When it comes to beating depression, wanting to overcome depression is the first important step. However, you also need to be careful of how you combat depression. Some methods for beating this mental illness could actually do more harm than good.
Here are a few things not to do:
Don't withdraw from passions and people. Some people worry that their depression will negatively affect their hobbies and their relationships with people around them, and so they withdraw from passions and people to try to focus on beating depression. However, this can often do more harm than good. Social interaction and engaging with passions are essential for lifting our mood.
Don't rely on instant gratification. Many things in life can bring us instant gratification, however these things typically only cheer us up momentarily. Rather than trying to lift your mood with things like food, entertainment, shopping, try to instead pursue things that require you to work for a reward (such as learning new skills, exercising and setting personal challenges).
Don't spend time with toxic people. While social interaction can help get people out of depression, you need to make sure that you’re not spending time with the wrong people. People who put you down or dismiss your concerns are not the types of people you should spend time with - they may just make you feel worse. Instead, spend time with people who listen to your concerns and build you up.
Here's some best ways to help beat depression:
Open up to people you trust.
It’s important that you open up to people that you trust. Some of us feel that we don’t have anyone in our lives we can trust. This is where professional mental health treatment can be useful. When talking to a professional, you can ensure that anything you say will be kept confidential. I love spending time with people that uplift and bring out the best in me. The picture I shared in this post is of some beautiful roses my dad gave me. He is a great example of someone I dearly trust.
It’s important that you open up to people that you trust. Some of us feel that we don’t have anyone in our lives we can trust. This is where professional mental health treatment can be useful. When talking to a professional, you can ensure that anything you say will be kept confidential. I love spending time with people that uplift and bring out the best in me. The picture I shared in this post is of some beautiful roses my dad gave me. He is a great example of someone I dearly trust.
Exercising regularly. Exercise releases endorphins that help us feel better. It also helps increase blood flow to our brain that can make us think more clearly. The gratification we get from exercise also tends to be much more long-term - even if we are engaging in a quick workout. This is why it’s good to engage in exercise when depressed. I personally always feel better when I exercise.
Spending time outdoors. Going outside can also have many positive health benefits. The sunlight helps our bodies to produce vitamin D - which is an essential chemical for boosting our mood. We can also get fresh oxygen into our lungs, which can also help to clear our mind. Finally, going outside can expose us to natural sights like plants and wildlife, which can help us feel more relaxed. I love going on nature walks with my hubby.
Setting personal goals. Personal goals can make us feel more motivated every day by giving us a purpose to work towards. Such a personal goal could be anything from learning a new skill to trying to lose weight. It’s never too late to adopt a new personal goal. Try to focus on one primary goal (although there’s nothing wrong with having other goals that you’re also working towards).
Eating a healthy diet. A healthy diet isn’t just good for our body, but also our mind. Many of the nutrients found in fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish and lean meats are important for our brain. This page explains more about how to improve your diet to beat depression.
*This is a collaborative post thanks for reading! :)
