Dealing with depression is a significant challenge, and seeking professional help is often the best course of action. However, self-help strategies can also be a valuable part of managing depression. Here are several self-help tips that might be beneficial:
Stay Connected: Isolation can worsen depression, so it’s important to maintain your social network. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to reach out to friends and family. They can offer support and companionship.
Physical Activity: Regular exercise can be as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression. It helps to boost endorphins, which can improve your mood. Even a daily walk can make a big difference.
Healthy Diet: What you eat has a direct effect on the way you feel. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your brain and mood, like caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones.
Sleep: Depression can make it hard to get enough sleep, and too little sleep can make depression worse. Aim for 7-9 hours per night and try to stick to a consistent schedule.
Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices help you stay present and can reduce negative thinking patterns that contribute to depression.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future. You might feel like you’re powerless over these thoughts, but you’re not. Challenge these thoughts and replace them with more balanced thoughts.
Set Realistic Goals: When you’re depressed, you may feel like you can’t accomplish anything. To push back, set daily goals for yourself. Start very small and build up from there.
Do Something New: When you’re depressed, you’re in a rut. Push yourself to do something different. Go to a museum, pick up a used book and read it on a park bench, volunteer at a soup kitchen, or take a language class.
Limit Screen Time: Too much time in front of screens, especially social media, can increase feelings of depression and isolation. Try to limit your screen time and spend more time engaging in activities that have a beginning and an end, such as reading a book or completing a puzzle.
Seek Professional Help When Needed: If your depression is persistent and self-help tips aren’t enough, consider seeking professional help. A mental health professional can provide therapy, medication, or a combination of both, tailored to your needs.
Remember, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and understand that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you’re ever in crisis or think you may harm yourself, seek help immediately from a friend, family member, doctor, or hotline.
Life is a stage and you get only one performance.
Best self help books for depression
When it comes to finding resources for managing depression, books can be a great source of solace, insight, and strategy. While it’s crucial to remember that self-help books should not replace professional care if you’re struggling with severe depression, they can provide valuable tools and perspectives. Here are some highly recommended self-help books for depression:
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy” by David D. Burns, M.D.
This book is often recommended by therapists themselves. Dr. Burns introduces principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help readers change the negative thought patterns that contribute to their depression.
The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness” by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book combines mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy to provide a powerful tool for managing depression. It’s especially helpful for those who find themselves stuck in cycles of depression.
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression” by Andrew Solomon
Solomon’s book is a mix of a memoir, a scientific research exploration, and a cultural study. It provides a deeply personal and comprehensive view of depression, helping readers to feel understood and less alone.
Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Lack of Focus, Anger, and Memory Problems” by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
Dr. Amen uses cases from his practice to illustrate how brain health is linked to behavior. The book offers techniques for improving brain function, which in turn can mitigate symptoms of depression.
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions” by Johann Hari
Hari’s book delves into the social and environmental factors contributing to depression. It’s a thought-provoking read that explores the importance of connection to others, meaningful work, and the natural world in overcoming depression.
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself” by Kristin Neff, Ph.D.
This book introduces the concept of self-compassion as a tool for emotional resilience. Dr. Neff provides strategies for being kinder to oneself, which is particularly useful for those who are hard on themselves, a common trait in people suffering from depression.
Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness” by Edward T. Welch
Coming from a Christian perspective, this book offers spiritual encouragement and practical advice for those battling depression. It provides a compassionate look at depression and the paths to healing.
Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn’t Teach You and Medication Can’t Give You” by Richard O’Connor, Ph.D.
O’Connor, who has both personal and professional experience with depression, offers insight into the habits and thought patterns that keep people stuck in their depression and provides practical advice for breaking free.
When choosing a self-help book, it’s essential to consider what resonates with you personally. What works for one person might not work for another, so you might need to explore different books to find the right fit. Additionally, while these books can provide valuable support and insights, they are most effective when used alongside professional help for those with moderate to severe depression.
Self help for depression tips
・ Choose to talk to someone (either a counselor or a trusted friend or family member) about your feelings and fears
・ Help out locally at a soup kitchen or other volunteer outlet, to connect with the rest of the world.
・ Met a friend for coffee or brunch, and carry on a conversation.
・ Tell a loved one you need to be checked on, and set a time to talk for just a minute every day.
・ Make a date (it can be platonic, just with a good friend) and go out – the movies, a concert, bowling or a party.
・ Look up an old friend, Take your mind off of your life while you catch up on theirs!
・ Get a workout buddy, and go walking or jogging together.
・ Schedule a weekly dinner with a friend or significant other, and dress up nice for it!
・ Meet new people by joining a book club or online forum – rule, you can’t tell your new friends you are depressed!
・ Make an appointment with a counselor, clergy or a therapist.
You have to take care of yourself when you are depressed, and that means paying attention to your mood and making time for you. Schedule specific ‘me’ time every day, don’t take on more than you can handle (learn to say, ‘No’!) and start looking after your health. That means your mental and emotional state as well as the physical! Additional self help for depression ideas:
Be spontaneous
Spend time outdoors, plan a trip to the park, play with a pet. Have fun; read a book, watch your favorite movie or listen to music. Unwind; take a long bath, write notes in your journal, or go for an aimless drive. Do something every day, even if you don’t feel like it!
Self help for depression should also cover diet. You would be amazed at how eating right and living healthy can boost your energy and emotional status.
Be spontaneous
Aim for eight hours sleep per night – more leaves you fuzzy and low spirited; less makes you tired and short-tempered. If you have trouble falling asleep, try meditation or hook up a soothing noise machine.
The healing power of the Sun
Get out in the sun! Man was not made to hide from the sun, so go out and soak some up. Light is a natural antidepressant! You can start having your coffee on the porch, and take walks to get out in the fresh air.
Meditation and yoga
Try meditation, yoga, or other stress relieving exercises. Figure out what makes you stressed, and either avoid it or find a way to deal with it calmly and rationally. Forgive yourself when you mess up, too. You can’t move forward and up unless you are on your side.
Don’t forget breakfast. You need energy and pep, so eat and fuel up for the day. Then, don’t skip meals. Avoid anything that alters your mood, like liquor to excess.
By using these self help for depression tips, you will be able to manage your moods and lift yourself up out of the despair that seemed just a short while ago to be ruining your life!
