How to beat depression is a topic that has been talked about so much. Is there anything else that we can add to the discussion?
For those who have not been in that sh#thouse of the well of depression, their answer would probably be no. For those who have experienced depression in varying degrees, there is always something to look at, analyze, and talk about.
Depression is hard to describe in itself. It’s hard to understand. It may come and go. For the sufferer of depression, it is a constant battle.
There are many “cures” and tips on how to beat depression, but they usually run along the same veins. In this post, let’s look at ways to tackle depression which may be counterintuitive.
Acknowledge your need for need.
Depressed people withdraw into their own world. It’s easier to stay in that funk and not face what’s really causing their emotional state. While many cases of depression cannot be fully treated without medication, there is a first step that any depressed person has to take: to acknowledge his/her state.
Corollary to this is the concept that depression is closely related to a need for need.
What does this mean?
Depressed people have a need for something although it varies from person to person. It could be a need to feel useful or needed. It could be a need for help in times of weakness. It could be a need for companionship.
Whatever that need is, it is important for a depressed person to acknowledge this and break through society’s idea that needing help is a sign of weakness. Don’t be ashamed of how you feel.
Don’t shield yourself from depression and feelings of loneliness.
[tweetthis url=”https://www.thedailymind.com/?p=3479″]Accepting that loneliness and depression exists in your life is the first step toward beating it![/tweetthis]
Avoid sugar.
But sugar gives you energy and makes you feel better, right? That’s true; but there is also the fact that after that surge of “feel good”, you’ll crash. Then you fall right back to that hole you detest.
That’s not to say that you should totally not consume sugar. As with most things, moderation is key, but probably even more so with those suffering from depression. The AHA recommends 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women, and 9 teaspoons for men.
Get your butt off that sofa.
For people who are not suffering from depression, this is an obvious thing to do. For those who are in a bad place, however, the intuitive action is to stay inside, holed up.
A reason that often comes up is that they won’t be good company anyway. They don’t want to drain their friends’ energy.
Don’t fall for that trap. Go out. Meet friends. It will be difficult to get on your feet, take a shower, and walk out the door, but you’ll thank yourself after.
More than meeting with friends, getting your butt off that sofa means get some physical exercise. You don’t have to go to the gym and workout like you want to be a champion weightlifter. A 20-minute walk everyday (or every other day, if that’s what you can manage at first) will do you wonders. Mental health is improved, and stress is relieve.
There’s science behind this: endorphins, which are chemicals released in the brain when you engage in physical activity. These chemicals reduce your perception of pain and give you an overall positive feeling.
So if you think that talking a walk will only tire you and drain your energy, think twice.
Don’t spend a lot of time on social media.
Social media is a way of interacting with other people without having to actually go out. At least you’re interacting, right? That should help with your depressive feelings.
Nopes.
If you think this is one of the suggestions on how to beat depression, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Research has shown that “people do not advertise their negative traits on their social profiles, nor do they pose unflattering pictures. Because of this strict control of the way we are viewed, we are often fooled into believing other people’s lives are much better than our own.”
[tweetthis ur=”https://www.thedailymind.com/?p=3479″]What is essential to remember is they too wear masks, the way I do, the way everyone does.[/tweetthis]
Don’t meditate for prolonged periods.
But doesn’t everyone know that meditation is good for you? Of course, but it doesn’t mean you have to spend more time you feel is necessary on meditating.
Alan Watts, author of The Meaning of Happiness (1940) and The Wisdom of Insecurity (1951), was rather controversial in how he interpreted zen and tried to “bring” its concepts into the Western world.
…he dismissed the core Zen idea of zazen (which meant spending hours seated in contemplative meditation) as unnecessary. ‘A cat sits until it is tired of sitting, then gets up, stretches, and walks away,’ was his forgiving interpretation of zazen.
More tips on how to beat depression:
How to Beat Depression: Take Baby Steps
15+ Quotes to Beat Depression
Originally posted on April 24, 2015 @ 8:00 am
