5 Ways to Overcome Depression
Mental health has been a concern ever since the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic started. People knew that self-isolating, canceling schools, and seeing the disruption of the disease would affect people across the world, but hardly anyone expected there to be such a major impact on everyone’s mental health. Most areas in the country have reported increased rates of depression, anxiety, and even suicide. While it’s disheartening, it’s no surprise considering how much everyone has been through. People have lost jobs, struggled to maintain social ties, and even seen their loved ones pass away due to the disease.
As the vaccine rolls out and people start to think about life normalizing, we need to consider how to help people overcome depression and deal with any lasting effects of months alone spent worrying about the state of affairs. People who were dealing with chronic depression before the pandemic, many of them suffered higher levels of depression and anxiety because they had limited access to critical treatment resources.
The best time to start working on depression and treating its symptoms is now. Here are five ways you or someone you love can start to overcome depression.
Create a Support Network
People generally wait far too long before they ask for help with depression. One of the best things you can do to overcome depression is to establish a network of support for when you’re feeling down. Whether it’s a therapist or a group of friends ready to take you out for a meal and listen, you need people you can rely on and who you can talk to about what you’re going through. Thankfully, mental health professionals adjusted relatively quickly to the new virtual environment that became the norm last year. You can attend virtual counseling sessions and use technology tools to get some level of social interaction to see you through hard times. Remember, ask for help early and often to ward off depression.
Get Some Exercise
The physical is tied to the mind when it comes to overall health. One of the best ways to clear the cobwebs and feel better is to get outside and break a sweat with some good exercise. With gym closures, options are limited, but you can always go outdoors for a walk or a run and other fun exercises.
When your body is tired, you have less energy to obsess over small details that typically would get you down. Exercise also releases important endorphins that improve your mood and lead to long-term improvements in mental health.
Exercise is also a bit like a game in that you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment as you improve. You’ll see improvements in your body which will also increase your self-confidence.
Discover the Power of Research Peptides
N-Acetyl Semax is a peptide with impressive neurogenic and neurorestorative properties. Originally developed in Russia, it has been found in research done on mice to increase levels of BDNF in the brain. BDNF is widely known to regulate the function of the brain when it comes to the onset of depression. When compared to the performance of traditional SSRIs, Semax was shown in tests on mice to work faster with better effects with minimal side effects. These promising results point to improvements in the treatment of depression. This peptide is not yet FDA approved for human use. There is more research that needs to be done but has promising future medical possibilities.
Get Some Sunlight
Light levels affect your overall mood. If you’re spending a lot more time indoors, like a lot of people have done over the past year, it’s important to pay attention to how much light you’re getting. Going outside to get sunlight and critical Vitamin D should be a priority. That can be done with a daily walking habit or opting to sit outside if you go out to a restaurant.
Even your indoor light affects your mood. Imagine spending hours in a dark basement. The chances your mood will be depressed is much higher. Instead, invest in some area lamps and buy lightbulbs with more lumens to brighten up the place. Your mood will go up along with the light level inside your house.
Join Group Activities
Social interaction is so vital to mental health. If you’re struggling with depression, you should seek out group activities to create more social connections with more people. Opportunities are limited in areas still facing lockdowns, but there are a lot of virtual events you can attend too. During the height of the pandemic, thousands of Americans joined up with other people in the country in virtual trivia groups, started playing chess, and joined virtual exercise groups.
If you’re looking for ways to increase interactions with people, search for things online that you can join. Start an exercise challenge with your group of friends as a fun activity you can share. Start a new hobby and join Facebook groups to meet new people. Reaching out is hard but it’s one of the best ways to overcome depression.
These are just five simple ways to beat back the effects of depression. What works for you won’t be the same for some other people. It’s all about finding what suits your personality and situation the best and creating an ecosystem where you can thrive.
