Are you in a slump or depression? There are things you can do to get out of your depression on your own without medication. In this article I share 6 tips.
You are not weird and you are not alone
If it’s any comfort to you, you’re not the first to feel depressed, and you’re certainly not the only one.
No, I know – it’s no comfort. Still, it’s important to realize this.
Depression is common, more often than you might think. And almost everyone experiences one or more dips or depressions in their life.
Do you feel gloomy, dull and nothing makes you happy right now? Then you may be suffering from depression. In recent years I have learned a lot about depression, and in this article I want to give you some tips that can help you relieve your depression or get out of your depression completely without medication.
Choose the right target
Before we go any further – let’s just get one thing straight: the goal is to get you back on your feet. The goal is not to keep you off the drugs at all costs .
It is true that antidepressants are sometimes prescribed unnecessarily and in such situations cause more problems than they solve. But there are also many situations where medicines are just the solution you need.
So let’s not be dogmatic about it – if it’s necessary, it’s necessary. Be thankful that you live in the 21st century and that the opportunity exists.
What I actually want to do with this article is to remove some common underlying causes of depression, so that you can get out of your depression on your own, or at least drastically reduce your symptoms.
All right, let’s start.
1. Start with your body
Yes – your body. We think of depression as a problem in our heads – but your brain is in your body. There are several causes of depression, but there is some evidence that lifestyle changes can have a fairly direct impact on your mood.
And that’s pretty nice. In fact, one of the latest insights suggests that depression may be caused by small inflammations in the body and brain ( 1 ). And that an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can reduce the problem.
Three things are important:
- This means that part of your depression is simply a condition in your body. You don’t go crazy, you just suffer from a condition like you can suffer from an inflamed toe or a painful tooth.
- It means that you are not depressed, but have depression . And something you have you can shake off.
- It means you can make practical changes to reduce your depression.
And even if your depression doesn’t appear to have a physical cause, it’s a very good idea to rule it out. Your body won’t get any worse for it anyway.
So? So you want to switch to an anti-inflammatory diet .
What does such an eating pattern look like? Predominantly vegetable and unprocessed as much as possible . So:
- Lots of fruit and vegetables.
- Little to no dairy and meat.
- Lots of legumes.
- Little to no sugar and white flour.
- Especially whole grain products.
- More nuts and seeds.
- Less processed junk (chips, chocolate, candy, deep-fry, etc.)
- Little to no alcohol.
- Lots of leafy greens.
- More green tea and herbal teas.
By upgrading your diet step by step , you improve your physical health. And this reduces the chance of a possible cause of your depression. Moreover, you feel more energetic, fitter and stronger.
Your hormones slowly come into balance, so that your happiness hormones also become less disrupted.
Take your time and change slowly. The healthier your body becomes, the better your brain can function in it. And a well-functioning brain moves away from gloom and depression, exactly what you want.
2. Start exercising – even if you don’t feel like it
Running, brisk walking and cycling outdoors. This is your daily protection against the dip, and your most practical way out of your depression.
When you feel depressed you may have a tendency to withdraw and do little. But the opposite (exercise in the open air) is what can help you out of your depression.
So? So start changing, in small steps if you have to . Do you find it difficult to get yourself to do this? Then just agree with yourself that you will walk around the house today. Or that you cycle a few minutes on your way to the supermarket.
This is not about pushing , it’s about changing slowly so that you learn healthier habits. By changing in small steps you make it less challenging, so you succeed this time. And because you succeed, you feel good about yourself. This motivates you to go the extra mile tomorrow.
And yes – some days you feel a little more depressed. And then you might fall a step back. No problem. Progress rarely goes in a straight line.
Focus on today and do what you can do. Without putting yourself down – okay?
3. Practice self-compassion
We all have our things. One feels constantly stressed, the other has health problems, feels inferior or anxious – and you feel down right now.
Nothing wrong.
Your brain is disordered. Hormones are out of balance. Not fun, but nothing to get yourself down about. Depression is a condition. You don’t put yourself down when you have the flu, do you?
You’re not stupid. You are not ‘unsociable’. You have a condition that causes your brain to darken its view of reality. People still love you – even if you don’t feel it right now. And you’re not the only one walking around with this – even though it sometimes feels that way.
Self-compassion – that’s what you want to cultivate . Be kind to yourself. You are going through a difficult period in your life, you deserve some compassion. First of all from yourself.
That doesn’t mean you feel like a victim, that you give up or that you identify with your depression. It means that you accept reality and take the space with love, patience and attention to get out of your depression.
So – please – stop judging yourself. Ready now.
4. Start meditating
Do you know what the big problem with depression is? It’s not the negative thoughts you think about yourself and the world. Even if it sometimes seems so.
No. Those thoughts are not the problem. The problem is that you think those thoughts are you . That you believe those negative thoughts .
This is where meditation can help you. A depressed brain is filled with a thick pack of dark thunderclouds. The layer of clouds is so thick that it seems that there are only clouds.
But behind those clouds is still the blue sky. Calm, calm, patient, waiting for the clouds to clear.
Depression is endless concern with the dark clouds. It is seeing the clouds as if they were very tangible. And because there are so many clouds, you can lose yourself in them endlessly.
But the truth is this: the clouds are not tangible, they don’t really exist . You can’t grab and hold them. They come and go. And the more attention you give them, the more clouds there will be.
The clouds are the illusion. Your thoughts are not who you are. You are that blue sky , and the clouds just drift through.
Meditation is your cloud-dispelling tool of choice . It’s a skill you have to learn, yes. But it’s easier than you think. Why? Simple: If you feel like you’re doing it wrong, you’re doing it right .
The purpose of meditation is not to clear your mind. That’s an effect . What you do in meditation is focus your attention on, for example, your breathing. The longer that works, the more clouds will disappear. And the more difficult it is, the more effect the meditation will have.
Sounds crazy, but it’s true. The world of meditation is full of delightful paradoxes. And the path leads to inner peace, joy, wisdom, calmness, patience and compassion.
For all these reasons, I think every human being should embrace meditation. And if you’re depressed, I think it’s extra important.
5. Cut back on habits that don’t serve you
This goes without saying, but it is important to mention separately. You’re not feeling well – so stop doing more damage. You want to heal, not end up deeper in the negative spiral.
And yes – I understand. When you’re not feeling well, it’s harder to resist bad habits. Logically. And you don’t have to do it all at once. But just start. Start decreasing , and keep moving forward.
What kind of habits should you think about?
- Excessive eating of processed, unhealthy foods . Candy, chips, fries, chocolate, ice cream, meat, cheese, you know the drill.
- Binge-watching series and other entertainment . Entertainment works better when you dose it and don’t dominate your whole life.
- Excessive Gaming . You can keep losing yourself in virtual worlds, but you won’t solve your problems there.
- Smartphone Addiction . Instagram is not going to help you out of your depression. The same goes for almost all apps on your smartphone, with the exception of your motion tracker – running and walking are good habits!
- Shop to feel better . More junk doesn’t make your life easier. Not less money either. So shopping is okay if you need something, but don’t go crazy.
- Whining and Complaining . You feel like shit and we understand that. But you’re not going to feel better if you talk negatively all the time. And neither does your environment. You make everything worse, not better.
- Let yourself be endlessly carried away by your dark thoughts . As described above: your thoughts are not who you are. Thoughts are illusions – brain farts. Do you get into a negative thought spiral? Then take a few deep breaths and distract yourself.
- Keep confirming to yourself how miserable everything is . If you want, you can go on endlessly trying to find reasons why you’re ‘right’. Fine, but know that it won’t help you out of your depression. What do you prefer: ‘right’ or happy?
- Consuming negative media . The more misery you see, the more your brain starts to believe the world is miserable. Limit negativity and focus on things that are going well. That may take some getting used to and searching, but you can do it.
- Ejaculating excessively . Masturbating is not a problem, but you (especially as a man) want to work towards not ejaculating constantly because it throws your happiness hormones off balance and may make you less energetic. Masturbate less or masturbate without ejaculation – maybe a bit of practice, but quite a fun exercise.
- Neglecting Your Home and Yourself . By keeping your life somewhat in order, you prevent yourself from falling deeper and deeper into that spiral. So keep your house reasonably clean and tidy, and just keep taking care of yourself.
- Losing Yourself in Philosophical States . Yes – you can completely lose yourself in a sense of ‘meaninglessness’ and ’emptiness’. Maybe it feels like nothing makes sense anymore, and maybe life is ultimately ‘meaningless’. But what does it matter? God or no god, sense or no sense, heaven or no heaven – step off your philosophical ladder for a moment and return your attention to the moment. You can do better philosophizing when you are not in a depression. So now eat healthy , walk, meditateand do what you have to do. Then you can philosophize endlessly later about how everything is useful or not. If your search for reality is important to you then you also know that you are not in a position to search right now. You don’t get ‘beyond’ your brain by thinking harder from a depressed brain – that’s what meditation is for. And through meditation you will eventually realize that the whole matter is irrelevant. So keep it simple, stay grounded and save philosophy for later.
Move toward behaviors that move you forward. And cut down on habits that don’t serve you. Step by step.
6. Stay social and ask for support
When you feel depressed, you probably tend to isolate yourself from those around you. That reaction makes sense, but it doesn’t help you get out of your depression.
Isolating yourself will make you feel lonely. And loneliness in itself is a fertile breeding ground for depressive thoughts. Meh.
So what do you want to do?
- Explain to your loved ones that you struggle with depression. If they don’t show much understanding ( “dude, don’t be a bitch” ) – send them some information or share this article with them.
- Explain that you may not be the happiest of people right now, but you appreciate their company.
- Show them the TED video below , about dealing with people who are depressed (very educational, relatable and funny).
- Strive to get your “social fix” daily, preferably with a loved one. Do you find it difficult? Just think of it as exercising and eating healthy. They are things that have to happen to get out of your depression – like it or not.
You can find support from friends, relatives and colleagues. You may find other people who have come out of depression themselves and know what you are going through.
Other people who can offer support are your doctor and any care providers. Therapy offers you a safe place to work on yourself and continue to grow so that you can get out of your depression.
Do you find yourself feeling all alone, and don’t know how to get out? Then start with an app, email or phone call at an organization like Sensoror . They offer a listening ear free of charge and anonymously, and that can be incredibly valuable as a first step.
More tips for depression
I hope my tips have inspired you to get started on getting out of your depression. And I hope with all my heart that you may come to that place where the blue sky becomes visible again regularly, so that you can enjoy the sun’s rays on your skin.
Life is not always easy. But life certainly doesn’t always have to be difficult . In small steps you can reduce your depression and come out a stronger, calmer and happier person.
Do you feel the need for even more tips just browse the internet.
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