Beating depression isn’t easy. Whilst antidepressants may be able to help, there are other things you can do to overcome your depression. Here are a few dos and don’ts that will might help you on the road to recovery.
Do keep up a routine
Having a routine can help you to maintain a sense of structure amongst the chaos. Make sure to keep up a routine of tasks such as getting washed, getting dressed and brushing your teeth.
Don’t skimp on sleep
Being sleep deprived will only make you feel worse. If you struggle to get to sleep, there are platforms that can help with depression self help by encouraging you to feel calm at bedtime. You could also try taking sleep supplements, if suitable (check with your GP).
Don’t try to self-medicate with drugs/alcohol
Drugs and alcohol may make your feel better temporarily, but relying on them isn’t healthy for your mind or body in the long run. Try to find natural ways of self-medicating if you don’t want to take pills – listening to music, laughter and exercise are all healthy forms of self-medication.
Do stay active
Resist the temptation to sit indoors all day doing nothing. Exercise will make your feel better about yourself – it releases feelgood endorphins that can help to lift your mood. Going for a walk may be all it takes.
Do take on responsibilities
Taking on responsibilities can also give you a sense of reward that may help you to beat depression. Some people feel that they need to pull out of work or school completely, but this could be making you worse. Allow yourself to take on tasks and challenge yourself…
…But don’t take on too much
Too much responsibility could make things worse. If you work a highly stressful job, a break may be exactly what you need, in which case you don’t want to be taking on the responsibility of work. Consider other responsibilities that you can take on that won’t stress you out such as taking on household responsibilities or helping family and friends.
Do stay social
Don’t cut yourself off from other people. We all need social interaction, whether its with friends or family members or complete strangers. Make an effort to keep in contact with people and don’t turn people away that may be trying to console you.
Don’t surround yourself with negative social influences
If there are people in your life that make you feel worse about yourself, cut ties off with these people until you get better. This includes people that may belittle you or who may not be sympathetic to your depression. Platforms like social media can be worth avoiding as they can be full of people showing off about their life achievements – get out and talk to people and you’ll realise that not everyone’s life is as perfect as they make it out to be.
This is a collaborative post.
