How to Cope with Depression (d.p)

Do you know anyone who is depressed?

(Are you depressed right now?)

When  you are depressed, you will not have the motivation to do anything, not even the things you usually love to do. 

And then, sleep will be your friend...


If it remains for a long time, you will begin to feel unlovable, worthless, and a burden to others. 

In an attempt to stop feeling this way, some resort to the thought of suicide. But deep inside you (between me and you), you know you don't really want to die. 

All you wanted is for that feeling to go away.


I've been there before. And after my experience with depression, I knew it was not easy to cope with.

I'm fully aware now that I was not alone in this. I knew that there are other friends out there that will benefit greatly from the experience of how I became the happiest man I am today. 

I'm yet to meet that super man that have never felt down or experience depression once in his life. 

If one of them is reading this right now, great! Then the word  "depression" might look strange to you a bit.

Let me quickly show you how it feels. 

You see, being depressed is like being stuck in a deep, dark hole with no way out, and you feel like you are losing your mind, losing who you are.


The truth is:

The exact causes of depression remain unclear. 

According to experts, depression often runs in families, suggesting that genetics can play a role. 

While a little stress can be healthy, excessive stress can be physically and psychological harmful, sometimes to the point of plunging a susceptible, or biologically vulnerable teen into depression.

 
My problem then was..

Unrealistically high expectations from my friends (especially moved ones) disappointments, and unfulfilled promises; often thinking  that  things will  never  change and  everything  is just hopeless... 

Yours may be different, but note this:

Those thoughts did not help me, nor give me the needed strength or energy to cope. 

Instead they were only weighing me down with confusion. 

When there is confusion, your vision becomes blunt, thinking, stagnant... And mind filled with negativity.

Negative thoughts can affect  the  way  we feel  and  behave;  they maintain depression  by  affecting  perception and exacerbating  symptoms.


Yours may be different. 

Whatever the cause is, note this: 

Taking control of your emotions is not just the solution alone, It is a process. Be persistent in your resolve. 

Follow a pattern,,, one that is affecting your day  to day  functioning in a positive way. 


I lived through it, So can you.

Yes. Presently bouncing with life and energy, with so many friends around that keeps me busy, warm and happy! 

I didn't became like this automagically (over-night), though there were times when I which the feelings could just disappear instantly,  to which I know was impossible.


Yes. People I trusted actually let me down, but I succeeded only because I changed my view and life style. 

In my combat with depression, I never make alcohol my friend. Maybe that's what contributed to my speed recovery from depression. 

Don't withdraw from life. Don't drink too much alcohol, and you will feel not just ok, but better. 

I invested time with constant effort to turn my life around and I succeeded. So can you.

 
It's a process; not just a solution

It needs time with concentration and focus to become the type of person you want to be. 

If you are okay with your current situation now, no problem. But if you suffer from depression, take reasonable measure to care for your mental and physical health everyday. 

For instance, to be physically healthy, eat wholesome meal (foods that supply your  body with the needed nutrients, strength, and vitality).

Care for yourself and your mental health. To do this, get sufficient sleep, and exercise regularly (if your circumstances allowed). 

You know, exercise releases chemicals that can lift your spirit and increase your energy.

Meet a MENTAL-HEALTH PROFESSIONAL for needed medication and counseling.


Practice Giving

Don't be selfish. I've noticed that people who love to give (for the good of it, and not because they are  seeking blessings) are happy and lively. 

People are generally drown to givers than receivers. They are hardly left alone.

Among the few things we can give to others are:

•     Our Money.
•     Our Time.
•     Our Energy.
•     Our Food.
•     Our Love.
•     Our Attention.
•     Our Chances.
•     Our Home.

(The list goes on and on).
So which one can you give?


Be Prepared

To wand off depressive mood, and start living the real you, you need to try your best to be observant and recognize triggers and early signs of 
depressive mood.

Write down the names of trusted friends you can meet or call during emergency outbreak. 

Confiding in someone you trust, can help to lift your spirit and increase your energy during depressive mood. 

At the same time, a supportive network of close family members and friends may also help you to cope more effectively with your depression and possibly reducing symptoms.


***
For more info, check this tips from everydayhealth on other ways to cope with depression.

 

Related:

NEVER GIVE UP NOW UNTILL YOU READ THIS

LONELY... BUT HAPPY. HOW? 

DOES COMPETITION RUNS YOUR LIFE? 

HOW TO RESPECT MONEY AND LIVE LONGER 

HOW TO MAKE A HAPPY CAREER'S CHOICE IN YOUR 20s 

5 TIPS TO GET AND KEEP A JOB

The Race You Can Never Win

Running away from your problems, is a race you'll never win.

One of the things we do most frequently in life is — make decisions. 

Each moment of our life we make decisions about what  we need or want to do. But why is decision-making so important?

Growing up, I used to think being depressed or having anxiety problems was just silly and weak. 

On the other hand, I felt empowered when I was angry and burying my head on a video game was my safe haven from troubles and problems.

Looking back now, I think I really hurt some people as well as my self because I didn't know how to deal with emotions properly while they were actually happening.

And I never give a thought on how my decisions was actually affecting others.

You see, making correct decisions is critical because of their  consequences. 

One decision could change the course of our life; some might even change, the course of eternity.  

Usually at a younger or ideological age we are inclined to see decisions as black or white, good or bad, right or wrong. 

With wisdom, hindsight  and, maybe age, we realize that some decisions are not black or white; there are all kinds of grey in between.  

This is what creates a dilemma. 

At times you have  to choose between the better of two good things and the better of  two evils. This makes decision-making difficult. 

We  avoid having  to choose between two bad  things because it goes against our belief system. 

One result can  have both good and  bad consequences, or the better option  may carry risks.  

Most of the time we are  free to make our own decisions. At times there will be issues in life where we'll be forced into making a decision. 

The unavoidable truth is, If we do not make some decisions, others will make them  for us. 

Our belief system will influence how and what decisions we'll make. A strong belief system  will give us the confidence required to be firm and precise in our decision-making. 

But some do run away!!


What do you do when faced with a big decision to which you don’t know the answer?

Do you opt for the middle road that marginally meets everyone’s needs? 

Do you sacrifice your needs for others? 

Do you randomly pick an option, and simply hope for the best? 

Do you pick what seems to be the most logical, even though you are not 100% sure? 

Do you put off the decision making process and hope everything will sort itself out eventually?


Running away from  our decisions is not  decision-making. It is decision avoidance and this generally makes the matter worse.  The ‘important’ becomes ‘urgent’. The ‘urgent’  becomes ‘critical’.

I’ve learned from life's lessons that it’s only when we stop running and embrace the truth that we really begin to resolve our problems. That's when we begin to live.

We all want resolutions as simple as purchasing a plane ticket, updating our “Current City” on Facebook and moving on with our lives, but we forget that our emotional ties run deeper than that. 

We forget that we can never fly far enough away from ourselves to escape what it is that lies unresolved within us.

Our unresolved emotional clutter seeps into every facet of our lives, stealthily enough to remain eternally undetected. 

It’s the hesitation deep in our gut that balks when new opportunity arises. It’s the sense of self-doubt that creeps in when you’re challenged. 

It’s the same old pain of trying to write a new chapter without finishing the old one – you do not have a frame of reference to carry on forward. 

You’re trying to grab at something new with full hands and yet you cannot figure out why you keep dropping it.

When you constantly run from the past, it wears away the present with a vengeance.

When you run away from all of your problems, you eventually run from yourself. 

You forget the person you could be if you stayed in one place, worked through your downfalls, accepted your shortcomings and then overcame them. 

You forget that there’s a version of you who is reliable and passionate and strong. You lose the sense of pride you used to have from persevering. 

Running away from your problems is a race you'll never win. 

Instead of solving it, it increases the distance from the solution.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Stop pretending like you don’t care and start taking responsibility for your emotions.

I use to either pretend things are not a big deal or pretend they aren’t happening and yet the issues will still be there no matter how tired, busy or seemingly indispensable I make myself.  

And these issues usually crop up to me again and again, interfering with my regular level of functioning until I finally face them. 

I'm not going through that again. Never. 

I've realized that it’s only when we stop running and embrace the truth that we really begin to resolve our problems—the point where we begin to live. 

YOU CAN'T BE STRONG FOR NOTHING

Strong people don’t ignore every negative experience and let it eat at them from the inside out.

Strong people don’t build walls. 

They don’t deny their feelings. They embrace them and then tackle their problems head on.

We’ve all got a lot to learn and if we don’t learn to embrace how we feel, we may stop feeling all together.

Do not run away from your problems. Every problem has a solution.

TAKE A MOMENT TO ANALYSE THE PROBLEM

When everything has started to go wrong in twos and threes and you feel incapable of dealing with it all, take a break from all your other activities. 

Make the time to fix it. 

No man will prefer to have a good time with his friends when he is aware that his house is on fire. 

Take time off to think things through. A time to dwell on the issues at hand. Why is this important?

If you choose to pretend as if nothing is happening, the issues will still be there no matter how tired, busy or seemingly indispensable you make yourself.  

And these issues will soon crop up to be met with again and again, interfering with your regular level of functioning until you finally face them. 

You don't want that... Do you?

You can decide to deal with the problem by yourself or seek the help of a trusted friend.

If you decide to deal with the problem by yourself, like what I do most of the time, you should set aside a particular time like a day or two from your busy schedule, go to a friend's house, rent a hotel's room, or live in your van for a weekend. 

Avoid distraction by switching off your phone and anything to just get away and do nothing but think.
 
Be honest with yourself. 

Think things through and look at your life from a different angle. Look at your own life from the perspective of a third person. Look at your life from a distance.

WHAT I DO AT TIMES:

Sometimes I try to occasionally view my life like a movie or as if am reading a novel. 

While it may seem a little odd at first, the more I aim to watch my life from the viewpoint of someone neutral, the more I piece together patterns and even laugh a little at the self that keeps trying in spite of the odds stacked against repeating negative patterns.

If you can, try it. 

Just try to be neutral for a moment by stepping out of yourself. 

You know, putting yourself into the position of a character can help you to perceive the main themes that continue to be met by the character and also help you to fix the issue at hand in a clear perspective. 

Yes it works. 

Standing outside of yourself and your current situation may be the only way you can be objective or realistic about any issues you are facing.

If you already have too much on your table give yourself more space by dropping a few obligations. 

Rearrange your life.

If you're over-committed, it's likely you're also under-performing in a number of ways and that hurts both you, your friends and those depending on you.

BE STRONG AND NEVER GIVE UP

We may have made some mistakes at one point in our lives, but acknowledging that we are imperfect humans who make mistakes at times will give us the needed strength to rise above our errors. 

To be strong, we have to continue  seeking ways to either learn to live with them or to build up more of our strengths to ensure that the weaknesses do not lead us instead.

NOW WHAT:

Life is not easy. Sometimes the only option available when there are issues or troubles, may seem to be for us to hide ourselves from the cruel reality of our past. 

But... Don't be afraid to fall. 

Don't be discourage if you are facing some challenges now. 

Whatever happens, remember that: The one who fell down and get up is so much stronger than the one who never fall. 

Your past can Only hurt you If you let it. 

Making mistakes Does not downgrade You. 

Instead, it is what You do after realizing you Have made a mistake that determines if people will learn from your example, or from your lesson.

So... never give up. It's not over until it is over.

 

Related:

SUCCESS AND YOU

10 REASONS TO CONTROL YOUR TONGUE

HOW TO MAKE A HAPPY CAREER'S CHOICE IN YOUR 20s

HOW TO RESPECT MONEY AND LIVE LONGER

7 Tips to Build a Strong Work Ethic