Learn The Tricks In Combating Depression To Stay Healthy

By Sandra Ward


Along with all the other very bad things that depression does to you, maybe the worst is that it saps your drive and your energy leaving little hope of improvement. This makes it even harder to do the things needed to help yourself feels better. Without question, combating depression is hard but it can be done. Here are just a few suggestions that may well help you escape this trap and feel better about life.

What can you do when you're prone to desperation and are having an "off" day? It's important to realize that when you struggle with despair, you do have some control over your mood, and it can begin as easily as taking stock of what you eat and whether you exercise.

Seasonal sadness is most obvious during the cold, cloudy, and dark winter months. While this weather can be depressing by itself, there are physical reasons why this depression can set in. During the winter months it can be hard to find as much fresh fruits and vegetables as during the summer.

Therefore, it is difficult to get the vitamins that the body needs from diet alone. Also, exposure to the sun provides a boost to some vitamins that help improve your mood. In the winter you do not get near the amount of exposure to the sun as during the summer.

If your sadness is being caused by your constant judging of your own actions you really need to stop. I can't think of a single human being who has ever been "perfect" in every way. I am certainly not, and I am reasonably sure you aren't either. Part of wisdom is accepting yourself as you are and not punishing yourself because of what you are not. This certainly doesn't mean that you should not try to improve the person you are. It does mean that you must not punish yourself for the stumbles that happen along the way.

If your depression is severe and debilitating, a social function you should consider is a support group. Sometimes run by a therapist and other times part of a community outreach program, these groups do wonders in supporting each other when the need is most critical. Not sure if your location has anything like this? A simple online search will let you know what is available in your area. And even if there isn't anything local, there are online groups you can join as well.

Sometimes we take ourselves for granted, and we forget to put ourselves on the "to do" list. In moments of despair, we tend to forget all the good we have achieved. Write yourself a letter (1) as a reminder that you are important; and (2) to outline what you have accomplished throughout your life.

For those who are seriously affected by medical doctor or psychologist to be depressed, taking antidepressants can help. These have to be prescribed by the doctor. Ask about the pros and cons of the antidepressants and make the appropriate decision. When it is given, it is critical to follow the dosage and timing. Medication does not cure depression, they only provide some relief. As such it has to be applied together with other methods.




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