Are you suffering from depression?
A good deal of work has been done on how to fight your depression without the need for medications or supplements of any kind. These remedies sound simplistic to some, but sometimes small things will make a big difference. Some of the methods discussed in this article will help more than expected. We will explore one such plan, developed by a physician, which lays out a few easy steps to combating depression and lifting your mood.
Where to begin? Physical exercise plays a more important role in recovery than you think. It is advised that when the first waves of depression begin to wash over you that you go for a walk. This doesn’t mean a short stroll around the neighborhood, but a walk that increases your heart rate and makes you breathe faster.
Or if you prefer, you can pursue other athletic activities. Try lifting weights. Use a rowing machine. Go for a long bicycle ride. There are many other exercises you can choose. Whichever exercises you start, push yourself just a little bit more than is comfortable – it will pay off in fighting depression.
If music makes the exercise more enjoyable for you, then put on your favorite tunes. By adding music, you help to diminish the negative energy, that ‘black cloud’ that can surround you when you’re in the depths of depression.
Look for other things you can do to reduce the build-up of negative energy. This may sound funny, but wandering around without a plan is one way to improve your mood. Walk until you have tired yourself completely. This ‘aimless’ exercise can help in dispelling the negative aspects of your day. For example, go to a market; wander downtown, window-shop in all those stores you normally don’t have time for. Go to a restaurant and try things you wouldn’t otherwise order. Whatever you choose to do, don’t stop until you are tired enough that you know you’ll sleep soundly.
Sometimes what you need is to get the bad thoughts out of your head. The more these thoughts remain, the easier it is to let them build and fester, and combats those things that make you feel depressed. Instead of wallowing in your depressive funk, sit and talk to someone you are close to, to whom you feel comfortable telling your secrets. Everyone has a dear friend who can serve as a confidant, who will listen without judging, and who knows how to lend a shoulder without letting you wallow in what’s bothering you.
If there is no such person in your life, the next best thing is to write in a journal of some kind. This journal can be a book you keep close for just this purpose or a document that you continuously add to on your computer. Either way the important thing about this exercise is to put down what is truly on your mind, don’t leave anything out. Often clearing your mind of those things that are sitting heavily in it will help to lift your spirits.
Don’t scoff at these simple steps to bring yourself out of a depressive episode. Try them first. Perhaps the results will surprise you.