I wanted to touch base on the mental health topic that has very broad aspects to it so I'm going to narrow it down to one very common aspect and that is depression. depression. There is nothing more fulfilling than being able to feel the weight of depression literally lifted off of your shoulders. Unfortunately, for some of us it takes longer than others for that weight to come off. The good thing is there are ways to manage and help break the cycle of depression that might seem never-ending. Since depression can be tricky due to the fact that it has so many ways to be triggered such as having a child, death of a loved one, trauma, etc. I will touch base on some ways to help break the cycle. 1. Me TimeIn some cases being alone and depression don't usually coincide together but when the trigger of your depression keeps you from doing anything for yourself for an ongoing amount of time it's time to take a break. Take a break where your only obligation is to simply relax and spend quality time with you and you only. This could entail: Reading a book Listening to music Retail therapy A leisure activity A spa day 2. Clean EatingYou would be surprised how much the food we eat can impact our mood and the amount of energy we have. When I talk about clean eating I'm referring to eliminating or reducing the consumptions of processed foods, soda, sugar, and sodium. By removing these foods from your diet and increasing your water intake you are left with healthy and fresh food choices that your body needs to work at its optimum level. 80% of clean eating and 20% of the exercise of your choice will send you down a new mindset path and also improve your quality of health in the physical side of things. 3. Lean On Your Support SystemYour support system doesn't necessarily have to be just family because a lot of us, like myself, aren't as fortunate as others to have a large family. I encourage you to reach out to the family you have, friends, support groups, and even online communities. Having a solid support system is essential to reducing stress so reach out and lean on your support system during a time of need whether it be emotional or physical. Don't let the inner battle of feeling like you're a burden keep you from allowing the people who love you to be the pillar that you need when you are going through the motions of depression. 4. Random Acts Of Kindness OR Paying It ForwardThis is my absolute favorite thing to do that gives me immediate gratification. There's a well known saying that it's better to give than to receive and it's the the absolute truth in most cases. Random acts of kindness, paying it forward, and/or volunteering fulfill a sense of self worth which a lot of those who suffer from depression sometimes lack. Not only are all of these kind efforts satisfying on the giving end but it's so impactful to the receiving end because it's coming from a genuine place to give from the kindness of your heart. In reality even though you are not going to be able to change the world, you might just change the world for one person that will be cherished for a lifetime and that brings on such a feeling of humility. 5. Gratitude JournalingOne reason we tend to fall into a depression is because we spend so much time dwelling on the negativity in our lives. It is proven that if you write down everything you are grateful for each day your happiness will increase. By doing this you are certain to realize that the amount of positivity in your life might be more frequent than you thought. By keeping track of this journaling you will also be able to evaluate your life from a different perspective when compared to the struggles of the next person.
I know I have shown you five very different routes you could take to begin your recovery and break the cycle but that's because depression takes on very different forms in each person. These are some but not limited approaches that can be used. Now that you have some idea of what you can do to lighten the load that depression can put on you I would love to know which route you plan on taking in the comments section below.
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