11/06/2017
With the changes in the Seasons, and with the Holiday Season coming, many people often develop depression for a variety of reasons. Becoming overwhelmed with daily demands, financial obligations, relationship difficulties all combine with coping difficulties to aggravate depressive symptoms. Our mood can be greatly affected by what we do, when, and with whom. In order to maintain a healthy sense of wellbeing, we need to balance what we do. We can use the acronym ACE to help us remember:
ACHIEVE - work, chores, study
CONNECT - with friends, family, community
ENJOY - play, fun, pleasure
When we feel stressed, we often spend more time doing things that help us achieve, but less of enjoyment and connecting with others. When we feel depressed, we withdraw and isolate ourselves and do much less, and when we feel anxious, we tend to avoid places or people where we feel anxious.
Make time for yourself each day - relaxation, fun, enjoyment. Create a healthy balance - allow time for activities which give you a sense of achievement, those that give a sense of connecting with and of being close to others, and of a sense of enjoyment.
These activities affect our brain chemistry by acting directly on the release of neuro-transmitters, and are our natural anti-stress and anti-depressants.
Achievement stimulates dopamine
Purposeful activity stimulates serotonin
Connecting with other people stimulates oxytocin
Exercise stimulates endorphins
Therefore, making sure we keep doing these ACE activities every day, will help us effectively manage and overcome our problems.
