Practical Ideas and Suggestions For Coping With Mild Depression

Depression in one form or another affects many millions of people around the world and yet those who are depressed often feel a sense of isolation from others, among all the other sensations associated with the condition. Severe forms of depression require treatment from trained experts in the medical profession, but mild depression can be controlled and perhaps even cured with the use of some simple physical, mental and emotional exercises and techniques.

How do you know if you are suffering from depression?

Physical symptoms might include lack of energy or lack of interest in sex, loss of appetite or overeating, disturbed sleep. Most symptoms fall into the psychological category and might include lack of enjoyment in life, lack of interest in work, home, or family, tearfulness and long periods of sadness or low moods, reduced sex drive, feelings of anger and irritability, feelings of guilt and low self esteem, feelings of hopelessness and isolation as if life has lost all its colour and meaning.

These symptoms should not be confused with the occasional bad mood or a day of feeling ‘under the weather’. Such days are common to us all, but for some these days become a sequence of days and other symptoms point to something more serious.

Depression can occur for seemingly no reason at all. People may be baffled to learn that someone is depressed when they see no obvious cause or when they see someone with an affluent or comfortable lifestyle, but depression can strike at any time and can affect anyone of any age and circumstances.

Depression can also be triggered by stress and turmoil at home or at work. Many minor problems can combine to create stresses that manifest as depression, or a sudden life changing event like bereavement, redundancy, or serious illness can be the catalyst.

There are plenty of lists of symptoms within medical websites, and online questionnaires that can be filled in for a quick self diagnosis.

Am I just SAD?

SAD (Seasonally Affected Disorder) is a mild form of depression that often affects people living in countries in which there is a lack of sunlight for several months of the year. It’s common in the UK for this reason. Short days of grey skies followed by long nights can trigger symptoms that are very similar to mild depression. These ‘winter blues’ are by definition seasonal and the feelings often evaporate with the onset of spring.

Well, what I can I do about it then?

The first thing to do is to recognise and acknowledge that you are depressed. It’s no good your or anyone else saying, “Pull yourself together”, or “Get over it”. Depression cannot be dismissed so easily. It’s like the ‘flu or a broken leg – once you’ve got it you can’t just shake it off.

On the other hand you don’t have to give in to it and you don’t have to let it get any worse. If you self esteem is low then you don’t want to add self pity to that burden.

You can help yourself through it by taking the time to look after yourself. Not all the following suggestions may work for you. You may need to try a few or many of them in different combinations until you find those that help you through a depressive phase.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep has all kinds of beneficial effects and sleeping well is a cornerstone of good health.
2. Eat well. Eat three times a day and make sure you receive your nourishment from healthy fresh food. You don’t have to go about this with religious zeal; if you want some chocolate cake one day, have some cake, but don’t live on junk food.
3. Relax in a hot bath, perhaps with scented oils gentle music. Nurture your spirit with some peace and quiet.
4. Go for a walk in the park or in the country. Fresh air and light exercise can work wonders.
5. Go and see a good film. Sometimes all we need to do is escape from reality for a while. This kind of escapism is healthy.
6. Keep your mind occupied by reading a book or that lengthy article in a magazine that you’ve been flicking past.
7. Drink in moderation if you like but never to excess. Alcohol is a double edged sword. A glass of wine or two during and after an evening meal might help, but half a bottle before you eat isn’t going to do you any good at all. Limit your consumption and never use booze as a crutch for support. It’s a depressant, and a hangover will make your depression even worse.
8. Try St John’s Wort. It’s an herbal antidepressant that works well for some people. However, as it with all medication, please check your local pharmacist or doctor before taking this or any other medication.
9. Try using a lightbox or another light therapy product. These lights give out the kind of light that sunlight does and when used for half and hour a day they can help to alleviate the symptoms of SAD.
10. Mingle with others. If you work alone or if you have no job and spend many hours alone, go out. Mix with people even if it’s a walk through the local precinct.
11. Be good to yourself. Acknowledge the depression for what it is and regard it objectively. Spend some time nurturing your spirit by doing whatever you feel comfortable doing. That might be one of the things listed above or it might be lying on the sofa under a blanket with a cup of hot tea and some buttered toast.
12. Talk about it. It may suit you to speak to a friend or relative, but that isn’t always possible or appropriate for some, so consider making an appointment to see a professional. Depression is so common that Doctors are quite used to dealing with patients suffering from the symptoms.

Ben is the owner of Love Services Online Dating, a UK dating site for single men and women looking for love online, and Love Generations Over 50s Dating, a site for mature singles which has sister sites in the USA, South Africa and Australia.

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