Overcoming Depression
Depression is a mood disorder interferes with concentration, motivation, and many other aspects of everyday functioning (Psychology Today). It can cause an increase in anxiety levels, while also negatively affecting your appetite, sleep pattern, body weight, relationships, and more. What are the signs of depression? Constant sadness, feelings of worthlessness, lost of interest in activities that once made you happy, constantly wanting to be alone, suicidal thoughts, and more.
What caused me to get here? Overcoming depression can be easy for some and harder than ever for others. The first step to overcoming depression is knowing the triggers. What is causing me to feel this way? What traumatic events have taken place to get me here? Are my thoughts causing me to stay in a state of depression? It is impossible for one to get through it, without first knowing how they got there.
A Different View: Try taking a different view on life, and what it is that has caused this sadness or pain. Look at it as an event that needed to happen for your life to prosper. Living a better and happier life is completely up to you, if you really want it. Find a purpose that will help you overcome this disorder. Remember that not only does everything happen for a reason, but you are also in control of most of what happens in your life.
Think Happiness and Prosperity: Constantly reminiscing on the negatives of your life only increases the levels of depression and hopelessness you are suffering through. Think happy thoughts, reminisce on all of the good in your life so far, think of all the positive things you want for your future. Go outside, get some fresh air, have a small work out to blow off some of that sadness and steam, be vulnerable with your loved ones. Don’t isolate yourself and dwell on things that sink you back in. Finds way of distracting yourself like a creative hobby, or simply spending time with friends and family. To be happy we have to think happy. To live a positive life, we have to have a positive mind. You are in control of your thoughts and emotions, don’t let them control you.
Seeking Professional Help: When it comes to seeking therapy, many people avoid the option possibly out of fear of admitting that they need the help. Every human on this earth has gone through some type of traumatic experience that has negatively affected their mental health. This experience could’ve been a list of things like a horrible break-up, the lost of a loved one, or financial hardship. As people we have developed a habit of bottling emotions in, in hopes that we’ll get through it alone with an allotted amount of strength; however, this isn’t always the healthiest way out. Seeking professional help gives us the opportunity to be vulnerable and let go of emotions without being in fear of judgement. Seeking help could be the push you need to gain back the happiness you’ve watched drift away. Seeking professional could be the best thing you’ll ever do for yourself and your mental health.
~Jazmin Washington