Although depression afflicts many people, it’s important to focus on the little (or big) changes in life that can make depression more bearable.
My experience comes from my diagnosis of dysthymia, which is a form of depression that lasts at least two years and is characterized by “less severe symptoms” and sometimes major depression episodes, according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. I’ve had depression since I was about 10 years old, but recently at age 21 I became more proactive in my treatment. Even though I’m close to graduating from college and wish I had pushed myself sooner, there is no shame in working on yourself at any stage in life.
I’ve written about how diet, exercise, sleep, therapy, relationships, communication and stress can all contribute to depression, and I wanted to share how some changes in my life have helped me and could help you.
The small changes I have made recently are to see a therapist consistently, work on social relationships, have a healthier diet, exercise more and take breaks when necessary. All of these are gradual steps, because with depression it can be difficult to commit to too much at once. However, I have already noticed that my mood has improved and I haven’t had any major lows.
Therapy is a basic first step on the way to recovery. For me, it was a hurdle to find an affordable therapist, but it was worth the research. My therapist lets me vent and try to see my thoughts and problems in a new way. She makes me feel that there’s nothing wrong with me and that I have problems just like anyone else. Although there are more structured therapies available, even just talking out your problems with the right therapist can get you moving in the right direction.
Diet is also a natural step in the right direction. Food and liquids are such an important part of feeling good, according to multiple studies and experts. I’ve managed to cut soda mostly out of my diet, although a new problem is eliminating sugary drinks in general. I’ve also tried adding more salad and fruits into my diet, reducing processed foods and too many carbs, although it’s still a work in progress.
Exercise is proven to help relieve depression in some ways. I increased the amount of time I devote to exercise by taking a mixed cardio class twice a week, and I walk and ride my bike every day on campus. Although I haven’t been working out on weekends as often as I thought I would, this is still a step in the right direction, and I do feel better after exercising.
I’ve allowed myself more time to socialize this past year, and I think improving multiple relationships has helped my self-esteem, confidence and relieved some depression. A strong support system is important with depression. Although romantic relationships can be tough, as shown by a recent study stating that people with depression can have difficult reading emotions of their partners and being needy and not giving back, they can be rewarding with a lot of work. However, it’s best to focus more on helping yourself and working on platonic relationships before trying to be fully committed to someone else, which is something else I’ve learned. Communication is key to all these relationships, including speaking up about what you want and how you feel. Without communication, you don’t get what you want and can feel unsatisfied and eventually more depressed.
Probably the biggest thing I’ve done to help my stress and anxiety, which ultimately can influence my depression, is to take more breaks and time off when I really need to. This includes taking time off work, working at home or just saying “no.” This is a big deal for me, because I always like to do as much as I can, even though this can lead to stress and sleep deprivation. At first it was difficult to fall short, but then I realized that everyone needs breaks, and I’ve helped myself cope with my busy schedule (unfortunately my schedule leads to many unhealthy habits).
I’ve also told myself that I will “take a year off” and not overdo anything after I graduate. This includes postponing graduate school and probably only having one job and possibly a couple outside activities. This will allow me to get back to being healthy and hopefully eliminate some of my symptoms. This will also allow me time to make the best decision for my life without being rushed during my current busy schedule. I think it’s necessary to know one’s limits, which is exactly what I’m figuring out. I’ve also worked on calming myself down when I start getting stressed about what I’m doing after graduation. Sometimes you just have to tell your mind to empty and relax, and take one thought and goal at a time.
The next steps are to decide whether taking antidepressants again is necessary, and to work more on all the above goals in order to live a healthier life and hopefully leave behind the worst parts of depression. Are you on a journey through depression? Share your experiences below.
Sources:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/what-are-the-different-forms-of-depression.shtml
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110330142344.htm (depression and relationships)
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-depression.html
http://www.apa.org/topics/depress/recover.aspx
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/26/news/la-heb-food-depression-20110126