Depressed? - Self-Help Tips

Depressed? - Self-Help Tips

Feeling depressed can really weigh on you. Sure, most of us can relate to feeling depressed from time to time. However, some people struggle with depression longer than just a couple of days or weeks. If this sounds like you, I’m sorry for your pain.

Maybe you’ve lost a loved one and can’t seem to get through the grief. Or you’ve gone through a breakup and your world has been turned upside down.  Or maybe you have no idea why you’re feeling so down.  You’ve racked your brain trying to figure it out, but come up empty.

Do Something Different

Regardless of why you’re feeling depressed, know that there are some things you can do to try to push through this dark time.  Granted, you probably don’t feel like making the effort, but if you want to rise, you’ve got to be willing to do something different from what you’re currently doing.

I’ve always loved the phrase, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

If you’re dealing with sadness or depression, something’s got to change.

Before I go on to give you some self-help tips, let me say that in some cases, professional counselling may be necessary. If you’ve been struggling for a while and have tried various things to try to overcome these feelings, then maybe it’s time to consult a counsellor.  Therapy can help you do some digging to see what may be at the root.  Sometimes medication may be helpful, too.

Sometimes you can pull yourself up out of those depressive states if you’ll just give it some good old-fashioned effort with some helpful tips and techniques.

Self-Help Tips For Depression

Find The Root. One thing you can do is take some time to try to figure out the cause of the depression. Are you heartbroken over a relationship? Loss of a loved one? Lonely?  Frustrated? Exhausted? Worried?

You may or may not be able to determine the cause.  If you can’t, that’s alright. You can still take steps toward moving through that depressive state.

Feel The Sadness.  This might sound odd, since you already feel sad. What I mean by this is to try not to resist all those painful feelings.  Emotions are the body’s message to us. If you’re sad, that negative energy wants to be felt and processed. So, feel it for now. Give yourself a day or two, or however long you feel resonates with you, and just allow yourself to feel it and let it move through your body.

Get The Emotions Out.  It may be helpful to get the depressive emotions out in a way that works for you. Some people say having a good cry helps lift them out of a sad mood.  Others get out in nature and allow the natural beauty to lift their spirit. Someone else may feel better after talking to a trusted friend or screaming at the top of their lungs – but not in a place that will scare others.

Can you think of a way that you can move those emotions out of your body?  Release them?

Get Inspired. Another thing you can do is keep yourself inspired.  Do you enjoy reading? Read some inspirational books. If you are more of an audio or video person, listen to or watch inspirational speakers.  Do this daily, so you can raise your spirit consistently.  If you enjoy music, maybe you can listen to some upbeat music daily to see if that will get your spirits lifted. Or dance like a maniac – whatever gets you experiencing happier emotions. Inspire yourself every day.

Hang Around Positive People. Get out and visit friends and positive people. If you’ve been isolating, it’s time to put a stop to that and get out there. Grab coffee with a friend. Call your family and tell them you want to have a family dinner. Go out on a date. Just get out there and do something different.

Do Something Different. Make a list of things you’d like to accomplish this year.  Sometimes life can become dull and routine. Mix it up. Who says you can’t tackle new projects and start new hobbies?.  Take a kickboxing class. Volunteer to walk dogs at the shelter. There are literally hundreds of things you can do, and many times getting out and trying new things is all it takes to get yourself up and out of that depression.

Help For Depression

Again, if worse comes to worst, make an appointment with a therapist, because you can get help for depression. You might need to talk things out or contend with old emotional wounds. Or maybe you’ve got a chemical imbalance. It’s just wise to make an appointment and commit to some therapy sessions.

Be proactive. Even if you’re thinking there’s no way you can motivate yourself to do something different, think again.  Dig deep.

Seasons of depression may come, but they can also go.  And maybe it’s time for yours to make that exit so you can get on to living a life marked with more joy on every level.