Manage You stress | Live Happily

Once in a while everyone gets to feel low. It is normal to experience mixed emotions some being good while others are not. However, when the low moods becomes a day to day experience then it is possible that you may be suffering from depression. Clinical depression occurs when you experience a feeling of greyness that lasts leading to a difficulty in making decisions as well as experiencing a difficulty in engaging in some actions that you were used to thereby requiring that you stop and notice. The question then is just what are the first signs of depression that you need to lookout for? This is especially important for people who experience a low mood constantly while expressing minimal interest in the activities that used to fill their day so that they are left struggling with things that they previously coped with comfortably.

Even then, it must be understood that life will always have lows and highs as well as alternating periods of sadness and happiness because humans respond to situations emotionally. Often, when some people feel low they will say they are depressed which they are allowed. This because in most cases, the situation they are going through is referred to as situation depression or a general reaction to the things that are happening around us. Clinical depression however, comes with the difficulty to eat, sleep or carry on with life with the normal zeal. Moreover, victims of this kind of depression are always in denial hence, they do not want to face the situation.

Among the first signs of depression include having a low self esteem whereby you feel so worthless, useless and ugly even though you are not. Secondly, while some people may experience a loss of appetite, others tend to overeat. This phenomenon is referred to as comfort eating. Another early sign of depression is being irritable at the slightest and petty things. Also, some people may have difficulty catching sleep or wake up in the wee hours of the night or even have too much sleep. For others, there may be a difficulty in executing tasks that were once viewed to be easy. You also need to watch out for the loss of concentration especially when engaging in serious task like work. Crying at trivial things could as well suggest that you are depressed. If you are sexually active, you may experience a lack of sex drive. Other signs include the loss of energy, having too many dark thoughts on your mind, entertaining suicidal thoughts and experiencing the inability to relax and have fun or even find amusement in things that you would normally notice.

You do not have to experience all these signs in order to conclude that you are suffering from clinical depression. In fact, it is said that if you experience two or more of these it offers enough ground for you to take action before you ruin your life. This is because being depressed should not necessarily be taken for the end of your world. It is possible to get out of depression. This can be achievable through the use of medication or going through counselling therapy.

Everyone wants to live a happy life. In fact, happiness is said to be a common desire across humanity. However, sometimes happiness seems to be elusive especially when it comes to dealing with the numerous commitments that are demanding on your time as well as resources. This is because the moment we redirect our efforts to fulfilling the daily demands of life, it is likely that our happiness may be compromised. Even then, there are several ways through which we can live a happier life regardless of what is happening around us. Here are ten tips to make your life happier; to begin with, you will need to engage in some exercises on a daily basis. This could be in the form of a ten to thirty minute walk as a way of unwinding from the pressures of the day as it helps you to forget about the worries that you may have had in the course of the day. You may spring in your step or even swing the arms. Secondly, you could opt to spend some ten minutes in silence everyday so as to experience peace. During this time, you could take tea, meditate, breathe or even talk to God.

Thirdly, you can begin every day on a positive note by welcoming it and being grateful for all the privileges and things you have in life. Fourth, you will do well to stop making comparisons of yourself and other people. This is because everyone has their own weaknesses; hence it is not possible to understand what the other person is going through. Therefore, it is advisable that you abstain from judging others. The other tip to living a happier life is by accepting change because in life nothing remains the same forever. Change is inevitable hence accepting it will go along way in enhancing your happiness.

Also, the sixth tip to a happier life involves letting go of your past because if you hang on it will only ensure that your present is messed up. The seventh point to consider is giving up fighting. Letting go of annoyance brings healing. Therefore, it doesn’t hurt to give up the need of being right at all times rather, you will realise that all those around you will be happy too. Most importantly, you should accept other people’s point of view.

The other important tip to keep in mind is the you need to ensure that you are in touch with not just friends but also family. This is because relating with other people is important for out happiness. Hence you can achieve this by either calling or visiting them. Another tip worth noting is that despite of what you are going through, always remember that’s life because life can never be fair. Lastly, always keep in mind that you are in charge of your own happiness thus, it is up to you to determine how happy you can be. Once you realise this, you shall be empowered and will not trade your happiness for anything less.

The causes of depression tend to vary. You can have depression because of a serious medical experience. It can also happen when one loses a loved one. Still, depression can be hereditary. Others may feel depressed and sad for no particular reason while others may become depressed because of changes in life. Depression involves diverse areas of your life and a change in one aspect of your life might affect other areas as well, leading to depression. Your experiences affect your coping capabilities, your problem solving skills, decision making as well as your social life. Depressed people tend to make bad decisions that cause depression and might even make depression worse.

Main Causes of Depression

Abuse – people that were abused sexually, physically or emotionally are likely to become depressed later in life.

Conflict – depression can result from having conflicts or arguments with family members or friends. The person feels isolated since he thinks the family does not understand him. He feels isolated and uncared for and this leads to depression.

Certain Medications – some medications can cause depression in your life. For example, some drugs used to treat hypertension such as reserpine and beta-blockers increase the risk of having depression.

Death or loss of a loved one – grief and a sense of loss that comes from losing a family member or a close friend can increase the risk of depression.

Changes in life-major events such as loss of employment or divorce can cause depression. However, even positive events such as starting a new job, getting married or graduating can be overwhelming, leading to depression.

Genetics  - if you come from a family with a history of depression you are at a high risk of becoming depressed. Depression is passed on from one generation to another although the reason is not clear.

Substance Abuse – can cause depression. Some people take alcohol to escape their problems but it will result in spiral depression. It increases loneliness and makes you feel worse about yourself and in response you isolate yourself and drink more. People that take drugs such as alcohol are at a high risk of being depressed. In fact, approximately 30 percent of people that abuse drugs suffer from depression.

Prolonged or Chronic Illness – chances of depression are if you are suffering from chronic or terminal illness such as cardiovascular or cancer. Head injuries can also trigger depression since even a minor head injury has the potential to damage your pituitary gland which produces thyroid-stimulating hormones. This can lead to lower sex drive or fatigue, leading to depression.

Personality Traits - you may be vulnerable to depression if you have low self-esteem and overly critical of yourself. This may occur because of personal life experiences or because of some genetic inheritance in your family tree, affecting the way you see yourself.

Giving birth – some women will go into depression after giving birth. Giving birth causes hormonal changes and the added responsibility can trigger postnatal depression.

Social Isolation – depression can occur if you are separated from your close family and friends.

The causes of depression are numerous and interrelated. Identifying them helps you to overcome depression since you can work against them. It may not be easy to know what triggered your depression but you can learn by looking at your past life.

Depression leaves you feeling weak and drained, making it difficult to accomplish your goals in life.  Therefore, measures to treat depression should be taken early enough before it gets out of hand and it requires hospitalization. There are numerous ways to overcome depression including physical exercise, building supportive relationships, eating healthy foods and taking time to rest and meditate. It may take time, but once you start taking positive choices in your life and surround yourself with positive friends your will overcome depression.

Get Regular Exercise

Physical exercise is a powerful way to overcome depression.  Exercise increases the level of neurotransmitters in the brain that are responsible for mood-enhancing. Ensure that you exercise for 30 minutes every day to release muscle tension. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator can be a good start. Others include taking your dog for a walk, parking your car far from the mall, taking a morning jog and taking a walk while you are talking on your phone.

Cultivate supportive Relationships

The support of your family and friends is crucial in overcoming depression. Getting help from other people helps you to keep depression away while isolating yourself from the world will only make things worse. People with depression may find it hard to seek the support of family of family, but they need to remember that the family loves and cares for them.

Join a depression support group

Bonding with other people suffering from depression can help you to overcome your depression. It helps you to overcome the sense of isolation once you start encouraging each other as you will feel useful.

Pets can make you happy and healthier

Although pets cannot substitute human connection, they bring joy into your life and remove loneliness. Taking care of a pet helps you to get out of yourself and makes you feel needed. It is for this reason that makes pet owners less prone to depression, or get overwhelmed.

Sleep

Getting enough hours of sleep can help you to relax. Aim for up to eight hours of sleep everyday as it helps you to relax. Avoid taking caffeine, and particularly before bedtime as it might cause you to lack sleep.

Expose yourself to the sun

Depression can get worse if you fail to expose yourself to the sun. Make sure you get enough sunlight daily by going for a walk or basking outside your house.

Eat a Healthy Diet

The food you take has a direct impact on how you feel. Take a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates and fruits. A solid breakfast supplies you with enough energy for the day. In addition, ensure you do not skip any meal as going without a meal for too long makes you irritable and fatigued.

Avoid Negative Thinking

Try to replace negative thoughts with more balanced thoughts. Keep in mind that better days are ahead. Depression makes everything including the future seem negative but you can overcome these thoughts challenging the negative thoughts.

Although overcoming depression is neither quick nor easy, it is possible. All you require is to have self-control of your emotions and empower yourself. Get rid of negative thoughts and surround yourself with supportive people.