How can I beat depression without seeking professional help?!
Question: For the past year, I have experienced mild depression. I have some good days and some bad. I feel like for the most part I have the depression under control, but I'm worried my behavior during days when i am depressed. Some days I can calm myself down and get in a better mood by just talking to myself and putting things in perspective. But there are other days where I will use self-destructive behavior (like drugs, skipping class or other social activities) to deal with the depression. I know that is the worst thing to do if depressed, but sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me and make rash decisions. Anyone have any advice on how to deal with those bad days without using self-destructing behavior? I really dont think i need to see professional help, because for the most part I have it under control, it's just those certain days where I seem to not use my head. Thanks
Answers: For the past year, I have experienced mild depression. I have some good days and some bad. I feel like for the most part I have the depression under control, but I'm worried my behavior during days when i am depressed. Some days I can calm myself down and get in a better mood by just talking to myself and putting things in perspective. But there are other days where I will use self-destructive behavior (like drugs, skipping class or other social activities) to deal with the depression. I know that is the worst thing to do if depressed, but sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me and make rash decisions. Anyone have any advice on how to deal with those bad days without using self-destructing behavior? I really dont think i need to see professional help, because for the most part I have it under control, it's just those certain days where I seem to not use my head. Thanks
addictedsoul87 - you are on the right path. Talking to yourself to help ease your depression is a good first step.
Depression can have many causes: mental (what you are thinking), emotional (too many blocked emotions) and physical (an inactive lifestyle). To work through your depression you need to work on all levels.
MENTAL - According to Richard Carlson, author of "You Can Be Happy No Matter What," most people think happiness is conditional and outside of themselves or expect that it is a fleeting feeling based on the events in their lives or their circumstances. They don't realize that their happiness is inside of them IN THE MOMENT.
According to Carlson, most people are unhappy because most of their thinking is negative. Negative thinking IN THE MOMENT leads to a negative feeling IN THE MOMENT which leads to a negative mood. Then the negative mood leads to a negative feeling in the moment which leads to more negative thinking in the moment. It becomes a viscous circle.
The reverse is also true. Positive thinking in the moment leads to positive feelings in the moment which leads to a positive mood.
The trick is not to try to feel better or think positively, the trick is to think positive thoughts and to FEEL GOOD. When I feel down, I don't try to change what I'm thinking/feeling, I just DELIBERATELY start thinking positive thoughts about things I like..
When you start to think or feel negative, STOP THINKING ABOUT WHATEVER YOU ARE THINKING and DELIBERATELY start thinking about things that make you happy. You have to make a deliberate effort. I just say things to myself like "I like the song Forever Young by Rod Stewart, I like chocolate chip cookies, I like the movie French Kiss" By changing my focus I immediately change my feelings and then my thoughts automatically go back to positive. You might want to make a "Happy" list and carry it with you for those times when negative thoughts/feelings get the best of you.
EMOTIONAL - Every day we all feel many different emotions. Emotions are just ENERGIES IN MOTION in our bodies. Emotions are meant to be FELT and RELEASED. In America, we are taught that emotions are weak and so most people ignore or downplay their emotions.
Every time you don't allow yourself or you aren't allowed to fully experience an emotion, to feel it, and to move through it, the energy of that emotion becomes stopped and blocked in your body. It remains blocked until you go back and re-experience that emotion. Then the energetic block is freed and cleared. Virtually all of our physical ailments come from energetic blocks in our bodies, energetic patterns that are connected to our emotional patterns
When emotions are blocked for a long time, your body shuts down emotionally and you get numb (depressed). You feel tired and have no interest in anything. The emotions that are blocked also tend to LEAK out (like in angry outbursts).
One good way to release blocked emotions is to use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or Emotional Tapping. In EFT you apply gentle acupressure tapping to specific body points to release blocked emotions. EFT is easy to learn (you can learn the basics in minutes). You can use EFT anytime, anywhere for any emotional or physical issue. One basic round of EFT takes about one minute to complete. EFT works quickly and painlessly.
Please download the FREE EFT Instructional manual from the EFT website (www.emofree.com).
There is another EFT website, Tapping.com, where you can get immediate help for your depression while learning EFT by just tapping along to one of their 14 FREE instructional videos (including Depression).
PHYSICAL - If you are a person who doesn't exercise on a regular basis, your body gets "Stale" and you feel tired and lethargic. Taking a brisk 15 minute walk every day will do wonders to improve your mood. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood elevators into the bloodstream, which makes you feel GOOD.
Finally, DRINK enough water (at least 8 glasses a day). Water flushes toxins out of your body. When your body is holding a lot of toxins you will feel down and tired.
Good luck
You can't "beat it" without professional help. Sorry.
there is nothing wrong with talking to a doctor even if it is mild and i would recommend that you do sooner rather than later... and chemicals are often part of the problem as you know.
often there is this outward sign of something deeper needing to be attended to. it is good to see you are wanting to deal with this rather than ignore it.
if you have any good friends to confide in and lean on for a while it would be a good time to call them. don't forget there are people around who can pray for you and support you.
-peace
well i think its easy who doesnt know what your going through to say "oh thats life and you'll get over it" but if you really want to change all of this craziness and saddness going on the first you shouldsee what is causeing it and tell urself that your in control of ur life nad though it doesnt seem that way.. u should tell ur self" i love me" and by doing things that are affecting the person that we only truley can love and have to are selves cause really, we can lose everybody and we still have the most important person in our lives "me" we only have one life so we use it to the best and just fly past all the turmoil and things that bring us down and u know only can change you no one else ...so i hope u truley find peace with ur self
ever tried to meditate--i've always just wanted to stay in bed--after i discovered what was going on i forced myself to get out and do the things i was supposed to do-- and i found along the way that when i meditate i feel better about myself and in general--good luck
You will probably need some help. But you can take your mind off things by exercise or by helping others in whatever way you can. But you need to stop the self-destructive behavior before anything else.
I wanted to treat my depression without drugs as I didn't like the way the drugs made me feel so I turned to behavior therapy. One of the big things I learned was that I was going through the day saying negative crappy things to myself internally without even noticing I was doing it. Once I started paying attention to what I was telling myself I was able to change them to positive things. You aren't as likely to feel depressed if you are telling yourself positive things all day. You have to be your own best friend.
I know that sometimes seeking 'professional' help feels like you are admitting defeat. Believe me, that is not the case. I don't know your age (although oftentimes that is totally irrelevant). I have been a depressive since I was a child - never got it seen to until I was in my 30's. I took mild anti-depressants (Citalopram 5mg). I have a chemical imbalance - that's all. Not mad, not insane - just chemically imbalanced. The Citalopram does help! I also paint, write poetry, walk, breath(!) - avoid things that cheese me off avoid people that do my head in any generally try to be grateful for what I have. Also, avoid things that make you worse - I know, corny! but, as the song goes "When the drugs don't work, they just make you worse" - its the truth - a shared tantra! Chant it and believe it. I wish you health and happiness - the rest follows - believe me. Good luck hun! x
What's wrong with professional help? You've already admitted you have a problem - don't you think it's time to consult someone who can FIX it?
Sometimes the herbal medication that you buy in health food stores - St. John's Wort - can help mild depression. You may have an impulse - control problem though, and there are good meds to help with that. I have the same problem. When you feel the urge to do things you know are stupid, for me it helpf to think "I'll wait till tomorrow, and do it then, or even wait till this afternoon, or wait an hour." Give yourself permission to do it at a later time, when that time comes if you still want to do it, put it off again. Procrastinating can be a good thing!
You may not be able to. It is a neurochemical problem, and it takes prescription meds to change the chemistry.
I've suffered from depression for several years and sought some professional help, but it never really helped. What I did to to help myself was exercise. I have also educated myself on depression and learned why I was depressed, so I could fix it. I surrounded myself with positive people. The greatest help to me has been meditation. It will help clear your mind, and discipline it. Good luck!;)
I got over my depression and other issues without professional help. You need to stop any self-destructing behaviors NOW. Don't give in to them, you must be strong. If you do relapse, put it behind you and promise not to ever do it again.
Do something new that will boost your energy, confidence, and overall positive attitude. I highly suggest taking up a martial arts class, I did and it help me so much to get a handle on my emotions. Find an exercise that you enjoy doing, it will help out a lot.
Surround yourself with positive influences, don't hang around negative people, listen to happy music, keep a journal to write down negative thoughts and then don't look at what you write.
Don't do things that you know will trigger sad emotions, like listening to sad music, or looking through old photos. Wait until you have a handle on your emotions before doing things like that.
Above all, DON'T self-medicate with drugs or by doing other self-destructive behaviors, they only make things MUCH MUCH worse.
It is a long road, but it can be done. There are relapses and even after all is said and done, the feelings still can surface from time to time. You just have to know your way of getting rid of them in a positive way.