Depression is a beast to deal with that many people don’t fully understand. From fatigue, pain, memory loss, additional diseases that begin to pop up and more, it’s hard to take care of yourself. This is why you have to work hard to develop habits that evolve with you as you learn how to work through your depression symptoms.
Going on Walks (Note the Plural)
While walks during the summer may not be feasible in your area, it is a great idea to start going on regular walks throughout the day. Vitamin D from the sun and going outside are great ways to adjust your body and interrupt a depressive episode.
There is a heavy weight on the fact that you need to do multiple walks in a day. It doesn’t matter what time of day unless you need the routine, but it is important to just get outside and move around.
Volunteering Anywhere
Sometimes depression can lead to cycles where the mind begins to turn inward on itself and it makes it difficult to pull yourself out of the cycle. When you have volunteer time available or you make that time available, then not only are you going to create a routine you are also going to turn your mind towards taking care of others.
If you deal with anxiety alongside depression, working with animals may be the best move for you. If you tend to get along with people well then there are always volunteers needed at homeless shelters, donation centers and more. Don’t be afraid to try different locations as well.
Opening your heart and mind to others will help keep depression at bay.
Outward Expression
Depression causes you to internalize a lot when it comes to working through cycles, pain, or trying to remember things. It’s a hard life to live and to help yourself externalize what is going on internally, there are several options to try.
Journaling
Some people work well with writing and this can help you get out what is in your head. You may avoid certain thoughts throughout the day but a journal is a safe place to get everything out.
Painting
Another way that you can get the depression moving outward from your mind is to work on a form of artistic expression. The easiest to start with is painting because you can do it on any type of surface and experiment endlessly.
Getting Your Hands Dirty
Getting outside into the sun through walking is one great way to try and get yourself out of a funk. Another way to help balance yourself is to get your hands in the dirt. Gardening and working with a connection to the ground is a great way to help yourself balance your energy and invest in the life of something else.
Intentional Meditation
Sometimes, you have to take the time to meditate in order to feel better. It’s hard to get into the zone of mental stimulation when your brain feels like it’s dark and hard to work with. Using mood elevators can really help when you start your meditation. This may be something that is prescribed or it could be a mantra that you say to yourself.
Meditation is one of the better ways to get through the darkness of depression and it can also help reduce pain.
Avoid the Sleep Monster
The hardest thing to avoid is the warmth of sleep when dealing with depression. In the middle of a cycle, you can either go to the insomnia side of things or sleep too much. Or there is even the possibility of not being able to sleep and then sleeping too much later in the day.
It’s hard to understand the symptoms and difficulties if it isn’t something that you have had to deal with before. It’s a constant cycle of wanting to be asleep and needing rest and then resting when you need to get things done.
The best way to avoid the sleep monster is to work on going to bed at the same time, increasing your magnesium intake, and trying your hardest to not fall asleep during the day.
Conclusion
Depression is a beast that many people have to deal with at varying levels throughout their lives. It can be debilitating when you need to work and can actually be a cause for disability.
If you or someone you know is working through depression, share this post with them and see if there’s a new strategy that they can use!
