How to handle depression?

To all those who are tired of feeling that their life is not worth

living for, tired of feeling that they are trapped in this world and they can't understand and cannot deal with the problems of their life or the obstacles that keep on going to them, tired of feeling that someone or something is missing, tired of feeling that the always looking at our failure or negativity to our life, tired of feeling not effective in life, and tired of feeling that we have been suffering from depression, stress, and anxiety. This episode is for you.

HOW IS DEPRESSION DIAGNOSED AND TREATED?

The first step to being diagnosed is to visit a doctor for a medical evaluation. Certain medications, and some medical conditions such as thyroid disorder, can cause similar symptoms as depression. A doctor can rule out these possibilities by conducting a physical examination, interview, and lab tests. If the doctor eliminates a medical condition as a cause, he or she can implement treatment or refer the patient to a mental health professional.

Once diagnosed, a person with depression can be treated by various methods. The mainstays of treatment for depression are several antidepressant medications and psychotherapy, which can also be used in combination.

Reminder:

Stop blaming the world for your stress

Stress or happiness is within you, not in the external world.

Once you understand this and learn to control your mind, you become free from stress.

OTHER TIPS TO HANDLE DEPRESSION, STRESS, AND ANXIETY:

1. Meaning: Find small ways to be of service to others. 

Find personal meaning by serving something larger than yourself. Remember service doesn’t have to be big to count.

Your goals: Find workable goals that give you a sense of accomplishment.

Most people feel guilty when talking about goals because they set unreasonable or unworkable goals. A goal is workable if it’s:

Something you can control (i.e., it doesn’t depend on others)

Manageable (i.e., not overwhelming)

Realistic for you (not for someone else)

Measurable (i.e., you know whether or not it is done or getting done)

If something goes wrong with your goal, adopt a “what can I learn from this?” attitude (versus a judgmental, “this is why I’m horrible” attitude). Also, be careful when comparing your progress with others. We usually compare our biggest weakness with another person’s biggest strength. This is unfair (and usually not accurate anyhow).

3. Pleasant Events: Schedule pleasant activities or events.

Don’t wait for yourself to be “in the mood.” For example, permit yourself for a 30 minutes “vacation” or schedule a healthy hobby every day. Just remember to do these activities with the right attitude (see Engagement).  Also, practice gratitude. Take time to notice what went well today, not just what went wrong. Consider keeping a gratitude journal. Know that being grateful for your blessings doesn’t mean you have to discount your problems.

4. Engagement: Stay in the present.

This practice is sometimes called mindfulness. As best you can, during activities try not to be in your head with self-judgment. You may not be able to turn off the self-judgment, but you can notice it and bring yourself gently back to the present.  Research shows that people with higher self-compassion also have higher self-worth or self-confidence. 

5. Exercise: And, eat right too.

Doing moderate exercise about five times a week (30 minutes a pop) can dramatically help your mood.  Moderate exercise is a level of activity where it is difficult to sing from your diaphragm while doing it.  Also, pay attention to how the type of food or drink you’re eating influences your mood.  You don’t have to do fad diets, but anyone will be depressed if they frequently binge on carbs, junk food, and energy drinks. Remember the virtue of moderation.

Relationships: Focus on people who lift you.

Interact frequently with others that bring you up (not people that bring you down). While it’s OK to have some alone time, find a balance and don’t isolate yourself or the depression will linger. 

Sleep Regularly: Try to keep a regular sleep schedule.

Keep a balance with not too little and not too much sleep. Staying up late one night and then sleeping in excessively the next day is a sure-fire way to feed depression.  Also, don’t try to solve problems late at night when your brain is half-asleep.

As you practice these coping skills, know that you’re on the path to overcoming depression.

These are some of the research that I found and I will add more in the next episode.

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