Have you ever met someone who doesn’t understand depression? Depression is a prevalent problem nowadays, and the number of people affected has risen over time. The WHO estimates that depression affects 264 million people globally.
Although it is quite a rampant issue nowadays, only a handful of individuals pay heed to the symptoms and seek treatment on their own. It is important you know what the signs of depression are, followed by some strategies to cope with these signs.
Signs of Depression & Anxiety
Some of the signs and symptoms of depression may include:
- Becoming an insomniac.
- Wretched bouts of crying without an apparent reason.
- Constant exhaustion, lethargy, and loss of energy.
- Oversleeping and still feeling dull and unhappy.
- Substance abuse and self-sabotage.
- Playing blame games or going on guilt trips.
- Suicidal thoughts or suicidal tendencies.
10 Ways to Cope with Anxiety & Depression
Despite its prevalence, depression is treatable, and validating depression is the first step. Read on to learn how you or a loved one may cope with depression and anxiety:
Endorse your Feelings
The sooner you endorse your sad and negative feelings, the better your chances of heading towards healing. Recognition leads to solution-based thinking. This is the first and most important step of recovery!
Nurture a Growth Mindset
You must have heard of the saying, “What you think, you become!“? Adopt it as your mantra and use it to assist you in breaking free from the traditional victim attitude that stymies your recovery process.
Spare some time for Meditation
Spare just 15 minutes every single day and sit with your eyes closed at your favorite spot. Using mental images think of all the things you think can benefit you. This will realign your mind and help you fight depression more healthily. Check out a few tips of meditation in this post.
Be Mindful of the Bounties
Try to remain mindful of the tiniest perks around you. This can range from the food you eat to the clothes you wear to the trusted fellows you have around you. It is very therapeutic and healing.
Indulge in Self-care
Prioritizing your likes and passions helps a great deal in beating depression and anxiety. Simply go out for a long walk, read books or just sit on your couch with a pack of popcorns and watch your favorite movie or season. The choices are unlimited but the results are worthwhile. It is also important to note that self-care is NOT selfishness!
Regular Exercise
Regular physical exercise helps in taking all the energy out and calming the mind down. It indeed helps in reducing anxiety and depression.
Restraining Social Media Usage
Limit the use of social media as it causes anxiety and depression because of the fake glitz and glam people portray there. Use it wisely and keep your mental health intact.
Do some Artwork
Well, playing with colors affects the brain positively by producing dopamine and serotonin. Your overall mental health escalates as you feel happier and less sad.
Establish a Healthy Sleep Cycle
Lack of sleep triggers
depression or anxiety therefore make intentional efforts to establish a healthy sleep cycle of 6-8 hours every day. This will greatly help with your anxiety.
Seek Professional Support
Seek therapy when things get out of hand and you can’t help yourself. A trained therapist will help you follow these steps more smoothly and easily as they will involve you in talk therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Our clinic, located in the City Avenue area of Philadelphia is equipped with highly trained therapists and psychologists ready to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Schedule your complimentary consultation today to talk to one of our therapists. We use this meeting to get to know you and determine how best we can help you. You can also call us at (484) 373-2710 with any questions you may have, we are always happy to help.