How to overcome depression

Depression can drain your energy, leaving you feeling empty and fatigued. This can make it difficult to muster the strength or desire to seek treatment. However, there are small steps you can take to help you feel more in control and improve your overall sense of well-being.

To overcome depression, it helps to know the facts.Depression is a medical condition and not “laziness” or a temporary response to normal grief and/or discouragement.

Symptoms of Depression:

A major depressive episode is defined as experiencing five or more of the following symptoms every day (or most days) for two weeks or more:

. Depressed or irritable mood

. Sleep problems (sleeping too much or too little; sleeping mainly during the day)

. Change in interests (not being interested in what you used to enjoy) or low motivation

. Excessive guilt or unrealistically low self-image

.Significantly low energy and/or change in self-care (not showering anymore)

.Significantly worse concentration (sharp decline in grades or performance)

. Changes in appetite (eating too much or too little)

. Agitation or severe anxiety/panic attacks

. Suicidal thoughts, plans or behaviors — including self-harm (intentionally cutting or burning yourself)

It’s important to remember that not everyone who is depressed is suicidal. You can still seek help even if you haven’t demonstrated any specific suicidal or self-harm behaviors, or even if your symptoms aren’t as severe or persistent as the symptoms noted above.  

Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.

1.Meet yourself where you are 

Depression is common. It affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles. Every day with this disorder is different. It’s important to take your mental health seriously and accept that where you are right now isn’t where you’ll always be.

The key to self-treatment for depression is to be open, accepting, and loving toward yourself and what you’re going through.

2. If you need to wallow, wallow — but do so constructively

Suppressing your feelings and emotions may seem like a strategic way to cope with the negative symptoms of depression. But this technique is ultimately unhealthy.

If you’re having a down day, have it. Let yourself feel the emotions — but don’t stay there.

Consider writing or journaling about what you’re experiencing. Then, when the feelings lift, write about that, too.

Seeing the ebb and flow of depressive symptoms can be instructive for both self-healing and hope.

3. Know that today isn’t indicative of tomorrow

Today’s mood, emotions, or thoughts don’t belong to tomorrow.

If you were unsuccessful at getting out of bed or accomplishing your goals today, remember that you haven’t lost tomorrow’s opportunity to try again.

Give yourself the grace to accept that while some days will be difficult, some days will also be great. Try to look forward to tomorrow’s fresh start.

4. Assess the parts instead of generalizing the whole

Depression can tinge recollections with negative emotions. You may find yourself focusing on the one thing that went wrong instead of the many things that went right.

Try to stop this overgeneralization. Push yourself to recognize the good. If it helps, write down what was happy about the event or day. Then write down what went wrong.

Seeing the weight you’re giving to one thing may help you direct your thoughts away from the whole and to the individual pieces that were positive.

5. Do the opposite of what the ‘depression voice’ suggests

The negative, irrational voice in your head may talk you out of self-help. However, if you can learn to recognize it, you can learn to replace it. Use logic as a weapon. Address each thought individually as it occurs.

If you believe an event won’t be fun or worth your time, say to yourself, “You might be right, but it’ll be better than just sitting here another night.” You may soon see the negative isn’t always realistic.

Depression is a diagnosable and treatable condition. There’s no reason to suffer in silence, or to guess whether or not what you’re feeling qualifies as depression. Your primary care physician can help direct you to someone who specializes in mental health.