Amell's Corner - Depression

Depression is a word used often and often misunderstood. The stigma attached to depression can be due to a lack of understanding of the disorder. If people understood that depression is something that could affect anyone at anytime and is actually very common and nothing to be ashamed of, then maybe more people would be able to come forward and seek the support they need in overcoming it.

Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, unexplained episodes of tearfulness, bleak thoughts about the future, fear of going insane or losing control, thoughts of self harm, irritability, indecisiveness or a loss of interest in activities usually enjoyed including sex....are all signs that one may be experiencing depression. These are by no means the only symptoms of depression. There are many, including physical symptoms such as chest pain, digestive problems, headaches, bad memory, lack of appetite and sleep, back pain, body aches, weight gain or loss amongst many others!

So why do people get depressed?

There are many different factors that contribute to depression including bereavement, divorce, abuse, or a stressful life experience.

We have chemicals called neurotransmitters in our brains that create feelings of happiness. When we think negative thoughts excessively, have a poor diet, or expose ourselves to constant stressful situations, these neurotransmitters decrease, often resulting in feelings of depression. Things such as exercise, sunshine, hydration and a good diet can increase levels of these neurotransmitters; however, it is not always as simple as that, as it is often the case that we may have been depressed for so long, or exposed to stressful environments for so long that we find it difficult to remove ourselves from the situation and see depression as part of our everyday life, not realising it is actually a problem that can be remedied.

There are many different methods of changing the negative pattern of feeding depressive thoughts and actions, including therapy, medication and most importantly of all taking matters into our own hands and making significant positive life changes. Overcoming depression isn't something that can be remedied overnight, but with the right support you can begin to see significant changes in the way you feel quite quickly, provided you take the necessary action.

Some Useful Tips

1-Surround yourself with positivity. Having positive people around you can really help get you get into the right frame of mind and motivate you to think more positively. For every negative thought you have, you should try to replace it with two positive ones. Be kind and easy on yourself. Think if your friend spoke to you the way you speak to yourself. Would you still want to be their friend? If the answer is no, then you need to realise that the negative thoughts of worthlessness may be feeding your depression, and you need to replace them with positive thoughts.

2-Go out for a walk. This sounds pretty simple but can really work. Depression can sometimes make a person want to stay home alone with their negative thoughts. By getting up and going outside, not only are you occupying yourself from these negative thoughts, but you're also exercising your body, which in turn will help produce more of the neurotransmitters your body needs to help you feel happier. Try doing this at least once a day, especially when you're feeling particularly down.

3-Talk to someone. There is nothing worse than isolating yourself at a time of depression. Repressing your feelings will only make it worse. It can sometimes be very difficult to talk about how you feel, especially if it's something you're not accustomed to doing. If speaking to someone such as a therapist face to face is difficult for you at first or if speaking with a friend even seems hard, maybe you could try something a little more anonymous such as the Samaritans. Their helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This may seem difficult at first, but the anonymity and easy access of this service really helps, and before you know it you won't feel so alone anymore. Once you've released some of those negative feelings and realise it isn't as hard as you had first anticipated, you may even want to consider speaking to someone face to face afterall.

4-Keep Busy. If you don't have much physical activity during your day, you are at risk of increasing feelings of depression. Try volunteering somewhere if you are between jobs. The effects of keeping busy and being productive, as well as helping others, are really rewarding and increase feelings of usefulness, which in turn challenges and can eliminate the worthlessness emotions depression can make you feel.

5-Good Diet. Sometimes depression can cause a loss of appetite or cause you to eat excessively. It is important to ensure you keep a healthy diet. If you don't eat enough good food your depressive symptoms may worsen, and obsessive thoughts may increase, provoking anxiety attacks amongst other things such as fatigue, headaches and memory problems.

6- Look after yourself. Showering and maintaining your personal appearance can do wonders for your self esteem. It is often the case that when you are depressed you find maintaining personal hygiene and appearance becomes difficult. It is important to note that showering regularly can in fact help chemicals in your body promote feelings of happiness and alleviate depression, and taking care of your appearance can increase self confidence, which in effect can motivate you to want to get out more and meet new friends.

7-Smile. Smiling can actually effect how you feel. Not only will it evoke a positive reaction from those you smile at in effect making you feel more positive, but research suggests that the muscles in your face used to smile actually send messages to your brain that produce chemicals that can make you feel happier.

With the right support, you can overcome depression and get back to living the happy, fulfilling life you deserve. Dwelling in the past will only bring you down. Worrying about the future will only burn you out. Remember, today is the tomorrow you were busy worrying about yesterday when you could have been living it!