Feeling Depressed? What To Do
If you're someone noticing that their mood has been terrible for a while now, you may start considering whether you're experiencing depression. Luckily, there are more and more options out there for you to treat this condition. In fact, you can do some of the following as soon as today.
Examine Your Diet
One thing to do right away is to start assessing your diet these days. If you're eating high-sugar foods and items with low nutritional value, that could be one reason for your terrible mood. Try infusing your daily diet with leafy greens, fruits and other foods that have a lot of minerals and vitamins. You may even want to consult a dietician to ensure that your diet is full of nutritious foods that will nourish your body and improve the way you feel.
Do Some Exercise
Even simple exercise like strolling around the neighborhood each night can sometimes bump up your mood. For some people, exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication.
Test Your Blood
It's possible that you have been living with one or more nutritional deficiencies that can blunt your mood. See your physician and talk with them about how you feel; ask for blood tests to find out whether you're low in Vitamin B12, D or other vitamins or minerals. If you are, you may be able to start supplementation and experience better feelings overall.
Identify Stress Sources
You probably already know what's stressing out at work or at home, but identifying specific factors can help you take some action. For instance, if the difficulty of certain projects is making you lose sleep or worry, you may speak to your supervisor about delegating that work to peers. There will, of course, be things that you can't change, but making the effort to reduce stress overall will make those issues easier to deal with.
See a Counselor
A great way to process your depression is to start visiting a counselor. Individual counselors work with you regularly to talk through your depression so that you can have tools necessary to conquer it. They may help you with reframing issues or find the root of your bad feelings. If medication seems like it could help, they may refer you to a psychiatrist or a nurse practitioner.
With these actions, depression in your life can be addressed. The information you learn along the way will assist you in improving your mood and ultimately your life.