A bad job, a poorly treating boss, lack of love in relationships, and bad lifestyle could be the reasons for us to feel sad for a few days causing us to go into depression. Our busy lifestyle, poor diet, and no sleep schedule have to be blamed for being of no help! Before you seek a doctor, here are 10 things you can do to treat depression yourself.
1. Carry on with your routine even if you don’t feel like.
When we are depressed, we avoid doing anything due to lack of interest. The truth is the more you will focus on your problems, the more depressed you will be. So, get up and do what you always do at home. Clean up the house, wash the dishes and read a book if that is your daily routine.
2. Set your goals for each day.
Sometimes depression comes from our feeling of failure. You need to set your daily goals and list them down as accomplishments by the end of the day. The feeling of achieving something will send a positive note to your mind.
3. Get active.
Exercise if that works for you or do yoga. Sweat your worries out in the gym and come back happy each day.
4. Eat healthy, cut on sugar and include omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.
Good eating habits make all the difference. Include food rich in omega 3 fatty acids like, Flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, salmon, beef, soybeans, tofu, shrimp, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower in your diet. Avoid eating sugary food.
5. Get enough sleep.
6-8 hours of every day sleep is required. If your daily schedule keeps you away from good night’s sleep, you need to plan your activities accordingly. Say no to frequent late night engagements for a few weeks.
6. Stop staying ‘no’ and take responsibilities.
When we are depressed, we try to put things away because we feel we can not do anything big or anything that requires a lot of work or is a big responsibility. Stop thinking you can’t and start thinking you can. Take on a responsibility and try to finish the task taken.
7. Add something new to life. Change is good.
Start writing a journal, or join dance/painting/music classes or pursue your forgotten hobbies and wishes. Change your surroundings, you could get your room repainted, change the lights to brighter ones or even change your look and wardrobe. Do not think of changing your job because in haste, you could be making a wrong decision. Think whether you love the work you do, if you do, then let things settle in your mind, first.
8. Have fun!
What happens when you are depressed? You begin to avoid meeting friends, you stop talking or texting your friends, when they drop in your house to check on you, you do not tell them what is going wrong in life with you and lastly, you stop having fun. The best way to kill depression is by having fun. Call up your friends, apologize and tell them why you have been acting like a total a**hole, and make plans to meet. Make long travel plans if you can and get out of your gloomy abode.
9. Meditate.
Meditation and right breathing technique will help calming things down in your mind. Long rhythmic breaths help in settling down the tension levels in your mind and body. Take out your yoga mat, sit in the lotus asana and continue to meditate until you feel light for a few minutes. Repeat this and watch the results.
10. Get a pet.
Being lonely has been the biggest reason for depression. Kill the blues with a furry friend. Adopt a stray and have your friend around to cuddle with you all the time. Dogs are best to address and cure depression. :)
At least give yourself a month as you try & follow the above listed tips to beat depression. If introducing and changing a few things in your lifestyle does not work for you, try seeking a specialist’s help.
