Counteracting depression

It can be said, that people who suffer from depression display introspective characteristics.



A common trait is to attribute all failures to their own shortcomings or inadequacies, and all successes are attributed externally: not giving themselves credit for any success, explaining an achievement away as luck, or “because someone else made it possible”. This self-defeating thinking process reinforces negative self esteem leaving the individual feeling powerless and ineffectual in their own lives, further compounding the cycle of negative thinking.

Monitor your thoughts (basic cognitive-behavioural therapy)

One of the most effective ways to counteract mild to moderate depression is to monitor thought processes more closely. Keeping a daily diary is a good way of becoming more aware of the negative self-talk that we all tend to have going on silently in our minds.

Be aware when you are berating yourself and/or using irrational thinking that doesn’t serve any benefit to you. You could have thoughts about yourself that were told to you as a child. For example, “you’re useless”, “you’re not good enough”, there are a myriad of examples of negative inner self talk that we can repeat to ourselves day after day.

The result of this continuous negative talk is that these thoughts take on a life of their own and aren’t challenged anymore. They become truth, when in fact there often isn’t any evidence to support these incorrect, outdated thoughts about yourself. Identifying these ill-serving thoughts is the first step in stopping the negative downward spiral of pessimistic thinking.

Counteracting depression:

• Identify the negative, outdated thoughts.
• Challenge these thoughts. Where’s the evidence? Where did this thought come from? Was the source reliable? Often you will find that the source (eg a parent, caregiver) had their own issues and these words were spoken out of turn.
• Remove these thoughts and replace them with more appropriate ones. Eg “I am not good enough”, can be replaced by, “I am worthy as I am”.

It’s important to note that thoughts lead to feelings - and feelings lead to behaviour. Allowing positive thoughts to stay and weeding out the negative, critical thoughts will lead to more positive feelings, a lighter happier mood and more positive, optimistic behaviours and outlook on life.

• Healthy balanced diet:

A healthy, well-balanced diet that boosts the consumption of vitamins and minerals is beneficial for mild/moderate depression. 

Choose:
Wholegrains
Fruits
Vegetables
Protein
Rehydrate - drink 8 glasses of water a day. Avoid alcohol.

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin B1, folate and zinc, all of which have been shown to improve the mood of a patient wIth depression. There is some evidence that people with depression respond better to treatment if they have higher levels of vitamin B12 so it’s essential to consume protein - regular amounts of oily fish with Omega 3, such as sardines and kippers. Avoid refined foods such as white sugar and flour.

• Exercise

Research suggests that 30 minutes of exercise a day, for at least three to five days a week, can significantly improve symptoms of depression. Exercise can provide a distraction from your worries as well as improve your general health and fitness levels which automatically leads to an improvement in mood. During exercise, endorphins are released which add a “feel-good” factor to your body chemistry. Exercise can also assist with getting rid of built up stress and frustration and can help you sleep better.

It may seem impossible to get moving when you feel you are struggling with depression, but studies have shown that exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours.

• Connecting with others

It may seem that the easiest course of action when struggling with depression is to hibernate and cut yourself off from friends and family. This is often the worst thing you can do as it leaves you with more time to think, more time to get ‘bogged’ down with negative thoughts. “Circular thinking” often characterizes a person with depression thought processes – this type of thinking does not have a solution-focus to it, rather it is a downward spiral that leads further down into the ‘dark pit’ with even less chance of pulling yourself out of it alone. Being with others, as hard as it may be, really does help. It may be the last thing you feel like doing but studies have shown that in over 90% of cases – when they socialised their mood improved. You don’t have to be the life and soul of the party but just taking a break from your thoughts and isolation can bring tremendous relief.

• Get a good night’s sleep

Sleep can often be disturbed when one is troubled by pessimistic thinking and low mood. Sometimes sleep is too inviting and an easy escape leading to too much sleep. At other times, one can be so agitated that sleep is inadequate which will lead to irritability and will negatively affect an existing low mood. Establish a routine that your body can get used to and try to get a regular eight hours’ sleep per night.

• Limit contact with negative, toxic people when you don’t feel mentally strong

When struggling with depression, it’s important to limit your time with people that drain your energy. They could be friends or family that are bitter about life, constantly criticising others, judge unnecessarily and generally offer a toxic environment.

Some people are difficult to avoid for whatever reasons but just try to be aware of their effect on your own mental state: limit contact with them when you’re feeling emotional or mentally vulnerable. Positive, optimistic people give off a different energy and this will feed your mood and contribute to raised optimism.