Depression can seem totally overpowering. It drains your energy, motivation, and hope. As a result, it’s difficult to do what you need to feel better. The things that may help the most are the very things that are most difficult to do. To make matters worse, family and friends want you to just “snap out of it” – as if you enjoy feeling the way you do.
Overcoming depression is difficult but it’s far from impossible. It does require action. It is true that when we’re depressed, even thinking of the things that might help can be exhausting. Still, gaining the strength and motivation to do just a few things can make a world of difference. You can overcome depression.
Start
The first step for you to overcome depression is to start. This is often the most difficult part. Start something. Go for a walk. Spend some time with a friend. Go out for a movie. Go to church. Volunteer somewhere to help someone. Just start. You may not feel like it. You may not even believe it will make any difference. But start anyway.
When you’re depressed, getting out of bed can seem like an overwhelming task. Get up and get moving. Of course, exercising 30 or more minutes a day is ideal. However, any activity is beneficial. Whether it’s a spouse, a friend, or another family member, have them help you start something.
Manage Your Thoughts
Depression brings with it a host of negative thoughts. Hopelessness feeds off of these thoughts and gets stronger all the time. Individuals who are depressed tend to think negatively about themselves, the world, and the future. This is known as Beck’s Cognitive Triad which you can read more about here.
Depression does not have to overwhelm your life. You can overcome it!
Challenge these thoughts. Would you say them to a friend? If your friend were thinking the same way, what would you say? Take a look at my previous post on challenging automatic thoughts for more detail on how to manage these thoughts.
Seek Treatment
There are a variety of treatments for depression. Antidepressant medications are available that may help provide some relief. Discuss these with your physician. Be sure to ask about side effects and the risk versus the benefits of these medications.
Find a counselor. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has been shown to be effective for treating depression. Using this approach, the counselor first assists individuals in finding better ways to cope with symptoms. Next, the counselor helps the person to examine dysfunctional patterns of thinking that tend to make depressive symptoms worse. Finally, through various techniques, the counselor helps the individual construct new ways of thinking that are based more in reality.
This sounds like a straight-forward, simple process. It is a bit more complex than it sounds. However, it does not have to be drawn out endlessly. Individuals seeing a counselor for depression usually experience some improvement in a few weeks and then continue improving. It takes time, effort, and commitment.
Depression does not have to overwhelm your life. You can overcome it!
Feel free to contact us if we can help you overcome the difficulties of depression. We would be happy to help!