Coping With Depression: 3 Helpful Ways To Start Improving The Way You Feel

After not feeling like yourself for quite some time, you may have decided to talk to a physician about the way you feel. Upon evaluating you and asking several questions, the doctor may have diagnosed you with clinical depression. There are some people who do not understand depression, and they assume it is something you can just overcome whenever you want if you try hard enough, but that is not the case. It is often hard to overcome those feelings of sadness and emptiness, regardless of how much fun you might have at a certain moment. If you are struggling to feel more like yourself again, there are some things you might want to consider doing.

1. Speak to a Mental Health Counselor

The people around you may not understand how you feel or why you feel the way that you do. In fact, it might even be hard for you to explain the reasoning behind your sadness. If you feel like you are misunderstood by most of your loved ones, you may benefit from meeting up with a mental health counselor. The counselor will not judge you. Instead, he or she will be there to listen to the things you want to say and offer some guidance. It might feel good just to express those thoughts that you often keep to yourself simply because you fear being judged by those who are closest to you.

2. Give Yourself a Bit of a Break

One reason you may be feeling depressed is because you are overworked and are always putting others before yourself. Although it is fine to be a selfless person who wants to help others, you have to take a break now and then to help yourself, too. Consider taking a day off from everything and spending that time alone doing things that make you happy, even if it means just sitting in your bedroom while listening to calming music and meditating. Some people who suffer from depression like to use a diffuser with essential oils while mediating because the scent of certain oils, such as lavender oil, makes them feel even more relaxed. You may want to give it a try when you are meditating at home.

3. Keep a Journal

Writing down your thoughts is a great way to relieve some stress and anxiety. On days when you are unable to visit with the mental health counselor, you might want to write down what you are thinking about and how you are feeling. It helps to get the words out of your head and onto the paper in your journal. You can even bring the journal with you to counseling sessions to discuss things that have transpired throughout the week.

If you feel depressed, you may believe you are going to feel that way forever. Although it is a constant battle, there are some ways to cope with depression and possibly improve the way you feel, such as speaking to a mental health counselor like Dr. Stephen Brown & Associates, giving yourself more of a break and writing down your thoughts in a personal journal.

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