What is depression? The people who have suffered from it would be able to give you a better answer, but I suppose everyone has suffered from depression in one form or another at some point in their life. To put it simply, depression is a medical condition that affects the way you think, feel and act. It can make everything much more difficult. Going to work, socializing, having an intimate relationship or even something as simple as getting out of bed can become difficult.
Depression, when allowed to get out of control, can make your life miserable. It makes you feel like you’re carrying the burden of the whole world on your shoulders, in its worst form, depression can make you feel powerless, incompetent, worthless and suicidal. I know this sounds terrifying, but the point isn’t to scare you, the point is to articulate the severity of this illness and explain what depression actually is. So when depression manifests itself, you know exactly what you’re dealing with.
Depression is treatable. Millions of people struggle with depression in everyday life. It can be quite difficult dealing with depression on your own. Still, it isn’t impossible. Before you can get professional help, you need to put up a fight against depression on your own, however difficult it may seem. This will give you the motivation to get better and get professional help. I have put together a list of things that can help you cope with depression.
1. Do what makes you feel good:
The most difficult things to do while suffering from depression are the things that would make you feel better. A leading cause of depression can be the lack of proper directions in life. If you don’t have an ambition in life, life can often feel pointless. Many people feel depressed because they think that they aren’t living up to their potential or they’re doing a job that they believe isn’t up to their standards.
The first question to ask yourself would be what makes you happy? Find the smallest thing that you think would bring you happiness and satisfaction and do it. That’s a good start. This starts a chain reaction. Now you start asking more significant questions, what is it that you want out of life? This can be difficult to answer. So you should set achievable daily goals for yourself, and try to achieve them. This will help you regain your self-confidence and self-esteem. If you carry on with this approach, you will notice the change within days.
2. Learn to negotiate with yourself:
People who are depressed find it impossible to get out of bed let alone do their daily chores. You can tyrannize yourself into doing your chores, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, you should learn to negotiate with yourself. You might be wondering what that means. How does one negotiate with oneself?
You treat yourself like someone you’re responsible for helping. When you’re responsible for someone, you don’t tyrannize them into doing what you want and you don’t burden them beyond their capacity. You negotiate with them, and when they get the job done, you reward them. Take the same approach with your own self. Negotiate, don’t tyrannize. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and reward yourself when you get the job done. That’ll keep you motivated.
3. Try some cannabis:
Cannabis is one of the most famous drugs is not just the states but all across the world. Though most people think of it as a recreational drug, it has a lot of utility in the field of medicine. Different strains of cannabis are used to treat depression; pre-98 bubba can be very helpful against depression.
This provides a classic, consistent body high, as it is an indica-heavy strain. It is often used to treat depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and insomnia. It creates a soothing effect on the body and helps you to relax. Its effects on depression patients have been auspicious, and many people have benefited from using this particular strain of cannabis.
4. Get medical help
Don’t underestimate the utility of medical intervention. Depression can be catastrophic; it carries with it a very high suicide rate. This is physiologically extraordinarily damaging. It levels people out, and it’s tough on their families.
People who don’t have their lives very well put together are more susceptible to depression. So getting your life in order may do the trick. This is easier said than done, though. If you’re trying to bring order to your life you’re going to need help along the way because dealing with it on your own can be overwhelming, so you need someone or something to keep you motivated.
Sometimes it can be the opposite. People have their lives put together, they have a career they like, they have close friends, an intimate relationship, they are qualified and industrious individuals, but they are terribly depressed. In both cases, medical intervention can be beneficial. A doctor can put them on antidepressants which can be a game-changer.
5. Join a support group
Isolating yourself from the world can make your depression even worse. There are a lot of people like you out there who are suffering from depression. Join a support group and socialize with people who are having the same problems as you. Sharing your feelings can go a long way. Keeping your feelings bottled up can cause you to become more anxious. Letting your emotions out once in a while can help you a lot. Also, by joining a support group, you help other people by listening to their feelings and problems. Helping others will motivate you to get your own life in order.
I hope you benefit from the above-mentioned tips, remember your best bet in life is to shoulder your suffering. You need to take responsibility and try to move forward, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not vulnerable. So you don’t give up, however hard it maybe you try to cope and stay on top and not let your condition gets the better of you. The alternative is nihilism and despair and you don’t want to go down that road.
Author Bio:
Jack is a psychotherapist and neurodegenerative disorders expert. He has been practicing in New York for 25 years now, and since then he has been fighting to make marijuana legal in the United States for it comes with numerous health benefits. You can read his blogs at https://thegreenace.ca/.