6 Surefire Tips to Beat Depression

You Can Beat Depression
Image courtesy of ”Permanently Scatterbrained”

There are so many tips to beat depression that it can be difficult to sift through it all. Either way, it is important to know that you can do so many things to help you treat your depression. The tips below will show you how to fight depression and win!

Tip 1:

Focus externally, not internally. Get your mind off yourself. Reach out to a friend, help someone who is having difficulties themselves. Consider volunteering so that you can give back to others. This helps to replenish your own sense of self as you empathize with other people. This is great opportunity to learn from others and put your own life into perspective.

Tip 2:

Keep a journal each day so that you can purge your thoughts and feelings onto paper. This can be extremely therapeutic and can be a great way to help you sort out some of your deepest, darkest thoughts so you can make sense of them. There are many more tips to beating depression as well so read on!

Tip 3:

Avoid alcohol! Alcohol is known to lower norepinephrine and serotonin levels which depresses the brain and nervous systems. Ultimately, this leads to depression. If you insist on drinking alcohol then make sure you do it in moderation so you minimize the effects on your depression. You can read more about this in an article I wrote: Alcoholism and Depression: A Deadly Combination

Tip 4:

Exercise 30 minutes a day to lift your spirits. When you exercise, you release endorphins into your system which makes you feel better. Even if you can’t do 30 minutes all at once, a little here and there can go a long way. Park further out in the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take an exercise class. Consider getting involved in sports, choosing a sport that you enjoy and will want to do on a regular basis. Once you start exercising give it a couple of weeks. You may not enjoy it at first but, trust me, it does become addicting. One of the best addictions to have!

Tip 5:

Eat right every day. Fuel your body with the good stuff! Junk foods can weigh you down and make you lethargic. This will not to justice to your mood. Instead, eat healthy foods that include plenty of iron, fish oil or Omega 3, selenium and folate. Also drink plenty of water. Water can improve serotonin production which will increase your energy levels.

Avoid things such as sugar, processed foods, chocolate and alcohol. Make sure your body gets the nutrition that it needs to stay healthy both mentally and physically. There are several natural remedies for depression that should be considered as part of the treatment strategy.

Tip 6:

Meditation is another one of the tips to beat depression. Meditation is good for relaxation, energy balance and grounding. It is a great method for beating depression. There is no “best time” to meditate. Rather, do it at a time that makes the best sense taking into consideration your highest stress times, your schedule and your goals. Meditation is a treatment often times recommended by medical professionals in addition to other treatment options.

Summary

There are so many tips to beat depression that the above list is not comprehensive. However, if implemented, one or a combination of some can really help in treating depression naturally. If your depression is mild, these methods will help you even without medication. However, if you think you may have chronic or severe depression, I recommend that you talk to a professional so you can get properly diagnosed and treated.