June 3rd, Daily Drop

Struggling with a depression?

Depression can be mild to severe, a low background hum of anxiety, to the loud sirens of a panic attack. Either way it’s a terrible experience, so what can we do?

First off i’m not a doctor so this isn’t medical advice. Talk to a specialist if you’re experiencing severe depression. Please seek help if you ever feel suicidal at all.

Ok, so now the non medical side. I’ve been depressed, I think most have in some form or another. This is what helped me overcome depression in my experience.

We need a purpose in life, we need to feel we’re doing something meaningful each day, working towards something important. If we lack this sense of purpose in life, it’s natural for depression to rear its ugly head.

We need relationships, connections with others. A romantic partner could be helpful if it’s the right person, but also friendships and family connections are very important. We need to feel seen and heard, we are social beings. Communication and conversation are of importance to our mental health.

Do you watch movies? Play video games or read books? Then you’ll understand the concept of a quest, a mission, an adventure or a hero’s journey. With others or alone, this is a voyage or story with a specific goal. Even just going camping to connect with nature for a weekend. This can revitalize us and give us purpose even if it’s a “side quest” and not the main plot. Just having fun can do wonders.

Another big help, although many don’t want to hear it… Exercise, real exercise. Sweating. Getting exhausted. Getting some sun and fresh air. Going on a long run, or on a hike, a good workout, any of these can be done with friends or alone. You can jam to music or even listen to an audiobook while working out.

Clean eating and living also can help lift depression. Eating junk leads to feeling like junk. If we want to start feeling better, we should look at how we’re fuelling ourselves. Are we eating clean? Our mind and body work together and need good fuel to run efficiently.

Substances. Are you abusing any substances? This can cause severe depression and anxiety, As well as a disconnection from others and a heavy sense of shame. Addiction is an attempt to escape the discomfort of the mind and present life circumstances. The truth is it, it’s not the solution. It’s an attempt to self sooth.

So there we have it. A few tips from my personal experience. Again i’m not a medical doctor so speak to your doctor if you are depressed.

In summary, what helped me was, being connected to my purpose, having meaningful relationships. Being on a quest or hero’s journey, some type of adventure to make life exciting.

Exercise is a big help, makes me feel much better as well as eating clean. Exercise and clean eating keep the body and mind regulated and helps to balance emotions.

Lastly sobriety or at least responsible use of substances and alcohol is important. Abusing drugs or alcohol is terrible for mental health. Keeping sober keeps the mind more balanced. Abusing substances causes highs ands lows, ups and downs, instability. Addiction is tough to battle alone. Get help if need be.

Let’s show ourselves some love. When we act on these ways to heal, we may just find the depression begins to lift. Have you been quietly fighting depression?