If you suffer from annoying feelings and thoughts, try these 10 tips for depression.Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, many people experienced depression. COVID-19 pandemic isolation and quarantine increase the risk of mental illness among society. Unfortunately, people used to take medications to control depression even without visiting a specialist. But they are not aware of several serious side effects causing by depression medications. There are some lifestyle related tips which can be done instead of using multiples capsules and tablets for treating depression.
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Make your own self-care list
You’re unique, and what applies to others won’t necessarily apply to you. Make a list of what you can do when you are down or feeling overwhelmed.
Once you’ve made your list, keep it somewhere nearby. Better yet, keep it on your phone so that you always have it with you. Later, when you need it, you can pull it out and look through some ideas that have helped you earlier. They could just contain the thing you need right now.
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Start a journaling routine
Depression comes with a group of unwanted feelings and thoughts. Journaling about what you’re feeling can present a useful outlet for your emotions, giving you some distance from useless thoughts. This distance can help you to deal with difficult emotions.
If you feel able to, try sitting for some time and writing out what is on your mind and how you feel. Allow yourself to encounter those thoughts with acceptance. They could stimulate bad feelings, but feeling them doesn’t make you bad.
Journaling can similarly help you keep track of things, people, or places that make you feel better or worse, so that you know what to avoid and what to move towards next time.
Journaling can also help you step out of negative thought loops and see them from another perspective. Writing about what you’re feeling can help you to become aware of annoying thoughts, so that you can let them go and ultimately replace them with useful ones.
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Try an online self-help guide
There are some great questionnaires and self-help guides out there. These resources intend to help you learn about depression, give you tools you can use to start feeling better, and get in touch with your emotional health.
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Focus on routine
Having a routine can be soothing and help you to feel more balanced in your everyday life. Over time, keeping a steady routine might just help you fall into more steady mood and behavior patterns, too.
It’s not always simple to stick to a routine, but don’t forget that repetition is the key to success. Initially, try taking small steps towards a routine that feels good, and gently nudging yourself when you move away from it.
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Get your nutrients
What you eat is also able to affect how you feel. It might feel good in the short term to eat junk foods that are high in carbohydrates, saturated fats, and processed foods, but those foods can make you feel lazy and fatigued.
Eating vegetables and fruits, accompanied by whole grains and healthy fats, can help you be more energetic, get better sleep, and find that you have more motivation.
Also read
5 Ways to manage stress