05/10/2025
Let's talk depression (long post ahead but I am hoping it will be helpful and worth the read).
Depression is a serious mood condition that negatively impacts over 250 million people worldwide.
-It is NOT just sadness. It can present as loss of energy, sleeping too much or too little, loss of interest in activities, feeling guilty or worthless, difficulty concentrating/thinking/decision making, irritability, depressed mood, and recurrent thoughts of death and su***de
How can depression be treated/prevented?
Disclaimer: All of the lifestyle tips I am about to suggest are not a replacement for being evaluated/treated by licensed medical processional
-Break a sweat every day. Regular exercise releases tons of mood-boosting chemicals Shoot for 30 minutes per day, 4-5 days a week if possible. Mix with resistance and cardio. (Talk with your provider prior to starting any new exercise regimen).
If your depression is serious to the point of difficulty even getting out of bed, this might not be viable, which leads me to my next tip.
-Be kind to yourself! It is OK to feel whatever it is that you're feeling, and you are certainly not alone. Find the little victories- even if it's finally getting up and taking a shower- that's a win! Resisting what is, and worse, judging it, can make things worse. Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you feel and observe without judgement.
-Books/audiobooks. Reading/listening to self-healing and self-improvement books (religious and/or non-religious) can be a MAJOR tool to improve your life and outlook. Find something that aligns with your morals and values, read/listen slowly, and even journal. Many of these contain incredibly valuable information that you can use to gain more insight and guide you through your situation.
-Mindfulness and gratitude. Mindfulness meditation, when practiced regularly, has shown to help keep you in the present moment, and help you to be an observer of your thoughts and not consumed by them. Even taking one mindful breath spread out throughout the day can create mental space. Start with just 2 minutes per day to build the habit. Apps such as Headspace and Calm are a good way to get introduced. The present moment is very powerful, and sometimes depression can create an entire mental dialogue of either painful memories from the past, anxiety about the future, or mental movie making of scenarios that don't even exist, all of which are not actually the present moment. These are just thoughts and feelings-which ultimately pass. Diving into mindfulness can bring you out of the storm.
Write down 3 NEW things every day you are thankful for. Over time this will help re-wire your brain into focusing on the positive instead of drowning in the negative (which is, unfortunately, our natural tendencies as humans).
-Diet. This is huge. Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean meats, and whole grains (if medically able) can do wonders for the gut-brain connection! Limit sugar, alcohol, and processed foods.
-Random acts of kindness. There is evidence out there that doing something kind for another actually releases dopamine in the brain. We are designed to help one another. Looking to do something kind for someone else not only helps chemically but can get you out of your own head and focus on another which can be very helpful.
Whatever you're feeling, I promise you are far from being alone!
