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depression_advice

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Don't think you can deal with depression on your own. Would you avoid medical help for a chronic physical disease? Talk to trusted friends and family, as well as seeking professional support.

Don't drink alcohol, especially not to excess. Although it can make you feel better in the short term, it doesn't solve anything, and can quickly introduce new issues. Also, it acts as a depressant, hindering other recovery efforts.

Know that today isn’t indicative of tomorrow. Today’s mood, emotions, or thoughts don’t belong to tomorrow. If you were unsuccessful at getting out of bed or accomplishing your goals today, remember that you haven’t lost tomorrow’s opportunity to try again. Give yourself the grace to accept that while some days will be difficult, some days will also be great. Try to look forward to tomorrow’s fresh start.

Find ways to support others. It’s nice to receive support, but research shows you get an even bigger mood boost from providing support yourself. So find ways—both big and small—to help others: volunteer, be a listening ear for a friend, do something nice for somebody.

Take a dog for a walk. If you don’t own a dog, you can volunteer to walk homeless dogs for an animal shelter or rescue group. You’ll not only be helping yourself but also be helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable.

Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. The person you talk to doesn’t have to be able to fix you; they just need to be a good listener—someone who’ll listen attentively and compassionately without being distracted or judging you.

Many scientific studies on depression find that exercise is as useful for relieving mild to moderate depression as medication. Exercise has multiple positive benefits beyond helping with depression symptoms such as improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, and reduced risk for developing many chronic diseases.

Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.

Spend time with family and friends. Think about joining a support group. Do things that keep you connected to others.

Aim for eight hours of sleep. Depression typically involves sleep problems; whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. Get on a better sleep schedule by learning healthy sleep habits.

Exercise helps with the symptoms of depression because it increases brain chemicals called endorphins. Even a few minutes a day of mild exercise can improve mood by elevating endorphin levels.

Practice gratitude. When you do something you love, or even when you find a new activity you enjoy, you may be able to boost your mental health more by taking time to be thankful for it. Research shows gratitude can have lasting positive effects on your overall mental health. What’s more, writing down your gratitude — including writing notes to others — can be particularly meaningful.

Starting these self-help actions may seem challenging at first to a depressed person. However, making even a small change each day can quickly build momentum and increase energy as symptoms of depression begin to subside. Taking small, daily steps toward a healthier life can have a significant effect on the reduction of mild to moderate symptoms of depression.

When someone is depressed, they often engage in negative thinking. Thoughts such as, "I'm a failure," "No one likes me," or "I'll always feel this way," are common in a depressed person's mind. Negative thoughts like these become an unconscious habit, reinforcing the feeling of depression.

Avoid comparing yourself, and your life, with other people. You're almost certainly not seeing the reality, and it will only make you feel worse if you come up short. That is particularly true on social media, where most people just share the best parts of their lives.

Changing routines can help to rewire the pathways of dopamine in the brain, an important brain chemical linked to feelings of happiness. The changes in routine do not need to be large to have a positive effect.

Listening to music. Research shows music can be a great way to boost your mood and improve symptoms of depression. It may also help you strengthenTrusted Source your reception of positive emotions. Music may be especially beneficial when performed in group settings, such as a musical ensemble or band. You can also reap some of the same rewards simply by listening.

Try to keep up with social activities even if you don’t feel like it. Often when you’re depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell, but being around other people will make you feel less depressed.

Avoid cigarettes and alcohol. They may feel like they’re helping at first, but they make things worse in the long run.

Don’t make big life decisions on a day when you’re feeling down.

There is a strong tendency when we are depressed to become self-absorbed. Our problems loom large in our minds, adding to the feeling of being overwhelmed. A simple solution is to do something helpful for another person or to take care of a pet animal.

Getting enough sleep can also have a noticeable effect. Sleep disturbances are common with depression. You may not sleep well, or you may sleep too much. Both can make depression symptoms worse. Aim for eight hours of sleep per night. Try to get into a healthy sleeping routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help you with your daily schedule. Getting the proper amount of sleep may also help you feel more balanced and energized throughout your day.

Don't fixate on depressing news and media. Bad news sells but gives an unrealistically pessimistic view of the world.

If you need to wallow, wallow — but do so constructively. Suppressing your feelings and emotions may seem like a strategic way to cope with the negative symptoms of depression. But this technique is ultimately unhealthy. If you’re having a down day, have it. Let yourself feel the emotions — but don’t stay there. Consider writing or journaling about what you’re experiencing. Then, when the feelings lift, write about that, too. Seeing the ebb and flow of depressive symptoms can be instructive for both self-healing and hope.

Schedule times to visit with family and friends or plan to grab lunch with a coworker so you have a specific time and place where you can lean on others when you’re feeling blue. You might also find that some of these people have experienced depression themselves and they might be able to relate with you on the subject and share ideas of what has helped them in the past or just lend an open ear.

Consider mindfulness, a technique you can learn to be fully engaged in the present. Studies show it can help reduce the symptoms of depression.

Resist the urge to wallow in sad music. It might speak to your current mood, but it's unlikely to do much to lift it.

You may find it helpful to create a routine. If depressive symptoms disrupt your daily routine, setting a gentle schedule may help you feel in control. But these plans don’t have to map out an entire day. Focus on times when you feel the most disorganized or scattered. Your schedule could focus on the time before work or right before bed. Perhaps it’s only for the weekends. Focus on creating a loose, but structured, routine that can help you keep your daily pace going.

It's OK to air your thoughts and feelings with people who care. But don't let problems be all you talk about. Talk about good things too. This can help your mood become more positive.

Even if you are experiencing mild depression or a “funk,” you might find yourself drawing away from others, avoiding social situations, or not wanting to burden people with your feelings. One of the hardest but most helpful things you can do to see yourself through depression is to find that strong support circle and spend time with the people you love.

The critical point is finding wholesome foods you enjoy and training yourself to reach for these when hungry or feeling down.

We often accept our thoughts as real without challenging them. However, there is much wisdom in the saying, "Don't believe everything you think."

Building a healthy new routine can be simple. For example, simply getting up and getting dressed in the morning rather than lounging around in pajamas is a small, but potentially significant change to daily habits.

Try something new entirely. When you do the same thing day after day, you use the same parts of your brain. You can challenge your neurons and alter your brain chemistry by doing something entirely different. Research also shows doing new things can improve your overall well-being and strengthen your social relationships. To reap these benefits, consider trying a new sport, taking a creative class, or learning a new cooking technique.

Eat well. A healthy diet can lift your mood and maintain your mental health.

It can be quite challenging to exercise when feeling depressed, so it is best to start small and do something enjoyable. Taking a short walk each day, doing ten minutes of calisthenics at home, or putting on some music and dancing are all suitable types of exercise for reducing depression.

Know yourself. Pay attention to the things that seem to make your symptoms worse. Keep notes and tell your doctor or therapist about it.

Any level of depression should be taken seriously and the faster you address the symptoms, the less likely you are to develop a more severe type of depression. Seeking professional help is a sign of bravery and self-respect because it shows that you are dedicated to caring for your mind and body. A therapist can offer more clinical advice and guide you through treatment with approaches that are more tailored to your specific situation and needs. However, if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, tell someone you trust and seek assistance immediately.

Stick with your treatment plan. If you are on medicine, take it as prescribed, whether you feel good or not. Don’t skip therapy sessions. Let your doctor know what is and isn’t working for you.

Do something you enjoy. Depression can push you to give into your fatigue. It may feel more powerful than happy emotions. Try to push back and do something you love — something that’s relaxing, but energizing. It could be playing an instrument, painting, hiking, or biking. These activities can provide subtle lifts in your mood and energy, which may help you overcome your symptoms.

Before experiencing depression, you probably had plenty of interests, hobbies, and favorite activities that occupied your free time. Although you might have lost interest in those things recently, it doesn’t mean your passion has completely disappeared. Even when you don’t feel like it or you feel too exhausted to engage with anything, try to spend a little time doing the things that once brought you joy. This could be cooking a delicious meal, making artwork, listening to music, journaling, or even working on your car. Eventually, you will find yourself enjoying these activities again and feeling more like yourself each day.

Try not to stay in bed or to let your sleep patterns become chaotic. Insomnia can make depression much worse, and sticking to a regular sleep routine is the best way to avoid this.

Incorporating meditation may help ground your thoughts. Stress and anxiety can prolong your depression symptoms. Finding relaxation techniques can help you lower stress and invite more joy and balance into your day. Research suggests activities like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and even journaling may help you improve your sense of well-being and feel more connected to what’s happening around you.

Set attainable goals. A lengthy to-do list may be so weighty that you’d rather do nothing. Instead of compiling a long list of tasks, consider setting one or two smaller goals. When you’ve done a small thing, set your eyes on another small thing, and then another. This way, you have a list of tangible achievements and not an untouched to-do list.

Reward your efforts. All goals are worthy of recognition, and all successes are worthy of celebration. When you achieve a goal, do your best to recognize it. You may not feel like celebrating with a cake and confetti, but recognizing your own successes can be a very powerful weapon against depression’s negative weight. The memory of a job well-done may be especially powerful against negative talk and overgeneralization.

Your fatigue will improve if you stick with it. Starting to exercise can be difficult when you’re depressed and feeling exhausted. But research shows that your energy levels will improve if you keep with it. Exercise will help you to feel energized and less fatigued, not more.

Don't lose hope. There'll be a time when life feels immeasurably better, and no matter how you're feeling now, that day will come sooner than you think.

Exercise. Take a 15- to 30-minute brisk walk every day. Or you can dance, stretch, or do yoga. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active. But get yourself to do it anyway. If you need a push, ask a friend to do it with you. Getting any activity started helps boost your mood. Keep it going.

Volunteering can be a great way to do both. Knock out a few birds with one stone — spending time with other people and doing something new — by volunteering and giving your time to someone or something else. You may be used to receiving help from friends, but reaching out and providing help may actually improve your mental health more.

getting outside into the sunshine! Sunlight and darkness trigger different hormones in your brain and too much time spent inside can have a huge impact on your mood. Along with boosting your serotonin levels, spending some time outside can help increase Vitamin D production, lower your blood pressure, build stronger bones, and allow you to get more quality sleep.

Try ways to fight stress, like meditation and yoga.

Talk about how you’re feeling. Talking to someone you trust, or finding peer support, can help you feel better and less alone.

Pair up with an exercise partner. Not only does working out with others enable you to spend time socializing, it can also help to keep you motivated. Try joining a running club, taking a water aerobics or dance class, seeking out tennis partners, or enrolling in a soccer or volleyball league.

Spend time in nature. Mother Nature can have a powerful influence on depression. Research suggests people who spend time in nature have improved mental health. Exposure to sunlight may offer some of the same benefits. It can increase your serotonin levels, which can provide a temporary mood boost. Consider taking a walk at lunch among the trees or spending some time in your local park. Or plan a weekend hike. These activities can help you reconnect with nature and soak in some rays at the same time.

The solution is finding wholesome foods you like, making sure you have plenty on hand, and eating these foods every day. Fresh fruit, salads, lean meats, oily fish such as salmon, and whole-grain bread are all good options, as long as you do not have a food allergy or another adverse reaction to the food.

Don't lock yourself away indoors. Ideally, you should try to maintain social contact, but if you really can't face this, at least get some fresh air and sunshine. Studies repeatedly show that spending time outdoors is a powerful way of reducing depression and anxiety.

Other ideas are calling friend each day, taking a short walk, writing in a journal, or spending half an hour listening to pleasurable music. Establishing new habits and routines also increases dopamine levels, which can reduce feelings of depression.

A simple solution is challenging negative thoughts with positive thinking. For example, a challenge to the idea "I'll always feel this way." might be, "How do I know that?" or by thinking of a time when you did feel differently about life.

Calling a friend to ask how they are doing, volunteering at a local charity, helping a neighbor with yard work, or adopting a pet are only a few examples. When we help others, it raises our self-esteem, and we also get our minds off of our troubles. Any reprieve from depressed feelings can assist in improving positive thinking and elevating mood.

Eat healthy foods. Some people with depression don't feel much like eating. Some may overeat. But what you eat can affect your mood and energy. So with depression, you need to be sure to eat right. For most people, that means plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit simple carbs and foods with added sugar. Don't go for too long without eating. Even if you don't feel hungry, eat something light and healthy.

Do the opposite of what the ‘depression voice’ suggests. The negative, irrational voice in your head may talk you out of self-help. However, if you can learn to recognize it, you can learn to replace it. Use logic as a weapon. Address each thought individually as it occurs. If you believe an event won’t be fun or worth your time, say to yourself, “You might be right, but it’ll be better than just sitting here another night.” You may soon see the negative isn’t always realistic.

Spend time with loved ones. Depression can tempt you to isolate yourself and withdraw from your friends and family, but face-to-face time can help wash away those tendencies. If you’re unable to spend time together in person, phone calls or video chats can also be helpful. Try to remind yourself these people care about you. Resist the temptation to feel like you’re a burden. You need the interaction — and they likely do, too.

Making a change in routine does not need to be complicated. For example, instead of heading straight for the TV after getting home from work, commit to taking a short walk first. Instead of having an unhealthy dinner, make a small effort to eat a more healthy meal.

Many people do not drink enough water and instead fill up on soft drinks, caffeinated beverages, and alcoholic drinks. These types of beverages cause the body to lose water, leading to dehydration.

Keep stress in check. Not only does stress prolong and worsen depression, but it can also trigger it. Figure out all the things in your life that stress you out, such as work overload, money problems, or unsupportive relationships, and find ways to relieve the pressure and regain control.

For some depressed people, the problem is not having enough of a routine and structure to their day. In this case, establishing a more structured routine can be of benefit in alleviating the symptoms of depression.

Add a mindfulness element, especially if your depression is rooted in unresolved trauma or fed by obsessive, negative thoughts. Focus on how your body feels as you move—such as the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, or the feeling of the wind on your skin, or the rhythm of your breathing.

Stay physically active. Exercise may feel like the last thing you want to do, but it can ease the symptoms of depression. Research suggests it may be as effective as antidepressants in helping you feel better.

It might be tempting to escape into video games or other virtual distractions, but don't overdo this. At best it's avoidance, but at worst it further isolates you from the outside world, giving your problems a space in which to grow out of proportion.

Consider clinical treatment. You may also find it helpful to speak to a professional about what you’re going through. A general practitioner may be able to refer you to a therapist or other specialist. They can assess your symptoms and help develop a clinical treatment plan tailored to your needs. This may include traditional options, such as medication and therapy, or alternative measures, such as acupuncture. Finding the right treatment for you may take some time, so be open with your provider about what is and isn’t working. Your provider will work with you to find the best option.

Both depression and anxiety can contribute to insomnia, which could include difficulty falling and staying asleep. Making changes in your routine may help with getting a more restful sleep throughout the night.

Never feel guilty about your depression. It's an illness with both genetic and environmental roots. It's not your fault, you're not weak, and you can't just snap out of it.

For optimal health, adults need about two to three quarts of liquid a day beyond what they get from food. Keeping your body healthy helps reduce feelings of depression.

Think carefully before embarking on a new relationship unless you've got a handle on your problems. It's not fair to the other person unless they're entirely in the picture, and any relationship failure linked to your depression will hurt you both badly.

Meet yourself where you are. Depression is common. It affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles. The key to self-treatment for depression is to be open, accepting, and loving toward yourself and what you’re going through.

Spend time in nature. Research shows that being in nature can make us feel happier, feel our lives are more worthwhile, and reduce our levels of depression.

Everyone experiences low points in their life and their mental health, but depression is a treatable mental illness and you can recover. Whether you or a loved one is feeling depressed, every person’s experience with mental illness is different but help is available. Visit our Key Services page to learn more about the treatment methods we offer and to explore our list of additional health and wellness classes to support your overall mental health.

When a person is depressed, they often tend to eat poorly. Sugary, salty, and high-fat junk food can bring a temporary feeling of comfort, but ultimately these foods cause spikes in blood sugar, weight gain, and bring on bad moods.

Don't ignore your issues. They won't solve themselves. Seeking help and addressing your problems is the only way forward, even though it can be painful to begin the journey.

Try talking therapy to stay well.

Care for a pet. While nothing can replace the human connection, pets can bring joy and companionship into your life and help you feel less isolated. Caring for a pet can also get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being needed—both powerful antidotes to depression.