once a week.

5. Go to a concert, movie, or event with friends.

6. Send an email to a friend who lives far away

7. Go to a workout with a friend.

8. Think over and write down plans for the week ahead.

9. Help strangers, join a club or society

10. Chat with a spiritual teacher, someone you respect, or a sports coach

Do what makes you feel good.

To overcome depression, you must do things that relax and energize you. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning something, hobbies, hobbies. Try attending some fun or original event that you would never go to in your life. You will definitely have something to discuss with your friends.

While it's hard for you to force yourself to have fun right now, you have to do something even if you don't like it. You will be surprised at how much better you feel here in the world. You will gradually become more energetic and optimistic. Express yourself creatively through music, painting or writing, return to a sport that has been fun for you before or try a new one, meet friends, visit museums, go to the mountains. Do what you like.

Aim for proper sleep and maintain your health. If you sleep too little or too much, your mood suffers. Track your stress. Find out what is bothering you and get rid of it. Get into the habit of practicing relaxation. Try yoga, breathing, relaxation and meditation practices.

Come up with a list of things that could improve your mood and try to implement them. If nothing comes to mind, try something from our list:

1. Spend time in nature, have a picnic in the forest or on the lake

2. Make a list of the things you like about yourself

3. Read a good book

4. Watch a comedy or TV show

5. Sit in a warm bath with foam and essential oils

6. Take care of your pets, bathe them, comb them, take them to the veterinarian for examination

7. Listen to music

8. Arrange a spontaneous meeting with a friend or spontaneously get out to an event

Move

When depressed, you may have difficulty getting out of bed, let alone exercising. But physical activity is a powerful depression killer and one of the most powerful recovery tools. Research shows that regular exercise can be just as effective as medication for relieving symptoms of depression. They also help prevent relapse after you recover.

Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Start with a 10-minute walk and work your way up. Your fatigue will go away, your energy levels will improve, you will feel less tired. Find what you like and do it. The choice is great: walking, dancing, strength training, swimming, martial arts, yoga. The main thing is to move.

Add an element of mindfulness to your activities, especially if your depression is rooted in an unresolved problem or trauma. Focus on how your body is feeling, watch the sensations in your legs, arms, and respiratory organs.

Eat healthy food

What you eat has a direct impact on how you feel. Cut back on foods that can negatively affect your brain and mood, including caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, and foods high in chemical preservatives and hormones.

Don't skip meals. Taking long breaks between meals makes you feel irritable and tired. Minimize the sugar and refined carbohydrates found in sugary snacks, baked goods, pasta, and fries, which can quickly lead to mood and energy breakdowns.

Include foods with B vitamins in your diet. Take a supplement or eat more citrus fruits, leafy greens and beans.

Get your daily dose of sunshine

The sun raises serotonin levels and improves mood. Go outside during the day and walk for at least 15 minutes a day. Even if you can't see the sun behind the clouds, the light is still good for you.

Go for walks during your lunch break, grab a thermos of tea and drink it outside, have picnics if the weather permits, walk your dog more than twice a day. Try hiking in the woods or playing outdoor games with friends or children. It doesn't matter what it will be, the main thing is to receive sunlight. Increase the amount of natural light at home and at work, detach blinds or curtains, organize a work area near the window.

Some people are depressed by the shorter daytime hours in the fall and winter. This is called seasonal affective disorder and makes you feel like a completely different person. However, there are many things you can do during the cold season that will make you feel better.

Challenge negative thinking

Are you powerless and weak? Can't cope with what is supposedly not your fault? Do you feel hopeless? Depression negatively affects everything, including the way you see yourself and your future.

When these thoughts overwhelm you, it's important to remember that this is a symptom of your depression, and that these irrational, pessimistic views, known as cognitive distortions, are not realistic. You cannot break out of this pessimistic mind by saying to yourself, "Just think positively." It is often part of a life mindset that has become so automatic that you are not even fully aware of it. The trick is to identify the type of negative thoughts that are fueling your depression and replace them with more balanced thinking.

Become an outside observer of your thoughts. Ask yourself questions:

What is the evidence that this thought is correct?

What am I going to tell a friend who has such thoughts?

Is there another way to look at the situation or an alternative explanation?

How do I look at a situation when I do not have depression?

When you redo your negative thoughts, you may be surprised at how quickly they crumble. In this process, you will develop a more balanced perspective and help yourself out of depression.

Get professional help

If you've taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still feel your depression is worsening, seek professional help. This does not mean that you are weak. Sometimes negative thinking while depressed can make you feel lost, but depression can be treated and you will feel better.

However, don't forget about these self-help tips. They can be part of your treatment, speeding up recovery and preventing depression from returning.

Ekaterina Romanova