Handling Depression

Some people go through life completely happy and satisfied every single day. However, chances are this number is very slim. According to statistics, most people worldwide suffer from some form of depression or anxiety. Any mental illness is unpleasant I am sure, but the focus on this article will primarily be depression. This article is being written by someone who suffers from depression.

Depression can happen at anytime in one’s life but primarily is starts after adolescence has begun. One day you may wake up and suddenly feel like you don’t want to get out of bed, in fact you never want to get out of bed again. Perhaps life was once great for you. Then one day it just started to go downhill. Contrary to some beliefs, you can’t just look at someone and tell if they suffer from depression. Depression works in mysterious ways. Your favorite teacher who is always kind and full of smiles could be hiding a deep depression just underneath the surface. The Doctor who saved your life that one time could be on the verge of suicide. What I’m getting at is you just don’t know who suffers from it.

Depression can also be quite terrifying and you won’t fully understand what I mean unless you suffer from depression as well. There are times when it just gets to that point where life gets to be too much and you start looking for a way out. I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite here but trust me, it does get better. If you are feeling like this you’ve got to fight and try to hang on. The following is a few things you can do when suffering from depression and are about to reach the breaking point.

1. Take some deep breaths

Believe it or not, but deep breathing is truly a great way to calm yourself down. Start by closing your eyes and try to focus on breathing deep in through your nose and out through your mouth. I recommend doing this at least five times slowly. After doing this you should notice that you have calmed down a bit, and have distracted yourself for a little.

2. Tell someone

I know what you’re thinking. It’s not that easy to just go and tell someone that you are depressed and having a freak out. It’s quite helpful if you can talk aloud about what’s going on in your life. Having that outlet to get out your feelings and be heard may be beneficial to you and hopefully show you that you aren’t alone. Good people to talk to are close friends, family, doctors, support workers and even support groups. If you truly cannot face talking to someone in person then an email, or social media message or even a simple text could help as well.

3. Hobbies

With depression, a great way to distract the mind is finding a hobby. Whenever I would get very depressed I would start writing, about anything really. Sometimes I would write out my problems and it would help. Perhaps you like art, or sports, or collecting things. Whatever your hobby may be, try to use it when you are feeling down In the dumps.

4. The Last Resort

Sometimes this may be the first option for some who suffer from depression, but for others it’s the last resort. If you truly feel like things just won’t get better and that you don’t want to live anymore then perhaps it’s time to seek psychiatric help. So many people refuse to do this but it truly can help. Medication isn’t for everyone, however, the right prescription may just be the key that unlocks you. Some people have said that after being on anti-depressants for a few months they’ve noticed a big change. They no longer feel depressed and can get through each day a little bit stronger. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. Sometimes anti-depressants will not only take your depression away but you won’t feel anything. You’d be completely numb. I have experienced this side effect of my anti-depressants before. However, a quick adjustment to my medication solved that.

In conclusion, depressing is a scary thing but it’s not life ending. Everyone can be saved but you must make the effort to be saved. The resources and connections to help you are there. You must fight for your life. You can beat depression. For those of you reading this, if you are also suffering from depression and have no one to talk to feel free to leave a comment. You are not alone.