Depression is tough to live with. Growing up, I dealt with depression daily. It caused me to want to be alone all the time, in my room, escaping from reality in video games. In this post, I’m going to share what worked for me to help alleviate depression from your life.
Feelings of Depression
Do you know what gets you depressed? It’s important to figure out the things that trigger it. It could be a feeling of not belonging, financial struggles that make you feel like you’re a failure, and many more.
What triggered me was feeling like a failure. Everyone around me was successful: friends, family, etc. I was constantly comparing my income and lifestyle to others and became depressed because of it.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
When we compare ourselves to others, it brings us down a bit. Thinking of friends who got the latest and greatest gadget or seeing a popular friend get all the attention, whatever it is, you end up thinking less of yourself.
My first tip to you would be to stop comparing your life to others. I believe that everything happens when it’s supposed to. Your life is unique and should be treated as such. Form your own path to happiness and get your mind off of the wrong things.
Talk to Someone, You’re Not Alone
One of my largest depression episodes came when I was cheated on by my fiance. It was such a shock to me that I became a different person. It honestly felt like I forgot to be a human for several months. Even though I didn’t want to, I reached out for professional help.
Many people don’t like to talk about their problems because they might be too embarrassed or feel like a burden on others; however, just having someone listen to you is essential for healing. Talking to others helps you see a different point of view and can be comforting.
It’s important not to be narrow-minded; be open to any and all possibilities and try something new to help alleviate depression and get your mind off of it.
Try Something New
I always saw myself as a shy and quiet person, therefore, the last thing I ever saw myself doing was dancing. I had a fear of dancing; to be out in front of others, not knowing what I was doing, and to have a partner? No thank you.
After that nasty breakup, I was cooped up in my room for weeks. After some time, I decided I had to try something new to get out of my comfort zone. Experiencing new things not only entertains the mind but also keeps it engaged since you’re doing something out of the ordinary.
When I went to my dance class, I was nervous. To add to the nervousness, the day I went turned out to be a special event, so the place was packed. There was standing room only.
After entering, I was greeted and talked to about the program. They brought over a professional dancer who then grabbed my hand and didn’t let go for an hour. It was a bit awkward, I’m not going to lie, but I just went with it. We learned different techniques and dance styles: salsa, waltz, and many more.
After leaving, I wanted to go back. Something I thought I would hate, I actually enjoyed. Just goes to show that you don’t know what you’ll like unless you’ve tried it. However, it was out of my price range, so I moved on.
Stay Active and Meditate
In my About Me, I’ve talked about my journey towards the long-distance events I do. When I was depressed, I would escape into my video games, which I ended up getting addicted to. Click here to find out how I overcame that addiction. When I didn’t escape into video games, I escaped by running.
Running makes me feel alive. When I lace up my shoes and hit the pavement, all my worries go out the door. But running isn’t the only exercise I partake in; yoga and meditation play a big part as well.
Yoga is an incredibly relaxing form of exercise, and it is great when you do it first thing in the morning. It helps you wake up and stretch everything out. Pair that with a meditation session and you got yourself a golden combo.
I was never big into meditation until I tried it. If you’re consistent enough with it, it truly helps root yourself to the current moment. My depression was always feeling like a failure because I kept thinking about the future and how I wouldn’t be able to raise a family with my current salary.
What meditation has done is help me think less about the future and focus more on the current, which has made me happier and less depressed. There’s no point in worrying about things you have no control over, so instead, worry about the things in the current that you do have control over. Change the current.
Unsponsored Apps I Recommend
I hope one day to be sponsored, but in the meantime, I want to promote the apps that I enjoy and that have helped me alleviate my depression.
DownDog is the app I use not only for Yoga but for guided Meditation as well. With just one subscription, you get access to their whole library of apps, which includes Yoga, Meditation, HIIT, Barre, and Prenatal Yoga.
You get to customize your workouts/sessions, set a time frame, and even get to choose your music. This is my most used app, and I highly recommend it to anyone. It’s also very affordable.
BetterHelp is online therapy for those who don’t want to visit an office. I used it shortly after my breakup with my ex-fiance because I was too scared and broken to go into an office. I had weekly check-ins with my therapist and enjoyed talking about my progress with them. Personally, I opted for voice calls, but I highly suggest you do video calls.
Another great app for meditation is Headspace. I used it briefly for guided meditation sessions and was fairly impressed. However, I prefer DownDog as it’s all in one, and their guided meditation sessions are good enough for me.
Conclusion
Nobody wants to be depressed, and I’m hoping some of these techniques help you. To recap, don’t compare yourselves to others; live your own life and create your own unique journey. If you’re struggling, talk to someone. I enjoy helping others and will be here if you want to chat with me. Make sure to try something new to help keep your mind off the depressing subject. And make sure to stay active and give meditation a try.
If you or someone you know is severely depressed, please reach out to someone. If you need help, contact the Suicide Hotline.
Do you have any other tips to help alleviate depression? Share them in the comments below.