3 Keys To Managing Depression Without Psychologists
You can call it emptiness, depression or an existential crisis, but the point is that you don’t feel good. You may have talked about it with someone, although the people around you don’t understand you very much and you end up locking yourself in your room.
This situation is more common than you think, but the natural tendency is to think “these things only happen to me.”, to rejoice in a feeling of isolation that can end in the dreaded depression. The good news is that you can learn to manage depression.
Far from being something to avoid, depression is a wonderful opportunity for self-discovery, but first of all let’s investigate the causes.
When a person suffers from this disorder they experience apathy, sadness and loneliness. You lose interest in everything and tend to isolate yourself from the world. But why?
There are as many reasons to suffer from depression as there are people in the world, although the most common consequence is that your schemes break and, suddenly, you feel that the life you had set up no longer makes sense.
There may be triggers that lead you into that grief, such as the death of a loved one or a breakup.
Although there are also cases of spending years with a very sedentary lifestyle (poor diet and no exercise) until falling into the pit of depression. There is even the feeling of not fitting into society.
Managing depression
Regardless of the situation, when immersed in a situation like this, a certain objectivity is necessary, and although a psychologist can give it to you, you can do it on your own. As? With these three keys.
Think about it, what do you do throughout the day? If you spend all your time identified with your thoughts, they will become a prison governed by your mind. If you think about the function of a knife you can come to two conclusions: it can do good and evil. That is to say, it can be used to cut the bread that feeds your family, but also to kill another person.
The same thing happens with the mind, which is a double-edged sword: it can serve to live fully in all spheres of your life, but it can also become a tremendous tool of self-sabotage at the service of your ego.
Sometimes we have no idea why we feel the way we feel, so to observe ourselves and slow down the pace of our mind, it is advisable to capture your thoughts in an emotional diary.
Yes, I purposely say “emotional” because You are not going to limit yourself to telling what you have done today, but you are also going to express how situations make you feel and experiences you live.
This exercise will increase your self-esteem, but it will also give you peace and serenity. Still, the cognitive and emotional benefits of journaling are countless.
2. Move and eat healthy
One of the things we do when we become depressed is think too much about the negative aspects of our lives. I don’t know if you know this, but the mind produces about 60-80,000 thoughts a day, most of which are negative. We are experts in judging ourselves and blaming ourselves for everything that happens to us.
How to get out of that spiral? Moving In other words: get out of the house and do some exercise like running or walking for 30 minutes or an hour. Movement, whether high or low intensity, causes us to release endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, giving well-being and pleasure to our body.
If you also start eating more healthy and natural products (fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc.), instead of pre-cooked food and industrial pastries, your body and mind will thank you. It is one of the oldest keys to managing depression.
In other words, your eating and exercise habits play a critical role in counteracting the effects (and symptoms) of depression. Another option in that sense, which will be a breath of fresh air, is sign up for activities that interest you but that you never considered
3. Talk to friends (and strangers)
Although it is usually common to not tell what you feel to those closest to you when you get depressed, a good friend can be the best psychologist. When I say “good friend” I mean someone who knows how to listen to you and who takes you out of your thoughts not someone who doesn’t listen to you and tells you their problems immediately.
By telling someone about your emotions, you are giving space to your inner world to manifest itself, so the effects of depression decrease. In fact, that person can give you their point of view and make you realize your self-sabotaging thought patterns. In other words, it acts as a mirror for you
In fact, the figure of the coach emerged in the 60s with Timothy Galway (although its origin dates back to the maieutics of Socrates), to increase mental strength and bring out the maximum potential of people through active listening and the action-oriented question. Yes, new technologies are making us interact less and less in person, so you can overcome that mental barrier to dare to leave your comfort zone by meeting people.
Your amygdala (or emotional brain) will detect that you are in danger, but you are not, it is just a lack of habit.
Since I know that this exercise is not easy, consider it as a challenge. For example, if you go to the cafeteria or bar next door to your house, dare to interact with someone who is close to you. The easiest thing is to communicate something positive to the other person in a polite way (if things flow, you can even start a conversation).
Ask yourself: what is the worst that could happen? If they ignore you, you will surely learn from the experience to do better next time
Conclusion
Depression is more common than you think and whether you live it or not, by observing yourself in perspective you will be able to capture your thoughts and emotions in a diary to prevent it or alleviate its effects.
Furthermore, if you go for a walk, run or do some exercise (even at home, no matter how little), your body will produce endorphins and other hormones responsible for your well-being.
The next time you experience a complicated situation, Remember that you already have the most important tools to overcome them: your mind, your breathing and your body This does not mean that professional support from a psychologist is not necessary. In most cases, it is essential to receive professional guidance. All in all, knowing these keys to managing depression can make our lives easier, whether we decide to go to a therapist or if for some reason we do not have that possibility.
Finally, remember that we are social beings, so sharing what you think and feel with those around you and interacting with strangers will help you see life with different eyes.
