Depression

For appointments or questions call Suzi Tyler 01843 846947 / 07836 635233 or email info@rapid-health.org

One to one Consultations and telephone sessions available

Dealing with Depression

7 COPING TIPS  & WELLNESS BOX TO PRINT OUT – THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  Begin today…just one step at a time.

Depression drains energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what we need to feel better. We can’t beat it through sheer willpower, but we can learn utilise the existance of helpful strategies and techniques that do help considerably towards a full recovery.

Speak with your doctor to rule out any possible health causes, bipolar depression requires carefully prescribed medication which can successfully work along-side therapy and coaching to bring about freedom from many of the symptoms.

 

 

Simple Steps to Depression Recovery

Start small and stay focused… just a few small steps each day and don’t forget to reward yourself for each accomplishment.

Depression self-help tip 1: Supportive relationships

Getting the support you need plays a big role in lifting the fog of depression and keeping it away. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression. Isolation and loneliness make depression even worse, so maintaining close relationships and social activities are important.

Depression self-help tip 2: Do things you enjoy (or used to)

While you can’t force yourself to have fun or experience pleasure, you can choose to do things that you used to enjoy. Pick up a former hobby, interest or a sport you used to like. Express yourself creatively through music, art, or writing. Go out with friends.

Develop a WellnessToolbox

Create a list of things that you can do for a quick mood boost. Include any strategies, activities, or skills that have helped you in the past. The more “tools” for coping with depression, the better. Try and implement a few of these ideas each day, even if you’re feeling good. Here are just some examples:

1. Spend some time in nature
2. List what you like about yourself
3. Read a good book
4. Watch a funny movie or TV show.
5. Take a long, hot bath
6. Listen to Music
7. Clear out a cupboard or drawer
8. Listen to ‘Refresh Your Mind’ free Rapid Health download
9. Enjoy a few moments of tapping away your cares

10. Begin a gratitude list
11. Make a list of things you’d love to do, but have never got round to
12. Take care of a few small tasks
13. Play with a pet or your child
14. Write in your journal
15. Do something spontaneous
16. Take up dancing classes
17. Have lunch with a friend
18. Go out into the fresh air and get some exercise

Push yourself to do things, even when you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much better you feel once you’re out in the world. Even if your depression doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more upbeat and energetic as you make time for fun activities.

Adopt healthy lifestyle habits
  • Aim for 8 hours of sleep. Depression typically involves sleep problems.
  • Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers.
  • Expose yourself to a little sunlight every day.
  • Lack of sunlight can make depression worse. Make sure you’re getting enough. Take a short walk outdoors, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, people-watch on a park bench, or sit out in the garden.
  • Practice relaxation techniques. A daily relaxation practice can help relieve symptoms of depression, reduce stress, and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Try yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, a relaxation therapy download/CD or a Relaxation Therapy Session.

Fight depression by managing stress

Not only does stress prolong and worsen depression, but it can also trigger it. In order to get over depression and stay well, it’s essential to learn how to minimize and cope with stress. See Stress Management.

Depression self-help tip 3: Get regular exercise

 

When you’re depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing, but exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with depression. In fact, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue.

Scientists haven’t figured out exactly why exercise is such a potent antidepressant, but evidence suggests that physical activity increases mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain, raises endorphins, reduces stress, and relieves muscle tension – all things that can have a positive effect on depression.

To get the most benefit, aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. But you can start small. Short 10-minute bursts of activity can have a positive effect on your mood. Here are a few easy ways to get moving:
  • Take the stairs
  • Park your car further away
  • Take your dog for a walk
  • Do some stretching exercises, you can even do them in the chair if that is all you can manage
  • Do a little gardening

As a next step, try incorporating walks or some other enjoyable, easy form of exercise into your daily routine. The key is to pick an activity you enjoy, so you’re more likely to keep up with it.

Exercise as an Antidepressant

The following exercise tips offer a powerful prescription for boosting mood:
  • Exercise now…and again. A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours. The key to sustaining mood benefits is to exercise regularly.
  • Choose activities that are moderately intense. Aerobic exercise undoubtedly has mental health benefits, but you don’t need to sweat strenuously to see results.
  • Find exercises that are continuous and rhythmic (rather than intermittent) Walking, swimming, dancing, stationery biking, and yoga are good choices.
  • Add a mind-body element. Activities such as yoga and tai chi rest your mind and pump up your energy. You can also add a meditative element to walking or swimming by repeating a mantra (a word or phrase) as you move.
  • Start slowly, and don’t overdo it. More isn’t better. Athletes who over train find their moods drop rather than lift.

Depression self-help tip 4: Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet

What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.
  • Don’t neglect breakfast. A healthy breakfast provides energy for the day.
  • Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every 3-4 hours.
  • Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, biscuits, cakes or chocolate, but these “feel-good” foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.
  • Focus on complex carbohydrates. Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain breads, and bananas can boost serotonin levels without a crash.
  • Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
  • Practice mindful eating. Slow down and pay attention to the full experience of eating. Enjoy the taste of your food.

Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood.
  • Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA can give your mood a big boost. The best sources are fatty fish such salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Canned albacore tuna and lake trout can also be good sources depending on how the fish were raised and processed.
  • You may hear a lot about getting your omega-3’s from foods rich in ALA fatty acids. Main sources are vegetable oils and nuts (especially walnuts), flax, soybeans, and tofu. Be aware that our bodies generally convert very little ALA into EPA and DHA, so they may not bas big of a benefit.
  • Some people avoid seafood because they worry about mercury or other possible toxins. But most experts agree that the benefits of eating a couple of servings a week of cold water fatty fish outweigh the risks.

Depression self-help tip 5: Challenge negative thinking

Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future.

But you can’t break out of this pessimistic mind frame by “just thinking positive.” Happy thoughts or wishful thinking won’t cut it. Rather, the secret is to replace negative thoughts with more balanced thoughts.

Ways to challenge negative thinking:
  • Ask yourself: If you had a picture, belief, emotion causing the depression, what might it be? Ask for the picture – what are the emotions about the picture? Use the Rapid Acupressure Procedure to diffuse any negative emotions that seem to be a problem. For help in using this procedure call Suzi Tyler on 01843 846947 or 07836 635233.
  • Keep a “negative thought log”. Whenever you experience a negative thought, jot down the thought and what triggered it in a notebook. Review your log when you’re in a good mood. Consider if the negativity was truly warranted. For a second opinion, you can also ask a friend or therapist to go over your log with you.
  • Replace negatives with positives. Review your negative thought log. Then, for each negative thought, write down something positive. For instance, “My boss hates me. She gave me this difficult report to complete” could be replaced with, “My boss must have a lot of faith in me to give me so much responsibility.”
  • Socialize with positive people. Notice how people who always look on the bright side deal with challenges, even minor ones, like not being able to find a parking space. Then consider how you would react in the same situation. Even if you have to pretend, try to adopt their optimism and persistence in the face of difficulty.

Depression self-help tip 6: Rapid Health can help to Raise your Emotional Intuition

Emotions give us important information . They can override thoughts and profoundly influence behaviour.   Anyone can harness the power of their emotions by listening to the messages our feelings are wanting us to take notice of.  Instead of avoiding them, or pushing them down, we can harness their wisdom and use them to make more balanced heart/mind decisions.  They are also reveal our values and boundaries. 

Emotional intuition gives us the ability to cope and bounce back from adversity, trauma, and loss. We now understand that emotional intelligence makes us more resilient.

Emotional intelligence gives us the ability to:
  • Remain hopeful during challenging and difficult times
  • Manage strong feelings and impulses
  • Quickly rebound from frustration and disappointment
  • Ask for and get support when needed
  • Solve problems in positive, creative ways

 

 

Depression self-help tip 7: Know when to get additional help

If you find your depression getting worse and worse, speak with your doctor without delay.  Depression can be treated and you can feel better!   Rapid Health addresses any underlying causes such as anger, guilt, feelings of hopelessness and low self worth.