Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions of Americans each year. According to MayoClinic.com, symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness, irritability, worthlessness and guilt, fatigue or tiredness, changes in sleep and eating habits. If you think you're suffering from depression, seek help from your doctor or a licensed mental health professional. Treatment can often alleviate depression. Developing coping mechanisms and making changes to your lifestyle can also help you to better handle and reduce the symptoms.
Social Support
According to the Help Guide website, getting adequate social support is a key coping mechanism for dealing with depression. You may be tempted to turn away from others when you feel depressed. However, having support, understanding and social interaction with people who care about you is vital to the recovery process. In fact, if you have little or no social interaction, you run the risk of increasing your feelings of depression. Support groups for people suffering from depression are another means to obtain social support from others. They offer a forum for you to exchange advice and experiences with others who have gone through or are going through depression.
Cognitive Changes
Avoiding negative self-talk and pessimistic comments is another key coping method when dealing with depression. According to the Invisible Disabilities Association of Canada, negative self-talk includes all-or-nothing thinking, meaning that you see things in black-and-white terms. For example, you may tell yourself nobody likes you or everyone is out to get you. Another form of negative self-talk involves mentally labeling yourself, such as thinking, "I'm so weak for being depressed." Making cognitive changes is challenging but not impossible. Try to see things realistically and in a more positive light. For example, you might tell yourself, "I feel depressed now, but I am not going to be depressed forever." You might also try to see others in a more realistic light and avoid blaming yourself for their reactions. According to Help Guide, challenging negative thinking patterns is important for overcoming depression. Working with a trained cognitive-behavioral therapist can help you to work on developing this coping method.
Take Charge
Taking charge of the things in your life that you can control is a useful coping mechanism for depression. When you feel depressed, you may feel like everything is out of your control and that you can't make a difference no matter what you try. According to the Invisible Disabilities Association of Canada, having some degree of control over your life can help you to feel empowered. Continue to do activities you used to enjoy, take rest when you feel tired, eat healthfully and make a to-do list of priorities to help regain a feeling of independence and empowerment.
Healthy Eating
When you feel depressed, you may turn to unhealthy comfort and convenience foods in an attempt to soothe yourself or to avoid cooking. However, according to Help Guide, maintaining a healthy diet is an important coping method for dealing with depression. Eat breakfast and avoid skipping meals. Incorporate complex carbohydrates and foods containing vitamin B-complex into your diet, such as whole grains, baked potatoes, green leafy vegetables and beans. These foods can help to boost your levels of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that helps to improve your mood.
