3 keys to managing depression without psychologists
You can call it emptiness, depression or existential crisis, but the point is that you don’t feel well.You may have discussed it with someone, although the people around you don’t understand you very much and you end up locking yourself in your room.
This situation is more common than you think, but the natural tendency is to think “these things only happen to me” , to rejoice in a sense of isolation that can end up in the dreaded depression. The good news is that you can learn to manage depression.
Far from being something to be avoided, depression is a wonderful opportunity for self-knowledge, but first of all let’s investigate the causes.
Where does depression come from?
When a person suffers from this disorder, they experience apathy, sadness and loneliness. They lose interest in everything and tend to isolate themselves from the world.But… why?
There are as many reasons to suffer from depression as there are people in the world, although the most common consequence is that your patterns are broken and you suddenly feel that the life you had set up no longer has any meaning.
There may be triggers that take you into that duel, such as the death of a loved one or a breakup.
Although there are also cases of being years with a very sedentary lifestyle (poor diet and no exercise) until falling into the pit of depression. There is even the feeling of not fitting into society.
Managing Depression
Regardless of the situation, being immersed in a situation like this requires a certain objectivity, and while a psychologist can give you that, you can do it on your own. How? With these three keys.
Observe yourself and write
Think about it, what do you do throughout the day? If you spend all your time identifying with your thoughts, they will become a prison governed by your mind.If you think about the function of a knife you can come to two conclusions: it can do good and evil. That is, it can be used to cut the bread that feeds your family, but it can also be used to kill someone else.
The same goes for the mind, which is a double-edged sword: it can serve to live fully in all spheres of your life, but it can also become a tremendous tool of self-sabotage in the service of your ego.
Sometimes we have no idea why we feel the way we do, so to observe ourselves and slow down your mind it is advisable to keep an emotional diary of your thoughts.
Yes, I say “emotional” on purpose because is not going to limit itself to telling what you have done today, but you are also going to capture how the situations and experiences you live make you feel.
This exercise will increase your self-esteem, but also give you peace and serenity. However, the cognitive and emotional benefits of journaling are countless.
2. Move and eat healthy
One of the things we do when we get depressed is think too much about the negative aspects of our life.I don’t know if you know this, but the mind produces about 60-80,000 thoughts a day, most of which are negative.We are experts at judging and blaming ourselves for everything that happens to us.
How to get out of that spiral? By moving . In other words: get out of the house and do something exercise like running, or walking for 30 minutes or an hour.The movement, be it high or low intensity, makes us release endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, giving our body well-being and pleasure.
If you also start eating more healthy and natural products (fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc.), instead of precooked food and industrial bakery, your body and mind will be grateful. This is one of the oldest keys to managing a depression.
In other words, your eating and exercise habits play a major role in counteracting the effects (and symptoms) of depression.Another option in that direction, which will be a breath of fresh air, is to sign up for activities that interest you but that you never contemplated .
3. Talk to friends (and strangers)
Although it’s common to not tell your closest friends about your feelings when you get depressed, a good friend can be the best psychologist.When I say “good friend” I mean someone who knows how to listen to you and get you out of your thoughts , not someone who doesn’t listen to you and tells you his or her problems immediately.
By telling someone about your emotions, you are giving your inner world room to manifest, so the effects of depression diminish.In fact, that person can give you his or her point of view and make you realize your self-sabotaging thought patterns. In other words, it makes you a mirror .
In fact, the figure of the coach emerged in the 1960s with Timothy Galway (although its origin goes back to the mayeutics of Socrates), to increase mental strength and to extract the maximum potential from people through active listening and action-oriented questioning.Yes, new technologies are making us interact less and less in person, so you can overcome that mental barrier to dare to go out of your comfort zone by meeting people.
Your amygdala (or emotional brain) will detect that you are in danger, but you are not, it is just a lack of habit.
Since I know that this exercise is not easy, consider it a challenge. For example, if you go to the coffee shop or bar next door, dare to interact with someone who is close to you.The easiest thing to do is to communicate something positive to the other person in a polite way (if things flow, you can even make conversation).
Ask yourself: what’s the worst that could happen? If you are ignored, you will surely learn from experience to do better next time .
Conclusion
Depression is more common than you think , and whether you live it or not, by looking at yourself in perspective you will be able to put your thoughts and emotions into a diary to prevent it or alleviate its effects.
Also, if you go for a walk, run or do some exercise (even at home, no matter how little), your body will produce endorphins and other hormones responsible for your well-being.
The next time you experience a difficult situation, remember that you already have the most important tools to overcome it: your mind, your breath and your body . This does not mean that the professional support of a psychologist is not necessary. In most cases, professional guidance is essential. However, knowing these keys to managing depression can make your life easier, whether you decide to see a therapist or not.
Finally, remember that we are social beings, so sharing what you think and feel with your environment and interacting with strangers will help you see life through different eyes.