Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. But while overcoming depression isn’t quick or easy, you have some control—even if your depression is severe and persistent.
You can make a huge change in your depression with simple lifestyle changes: exercising every day, avoiding the urge to isolate, challenging the negative voices in your head, eating healthy food, and taking time for rest and relaxation. Feeling better takes time, but with positive choices for yourself each day and the support of others.
Recovering from depression requires action. The things that help the most are the things that are most difficult to do. But difficult is not impossible. Depression recovery is starting with a few small goals and slowly building from there. Use the resources you have. You may not have much energy, but can try to take a short walk around the block or to call someone close to you..
Take things one day at a time.
Getting the support you need plays a big role in lifting depression and keeping it away. It can be difficult to maintain perspective and continue with the effort that is needed to beat depression. But isolation and loneliness make depression even worse, so maintaining your close relationships and social activities are important.
You may feel ashamed, too exhausted to talk. Remind yourself that this is the depression talking. People who care about you want to help.
Share what you’re going through with the people you love and trust. Ask for the help and support you need. Your most treasured relationships can get you through this tough time. Keep up with social activities even if you don’t feel like it. When you’re depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat. But being around other people will make you feel less depressed. Join a Support Group. Being with others who are dealing with similar problems can reduce your sense of isolation. You can also encourage each other, give and receive advice on how to cope, and share your experiences.
Depression is negative. Everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future seem bleak.
But you can’t break out of this pessimistic mind frame by thinking positive. Replace negative thoughts with more balanced thoughts.
Challenge negative thinking: Allow yourself to be less than perfect. Many depressed people are perfectionists, beating themselves up when they fail to meet them their own expectations. Socialize with positive people. Some people always look on the bright side when dealing with challenges, even minor ones. Consider how you would react in the same situation. Try to adopt their optimism and persistence in the face of difficulty. Take care of yourself. In order to overcome depression, following a healthy lifestyle, learning to manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, adopting healthy habits, and scheduling fun activities into your day.
8 hours of sleep. Depression typically involves sleep problems. Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. Get a better sleep schedule by learning healthy sleep habit.
Lack of sunlight can make depression worse. Make sure you’re getting enough. Take a short walk outdoors, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, people-watch on a park bench, or sit out in the garden.
Not only does stress prolong and worsen depression, but it can also trigger it. Figure out all the things in your life that are stressing you out. When you identify your stressors, you can make a plan to avoid them or minimize their impact.
A daily relaxation practice can help relieve symptoms of depression, reduce stress, and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Try yoga, deep breathing, or meditation.
While you can’t force yourself to have fun or experience pleasure, you can choose to do things that you used to enjoy. Express yourself creatively through music, art, or writing. Go out with friends.
Push yourself to do things, even when you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much better you feel. Even if your depression doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more energetic.
Get regular exercise. When you’re depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But exercise is a powerful skill for dealing with depression. Studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue
To get the most benefit, aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. But you can start small. Take your dog for a walk. Take the stairs rather than the elevator Park your car in the farthest spot in the parking lot. Incorporate walks or some other enjoyable, easy form of exercise into your daily routine. Pick an activity you enjoy, so you’re more likely to keep up with it.
Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet. What you eat has an impact on the way you feel. A balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables can improve overall mental health.
Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired.. Minimize sugar and refined carbs. These energy boot foods can lead to a crash in mood and energy. Try for complex carbohydrates. Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, whole grain breads can boost serotonin levels. Pick up 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. is especially effective for people who tend to overeat and oversleep when depressed.
Consider Omega-3 fatty acids for stabilizing mood. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats can give your mood a big boost. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Main sources are vegetable oils and nuts. The benefits of eating 2 servings a week of cold water fatty fish can improve mood stability.
Know when to get additional help. If you find your depression getting worse seek professional help. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel helpless but depression can be treated and you can feel better.
