Depression takes its toll on every part of life. It’s not something that can be turned off and on. We understand that your depressive symptoms will not immediately vanish as soon as you begin counseling. However, we would like to share some coping mechanisms to help you minimize the impact depression has on your lifestyle. Coping with depression is never easy, but there are some things you can do to help yourself cope.
1. Be Honest
Be honest with yourself, your loved ones, and your counselor. When you are depressed, it’s not helpful to tell yourself that you are not depressed. Be aware of the depth of your sadness. Tell someone you trust how you feel. You don’t need to wear a big sign on your shirt that says “I’m Depressed,” but you also don’t need to push it down. Being mindful of your own condition is healthy and allows you to take rational steps to deal with your depression.
2. Keep Good Habits
Good habits to help you deal with depression might be
- attending regular counseling sessions,
- taking your prescribed medication,
- eating three healthy meals daily,
- drinking plenty of water,
- and keeping a journal.
If it’s a regular habit, and it helps you stay healthy and focused on your good life, then keep doing it, even when your depression flares up!
3. Be Around Others
Depression has a way of thriving in isolation. Fight back by surrounding yourself with people who care about you. Talk face-to-face with a real person. Get involved in another person’s life. Reach out to care for someone who needs your help. Be social and kind, even if you feel like curling up in bed with a pillow over your head. Reaching out to real people is a great way to cope with your own depression.
4. Do Something You Used to Enjoy
Do you feel like you don’t enjoy anything anymore? That’s normal. Think back to a time when you did enjoy things. What activity did you love? Try it again. At first, you might feel like your trying to force yourself to have fun. It’s true that fun and enjoyment can’t be forced. However, give yourself a few chances. You might surprise yourself by actually growing fond of your old activity again. Doing something is usually better than sitting alone doing nothing.
5. Find Some Rhythm
Exercise with lots of rhythmic movement, such as walking, jogging, swimming, and dancing, can help you cope with negative thoughts. Why? Because you can concentrate on the rhythmic ways your body is moving. You can walk and watch your feet step, step, step, step. Thinking about the movement redirects your thoughts from something negative and irrational to something real and positive.
6. Be Aware of Your Negative Thought Patterns
Sometimes we have to think, no matter if we are exercising or not. Depression often puts an irrational spin on your thoughts, and you might notice that your thoughts run in certain patterns. Try to step back and notice the pattern. If you know how you think, you can be better at coping with the negative thoughts. Do your thoughts fit any of these common patterns?
- Over-generalization: Everything is horrible. I am never going to be happy again.
- Black-and-white thinking: I am a complete failure. Because I am depressed now, I will always be this way.
- Strict, self-imposed rules: I should be wide-awake, talkative, and happy to see my spouse. If I’m not, then I’m not good enough.
- Turning positive things around: I got a good grade on that test, but I just guessed on most of those problems, and I won’t do well next time.
- Reasoning based on how you feel: I feel like a crybaby, so I must be one.
- Acting like you can read minds: She doesn’t care about me. I can tell he thinks I’m stupid.
When you catch yourself thinking irrationally, start combating those thought patterns. Ask yourself, what is really true? And most importantly, don’t beat yourself up for thinking negatively. When you are depressed, these things are going to happen. Deal with yourself kindly while trying to defeat your negative thinking.
7. Make Wellness a Priority
You know the certain things that soothe you, please you, and help you through your tough times. Maybe it’s holding your cat, listening to a certain song, or doing a favorite household chore, like washing dishes. Don’t wait for the cat to jump in your lap! Don’t wait until the dishes pile up! If washing dishes helps you feel better, then take the clean dishes out of the cupboard and wash them. Know what might help you, and then do it. Some people call this creating a wellness toolbox. Your special activities and objects are your personal tools for coping with depression.
When depression gets you down, seek professional help. Our counselors are trained to guide you toward a healthier mental life. Contact us today for more information about depression counseling.
Mshuko wa moyo huathiri kila sehemu ya maisha. Si kitu ambacho kinaweza kuzimwa na kuanzishwa. Tunajua kwamba dalili zako za kushuka moyo hazitapotea mara tu unapoanza kupata ushauri. Hata hivyo, tunapenda kushiriki baadhi ya mbinu za kukabiliana na huzuni ili kukusaidia kupunguza athari za huzuni kwenye mtindo wako wa maisha. Kukabiliana na mshuko wa moyo si rahisi, lakini kuna mambo unayoweza kufanya ili kujisaidia. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kuwa Mnyoofu - Kuwa mnyoofu na wewe mwenyewe, na watu unaowapenda, na mshauri wako. Unapokuwa na mshuko wa moyo, si jambo la kusaidia kujiambia kwamba huna mshuko wa moyo. Jua kina cha huzuni yako. Mwambie mtu unayemwamini jinsi unavyohisi. Huna haja ya kuvaa ishara kubwa kwenye shati lako inayosema "Nina Mshuko wa Moyo", lakini pia huna haja ya kuisukuma chini. Kuwa makini na hali yako mwenyewe ni jambo zuri na hukuruhusu kuchukua hatua za busara za kukabiliana na mshuko wako wa moyo. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo: Kujiandaa kwa ajili ya matatizo ya kihisia-moyo. Ikiwa ni zoea la kawaida, na linakusaidia uwe na afya nzuri na ukazie fikira maisha yako mazuri, basi endelea kufanya hivyo, hata wakati mshuko wako wa moyo unapozidi kuongezeka! 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kuwa Karibu na Wengine Mshuko wa moyo huwa na njia ya kusitawi katika kujitenga. Piga mbio kwa kujizunguka na watu wanaokujali. Zungumza uso kwa uso na mtu halisi. Jiunge na maisha ya mtu mwingine. Fanya kazi kwa bidii ili kumtunza mtu anayehitaji msaada wako. Kuwa mwenye urafiki na mwenye fadhili, hata ikiwa unataka kulala kitandani ukiwa umefunikwa kwa mto. Kuwasiliana na watu halisi ni njia nzuri ya kukabiliana na mshuko wako wa moyo. 4. Uwe na uhakika Je, kuna jambo ambalo ulifurahia zamani Je, unahisi kwamba huna furaha na jambo lolote tena? Hiyo ni ya kawaida. Fikiria wakati ulipokuwa na furaha. Ulipenda kufanya nini? Jaribu tena. Mwanzoni, huenda ukahisi kwamba unajitahidi kujishawishi ili ufurahie. Ni kweli kwamba furaha na kufurahia haiwezi kulazimishwa. Hata hivyo, jipe nafasi chache. Unaweza kujishangaza kwa kupenda tena shughuli yako ya zamani. Kufanya jambo fulani kwa kawaida ni afadhali kuliko kukaa peke yako bila kufanya lolote. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Mazoezi ya kawaida ya mwili, kama vile kutembea, kuteleza, kuogelea, na kucheza dansi, yanaweza kukusaidia kukabiliana na mawazo mabaya. Kwa nini? Kwa sababu unaweza kukazia fikira jinsi mwili wako unavyojiendesha. Unaweza kutembea na kutazama miguu yako ikipiga hatua, hatua, hatua. Kufikiria juu ya harakati husababisha mawazo yako kutoka kwa kitu hasi na kisicho na busara hadi kitu halisi na chanya. 6. Uwe na uhakika Jihadharini na Mifumo Yako ya Mawazo hasi Wakati mwingine tunapaswa kufikiria, haijalishi ikiwa tunafanya mazoezi au la. Mara nyingi mshuko wa moyo hufanya mawazo yako yawe yasiyo ya akili, na huenda ukagundua kwamba mawazo yako yanafuata utaratibu fulani. Jaribu kurudi nyuma na kuona muundo huo. Ikiwa unajua jinsi unavyofikiri, unaweza kushughulikia vizuri zaidi mawazo yasiyofaa. Je, mawazo yako yanapatana na yoyote ya mifumo hii ya kawaida? - Ujumlishaji wa kupita kiasi: Kila kitu ni kibaya. Sitaweza tena kuwa na furaha. - Mawazo ya nyeusi na nyeupe: Mimi ni kushindwa kabisa. Kwa sababu sasa nina huzuni, sikuzote nitakuwa hivyo. - Kanuni kali, nilizoweka mwenyewe: Ninapaswa kuwa macho kabisa, mwenye kuongea, na mwenye furaha kumwona mwenzi wangu. Ikiwa sivyo, basi si mzuri vya kutosha. - Kugeuza mambo chanya kuzunguka: Mimi got alama nzuri juu ya mtihani huo, lakini mimi tu guessed juu ya wengi wa matatizo hayo, na mimi si kufanya vizuri wakati ujao. - Kufikiria kulingana na jinsi unavyohisi: Ninajisikia kama mtoto anayelala, kwa hiyo ni lazima niwe mmoja. - Kutenda kama unaweza kusoma mawazo: Yeye haina huduma kuhusu mimi. Ninaweza kusema yeye anafikiri mimi ni mjinga. Unapojikuta ukifikiria mambo yasiyo ya akili, anza kupigana na mawazo hayo. Jiulize, ni nini kilicho kweli kweli? Na la muhimu zaidi, usijishutumu kwa sababu ya kufikiri vibaya. Unapokuwa na huzuni, mambo haya yatatokea. Jitendee kwa fadhili huku ukijaribu kushinda mawazo yako mabaya. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Fanya Afya Kuwa Jambo la Kwanza Unajua mambo fulani yanayokutuliza, yanayokufurahisha, na kukusaidia katika nyakati zako ngumu. Labda ni kumshika paka wako, kusikiliza wimbo fulani, au kufanya kazi ya nyumbani unayopenda, kama vile kuosha vyombo. Usisubiri paka kuruka katika kiuno chako! Usisubiri mpaka vyombo viungane! Ikiwa kuosha vyombo kunakusaidia kuhisi vizuri, basi chukua vyombo vilivyo safi kutoka kwenye kabati na vifanye kazi. Jua kile kinachoweza kukusaidia, kisha ufanye hivyo. Watu wengine huita hii kuunda sanduku la zana za afya. Shughuli na vitu vyako maalum ni vifaa vyako vya kibinafsi vya kukabiliana na mshuko wa moyo. Unaposhuka moyo, tafuta msaada wa mtaalamu. Washauri wetu wamezoezwa kukuongoza kuelekea maisha ya akili yenye afya. Wasiliana nasi leo kwa habari zaidi kuhusu ushauri wa unyogovu.