Warning! - Don't Allow Depression to Take Hold of You

Feelings of depression can seem to begin for no reason, but if a person is predisposed to feeling down and depressed, they need to act quickly when they recognise the symptoms beginning to manifest.

If they do not initiate some proactive behaviour, they can find themselves succumbing to increasing feelings of hopelessness and lethargy. This can lead them to isolating themselves and thereby becoming cut off from communication with others. During this process, they may unfortunately start to feel more alone than ever and their depression can worsen.

If you recognise these types of responses in yourself then you may find the following recommendations useful. Recommendations that can help you to manage and become aware of how to avoid specific actions that may trigger episodes of depression in your life.

Social Withdrawal

Often one of the first patterns that may emerge is withdrawal from social contact, especially at a time when most of us are spending more time in-doors. Once a person is clinically depressed, they may stop activities that used to bring them enjoyment due to a loss or energy and motivation. It then becomes easier to isolate themselves from friends, family and work instead of explaining why they are so tired, low in mood and unmotivated.

Sadly, these actions provide the opposite effect of what is really required to help the situation. Social withdrawal usually creates more problems for an individual. The brain’s stress response can become magnified with acts of isolation. Maintaining involvement with supportive family and friends may help to discourage these stress responses from being triggered. This can be achieved with messenger. Whatsapp, facetime chats and groupchats in the current climate.

Negative Thoughts

Brooding on negative thoughts and dwelling on upsetting issues is one of the major components of depression. When a person gets stuck in negative thought patterns regarding frustration, loss, failure, not being good enough etc., their depression will only worsen. When an individual finds themselves doing this on a regular basis, they have the tendency to perceive a neutral or potentially positive situation as something negative.

Depressed people spend a good portion of their time and much of their energy frequently trying to deal with a barrage of negative thoughts.

It is crucial to recognise these unhealthy habits of negative self-talk and make a conscious effort to focus on helpful thoughts. The simple act of trying not to wallow in unhappy, self-loathing or upsetting thoughts is a huge step to breaking the depression cycle. Every time a person with depression is able to challenge and change unhelpful negative thoughts into helpful more positive cognitions, they achieve a personal victory.

Alcohol

It can be boring and unstimulating for some during a lockdown situation, which in turn can also lead to further mood deterioration. Consuming alcohol may at times seem to provide relief from the symptoms of depression and anxiety; however, alcohol has a depressant effect on an individual’s nervous system. Any perceived benefit will be very short-lived and repeated drinking can make symptoms of depression worse.

Unfortunately, it is a common mistake to reach for alcohol in order to provide a numbing effect. Those who are prescribed antidepressants may notice that these medications do not work well with alcohol. Mixing the two can be damaging to both mental and physical wellbeing.

Sugary Foods

People suffering from depression may be more likely to crave sugar due to its short-term mood elevating properties. Foods high in sugar content will create a temporary sugar high which will unfortunately be followed by a low. Imbalanced blood sugar levels are often why many people suffer from mixed emotions and mood swings.

Care for Yourself

If you are vulnerable to the effects or symptoms of depression, try to become as responsible for your symptoms as you are able. Be kind to yourself. Choose foods and drinks that will provide healthier choices. Create plans to deal with situations in advance. Keep a store of happy thoughts and dreams and uplifting music to support you when you need it most. Keep in touch with your friends and family regularly to maintain some social contact.

Click Therapies know how depression can affect you especially during these times of isolation. You can discover how we can help you with this by booking yourself a 15-minute FREE online video  or telephone consultation. Follow the link below for more information:
https://clicktherapies.com