Do you quite often go through moments of depression, anxiousness, worried about relationship issues, or become suicidal? Do you have a query that concerns your own or someone else’s mental health? Irrespective of age and nation, people across the globe are battling more mental health problems like never before.
When you become depressed, it actually feels like nothing in the world can make you bounce back and feel better. Depression is a tortuous disorder because it creates the symptoms that can dishearten you from completing the very actions or seeking the necessary help that would go about your recovery.
Talking about the symptoms, its low self-esteem, lack of energy, and dwindling excitement that makes it hard to get out of a depressed state. Anyone who experiences this low phase must bear it in mind that depression is a very common yet verily treatable disorder. By managing it like any other physical disease and taking the steps that will ruin the parasites affecting your mental state, you can emerge victorious over your depression. Here are eight steps to do just that!
1. Recognize and Preside Over Your Critical Inner Voice
Depression is very often easily accompanied by a critical, self-destructive mentality. This type of behavior can mess up our daily lives. Slowly this behavior gives them a false identity which they tend to accept as a true representation of their self. Hence, over a period of time, many people fall prey to a cold-blooded point of view which is nothing but the critical inner voice, a well-hidden enemy from within.
It is critical to know for mental health professionals how such a destructive thought process fuels depression. They must also see how they can help their clients to identify and conquer their critical inner voice.
To give an example, consider how this critical inner voice kicks up and wells up enormous frustration within you. Nevertheless, don’t listen to these voices if they tell you to isolate yourself, not pursue your goals, or to forego an activity you enjoy. If you listen to it then this gives the voice even more power over you. Instead, if you notice these thoughts and attitudes beginning to intensify, then preside towards more realistic and positive ways of thinking.
Ergo, with self-compassion and clearing the fog of this inner voice as a destructive enemy, you will start to see more clearly who you really are.
2. Think about What could make you Angry
While some go through the depression phase as a continual state of sadness and heightened painful emotions, some depression can arise in a state of numbness – a lack of emotional excitement that smothers your potential to feel joy. Bottling up or cutting off emotions could be a defense against something you aren’t a comfortable feeling. There are many people who suffer from depression are actually concealing a feeling of anger, turning their rage on to someone else or themselves.
Anger can be an intense feeling to accept as normal. There are reasons for this where we all are trained from a very young age that it is bad to get angry and that we need to behave ourselves. We are also advised not to throw tantrums or get into any kind of brawls. While hurling abuses as a result of anger is never acceptable but feeling anger is not really unnatural in our day to day lives.
It is only by acknowledging and accepting at the same time discussing your angry feelings that you are less likely to turn these feelings against yourself or allow them to let yourself swallow into a depressed state.
3. Get Active..Seriously!
Do you know that people who are battling depression like to sleep long or get up late? This is because when you are depressed, your energy levels drop drastically and so the last thing you want to do when feeling down and depressed is to abstain from getting up early.
Though there’s a silver lining to this dark cloud of depression as it’s a proven physiological fact that right activity can fight depression. Do this simple trick. Get your heart rate up for 20 minutes a day, five days a week. As it has been scientifically proven that you can emotionally feel much better doing this daily. Exercising enlarges the neuro-plasticity of your brain and even releases endorphins, the neurochemicals which can help to elevate your mood. Simple activities like just getting out of the house for a morning/evening walk, a game of catch with your kids, or hitting the gym religiously are medically certified methods to enhance the way you feel.
4. Stay away from Self-Isolation
When depressed and brooding, you may hear that critical inner voice telling you to be alone, be quiet and not bother other people with your problems. Again, do not listen to these critical thoughts. It is necessary that when you feel bad, even if it means embarrassing yourself, confiding in a friend and confessing your struggles can lighten your burden. It begins a process of ending your unhappiness and becoming lighthearted by the day. Discussing your problems or worries is not a self-centered or self-pitying attitude that you should fear about. Friends and family and anyone who cares about you will appreciate being informed on what’s going in your life.
Even a simple act like putting yourself in a social atmosphere can uplift your spirits. Try to mingle with people who share similar interests, or even to a public place like a museum, mall, or park where you enjoy being amongst crowds. Never let the thought arise in your mind that you are not equal to or less than anyone else. Everyone has their own struggling periods in life, and your depression should not define who you are or single you out from others.
5. Rekindle the Old Flame!
Depression is surely one of the hardest emotional states to endure as you feel self-destructive with the very symptoms. These symptoms in itself can destroy your will and energy to engage in activities you once loved to indulge. Falling into this lethargic state backs your depression with more power whereas being active in your life, pursuing anything and everything that interests you will reignite your spark and keep you on to your best side.
6. Talk to a Therapist
Talking to a therapist is a powerful way of overcoming your depression. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s any big deal or that you’ll simply glide over it when you are depressed. There is nothing wrong in recognizing that you have a problem which you alone cannot resolve and must take the help of a therapist.
Asking for help is a brave act in such a tough time and speaking to a therapist is a healthy endeavor from which any individual would benefit. Finding the source of your pain can truly assist you in alleviating its impact on your life, thereby helping you to realize and defy your critical inner voice.
7. Stop Being on a Guilt trip
Taking your mental health seriously doesn’t mean that you take guilt for being depressed as this will only further the symptoms and prevent you from seeking any help. Being overly self-critical has never worked for anyone and its important to accept yourself and have self-compassion in such turbulent times. All it takes now is to recognize how bad you feel and find the right treatment which works for you.
8. Be creative, try New things!
You have probably heard how the nerve wiring in your brain changes whenever you try to do something different. Also, you get to use the same parts of your brain when you engage in the same thing day after day. So, it’s high time you challenge your neurons and revamp your brain chemistry by acting quite different than doing the same routine stuff. Research also says that doing new things can build your social ties and bring about a whole new sense of well-being.
Self-improvement doesn’t come easy. Especially when you are depressed it’s all the more vital to do something that works and if it doesn’t it’s alright to seek assistance from a psychiatrist.
Author Bio:
Dr.Sohil Guntagani is a proficient writer who firmly believes in the age-old remedies and holistic medicine as a primary cure for several diseases. After graduating from Rajeev Gandhi University Of Health Sciences, He embarked on a journey to find the truth about holistic and natural remedies. During his travel and research, he found the purpose to enlighten and empower others with this knowledge and help them led a much healthier and stress-free life.
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