Let's Talk About Depression 2022

Let’s talk about depression

Seeking help for your mental health is not only brave, but it is extremely beneficial. Depression can take on many shapes and forms, and symptoms can vary, but depression may look like this:

·         Withdrawing from friends, family, or even activities that you once enjoyed. The process of withdrawal can be considered a mental process of subconsciously disconnecting from one’s thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity.

·         Becoming easily upset. In many instances, symptoms of depression, such as feelings of unworthiness and helplessness, can translate into anger. This can be particularly difficult to navigate, especially if feeling angry is not part of your typical behaviour.

·         Constantly feeling physically and emotionally drained. Depression and fatigue go hand in hand, which can cause you to lose interest in your ability to perform everyday tasks.

·         Neglecting basic hygiene. Being depressed can cause you to become unaware of your personal hygiene, this can include bathing, keeping your teeth clean, wearing clean clothes, washing hair, and so forth.

·         Having trouble to sleep or sleeping much more than usual. Depression can affect your sleeping patterns in many ways. Anxious thoughts can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. On the other hand, you can also begin to oversleep, meaning either sleeping late or sleeping most of the day.

·         Thinking about death or suicide. Suicidal feelings can affect anyone. Having suicidal feelings can be very complex and can have different causes, depression being quite a prevalent cause. It is important to remember that suicide can be prevented, by learning what are suicide warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment.

Realising that you or someone you know may be experiencing depression, can leave us with many questions, wondering what is leading to all this pain? Where can you find help? Where can you go to for support? But it is of the utmost importance that you do not give up on yourself or others, here are some strategies to use to help yourself or someone else cope with depression:

·         Talk about how you are feeling. It may not be easy but talking about the emotions and feelings that you are experiencing can be the first step to recovery.

·         Seek professional help. Neglecting how you are feeling will only make it worse. If your depressed mood is seriously interfering with your ability to function at work or your social life, it would be a very good idea for you to consult with a mental health practitioner.

·         Exercise. Research on depression and anxiety shows that exercise and other physical activity can help to improve your mood. Exercising may seem like the last thing on your mind, but once you get motivated, exercise can make a big difference.

·         Write down what you are feeling. When you live with depression, it is easy to become overwhelmed with dark thoughts. Writing about your feelings and coping mechanisms can make you become more self-aware and can help you to identify triggers.

·         Self-care. It is important to take care of yourself and your mental health when you are feeling depressed. Setting a fixed self-care routine is a great way to care for yourself.

·         Set up a schedule. Having a schedule will help you to determine how you work, how your relationships look, and what you can still improve on or change to become a better you.

·         Surround yourself with the people in your life. There are many benefits of seeing the people close to you on a regular basis, one of them being that you can talk openly and honestly to them.

“It is of the utmost importance that you do not give up on yourself or others”

Talk to us, we are here for you.

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