Depression--a serious mental health disorder--can lead to issues at work and in your relationships. The symptoms include overwhelming sadness or irritability, difficulty concentrating, issues eating and sleeping, fatigue, loss of pleasure and feelings of worthlessness. You can reduce your symptoms by combining professional treatment such as therapy and medication with self-help tips.
Reduce Responsibilities
The Mayo Clinic reports that you should try to reduce your number of responsibilities and obligations when you suffer from depression. Simplify your life by saying no when needed. For instance, if you're working overtime at your job, don't sign up to make brownies for your child's bake sale. Wait until the next one.
Set Small Goals
Many people who suffer from depression often feel overwhelmed when they even imagine doing the things they need to do to handle their emotions. They might become exhausted just by thinking about exercising or spending time with friends. The mental health information website Helpguide.org recommends setting small, specific goals. Instead of making a goal to jump right back into exercising, set a small, specific goal to walk your dog for 10 minutes at least five times per week. Change one thing at a time instead of overwhelming yourself by trying to do everything at once.
Get Support
Reduce your symptoms of depression by spending more time with your loved ones and asking them for support. You may not even want to think about taking a shower, getting dressed and meeting a friend for dinner when you could bury your head under your covers, but it will help you cope with depression. Try to reach out to one person each day. This doesn't mean that you have to spend hours with your friends. You could call your sister to talk for 10 minutes, chat with a neighbor when you go out to get the mail or send a card to a friend. You could also join a support group to get help from people who struggle with the same things.
Do Something Fun
To get out of the depression funk, you've got to start doing things that you enjoy or used to enjoy. Push yourself to do something for yourself each and every day. This might mean that you spend 15 minutes reading a good book, enjoy a cappuccino in the morning or get a massage. If you have a hard time figuring out something to do for yourself each day, make a list of things you used to do for fun before you became depressed and put it on your refrigerator. Each evening make sure you've done at least one thing on it before going to bed.
