Bryan Bushman, PhD May 15, Many psychological interventions can help promote improved mental well-being with or without antidepressants. If you prefer to listen to this article, click on the SoundCloud player below. Symptoms of Depression A major depressive episode is defined as experiencing five or more of the following symptoms every day or most days for two weeks or more: Depressed or irritable mood Sleep problems i.
Practice These Coping Skills Every Day I recommend doing many — if not all — of the following coping skills and techniques once a day when experiencing depression. Meaning: Find small ways to be of service to others. Your goals: Find workable goals that give you a sense of accomplishment. Pleasant Events: Schedule pleasant activities or events.
E ngagement: Stay in the present. E xercise: And, eat right too. Relationships: Focus on people who lift you up. S leep Regularly: Try to keep a regular sleep schedule. Facebook Twitter. Get help with a billing issue. Need help with financial assistance. Website feedback. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
Boost your mood with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, tuna, and some cold-water fish oil supplements.
Sunlight can help boost serotonin levels and improve your mood. Whenever possible, get outside during daylight hours and expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Remove sunglasses but never stare directly at the sun and use sunscreen as needed. For some people, the reduced daylight hours of winter lead to a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder SAD. SAD can make you feel like a completely different person to who you are in the summer: hopeless, sad, tense, or stressed, with no interest in friends or activities you normally love.
No matter how hopeless you feel, though, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your mood stable throughout the year. That your situation is hopeless? Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself and your expectations for the future.
But even so, they can be tough to give up. Rather, the trick is to identify the type of negative thoughts that are fueling your depression, and replace them with a more balanced way of thinking. All-or-nothing thinking. The mental filter — Ignoring positive events and focusing on the negative. Noticing the one thing that went wrong, rather than all the things that went right. Diminishing the positive. Jumping to conclusions.
Making negative interpretations without actual evidence. Emotional reasoning. Everyone must be laughing at me! Once you identify the destructive thoughts patterns that contribute to your depression, you can start to challenge them with questions such as:.
As you cross-examine your negative thoughts, you may be surprised at how quickly they crumble. Authors: Melinda Smith, M. Social support and protection from depression: Systematic review of current findings in Western countries.
The British Journal of Psychiatry, 4 , — Cuijpers, P. Treatment outcomes for depression: Challenges and opportunities. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7 11 , — What Causes Depression? Harvard Health Publishing. Depression: Back from the Bluez — Self-help modules for coping with and recovering from depression.
Center for Clinical Interventions. In the U. Australia : Call Lifeline Australia at 13 11 This holiday season alone, millions of people will turn to HelpGuide for free mental health guidance and support.
So many people rely on us in their most difficult moments. Can we rely on you? All gifts made before December 31 will be doubled. Cookie Policy. Coronavirus update As the COVID pandemic continues, many of us are dealing with social distancing, isolation, and lockdowns that make it even harder to cope with symptoms of depression.
Help someone else by volunteering. If you're concerned about weight loss, weight gain or how antidepressants are affecting your appetite, talk to your GP. When people feel down, they can get into poor sleep patterns, staying up late and sleeping during the day. Try to get up at your normal time and stick to your routine as much as possible. Treatments for depression include psychological therapies and antidepressants. You don't need a referral from your GP. You can talk it through with your GP first if you prefer.
Your GP can also tell you about antidepressants. If you start to feel that your life isn't worth living or about harming yourself , get help straight away. You can find mental health apps and tools in the NHS apps library. In this audio guide, a doctor explains what you can do to help yourself cope with low mood and depression.
Page last reviewed: 31 October Next review due: 31 October How to cope with depression.
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