Amongst many psychiatric disorders, a common one is known as depression. Depression is a major mental illness that impacts the entirety of your mood, gives rise to negative feelings, and therefore plays a crucial role in dictating your actions. While it is a serious and pressing concern, it is something that can be treated. The symptoms of depression can vary on a scale of mild to severe, ranging from one individual to another. Generally, some of the key symptoms include feelings of sadness, lack of interest in activities that you once appreciated, loss of appetite, sleeping too little or way too much, feeling tired most times, and so on.

Since many individuals around us battle depression, it is important to highlight 5 different ways in which you can cope with it:

1.      Make lifestyle changes

Surround yourself with friends and family who love and support you. Meet with individuals going through depression and form support groups that help you uplift one another. Moreover, try to keep your environment stress-free. Stress can result in worsening your depression and other physical problems such as headaches and chest pain. Getting an ample amount of sleep, such as at least 8 hours, can also be helpful. Making your bedroom a relaxing environment used only to read or relax with candles on can help make it less stressful.

2.      Take therapy

One of the critical ways of coping with depression is therapy. Speaking to a qualified and credible therapist about your feelings and concerns allows them, as professionals, to help guide you towards changes that can result in a better lifestyle. This includes teaching you techniques of reducing stress, boosting your self-esteem, and working towards becoming a more optimistic individual, and viewing life through a more positive lens.

3.      Eating better

The foods that we eat tend to impact not only our physical health but also our mental health. Studies show that certain deficiencies like lack of zinc in our system can affect depression. Therefore, eating better and healthier foods can have a positive impact in lessening your symptoms of depression.

4.      Journal

Writing about your feelings, especially negative thoughts, can help you express them and rationalize them. Journaling allows you to be completely honest with yourself and let your honest opinions. Hence, this acts as a stress relief activity and allows the emotions that have been kept inside to come out on paper.

5.      Avoid alcohol

 As a means of escape, many individuals tend to depend on alcohol when they are depressed. However, this can worsen your already existing symptoms of depression and cause you to feel even more distressed and dreadful. Staying healthy, keeping away from alcohol and drugs, and depending on more healthy coping mechanisms like talking to friends, family, seeking professional help, and eating more nutritious foods can lead to a better outcome.

Hence, if you need to visit a doctor and consult with them about depression or any other mental illness, we have the best psychiatrists available for you. According to your area of convenience, you may find the Best Psychiatrist in Lahore and the best Psychiatrist in Islamabad.