Are you the one fighting with depression and want to visit a psychologist? But at the same time, are you afraid of anti-depressants and you want to avoid them as much as you can? This article is for you if you want to fight your depression!
First, know that Is this really depression that you are facing? According to the American Psychiatric Association, the signs of depression are
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
So, if you have the above-mentioned symptoms you need some type of therapy. And you can become your first therapist if you are willing to do so. So here are some easy tips to fight your depression.
Accept it:
If you deny your depression and mental health, you can’t fight with it. So, the first step is to accept it. Know your problems and learn about the facts. Try to talk with someone with professional knowledge. In this way, you can also detect your triggers and you can avoid them.
Note down your feelings:
Noting down your feelings makes the burden lighten from your mind. It also helps in remembering the triggers and you can avoid it in the future. It acts as a catharsis. And you can do this before going to bed to have good sleep.
Talk with someone:
Talking with someone is always cathartic. In depression, you should always speak to your loved ones. In this way, you can feel relax. And you can get good advice also. Similarly talking with someone keeps you busy. And it may divert your attention for some time that is good for your depressed mind.
Keep yourself busy:
Keeping yourself busy is another way to fight with your depression. Try to do something even though you are not willing to do it. This keeps your mind busy. Try to connect your mind and your body.
Do productive:
Do something that gives your results. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment. Productive activities include gardening, making handicrafts, cooking, etc.
Exercise:
Exercise like yoga is very helpful in releasing depression. Although it is tough to do exercise while having depression episodes, but you can start with a short walk and little exercise in your room. It will eventually give you good results.
Eat well:
A healthy diet not only affects your physical health, but it is also good for your mental health. Eating fresh fruits and vegetable are very necessary when you are fighting with your depression. Deficiency in iron, vitamin D, omega 3 can increase your depression symptoms. So it is important to have a balanced diet which has vitamins, fats, and proteins in it.
Set goals:
Try to set your goals. And try to achieve them on time. If you don’t want to do anything, try making small house chore goals. Like folding laundry, cleaning your garden, organizing your bookshelf, etc. it will give you a feeling of determination as well as accomplishment. That is very important when you are already fighting with your depression.
Volunteer and social work:
This will give you a feeling of happiness. When you help anyone, it gives you a feeling of contentment. Try to volunteer in some activities, like in old age homes, orphanage, or give your services to chronically ill patients. This will keep you busy as well as you feel happy when you make someone smile.
These are the easy to do activities which help you fight your depression with your own help. But if you are not recovering from your depression episode or episodes occur more often, you should consult the Best psychologists in Lahore for proper consultation.
You can now talk with your health specialists online through Marham, by visiting the website or downloading the Marham mobile app.