"There are wounds that are never seen in the body that are deeper and more painful than anything that bleeds" - Laurell K. Hamilton.
Depression is one of the most common diseases in the world, it is estimated that it affects about 350 million people.
This disease affects both the body and the mind, causing problems in all areas of life: work, family, friends, etc. Depression is one of the most harmful diseases that exist, since it silently traps the person slowly and stealthily.
It begins by removing the desire to enjoy, to do things, locking the person with negative thoughts and, in the most serious cases, it ends up eliminating the meaning of life, to the point of leading the person to suicide.
This condition is a disorder that affects the brain, altering the neurotransmitters that are responsible for making us feel good, such as serotonin and dopamine. There are many causes that cause it from genetic, biological and environmental factors. It can appear at any age, being more predominant in women than in men.
However, it is important to differentiate between sadness and depression. There is confusion between these terms, so it is important to clarify what each one consists of and the most relevant characteristics between them.
How to differentiate sadness from depression?
In some cases it is difficult to differentiate depression and sadness, since they have many similarities, so we are going to clarify some aspects that tell us when we are faced with a sad person and when it is a depressive disorder.
What does it mean to be sad?
On the one hand, the sadness arises when we go through stressful situationsdifficult, painful or frustrating, such as the loss of a loved one, a separation, a love breakup, the loss of a job, etc.
Sadness is an innate emotion that we experience when we go through situations that we qualify as negative.
A state of common sadness is temporary and does not generate greater importance, so it does not require any specific professional support.
What does it mean to have depression?
On the other hand the depression it is a disease in which there is a chronic sadness, of great intensity. It can be triggered by any particular cause or there may not be an external cause that justifies it.
Depression is usually associated with another series of symptoms such as loss of weight or appetite, lack of energy and vitality, lack of motivation, chronic fatigue, the inability to feel pleasure (adhedonia) and the continuous appearance of negative thoughts. and concerns.
These people are unable to cope with normal situations that can be overcome without any obstacle by anyone who does not suffer from this disease. In this way they have impaired the nervous and immune systems.
How do I find out if I really have depression?
Depression must be treated by a specialist, because it directly affects the quality of life of the person.
Sadness can turn into depression when the person is unable to cope with his life, emotions chain him and negative feelings last longer than normal.
Proper diagnosis and cognitive restructuring therapy decisively determine the patient's recovery, although in some cases specialists may consider the use of psychotropic drugs necessary.
The most frequent symptoms of this disease are:
- Guilt, anger, rage.
- Loss of interest with things that used to excite you.
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss or gain.
- Insomnia or sleeping too long.
- Feeling anxious and sad.
- Headaches and digestion problems.
- Repeated ideas of death or suicide.
- Frustration and helplessness.
- Feeling of being empty inside.
- Isolation or search for solitude.
How do you start to overcome depression?
It is true that depression is a pathology that can lead to the end of a person's life, so we must take actions to combat it, since attitude is the key to getting out of this labyrinth of emotions.
The 12 steps to overcome depression and start living happily now
Accept depression.
The first step to overcome something is to recognize it and accept it, so that we will stop deceiving ourselves and seeing the reality we face is essential to be able to put measures and solutions.
See a medical professional
See a mental health specialist It is the best option so that we can make a precise and rigorous diagnosis about our mental state.
Therefore, we must go to our doctor to examine us and, if necessary, do not refer to the psychologist or psychiatrist who is going to advise us on the treatment we need.
Take care and pamper yourself a lot
Try to have a full schedule of activities that help you stay active and with a busy mind.
You can plan an agenda for the whole week so that you will have no excuse to stand still. At first it will be very difficult, but once you start taking actions you will begin to feel a great improvement.
Time to write and reflect
Journaling is one of the most healing things out there. It helps to release, release and express thoughts and ideas that go through our heads, in this way it also allows us to know how we think and in what way we talk to ourselves.
Healthy relationships
In depression, you tend to isolate yourself socially and remain in deep loneliness.
Therefore, we must make an effort and turn to friends, family, and where appropriate, the couple creating a positive feeling of trust, affection and friendship. Feeling support is essential in people's recovery, as there is nothing more intense than the feeling of love.
The simple fact of talking to someone means that we do not get locked in the bars of our mind, so we have to talk to at least five different people every day. If we cannot meet personally, we can always use the telephone.
Out of toxic relationships
Toxic relationships cause a great deal of pain and discomfort, so we cannot let them take place in our lives, as we are taking care of ourselves and healing wounds.
If there are things that cause you a problem in a relationship, the main thing is to protect yourself from harmful things.
Exercise
Physical activity helps us stay healthy and keep mind and body in harmony. Start exercising helps us stay active and focused, as well as releasing tension and stress.
With just 30 minutes a day we will benefit from greater stability and personal well-being. You can start with a simple walk for 20-30 minutes and when you get it you can increase the time or perform another series of exercises.
Go to the gym regularly It is another highly advisable option because it forces us to leave home and allows us to meet new people who can bring us many positive things. As you progress, you will find the motivation to overcome yourself little by little and you will feel stronger to face problems.
Yoga and meditation
The practice of these exercises generates incredible results, since it works with the body and the mind and helps us to unblock those internal conflicts and value the really important things.
Practicing yoga will not only improve your internal wellness levels, it will also help improve your strength and balance. Learn to meditateFor its part, it also includes many benefits for the mind and body.
Healthy diet
Remember that you are what you eat, so you must take care of your diet, so that it nourishes your body and soul.
Having a healthy diet is a great ally to help you feel better mentally and physically. You may have lost your appetite or nothing tastes good, still try to maintain a nutritional balance by eating 5 times a day in small amounts.
Do not forget breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day and the one that gives you energy to carry out your day.
On the other hand, it is important to consume a minimum amount of fruits and vegetables and eliminate junk food, sugars and saturated fats that are not good for us and can lead to appearance of digestive problems. Although, from time to time it is necessary to indulge in an occasional treat, which will make us feel better.
Improve your image
Taking care of personal hygiene is essential to feel good because it is a way of taking care of ourselves and respecting ourselves.
In depression it is common to neglect it, so we must be very attentive to it. Showering daily and brushing your teeth are essential requirements that we must carry out. Also dressing appropriately unconsciously increases confidence and self-esteem when going outside.
It is important to give a good image not for what others think, but for what we think. We must bear in mind that we are conquering ourselves, so we must give ourselves a good image.
Be positive
Think positively it will help you see life from another perspective.
Finding happiness again in the little things and feeling comforted are some of the consequences of thinking positive.
If you start to act positively, it will focus you on things of the same kind that we go unnoticed. For this you must begin to recognize your negative thoughts and reconfigure them towards the positive, in this way you will feel much better.
The dream
Getting the minimum 8 hours of sleep is essential to allow the mind to rest.
For this reason, it is advisable to have a sleep routine by going to bed and getting up at the same time. This will make you feel less tired and more energetic. If you have trouble sleeping it may be because you need overcome your problems with insomnia.
By following these tips you will discover in a very short time how useful they are to feel better both inside and out. However, it is only up to you to apply them.
My advice is that you try it and think that if you have come this far it means that you have already taken the first step in your way of overcoming a stage of your life that we would all like to leave behind.
Overcoming depression is in your power, and I am completely convinced that in a very short time you will start to feel better, since the road to happiness it is much closer than we think.
