5 Ways to Jump Out of Depression
There are some who know that I have suffered from depression all of my life on and off. What triggers it is rejection, fear of abandonment and financial uncertainty, the latter being the least of the issues. Depression is sometimes irrational. We think that we need to be sad or something that is not going to happen triggers it. We may think we are going to lose our job for example but in the end we do not or we may think our spouse is having an affair but they are not. The cause of depression can be unfounded but the reality of depression is still very much real. Getting into a state of depression seems relatively easy and quick and getting out of it can be just as fast. Having suffered from this illness myself I have had to find ways to fight it along with it's sister illness anxiety.
Here are some of the ways to fight depression:
1. Keep moving:
Do not stop moving and doing. Don't lay down for too long and certainly don't close the black out shades and stay in bed till noon for days on end. Staying active and doing things is going to be good medicine for depression. Do things that you like to do and do things just to do them even if they are of minor significance. Take yourself out for lunch or go shopping for groceries. Iron some clothing or do the wash. Make your bed as soon as you get up from it. Do everything possible for yourself and in service to moving. Staying stationary is only going to make things worse.
2. Exercise:
A 30-40 minute workout will produce the equal effect that a pill for anxiety or depression will produce. It is likely best to have a routine of exercising taking the time each day to do something physical and that will calm you. A good workout is different for different people whether cardio or lifting weights but a combination is best alternating between days when you do cardio and then when you lift weights. Exercise is truly a wonderful remedy for what ails us emotionally and physiologically.
3. Therapy:
A good therapist that is a good match for you is essential in fighting depression. Once you see a therapist for a few sessions you might determine that he or she is not a good match for you. In that case there is nothing wrong with moving on to another one. Some of us are more comfortable with a male while others are more comfortable with a female. Some of us are surprised to find out we are comfortable with either and that the gender of the therapist does not matter. The important thing is to find a person one feels comfortable with, the best match for you.
4. Coaching:
Life coaches are not a replacement for serious cases that require psychiatry, but in some cases a life coach is more appropriate to your needs. Coaches can also be coupled with therapy and may be helpful in that coaches approach solutions in a different manner than a therapist might. They can present a different prospective and viewpoint to addressing issues of depression or sadness like journaling as a means to let your feelings out and clearing your mind.
5. Writing:
Free form writing is a useful tool for expressing feelings and for clearing your mind. It s best to write for a minimum of 20 minutes because it takes time for the subconscious mind to flow and for the deeper feelings to come out. It is a well known fact that writing about our feelings and fears can be helpful. My advise is that once you write your feelings that you not go back and read it. In fact I have always liked the idea of destroying some of the things we write that we feel we have a need to leave behind us whether we burn it or shred it. The feeling we get when we get rid of what wrote related to our feelings is a feeling of relief. Writing is only useful when we know that it is private, sacred and our own business. In some cases writing about how and what we feel is a beautiful experience and in others a painful one. In both cases it is a way to let go and to feel the sadness lifted.
Depression is a serious issue for many of us. Ignoring it will not make it better. Not taking medications if you need them will not make it better but rather is a way to deny yourself a better life and a solution that might be good for you. There are many options for lifting depression and these are but 5. I feel them to be viable ones that should be considered. When we love ourselves enough we do all the things we need to do to be in the most happy place we can be whether we use music to lift it or prayer is not important. Each of us must find a way to beat the depression knowing we are not alone and that we are not strange because we cannot explain our feelings at every moment. Many people who are suffering from depression are lying to themselves about it. When we uncover the truth and we admit we need help that is the very first step to healing. We need not be ashamed.
Here are some of the ways to fight depression:
1. Keep moving:
Do not stop moving and doing. Don't lay down for too long and certainly don't close the black out shades and stay in bed till noon for days on end. Staying active and doing things is going to be good medicine for depression. Do things that you like to do and do things just to do them even if they are of minor significance. Take yourself out for lunch or go shopping for groceries. Iron some clothing or do the wash. Make your bed as soon as you get up from it. Do everything possible for yourself and in service to moving. Staying stationary is only going to make things worse.
2. Exercise:
A 30-40 minute workout will produce the equal effect that a pill for anxiety or depression will produce. It is likely best to have a routine of exercising taking the time each day to do something physical and that will calm you. A good workout is different for different people whether cardio or lifting weights but a combination is best alternating between days when you do cardio and then when you lift weights. Exercise is truly a wonderful remedy for what ails us emotionally and physiologically.
3. Therapy:
A good therapist that is a good match for you is essential in fighting depression. Once you see a therapist for a few sessions you might determine that he or she is not a good match for you. In that case there is nothing wrong with moving on to another one. Some of us are more comfortable with a male while others are more comfortable with a female. Some of us are surprised to find out we are comfortable with either and that the gender of the therapist does not matter. The important thing is to find a person one feels comfortable with, the best match for you.
4. Coaching:
Life coaches are not a replacement for serious cases that require psychiatry, but in some cases a life coach is more appropriate to your needs. Coaches can also be coupled with therapy and may be helpful in that coaches approach solutions in a different manner than a therapist might. They can present a different prospective and viewpoint to addressing issues of depression or sadness like journaling as a means to let your feelings out and clearing your mind.
5. Writing:
Free form writing is a useful tool for expressing feelings and for clearing your mind. It s best to write for a minimum of 20 minutes because it takes time for the subconscious mind to flow and for the deeper feelings to come out. It is a well known fact that writing about our feelings and fears can be helpful. My advise is that once you write your feelings that you not go back and read it. In fact I have always liked the idea of destroying some of the things we write that we feel we have a need to leave behind us whether we burn it or shred it. The feeling we get when we get rid of what wrote related to our feelings is a feeling of relief. Writing is only useful when we know that it is private, sacred and our own business. In some cases writing about how and what we feel is a beautiful experience and in others a painful one. In both cases it is a way to let go and to feel the sadness lifted.
Depression is a serious issue for many of us. Ignoring it will not make it better. Not taking medications if you need them will not make it better but rather is a way to deny yourself a better life and a solution that might be good for you. There are many options for lifting depression and these are but 5. I feel them to be viable ones that should be considered. When we love ourselves enough we do all the things we need to do to be in the most happy place we can be whether we use music to lift it or prayer is not important. Each of us must find a way to beat the depression knowing we are not alone and that we are not strange because we cannot explain our feelings at every moment. Many people who are suffering from depression are lying to themselves about it. When we uncover the truth and we admit we need help that is the very first step to healing. We need not be ashamed.
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