how can someone suffering from depression do little things everyday to help themselves?

Question

How can someone with depression (but who is seeking medical help for it) help themselves? I mean, what little things can they try to do everyday that will lessen the depression and make recovery faster? E.g. diet, coping with stress, exercise, sleeping habits, having a daily routine, how to be more posistive, how to vent feelings ect.

Answer 1

Everything you said makes HUGE differences--diet, coping with stress, exercise, sleeping habits, having a daily routine, how to be more positive, how to vent feelings etc.

Just getting 30 minutes of morning sunlight makes serotonin, which is what most antidepressant pills try to raise. Even better if the person exercises for 30 minutes out in the sun.

Diet is vitally important. In my case, I was moody, crying, depressed, lacked all motivation, and was so upset all the time. But once I quit sugar, my mood improved literally by 100% Once I started eating better, my mood got even better.

As for positive thinking, I started listening to Joel Osteen, (I know some people don't like him) because his sermons are all about "be a victor, not a victim" and "don't give up your dreams." I put these on an MP3 and listen to them whenever I feel myself getting in a ratty mood.

Since I'm a housewife, I need a daily routine otherwise I'll waste the whole day and then feel guilty, so I have about 5 things I make myself get done every day- exercise is on the list.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Exercise is good. If you can put aside a little time daily for some exercise be it leisurely or vigorous, it would help a lot. Physical activity is proven to stimulate endorphin (which are hormones that make you feel good) release. Dancing is a great form of exercise not to mention the upbeat music really does get your mood up most of the time. :)

Writing is a good way of venting out your feelings which doesn't cost much or cause any harm to anybody or anything. I've known quite a few people who find blogging as a way to release pent up emotions or stress in their daily lives.

As for diet and sleeping habits, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Being in good health and shape is definitely going to help your self esteem. Also, try to talk to people or family members who understand what you're going through. Find a group and do something fun or maybe a hobby that you all might share. Most of the time, a little human contact can go a long way. :)

Good luck! :D

Answer 4

I think it's absolutely great that you are even thinking of ways to help yourself. This is definitly a positive step in the right direction. You need to get plenty of exercise, even if you don't particularily like exercising, it is probably one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. The brain chemical Serotonin is an important brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that contributes to a range of functions, including sleep and wake cycles, libido, appetite and mood. Serotonin has been linked to depression. Regular exercise, and the increase in physical fitness that results, alters serotonin levels in the brain and leads to improved mood and feelings of wellbeing. Some research indicates that regular exercise boosts body temperature, which may ease depression by influencing brain chemicals.

Apart from changes in brain chemistry, there are other factors that may help explain the benefits of exercise:
The person experiences a boost to their self-esteem because they take an active role in their own recovery.
Physical activity burns up stress chemicals, like adrenaline, which promotes a more relaxed state of mind and an enjoyable bout of exercise may be distracting enough to break the vicious cycle of pessimistic thinking.
Research shows that 30 minutes of exercise a day is recommended but any exercise is better than none at all. Even a walk on a sunny day will do wonders to improve your mental health.
As for diet, that goes without saying...drink plenty of water and try to eat healthy (lots of fruits and veggies). Don't lock yourself away from people and sticking to a daily routine is a good thing wether you are depressed or not.
Good luck with your endeavor, I truly hope you will take this advise and that it helps you get through this period in your life because though your doctor may prescribe antidepressants, they should be used as a last resort. (40% of women in N.America are prescribed some form of antidepressant for various reasons that may or may not require them)

Answer 5

Stay away from the junk food, soda's too, sugars, processed foods.

Shut OFF the cell-phone, until it's really needed.

WALK...best form of exercise, besides swimming.

Music in short bursts makes people feel better.

Don't smoke cigs, or anything else. Drugs ARE life abuse.

You need a absolute minimum of 7-8 hours a day of sleep. Anyone telling you otherwise is telling a lie. A cat-nap of 15-30 minutes(NO more during the day works wonders, even if it's just to shut you eyes and drift, relax.

Stay away from loud, agressive people and situations. Understand that many things are beyond our control, such as traffic, a late bus, etc.

Find a good friend to talk to, but NOT to vent to, otherwise they will grow tired of it. Be a good listener, as well as talker. Choose friends wisely.


Good Luck, dear!

Answer 6

Well, I can tell you what NOT to do. My ex-BF was clinically depressed, yet he still continued to smoke pot like a chimney, which is actually very bad if you're depressed, because marijuana is a downer. So don't do that!

I think the first step is caring about getting better, as you obviously do. The next step is to go for a brisk walk or do some light exercise every day to get those endorphins flowing, Eating healthy, with plenty of fruit and veggie servings to boost your energy, and getting out there and becoming a volunteer for a charity or organization that you feel passionate about. How can you feel depressed when you're walking shelter dogs or rocking crack babies in the hospital, or feeding homeless people at a soup kitchen? When you start giving back to others, you will feel better yourself. Happy thoughts!

Answer 7

Increasing your serotonin levels can help with depression, but if you are taking antidepressents, you may need to be careful not to over do somethings. Below is information I found to support this. There are also some informative books available on the subject.

Serotonin levels can be altered through consumption of food, vitamins, sunlight or through exercise.

Food
Carbohydrates are also important for serotonin production, since they will trigger the release of insulin into the blood stream. Insulin clears all the amino acids from the blood, except tryptophan. When competing amino acids are out of the way, tryptophan can flood the brain, where it's converted to serotonin. Healthy carbohydrate-rich foods include whole-grain breads and crackers, whole-grain pasta, rice, cereal and fruit.

Chocolate is also known to elevate serotonin levels.

Vitamins>Folic acid, B vitamins and Vitamin C all play a role in serotonin production. Most all of the vitamins are used in some way in neurotransmitter production. Individuals with chronic mental illness tend to have vitamin deficiencies. It's difficult to know if the mental illness is caused by vitamin deficiency or if the poor eating habits of the mentally ill cause the vitamin deficiency.

Exercise>The most effective way to raise serotonin levels naturally is with vigorous exercise. Studies have shown that serotonin levels are raised with increased activity and the production of serotonin is increased for some days after the activity. Serotonin also plays a part in the "runner's high".

The down side of this increased serotonin production, is that because serotonin causes sleepiness, it also may cause exercise fatigue. To obtain the right balance between the sense of well being and the exercise fatigue, it is advisable to eat carbohydrates before exercise.

Answer 8

Over the last five years I had begun to have increasingly withdraw into a downward spiral of depression..

But now with the method I can fully focus my energy and thoughts into a decisive line on how to make my life better constantly. And it works like magic! I'm beginning to attract people to me once again and things have just been looking up since then.

Helping you eliminate depression?

Answer 9

Best thing I can recommend is to always keep yourself around people, if you're starting to feel a little sad or thinking too much call someone to talk about something fun, talk to someone in your house just don't be by yourself. Even when you're by yourself and you're starting to be negative control your thoughts and make them positive, sometimes this is hard but look at something nice and think about how nice it looks, just don't feed into the negativeness.
It's good you're seeking help... that's always the first step
and you will be fine!
good luck

Answer 10

Keep a journal, and write in it once everyday. Excersise is proven to decrease depression, and make you feel better about yourself. Also stand in front of a mirror, and say something to yourself that is positive about your looks, personality, or whatever, like, You hare a good friend, or you have very nice hair.. It sounds crazy, but you are retraining yourself to see yourself as a wothy person!! Good luck!