A common symptom of depression is a lack of desire to do things in which you once found enjoyment. Instead of continuing to avoid these activities, take initiative to start them up again! If you used to love reading, playing sports, or going on hikes, do those things again on a regular basis.  If you find that continuing old hobbies isn’t feasible, pick up a new one. Look into classes that are offered locally or try something in which you’ve always been interested. Look into art classes and adventure activities for great ways to ease yourself out of depression. Start doing these hobbies whenever you have the time for them. At first they may feel boring or unimportant, but over time they will become enjoyable again and you will look forward to the times when you get a chance to partake. The vitamin D you get from sunlight has been shown to help reduce depression. Spend thirty minutes a day in the sun (sans sunglasses) and soak in the vitamin-D goodness that it has to offer. Or, you can take vitamin-D in pill form as a supplement.  Take in your sunlight in a local park or nature reserve to combine the best that sunlight has to offer with the beauty of nature. Being outside near living, growing things can help invigorate the senses and give you more energy and focus. Exposure to sunlight can also help your body to regulate its circadian rhythm, which controls when you are awake and asleep. This exposure can therefore help you to feel more awake during the day and tired at night, giving you more energy at the right times. If it tends to be rainy and gray on a regular basis in your location, look into getting a light therapy box. This is a special lamp that mimics the sun’s rays, improving your mood. Studies suggests that mindful meditation can benefit those experiencing depression and anxiety. The practice can help you begin to train your mind to recognize negative and unproductive thoughts and not accept them as truth.  During mindful meditation, you find a comfortable, seated position and focus on your breathing. As you sit and breath, you try to bring your focus to the present moment, acknowledging worries or negative thoughts but recognizing them as just that: thoughts, not truths.  Meditation takes time and practice. It can take a long time to bring your focus to the present moment, especially if you're used to ruminating in the past or on worries about the future. Try to be patient and remember this can be an enormously effective treatment if you stick with it. Studies have shown that people who are responsible for caring for a living thing – a plant or pet – recover much faster from depression than people who don’t. Start a small garden, buy a pretty potted plant, or get a low-maintenance goldfish and take care of it. Having a small life to be responsible for will give you something to work towards and give you more reason to be productive during the day.  Don’t feel like you have to jump in and buy a Husky; a small plant or animal is enough for you to reap the mental health benefits. If you had been considering buying a pet prior to depression though, look into buying one now. Volunteer at a local farm or borrow a friend’s pet in order to get in contact with animals without committing to owning one. Spend a few hours each week with an animal of choice to reduce your anxiety and depression. Helping others can be a strong predictor of well-being and a positive identity.  Look into local organizations that need volunteers and spend your time working for them. Being a helper at the local food bank or park-cleanup crew will give you initiative to do things outside your home, make you feel needed, and give you more of a chance to socialize.  Consider killing two birds with one stone and volunteer at centers that offer other therapeutic benefits. For example, volunteer at an animal shelter to get your animal time in, or give up some time to help clear trails to get your daily dose of exercise and sunlight all at once. Start small to not overwhelm yourself at first. Overloading your schedule at the get-go will make the experience less enjoyable and make you less likely to keep it up in the future. For example, begin by volunteering for an hour or two a week, and slowly work in more hours if you enjoy it. A major factor of depression is anxiety, so take steps to cut down anxiety in your life by relaxing. This includes avoiding stressors that you know are related to your depression, particularly people and work-related issues.  Take baths, visit a spa, read a book – do anything that helps you to relax. You can also learn progressive muscle relaxation, which is a technique where you tighten and release one muscle area at a time starting from your toes and up to your face. Gradually releasing the tension helps relieve stress and induce relaxation.
التقط هواية قديمة. اذهب خارج المنزل. مارس التفكر الواعي. اعتنِ بكائنٍ حي. تطوّع بوقتك. استخدم مهارات الاسترخاء.