Struggling with Depression

Depression affects way more people than we realise. Most of us will experience some form of depression during our life at one point.

Depression comes for many different reasons. We often get pulled down slowly because we experienced a string of hard events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, financial stress, job stress, miscarriage, difficulty with kids or family members, and other big changes.

The changes can be good changes such as moving, marriage, or having a child. But stress can have physical effects.

Depression can be a chemical imbalance too, either from unknown causes or from going through all those hard events.

We often don’t know what got us so depressed. It doesn’t seem fair, and it’s hard to fix. Depression can suck people down and make it hard to reach out for help.

I have some powerful tips for you. Let’s start with the easiest to do and move to more bigger things in the next blog. The first three are below.

Smile

I know you can’t wish yourself out of depression, but it can help to look in the mirror and smile at yourself. It doesn’t have to be real. Fake it. But look at yourself smiling.

Some people even say that putting a pencil in your mouth (which makes your face mimic a smile a little) can change your mood.

If you’re suffering from deep and/or chronic depression, you might not feel something with this. But it’s super easy and quick to do, and it won’t hurt you to try it.

 Get Out and Get Moving

You’re probably thinking that you’ve heard and read this one already. But have you tried it? Are you getting outside more and doing something active, and hopefully with someone?

What I’m going to say next might sound scary, but hear me out: have you considered going to a friend or someone you trust, and telling them something like: “I’ve been feeling really down, and I think it would help if I had someone who would go on a walk with me every day.”

Most people don’t realise that someone around them is hurting and dealing with depression. If you have someone who will spend some time walking and talking, or even signing up for a class together, you get the double benefit of sharing with someone and getting more activity.

Take the List Challenge

We’re going to jump into a big change in the next tip by changing negative thoughts to positive ones. Before we do that, I want you to generate some positive thoughts that you can use in your life.

If you’re feeling too down or stuck to work on these, skip ahead and read “Recognise and Change Negative Thoughts” in the next blog and then come back to this.

So, here’s a list challenge. Do as many lists as you find helpful. Make a list of:

·         All of the fun vacations you’ve taken, even if it was a 3-hour road trip

·         Everything you like about yourself

·         Skills you have

·         Talents you have

·         Experience/knowledge/job training/ party tricks you have

·         Things you’re passionate about

·         Good things you’ve done

·         Your accomplishments

·         Why your mother (Father, friend, or someone you love) likes you

·         All the things you’ve overcome

·         Your dreams: places to go on holiday , things you want

·         All positive things in your life

You might get inspired to make up your own list topic. The point is to find positive thoughts about yourself, your life, and your dreams again. These can be used to replace the sad and/or negative thoughts that can plague people when they’re depressed.

Take care, more next week. Carole x