Managing and Overcoming Depression

This is dedicated to a wonderful person who I know who struggles with depression and anxiety. I am honored, ready and willing to use my platform to take your topic requests in my attempt to be of help and service to people I know and to people I don’t know who will read this. Topic request granted, so let’s dive in and try to help people manage and overcome depression.

Depression isn’t just about feeling sad or having a bad day. It’s a persistent feeling of emptiness, hopelessness, sadness, emptiness, and a lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can affect every aspect of your life, from your energy levels to your ability to connect with your loved ones, to your sleep patterns. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, know that you’re not alone and that it’s okay to seek help.

Don’t believe your brain!

• Has anyone ever told you that your brain lies to you? Why do you always believe your brain? Your brain can be quite a harsh negative critic. I want to tell you to fight your brain and don’t believe everything it says. I am a believer in CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is when we work on becoming aware of our thoughts, identifying them, challenging them, and changing them. The three C’s are: C – Catch/identify thoughts. C- Check thoughts/are they accurate and/or helpful? C – Change your thoughts. What would be a more accurate and more helpful thought? I started to realize that I was my own worst critic and that I didn’t want to live like that anymore. I was being kind to everyone but myself and it was time to work on my thoughts and start changing them. This takes a lot of practice every day. I believe in you. I know that if I can work on my thoughts then you can too!

Give yourself Kindness, Compassion, Grace and Understanding

• As we talk about our brain being a harsh critic, I would like to replace it with a kinder brain. A brain that gives you kindness and compassion. A brain that is understanding and loving. When you don’t accomplish what you set out for, give yourself some grace and try again. Be your own friend instead of your harshest critic.

Open Up to Loved Ones and Surround yourself with Positive people

• Support and understanding provides a safety net that can help you to feel less alone. Don’t hold your feelings in. Confiding in loved ones can be so helpful. Just getting it out of your system can feel like such a relief. It can also make you feel loved and realize there are good people in your life who care about your wellbeing. Don’t sit alone with your feelings. Talk to your loved one and make plans with them. You need to be with people. Push yourself to make plans. Think about who makes you feel better when you are around them.

Prioritize Self-Care, Hobbies, Fun Events

• We often neglect our own needs. We need to dedicate time to activities that bring us joy and relaxation, whether it is reading a book, taking a long bath, or going for a walk. Having things that we enjoy during our days can tremendously lift our mood. I love that my husband has so many hobbies that bring him joy in his days like playing the guitar. Do one of your favorite hobbies or pick something new to try! Make yourself plans that you are excited for. My husband and I just bought tickets to a concert that I am so looking forward to. It’s fun to have things in your life planned to look forward to. My mom told me that when something is over that I am sad about that it’s time to plan the next thing. Such good advice!

Establish a Routine

• Simple things like regular sleep patterns, mealtimes, and exercise can make a big difference. I tend to resist having a routine, but I know we all strive with a routine.

Exercise Regularly

• Physical activity has been proven to boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression. It helps with mental health and increases our energy levels. I find even adding in walks around the block throughout the day helps me so much. We need movement in our days. There is a double bonus to walking outside because being in nature is also such a mood lifter.

Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

• Mindfulness and meditation help to decrease stress levels. Even just a few minutes a day can help calm your mind and center your thoughts. It also helps you to learn to gain control over your mind which we need to be able to identify and challenge our negative thoughts.

Focus on Nutrition

• I suggest paying more attention to your diet and incorporating foods that are known to boost mental health, such as fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 rich foods like salmon and walnuts. When I have low energy, I look at my diet and water intake. Am I drinking enough water? Am I eating healthy food? When you are depressed, you don’t want to take care of yourself or make healthy meals. If you can focus on this and make sure you are feeding your body well and make little changes every day, you will feel so much better.

Limit Social Media

• Social media can sometimes create unrealistic expectations and comparisons. Limit time on social platforms and focus more on real-life connections and activities. Also, always remember that you are only seeing someone’s highlight reel on social media. You don’t really know what they are dealing with.

Celebrate Small Wins and Make Achievable Goals for Yourself

• Recovery from depression is a gradual process, and it’s important to celebrate the small victories along the way. Every step forward, no matter how small, is progress. Give yourself praise when you are happy with anything good in your day. “I am so proud of myself for taking that walk.” Make yourself small achievable goals each day. What is something small that you want to achieve today? Today I want to go to the grocery store? Today I want to smile more at work.

Practice Gratitude

• I like to wake up and go to bed in a state of gratitude. It helps me set the tone for my day. If we are focused on the things we are grateful for then it helps us to shift away from the negative thoughts and feelings. It’s hard to feel sad and thankful at the same time. One way to do this is with a gratitude journal. I guarantee you can come up with three things to feel grateful for at this very moment. I think about my family and friends, and I also think about things like my house, food and clothes.

Service to Others/Volunteer Work

• When we give to others, so much good comes from this. It takes us outside of ourselves. It releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin which brings more happiness and joy when we help others. It also brings you into a community of people and gives you social connections and helps to give you a sense of purpose. I know from experience that helping others less fortunate than myself also helps me to see how much I have to be grateful for. There are so many wins from volunteering.

Seek Professional Help

• Don’t hesitate to seek help from a mental health professional. I hope that you can find a therapist who you can connect with and who you find to be helpful. You won’t connect to every therapist. Not every therapist is going to feel like a good fit for you and that’s ok. There are a lot of good ones out there who are ready and willing to help you. I have resources available to refer you to if you need assistance with this step.

If you’re struggling with depression, remember that you are not alone and that there is hope. It’s okay to ask for help, to take time for yourself, and to prioritize your mental health. By taking these steps and leaning on your support system, you can overcome depression and find joy in your life. Don’t ever give up on yourself.

I would like to make a note here that I have not made any suggestions or references to medications for depression. My expertise is on modalities that do not involve medicine. I know that some people will need medicine on a short-term or long-term basis. I do want to encourage you to do your own research and learn about the medicine that you may take and possible side effects.

Thank you for reading, and remember, you are strong, you are capable, and you are never alone on this journey.