Depression is one of the most common illnesses in developed countries, as well as being probably the best-known mental disorder. It causes a set of extremely unpleasant symptoms, such as deep sadness, lack of motivation, and difficulties in performing daily activities properly.
In this article we will see how to overcome depression and i will show you exactly what you can do. The tips that you will find below are extremely practical, and you can carry them out immediately. Put them to the test, discover which ones work best for you, and in no time you'll see how you start to feel better..
The good news is that, like most psychological illnesses, depression can be fought and even cured. By making certain changes in their lifestyle, or even through the use of psychological therapy, thousands of people around the world have managed to get rid of this problem forever..
Even today, it is not known exactly what causes depression. Research results on this topic seem to suggest that it is a multifactorial problem; that is, there are a series of factors that can help the appearance of this disorder, but that alone are not capable of causing it.
You may be wondering, what does food have to do with a psychological problem like depression? For most of us, the food we eat and our mood have absolutely nothing to do with it. However, research shows that what we eat has a lot to do with how we feel.
For many people, depression is largely caused by unhealthy habits that upset the chemical balance in your brain.
For this reason, one of your first lines of attack against this psychological problem should be to recover an adequate physical state of health that favors your mental well-being..
For this, there are many changes that you can carry out in your diet. Below we will see just some of the most important.
Numerous studies suggest that eating too many refined carbohydrates (such as sugar, bread, pasta, or soda) can profoundly alter our hormones. These foods cause an insulin spike in our body that makes us more tired, sad and unwilling to do anything.
The effects of refined carbohydrates on your brain can also last for a long time. Therefore, avoid eating this type of food as much as possible. The biggest problem is that they are quite addictive, and during a depression the most normal thing is that your body asks you to take them at all hours.
However, if you are able to eliminate them from your diet, you will notice how your mood improves significantly..
Our body is prepared to eat certain types of food, which it tolerates much better than the rest. These are meat, vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts ... If you increase the amounts of these foods, your energy and motivation will most likely improve proportionally.
In addition to watching your diet and trying to eat only healthy food, when it comes to fighting depression it is essential that you treat your body with the greatest possible respect. This generally involves two things: getting physical exercise, and getting adequate rest..
Our bodies are not adapted to lead a sedentary life like most people in our current societies. On the contrary, they ask us to move, to use our muscles. In fact, when we do, our brain rewards us with a great sense of well-being..
Numerous investigations have shown us that physical exercise is capable of releasing substances called endorphins. These are responsible for making us feel happy, calm and satisfied. So adding a workout routine or jogging habit to your life can do wonders for your mood..
Another factor that most affects the onset of depression is lack of sleep. Due to our fast-paced lifestyles, many of us are used to sleeping 6 or 7 hours a night, or even less. However, it has been known for several years that most people need at least 8 sleep in order to perform at their best..
If you normally sleep less than 7 hours a night, and you find yourself sad or unwilling to do anything, try going to bed earlier for several days in a row. This, which seems like a very simple thing, can really make a huge difference in your mood..
Human beings are social animals. When we are isolated, alone with our thoughts, it is usually very easy for us to enter a negative spiral that leads us to feel depressed. On the contrary, when we are surrounded by people who love us or who stimulate us, our mood tends to improve.
Even if you don't feel like socializing at all, interacting with other people will help you alleviate the worst symptoms of depression. It is true that social support alone cannot cure this disease, but it can give you the courage to solve this problem once and for all..
One of the most common symptoms of depression is the almost constant presence of pessimistic ideas about the world and one's life. For someone with this psychological problem, everything seems terrible; And constantly mulling over how bad things are going to make things even worse..
Because of this, if you detect that many of your thoughts have a negative charge, one of the best actions you can take to end your depression is to try to change them for more positive ones..
To achieve this, the first thing is to detect your irrational beliefs. These are thoughts that seem true, but are not based on any real fact..
For example, if you find yourself thinking that you will never achieve anything, ask yourself: have you ever managed to overcome a challenge? If so, why couldn't you do it again?
Challenging your negative thoughts in this way will usually bring immediate relief. In addition, in the long term this habit will form the basis of the cure for depression. In fact, therapies such as cognitive-behavioral mainly use this technique.
There are many different strategies you can try to boost your self-esteem and improve your mood. However, one of the most effective and the best results they will bring to your life is to simply set a goal and start working on it..
Numerous studies have confirmed that having a challenging goal and striving to achieve it is capable of improving a person's self-concept almost immediately.
The benefit is also twofold: on the one hand you will be improving your mood indirectly, and on the other, your life will also change for the better thanks to your effort.
What motivates you? What would you like to achieve if you knew that you cannot fail? Ask yourself these kinds of questions, develop a plan to achieve your goals, and in no time you'll see how depression is a thing of the past..
One of the chemical substances that most affect our mood is vitamin D. Its importance is such that many doctors and specialists think that it should be considered a hormone, due to all the effects it causes in our body. And, in most cases of depression, vitamin D has lower levels than normal..
The main problem with this chemical is that it is not possible to obtain it naturally from any type of food. The only way to produce vitamin D at the proper levels is through direct exposure to sunlight; but due to our sedentary lifestyle, we are spending more and more time indoors.
It's no wonder that in countries that have very few hours of daylight in winter, seasonal depression is so common. Therefore, if you notice that your mood is very low and you spend too much time between four walls, try to include more moments outdoors in your routine..
As we have already mentioned, one of the main causes of depression is the large number of negative thoughts that some people have throughout the day. However, what if we are unable to be more optimistic? After all, modifying what we think is not always easy.
For some people, an approach that works best is to detach from their own thoughts and allow them not to affect them. Meditation can help you enormously in this regard; With a few minutes of daily practice, little by little you will be able to learn not to let the ideas in your mind alter you so much.
Today, there are many resources that can help you start meditating. Research online, choose one with which you feel comfortable, and start practicing this new skill that can greatly improve your quality of life.
For many experts in psychology, the key to happiness does not lie in having it all, but in being able to be happy with what you already have. However, despite the fact that there are both positive and negative elements in almost everyone's life, the truth is that we tend to focus on what we do not like.
Keeping a gratitude journal can help you combat this trend. The idea is to write, every night before going to bed, a small list of things that happened to you that day and for which you are grateful..
It can be from simple events, such as a smile from a stranger or the pleasant aroma of coffee in the morning, to something much more important..
At first, if you have a hard time finding something to be thankful for, don't worry - it's normal. Persevere, and in no time you'll find yourself paying more and more attention to what is positive that happens to you..
One of the most important discoveries in the field of psychology in recent decades was that of the state of flow. These are times when we are so focused on what we do that time seems to pass faster and we enter a kind of trance.
Research on this suggests that flow it is one of the most important keys to being happier and dealing with depression. To achieve this, you need to focus on tasks that challenge you big enough to motivate you but not so high as to generate frustration..
The issue of the state of flow it is quite complex; But if you need to improve your mood, do research on it and try to carry out activities that make you get into it in your day-to-day life. When you do, your depression will practically be a thing of the past..
The last of our tips for fighting depression may seem in many ways the opposite of the previous ones; and yet it is as important as any of them.
To get out of a state as negative as depression, it is usually necessary that you get down to work and change many aspects of your life. Exercising, eating better, going out more ... all of them are actions that will help you improve little by little.
The problem is that this attitude can be taken to the extreme. Some people with depression become so focused on eliminating their problem as soon as possible that they end up pushing themselves too hard. Paradoxically, this can aggravate the situation and slow down your recovery..
So while you are learning to improve your habits and change your lifestyle and way of thinking, don't forget to take care of yourself. Remember that achieving happiness is a long process, and that pushing yourself too hard is not going to help you.
From time to time, it is also good that you do something positive for yourself. Listen to uplifting music, give yourself a relaxing bath or massage, or just allow yourself to eat your favorite food without worrying about how it will sit you. After all, enjoying the little things is essential to be good with yourself.
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