Fighting depression is an undercover battle often hushed, bombarded and pressured to take the back seat behind other minuscule day-to-day problems. The trouble with that is, depression cannot be ignored. If you don’t fight depression with mindful tactics, it’ll always be around. Mental health NEEDS to be a priority.
As emotional beings, we all go through some form of depression, and we all experience and cope with it differently. There is no set formula or magical pill that cures depression, but there are steps you can take that may help you start the road to recovery, and possibly, what we all crave in life: Happiness.
Here are 7 healthy habits and liberating ideas for fighting depression.
#1 Beat depression through exercise.
Going to the gym or for a run outside is the last thing you want to do when you’re depressed. Aside from the obvious health reasons, recent research links exercise to less depression, reported by The Science of Exercise by Time Magazine. Depression limits the brain’s ability to produce important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. In other words, when battling depression, the brain doesn’t produce as much of these hormones that result in feel-good happy feelings. Depression shuts down the brain’s ability to adapt and problem solve. Exercise can help rewire your brain in a positive way.
Consistent exercise can help ease depression in a number of emotional, physical and psychological manners. It’s a domino effect of positive outcomes that takes time to achieve. Working out regularly will help your brain release endorphins—those happy hormones—which may help boost your self-confidence as you work towards becoming a healthier and fitter version of yourself. Exercise can be a healthy way to cope with anxiety, negative thoughts, and sadness. It will give you the opportunity to exchange smiles with a fellow treadmill neighbor or meet a new friend at a kickboxing or yoga class. Start with baby steps, even if that means just walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes or sweating it out in the steam room. Set reachable goals. It’s actively pursuing the little things that will have a positive impact, which will help gradually pull you out of this rut.
#2 Try something new.
Depression will force your brain to emotionally and mentally shut down to all possibilities, especially the possibility of being happy. Stand up to depression. Push yourself to get out of bed, clean up those crumbs from last night’s binge eating episode, take a shower, and challenge yourself to try something new. Take a cooking class. Pick up cycling. Go sky diving! Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a local beach cleanup. Sign up for a pottery class.
“When we challenge ourselves to do something different, there are chemical changes in the brain. Trying something new alters the levels of [the brain chemical] dopamine, which is associated with pleasure, enjoyment, and learning,” explained Ian Cooks, a psychiatrist and director of the Depression Research and Clinic Program at UCLA, to Web MD.
#3 Spend time in nature.
When you’re battling depression, your brain is forced to focus on the misery you have encountered with life, which further propels you into a never-ending cycle of negative thoughts. Spending time in nature can help pull you away from the cynical outlooks by reminding you of the big picture.
Something magical happens when you spend quality time with Mother Earth. Nature can provide you with a new perspective, as you’re standing at the edge of a cliff with a 150-foot drop below, overlooking the endless miles that are decorated with a plethora of greens, blues, greys and browns. In that moment, all you can hear is nothing, and all you can feel is the pounding of your heart, and slow sweat drops down the side of your face, and the whistling hug of the wind. You endured that grueling 9-mile (or however many mile/s) hike to get to this view, to feel and be in this moment.
David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah who specializes in attention, conducted a mental health related research he called the “three-day effect.” Two different groups— one group spent three days backpacking in the wilderness, while the other group went about living their normal days— were asked to resolve creative-solving tasks. The group who backpacked for three days in nature performed 50% better on creative problem-solving tasks, than the other group of people who did not spend time in nature. “Our brains aren’t tireless three-pound machines; they’re easily fatigued. When we slow down, stop the busywork, and take in beautiful natural surroundings, not only do we feel restored, but our mental performance improves too,” Strayer explained to National Geographic.
Our brain on nature is smarter, happier, and rejuvenated. Exposure to nature has repeatedly proven to reduce stress and significantly boost well-being. It doesn’t have to be a 3-day backpacking excursion, a 15-minute walk or an hour hike, where your skin can soak up the sunshine, your mind can unwind, and your eyes can enjoy the gorgeous scenery will be more than enough.
#4 Clean up and organize your personal space.
Depression derails you from wanting to do anything. Don’t focus on your long tedious to-do list. Simply pick one task to focus on and nothing else. For example, organize your room. Turn on the music genre of your choice, and let the first-step to declutter begin. Your bedroom may be a good place to begin because it’s most likely the last place you end your day at and the first place you start. It may help you relieve unneeded stress, and encourage you to complete the next item on your to-do list.
According to Shape Magazine, cleaning and organizing not only reduces stress and depression, it can help you eat healthier, motivate you to stick to your workouts, get better sleep, and boost your productivity. “At the end of the day, being organized is about having more time for yourself, and enabling you to live a more balanced life,” says Eva Selhub, M.D., author of Your Health Destiny: How to Unlock Your Natural Ability to Overcome Illness, Feel Better, and Live Longer to Shape Magazine.
Take it step by step, one foot after the other. There’s no need to rush. Take care of yourself and your mental health, and everything else around will gradually fall into place.
#5 Let spontaneity bring you a fresh perspective.
Do you remember being fearless as a kid? There was no grass hill too tall to tumble down or pesky adults to quiet down your spunk as you giggle vivaciously in every area with a “Please be quiet” sign. Kids choose the highest slide to glide down, and fearlessly ride a swing to its highest peak. Remember when your spontaneity was fueled by a whim of emotions in the moment? Find a way to make yourself feel and be free again. With life’s hardships, it’s harder now, but it is possible.
Head down to the beach, and without a second thought, jump into the ocean with ALL of your clothes on. Or, pack your bag with hiking essentials and take a trek up to the view. When you get to the top, soak up the essence of Mother Nature’s beauty. Then, let out a scream at the top of your lungs. In this liberating moment, use all the pain, doubt, confusion and heartbreak that has been imprisoning your happiness, to fuel your scream. As Queen Elsa from “Frozen” would advise, “Let it go.” These are just a few spontaneous suggestions in hopes to set you free.
#6 Better the world.
Depression can dull and drown our sense of hope and self-worth. Fight it by doing something good for someone else in need. Do something to better the world. Find a cause that inspires you. It doesn’t have to be this grand affair, it can be as simple as volunteering at your local soup kitchen or hospital, walking dogs at an animal shelter, or picking up trash at a beach cleanup. Strive to be a good human being. Volunteering is a great way to meet new friends and make difference. It is a clear and direct reminder of how much good there is in the world. Giving back and helping others will provide you with a deep sense of happiness and self-worth.
You are a feeler. Remember, the world needs compassionate people like you to help better it.
#7 Travel and explore a new place.
If you have the means to travel, I highly recommend you to do so. Traveling to a foreign country or even to a neighboring state may provide you with a rejuvenated outlook on life. And sometimes, that’s all we need. Immerse yourself into a different culture. Let the new surroundings kidnap your senses. “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” explained Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, to The Atlantic. This essentially means that multicultural engagement, immersion and adaptation sparks the creativity synapses in the brain. Traveling will open your mind and heart to new perspectives on life. It may potentially revitalize the mind and recharge the soul.
