Knowing the facts can help you overcome depression. Depression is a medical condition, not a “laziness” or a temporary reaction to ordinary sadness or despondency.
Overcome depression without medication:
Knowing the facts can help you overcome depression. Depression is a medical condition, not a “laziness” or a temporary reaction to ordinary sadness or despondency.
symptoms of depression:
A major depressive episode is defined as 5 or more of the following symptoms occurring daily (or nearly daily) for at least 2 weeks:
- Feeling depressed or irritable
- Sleep problems (ie, sleeping too much or too little, mostly during the day)
- Changes in interests (i.e. no longer interested in things you used to enjoy) or decreased motivation
- Excessive guilt or unrealistically low self-image
- A significant drop in energy and/or changes in self-care (i.e. no longer showering)
- Significant loss of concentration (rapid decline in grades or grades)
- Appetite changes (that is, overeating or overeating)
- Agitation or severe anxiety/panic attacks
It’s important to remember that not everyone with depression contemplates suicide. You can seek help even if you are not engaging in certain suicidal or self-harming behaviors, or if your symptoms are not as severe or persistent as those listed above.
WARNING: Do not abruptly stop a prescribed antidepressant without first talking to your healthcare provider. If you have any questions or concerns about side effects of your medicine, discuss them with your healthcare provider.
Practice These Coping Skills Daily
If you are experiencing depression, I recommend doing many, if not all, of the coping skills and techniques below once a day. It’s important to know that you probably won’t be motivated by any of these things at first. In other words, know that it’s normal to be unmotivated until you’re halfway through.
The patients I work with who practice these coping skills often do better. The seven techniques can be remembered under the acronym MY PEERS.
1. Meaning: Find small ways to serve others.
Find personal meaning by offering something bigger than yourself. Services don’t have to be large. Think about this. It inevitably happens…as an unintended side effect of personal devotion to a course greater than oneself. – Viktor E. Frankl, Quest for Human Meaning
- Goals: Find actionable goals that make you feel accomplished.
Most people feel guilty when they talk about goals because they set unreasonable or unfeasible goals.
A goal is feasible if:
Things you can control (i.e. things that don’t depend on others)
Easy to manage (i.e. not overwhelmed)
Real for you (not for someone else)
Can be measured.
If you run into problems with your goals, adopt the question, “What can I learn from this?” Attitude. Also, be careful when comparing your progress to others. We usually compare our greatest weaknesses to other people’s greatest strengths. This is unfair.
3.Fun Events: Schedule fun activities and events.
Don’t wait to “feel” yourself. For example, allow yourself a 30-minute “vacation” or schedule a healthy hobby each day. Remember to approach these activities with the right attitude (see Engagement).Also, practice gratitude. Consider keeping a gratitude journal. Please know that just because you are grateful for the blessings doesn’t mean you have to take the problem lightly.
- Engagement: Stay present.
This practice is sometimes called mindfulness. As much as possible, try not to make self-judgments in your head during the activity. You may not be able to turn off self-judgment, but you can notice it and gently return to the present. Research shows that people with high self-compassion also have high self-esteem and self-confidence.
5.Exercise: And eat right.
Moderate exercise five times a week (30 minutes each time) can dramatically improve your mood. Moderate exertion is a level of activity that makes it difficult to sing from your diaphragm. Also notice how the type of food and drink you are eating affects your mood. You don’t have to go on a fad diet, but eating too many carbs, junk foods, and energy drinks too often can make anyone depressed. Remember the virtue of moderation.
- Relationships: Focus on the people who lift you up.
Interact frequently with people who cheer you up (not people who make you angry). It’s okay to have some alone time, but find a balance and don’t isolate yourself. Otherwise, depression will linger.
- Sleep regularly: Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
Balance sleep, not too little, not too much. Staying up late one night and sleeping excessively the next is a surefire way to promote depression.
Know You’re On The Road To Overcoming Depression As You Practice These Coping Skills
In contrast, depression tends to linger if patients make up reasons why they cannot do these things.Do some of these activities every day (especially when they are not feeling well) regardless of the medications they are taking. That is essential in treating depression. These positive coping skills may take time and practice, but if you don’t take the time to get well now, it can force you into periods of “sickness” later.
