Depression is a common, but serious mental health condition. It can feel like a struggle to find interest in things you used to love and it can be hard to keep up with the world around you. It’s important to seek the treatment and support of a mental health professional as there are many effective treatments available for depression.
What are the common symptoms of depression?
Depression in adults can look like:
- Feeling sad, hopeless, and unmotivated
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Changes in behavior like irritability or sudden outbursts of anger or sadness
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Overeating or under-eating
- Difficulty remembering things
- Decreased self-worth
- Constant fatigue
- Sleeping too much or sleeping too little
Top 5 Lifestyle Tips to Help Battle Depression
Depression can be debilitating, and impact your relationships, your personal life, your job and your relationship with yourself. It’s hard to connect with others, and asking for help may be difficult but with appropriate treatment and lifestyle changes, you don’t have to suffer from depression and depressive symptoms.
Depression can impact every area of your life and spread outward, making it harder to take the first steps to getting help and improving your well-being. Your first step should be to reach out to a licensed therapist to seek treatment. Lifestyle changes are extremely beneficial to treating depression, but it’s a complex condition that often requires professional treatment via therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. Other things you can do to reduce the symptoms and impact of depression:
- Find A Support Network: Isolation is bad for depression and can exacerbate feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Reach out to friends and family you know will be supportive and provide the help you need during bouts of depression. Support groups are also a good way to build and maintain healthy relationships that can provide you with emotional stability and comfort during difficult times.
- Gain Clarity: Understanding the factors that can contribute to your depression is a huge step in overcoming the symptoms of depression. With the help of a licensed therapist, you can begin to understand the causes underlying your condition. Depression can be caused by a series of factors including genetic, biochemical, and past or current traumas. Knowing some of the key causes can help you create an effective treatment plan with your provider.
- Limit Your Stress: Chronic stress can contribute to depression. Identifying sources of stress in your life can help you develop healthy management strategies. By limiting your stress, you’ll be able to focus on healthy coping skills like mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness and meditation can help you combat depression by promoting self-awareness, helping you manage your thoughts and emotions, and reducing the impact of your depressive symptoms.
- Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes: Any change, big or small, can help you begin to alleviate symptoms of depression. Start by prioritizing a healthy amount of sleep, 7-8 hours at night. Engage in physical activity. Exercise releases endorphins, natural mood lifters. A short walk or a short session of stretching can help boost your mood and reduce symptoms of depression. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption or discuss your alcohol consumption with your therapist to help you make a plan to find other ways to battle your depression symptoms.
- Get Creative: Find creative outlets that let you express your feelings. Art, music, journaling, writing, or gardening can provide an emotional outlet. Expressing your feelings through creative outlets can be a powerful way to cope with depression in a healthy way and help you create a supportive network.
Therapy for Depression
It’s important to ask for help, especially if you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm. Lifestyle changes can help considerably when struggling with depressive symptoms, but professional treatment with a licensed provider is a crucial part of treating depression. You don’t have to white-knuckle your days through negative self-talk, low energy, and a constant feeling of hopelessness.
Depression is a formidable adversary, but with the right treatment and support, it’s possible to regain control of your life and feel joy, hope, and be ready to step into the life you deserve.
Depression Treatment In Los Gatos and San Jose
Depression is a serious problem that needs our attention, knowledge, and caring action. It’s important to ask for help and take that first step to receiving treatment for depression that you need and deserve.
At Lumos Clinical Research Center, we’re here to offer help, guidance, and support. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive mental health services. Contact us today and take your first step toward healing. We have convenient locations in San Jose, CA, and Los Gatos, CA.