Depression is a frequent phenomenon nowadays, and most experts say that practically everyone can suffer from it at some point in their lives. This should come as no surprise given the pace of life in industrialised societies and the demanding culture that surrounds us, which rewards competitiveness and individualism. Sometimes we can feel like objects, rather than subjects.

Depression is characterized by a sad mood and by a loss in the ability to feel interest and pleasure in those things that were once enjoyed. In addition, the person suffering from this disorder has other negative symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, eating and concentration problems.

What to do when you are depressed

Biological, educational, or psychosocial factors often interact in the onset of depression, and how the person interprets the events that occur around him or her has a major influence on the development of this disorder.

Although in most cases it is necessary to seek psychological support, it is possible to acquire a series of habits to combat depression and improve well-being , provided that the symptoms are not severe (in which case you are unable to follow behavioural patterns that require a certain amount of willpower). In this article you can find a list of recommendations that will help you overcome this disorder and improve your quality of life.

1. Have healthy habits

Having healthy habits is essential for better emotional health . Eating well and exercising not only affects our body but also our mind.

Proper nutrition helps maintain high energy levels and allows the body to function better. Also, the connection between eating and psychological aspects has made psychology experts interested in understanding how what we eat affects our feelings and emotions, as we tell you in this article: “Psychology and Nutrition: the importance of emotional eating”.

Physical exercise is also synonymous with health, and there are many psychological effects that it brings. The practice of sports activity favours the release of endorphins and serotonin, among other neurochemicals. The endorphins produce a feeling of happiness and euphoria, and serotonin, as has already been mentioned, is related to depressive and obsessive behaviour. In addition, physical exercise helps to reduce stress (which can cause depression) and helps to improve an individual’s self-image.

2. Improve your EQ

EQ skills are necessary for good emotional health, and there are many studies that corroborate this. This practice favours self-knowledge, helps to understand the emotions that one feels and to regulate them, and allows to master skills to have healthy relationships with others .

Having a high EQ positively affects different areas of a person’s functioning, such as psychological well-being, coping with stressful situations, social relationships or work, and therefore helps to combat depression.

3. Follow an active social life

Studies on happiness have shown that healthy interpersonal relationships allow us to have a fuller life. That is why it is necessary to surround ourselves with good friends, go to events and practice the hobbies we like.

Not isolating yourself and going out to have a good time improves our mood and gives meaning to our life, as well as having a close relationship with close friends and family who care about us is a protective factor against depression. Also, if they are fun, they give us a good time and improve our mood. Studies show that social support has a positive influence on happiness and makes people less likely to suffer from depression.

4. Do what you like

Those individuals who connect with themselves and do what they like, that is, who feel self-actualized, are more resistant to depression. It is difficult not to be sad when you don’t like your job and have to spend eight hours a day there; or when you want to study something with all your might but your family’s opinion seems to be more important than yours.

Connecting with one’s desires is critical if we want to avoid depression. While it’s not enough in severe cases of this disorder, doing what you like helps build self-esteem and mental well-being.

5. Don’t compare yourself to others

In the world we live in, not much is demanded. To have the perfect body, to earn a lot of money, to excel in studies… These beliefs are, in many cases, irrational, because perhaps we can excel in some facets, but not necessarily in all.

Self-esteem is seriously damaged if we continuously compare ourselves with others, because these expectations can be excessively perfectionist and unattainable and, therefore, can cause immense frustration: it is frequent to project our attention on the deficits instead of the virtues we possess. In addition, although we all like to be liked by other people, investing a lot of time and energy trying to please others can cause great psychological burnout and unnecessary stress. The important thing is to feel good about yourself.

6. Accept yourself and forgive yourself

Self-acceptance and self-forgiveness is one of the keys to avoiding depression, and the way we interpret our failures is a determining factor in looking at life with optimism or pessimism. Since we are not perfect, it is possible to make mistakes. Learning from negative experiences and accepting that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose is necessary to regain well-being. The past cannot be changed, but the perception we have about the past can.

7. Set goals that are realistic

One of the causes of suffering from depression may be not having life goals, because goals are motivating and help us stay on track. If we look to the future and do not see a clear path to follow, we can suffer an existential crisis.

That is why it is necessary to have objectives to fight for , because they give us life. However, goals should not be irrational, as they can create false and unattainable expectations and therefore negatively affect our well-being.

8. Live in the present

These objectives should not only be set in the long term, but it is necessary to have short-term goals, which allows us to remain motivated throughout the process. Having future expectations (as long as they are realistic) is good, but learning to live in the present is also key to overcoming depression.

It is frequent that, in the times we live in, we let ourselves be carried away by expectations and rumination of the mind, losing ourselves in these thoughts. That is why we must continually remind ourselves that we must remain in the here and now, connected to ourselves and to the reality that surrounds us in this very moment.

A useful tool to achieve this is the Mindfulness .

  • If you want to know more about this practice, you can read this article: “What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions”

9. Take care of your stress level

The phenomena of stress and depression are often closely related, but they are different conditions that require specific treatments. Stress is one of the great evils of this century, and this is not surprising given the lifestyle of Western societies.

When it becomes chronic, depression can appear as one of its consequences or effects. Preventing stress helps to prevent depression as well.

One type of stress that is very present in our days is work stress.

  • If you want to know how to reduce it, you can take a look at this article: “8 essential tips to reduce work stress”

10. Seek professional help

The above sections may be useful in helping to combat depression, but sometimes it is not possible to get out of this very delicate situation.

In these cases, psychological therapy becomes a good help to alleviate the situation, because it helps the patient to discover the underlying causes of his/her worries and sadness; it allows him/her to learn to relax and look at situations from a new perspective, and gives him/her the possibility to develop better coping and problem-solving skills. In short, psychotherapy provides the tools to overcome depression and regain well-being.

The importance of putting yourself in good hands

If you think you are going through a situation similar to the one described above and are looking for psychological support, the Instituto Mensalus Psychology Center has a team of professionals who are experts in the treatment of depression and other disorders.

This centre is located in Barcelona, where it offers face-to-face therapy sessions (although it also offers the possibility of online therapy), always from an integrative approach. Depression differs from occasional sadness and causes great suffering, but is treatable if we put ourselves in good hands and receive competent care.

If you would like more information about the Centro de Psicología Instituto Mensalus, you can find the contact details at this link.