When depression hits you, you may be able to hide from people around you, but you cannot escape the depression itself. It can destroy any semblance of energy or motivation you had, and it’s hard to fight back. The best thing you can do to avoid the downward spiral is to take immediate steps to control depression. It is entirely possible to get the situation under control if you know and train for it.
There is a simple step that offers immediate relief from the heaviness of depression. To stop the whirlwind before it starts, take out a notebook, open a Word document, or even use your phone’s voice recorder and get ready to document. Before you sigh and say you’ve tried it before, listen.
Using a journal is recommended to ask yourself five key questions, and it will take five to 10 minutes. These questions will awaken your ability to analyze the main triggers of depression, and you will find out if one of them is to blame for being this way this time.
When you pin down the reason for your depression through a journal, it is easier to understand it, externalize it (rather than concluding that there is something wrong with you), and avoid it in the future.
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5-minute exercise to control depression.
Give yourself just five to 10 minutes to answer the five questions below and see if you can find a trigger:
1. Have I been sleeping badly the last few nights?
No: Go to the next question.
Yes: Being without closing your eyes enough is bound to make someone feel low. If insomnia is a constant problem, try to get more physical movement during the day, establish a nighttime routine to calm your mind at night, and adjust your caffeine intake. If none of these options work for you, talk to your doctor or a naturopath about insomnia.
2. Do I usually feel depressed at this point in my menstrual cycle?
No (or you are a boy): go to the next question.
Yes: Hormonal fluctuations have a lot to do with depression. If you find that you normally get depressed around certain points in your cycle, talk to your doctor or a naturopath about the possibility of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
3. Have I been eating a lot of processed foods or foods with added sugars?
No: Go to the next question.
Yes: Try to fill your diet with whole foods and limit added sugars in your diet (even if they are natural). Trying to change your entire diet in one go can be too overwhelming. Starting with simple substitutions like a glass of iced tea instead of soda, or a piece of fruit instead of a snack from the vending machine, it’s a great place to start.
4. Have I been dating negative people?
No: Go to the next question.
Yes: The people around you have a considerable effect on your behavior. If your coworkers, friends, or family trigger your depression, consider limiting your commitment to them, or – if the relationship is especially unhealthy – cutting ties entirely.
5. Are there any stressful events in my life (past, present or future)?
No: Read the summary below, and if the answer is still no, continue beyond this question.
Yes: A stressful event doesn’t have to be as extreme as a death in the family or being fired from your job; It can be an event like a vacation, a visit from a relative, or getting sick. Any event that drains your energy is a stressful event, even if it is positive.
Those who are depressed manage overwhelming stress by turning frustration, disappointment, exhaustion, anger, fear, or anxiety inward. If you find that you normally get depressed when stress hits, look for healthy outlets and mechanisms like boxing classes, yoga, meditation, coloring books, making to-do lists of realistic and positive actions you can take, or any other activity that might help. to relieve stress, which you otherwise embrace in a harmful way.
Journaling is helpful after a single episode of depression, but repeating this exercise every time the roll of depression unfolds can change your life. When you search your journal for past cases, you can keep track of patterns in triggers and take steps to prevent depression in the future.
If your answer is “no” to all the previous questions, do not despair. Sometimes depression appears out of nowhere. In some it is a chemical imbalance and all we can do is sit down, breathe and know what is going to happen. When this happens, lengthen your meditations, do low-impact cardio, and nourish your body with lots of vibrant greens. If it lasts longer than a week or two and you are having a hard time managing your depression, make an appointment with your therapist to come up with a plan to make yourself feel better.
No matter what your form of depression or your activation is, never lose hope. You don’t have to do this alone; There are so many sources of support available to help you climb out of this darkness, it is well worth the time it takes to get there. Managing depression is a task that can be in your hands if you learn to listen and observe yourself through these questions.