What to do when we are depressed? 10 keys to recover well-being
Depression is a frequent phenomenon in our days, and most experts say that practically everyone can suffer at some point in our lives. This should not be surprising considering the pace of life of the industrialized societies and the culture that is so demanding that it surrounds us, which rewards competitiveness and individualism. Sometimes we can feel ourselves as objects, rather than as subjects.
Depression is characterized by a sad mood and for a loss in the ability to feel interest and pleasure for those things that were previously enjoyed. In addition, the person suffering from this disorder has other negative symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, feeding and concentration problems.
- Related article: "Are there several types of depression?"
What to do when you are depressed
Biological, educational or psychosocial factors often interact in the onset of depression, and the way the person interprets the events that happen around him It has a great influence on the development of this disorder.
While in most cases it is necessary to seek psychological support, it is possible to acquire a series of habits to combat depression and improve well-being , provided that the symptoms are not severe (in which case one is unable to follow patterns of behavior that require some willpower). In this article you can find a list of recommendations that will help you overcome this disorder and improve your quality of life.
1. Have healthy habits
Have some healthy habits it is essential to enjoy better emotional health . Eating well and practicing physical exercise not only affects our body, but also our mind.
Nourishment in an appropriate manner helps maintain high energy levels and allows the body to function better. Also, the connection between food and psychological aspects has made the experts in psychology have been interested in understanding how affects what we eat to our feelings and emotions, as we tell you in this article: "Psychology and Nutrition: the importance of emotional eating."
Physical exercise is also synonymous with health, and there are many psychological effects that it brings. The practice of sports activity a favors the release of endorphins and serotonin, among other neurochemicals. Endorphins produce a feeling of happiness and euphoria, and serotonin, as already mentioned, is related to depressive and obsessive behaviors. In addition, physical exercise helps reduce stress (which can be the cause of depression) and helps improve the image that an individual has of himself.
2. Improve your Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence skills are necessary to enjoy good emotional health, and there are many studies that corroborate this. This practice favors self-knowledge, helps to understand the emotions one feels and to regulate them, and allows master competencies to have healthy relationships with others .
Possessing a high Emotional Intelligence positively affects different areas of people's functioning, such as psychological well-being, coping with stressful situations, social relationships or work and, therefore, helps to combat depression.
- Related article: "The 6 best courses in Emotional Intelligence and Personal Development"
3. Follow an active social life
Studies on happiness have shown that healthy interpersonal relationships allow us to have a fuller life. That is why it is necessary to surround yourself with good friends, attend events and practice the hobbies that we like.
Do not isolate yourself and go out to the street to have good times It improves our mood and gives meaning to our life, as well as having a close relationship with close friends and relatives who care about us is a protective factor of depression. Also, if these are fun, they make us have good times and improve our mood. Studies show that social support positively influences happiness and makes people less likely to suffer from depression.
4. Do what you like
Those individuals who connect with themselves and do what they like, that is, feel self-realizing, are more resistant to depression. It's hard not to be sad when your work does not like you and you have to spend eight hours a day in that place; or when you want to study something with all your strength but the opinion of your family seems to be more important than yours.
Connecting with one's desires is fundamental if we want to avoid depression. Although it is true that in severe cases of this disorder this is not enough, doing what one likes helps them to have greater self-esteem and to enjoy greater mental well-being. .
5. Do not compare yourself with others
In the world in which we live, it does not demand much. To have the perfect body, to earn a lot of money, to stand out in studies ... These beliefs are, in many cases, irrational, because perhaps we can stand out in some facet, but not necessarily in all of them.
Self-esteem is seriously damaged if we continuously compare ourselves with others, because these expectations they may be excessively perfectionist and unattainable and, therefore, can cause immense frustration: it is common to project our attention to deficits instead of the virtues we possess. In addition, although we all like to fall well to other people, investing a lot of time and energy trying to like others can cause great psychological wear and unnecessary stress. The important thing is to be good with oneself.
6. Accept and forgive yourself
Self-acceptance and self-forgiveness is one of the keys to avoiding depression, and the way we interpret our failures is crucial when looking at life with optimism or pessimism. Since we are not perfect, it is possible to make mistakes. Learning from negative experiences and accepting that sometimes you win and sometimes lose is necessary to regain your well-being. The past can not be changed, but the perception we have about the past does.
7. Set goals that are realistic
One of the causes of suffering from depression may be not having vital goals, because the objectives are motivating and help us to be in movement. If we look to the future and do not see clearly the way forward, we can suffer an existential crisis.
Because it is necessary to have goals to fight for , because they give us life. However, the goals should not be irrational, because they can create false and unattainable expectations and, therefore, negatively affect our well-being.
8. Live the present
These objectives should not be marked only in the long term, but it is necessary to have short-term goals, which allows us to remain motivated throughout the process. Having future expectations (provided they are realistic) is good, but learning to live in the present is also key to overcoming depression.
Frequently, in the time we live, let's get carried away by expectations and the rumination of the mind, losing us in these thoughts. That is why we must continually remind ourselves that we must remain in the here and now, connected with ourselves and with the reality that surrounds us at this precise moment.
A useful tool to achieve this is Mindfulness .
- If you want to know more about this practice, you can read this article: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions "
9. Take care of your level of stress
The phenomena of stress and depression are often closely related, but they are different conditions that require specific treatments. Stress is one of the great evils of this century, and it is not surprising given the lifestyle of Western societies.
When it becomes chronic, depression can appear as one of its consequences or effects. Prevent stress It also helps to prevent depression.
A type of stress that is very present in our days is work stress.
- If you want to know how to reduce it, you can take a look at this article: "8 essential tips to reduce work stress"
10. Seek professional help
The previous sections can be useful to help fight depression, but sometimes it is not possible to get out of this very delicate situation.
In these cases, psychological therapy becomes a good help to alleviate the situation, because it helps the patient to discover the underlying causes of his worries and his sadness; it allows you to learn to relax and look at situations from a new perspective, and gives you the possibility to develop better coping and problem solving skills. In short, psychotherapy provides the tools to overcome depression and recover well-being again.
The importance of getting in good hands
If you think you are going through a situation similar to the one described in the previous lines and you are looking for psychological support, the Mensalus Institute Psychology Center has a team of experts in the treatment of depression and other disorders.
This center is located in Barcelona, where it offers face-to-face therapeutic sessions (although it also has the possibility of doing online therapy), always from an integrative approach. Depression differs from occasional sadness and causes great suffering, but It is treatable if we put ourselves in good hands and we receive competent attention.
If you want more information about the Mensalus Institute Psychology Center, you can find the contact information in this link.
