Do you feel helpless and hopeless because of a bad situation you are in? What about mood swings and sad feelings that have lasted for a while? It sucks! I know, I have been there before.
Your question may be, apart from medication and seeing a psychiatrist… what are some of the natural ways that can help me fight a depressive-like state?
Well, here are some simple suggestions. These may appear simple but that is one of the reasons they are often overlooked:
Exercise.
When you exercise, you boost your endorphins which are good-feel chemicals.
They will make you feel happier and this way you will decrease feelings of sadness to a minimum.
Frequent exercise can help your brain to rewire itself, conditioning it to think about the good positive things in life.
Have enough sleep.
When depressed, you might find it hard to sleep. Failing to have enough sleep can only worsen the situation.
Try to be consistent in the time you go to sleep and wake up. Avoid anything that distracts your sleep.
Switch off that TV, it could be a distraction.
Try lavender essential oils, put a drop in your index finger and inhale it before going to bed. You can also use a steamer by adding a few drops to some water.
As time goes by, you will have your sleep improved.
Set goals.
Perhaps you are asking how a depressed person can have the desire to achieve goals.
When one is depressed, they may not imagine of accomplishing anything in life however small it might be.
To counteract this feeling of “I can never make it”, start with minor goals.
For example, you may be unmotivated or hate doing laundry when depressed, you can start small by washing a small load.
At the end of the day, you will complete all your laundry and feel a sense of accomplishment, ready to gradually move on to bigger and bigger tasks that can potentially turn into bigger goals.
Remember that, achieved goals make you a happier person because of the contentment that comes from achieving them.
Eat right.
You can think of having serotonin-enhancing foods. The anti-depressants that people take are aimed at increasing the levels of serotonin.
But you can do this naturally by consuming foods containing omega-3 fatty acids (fish), and healthy fats (coconut).
Avoid taking big amounts of caffeine as it reduces the level of serotonin.
Welcome sunlight in your life.
Sunlight is good for vitamin D and boosting your moods. A therapeutic lightbox can come handy if you stay in a place with little sun.
Think positively.
Say no to the negative thoughts filling your head. Use logic to see through situations.
For instance, when you feel like you are the most hated person on earth, is this really a reality? No! Most of these negative outlooks on life are self-created in our mind based on how we condition it.
So you can chase away the negative thoughts by doing simple things such as being grateful of the people who love you. In the end, you will have transformed all the negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
Have fun.
It may be hard to find pleasure in the things you used to love once you get depressed.
They may sound normal and boring chores to you. Here, you are required to relearn to have fun.
Go to the movies, you could go to a different movie theater so that you can have a sense of experiencing new things. Make an effort to drag yourself out of the environment that is keeping you in a down state, chances are you will have some negative, pessimistic thoughts fade away as you move unto a different environment.
Speak your mind.
Finding somebody to confide with can make a bad feeling go away. Everyone needs to vent, even if it’s just to release some of the thoughts that have been eating at you lately.
Talking about your situation will bring some relief to you and so you will feel better. This is because you are essentially releasing some of this energy. You will feel a sense of relief.
Just remember not to make a habit of talking about all your ills and how bad life is everywhere you go, you must also take some form of positive action to change your situation.
Find out what the 10 habits of unhappy and unsuccessful people are, see if any of these apply to you and start turning these around:
Find out what they are here: 10 Habits of Unhappy People
Photo credit: Joe Penna
