Depression can be a very lonely and agonizing state to be in. It is called the quiet pandemic of this era, impacting millions of people globally in a year. In times of rising screentime and crippling anxieties, many routinely require help with depression. Well, some people, who live alone or are introverted, don’t have many living around to share their thoughts and get help. Such people remain questioning how to get out of a depression phase or how to overcome a depression period. For them, the quickest way to beat depression can be self-help! Self-help in depression is the most viable and effective method of minimizing the magnitude or the symptoms of depression and blues.
But before we explore getting out of a depression process with self-help, Firstly, we need to understand what depression means.
What exactly is depression?
Depression is not necessarily the blues and negative thoughts that we occasionally delve into. It is a consistent state of melancholy that impacts a person’s daily life and routine. Subsequently, this can result in low confidence, diminished self-esteem, low energy, and motivation. The recognition of a problem is the first step in solving it. Hence, by analyzing or acknowledging this type of constant state, one can find the best way to beat depression.
Ways of Self-Help from Depression:
Self-help is a powerful tool that can do wonders for oneself. By consciously analyzing your flaws and problems and actively working on them, you can improve and transform! While these actions are not professional, they can complement therapy or may help in curing depression without medication.
1. Meditation
One of the best ways to beat depression is by adding meditation to your routine. Meditating has a lot of benefits. It helps you get clarity on your thoughts and can reduce stress levels. Sitting quietly for a couple of minutes with closed eyes and thinking about everything that flows in your mind, the demons you’re fighting with, the wrong notions about things. You can let it all out in your mind and address everything. This helps you get better control of your emotions and thoughts.
Studies have shown that over 72% of individuals witnessed a fall in psychological problems like stress, anxiety, depression, etc. Try meditating if you question yourself can I overcome depression and anxiety, and see the results!
2. Exercise or Work Out
Exercising or working out not only does it improve your physical health, but it has a deep impact on your mental health too! A good workout makes your mind produce “happy chemicals” like endorphins and serotonins that uplift one’s mood and provide a break from negative thought patterns.
Exercising does not necessarily mean going to the gym or joining a fitness club. Home-based workouts and exercises can serve the same purpose, which will also ultimately make you stronger physically and mentally!
If I talk about myself here, going to the gym regularly has been keeping me sane and helping me a lot in my mental health struggles. A few minutes of detox from the world and stress is much needed for me to keep going.
3. Journaling
Journaling is also a great and one of the quickest ways to beat depression. Whenever you’re clouded by some depressing thoughts or find yourself in a depressing aura, you should write about it in a personal diary or journal. This allows you to let out all of your ‘rants’ and emotions without having the fear of being judged since you’d be the only one who has access to the diary. You can also track your progress of how frequently you require the need of journaling and how far have you come in solving those problems. Journaling promotes self-reflection and growth which is a very healthy habit to inculcate in life.
4. Fixing your sleep schedule
Late nights can be depressing, but mornings with a cozy sunrise can not fail to cheer us up! Try getting sleep earlier and avoid staying up late till night. Follow a healthy sleep cycle of at least 6 to 8 hours to refresh yourself and remain active! Try not to amend your sleep timings more often, or otherwise, it does not signal the brain properly to relax, leaving you in a lethargic state once you wake up.
5. Control your thoughts
You need to understand and develop a discipline of not being controlled by your thoughts, and instead, you should have the ability to control your thoughts and dictate to your mind what needs to be done.
This can be practiced easily if you develop a positive mindset and challenge negative thoughts. Instead of thinking to yourself “I can never do this!”
Take it this way: “ Let me at least try. If I don’t, the answer always remains no.”
This way, you encourage optimism and help you progress at things you once doubted yourself on.
Reaching out for help
Whenever you feel the burden on your end increasing, try reaching out to a friend, a family member, or someone with whom you can share your emotions and feel better. There is no shame in reaching out for help, instead, it’s a positive thing to do, to take care of oneself. You need to understand that it’s completely normal to reach out for help and have the need to talk to someone. Asking for help would not make you weak but instead would prevent unprecedented crises from happening.
You should also seek professional help if things get worse. If you find no one to talk to or express how you feel, you can contact these helplines here to get help from local authorities.
To conclude, depression can be a very challenging state to be in. Trying such self-help methods like Journaling, exercising, etc. would help you stay away from depression. If you feel the need for help, do reach out for it before it’s too late!
Remember, self-help is not about treating depression solely but instead finding a meaningful path toward self-improvement, well-being, and growth. Find help when needed and embrace the journey of becoming a better version of yourself!