Overcome your depression

How to Overcome Depression:

Recognize that you're suffering from depression. To overcome your depression, you have to first see if you're feeling the symptoms of depression. Though depression is different for every person, there are a few signs that mean that you're having much more than just a bad day. If you think you have depression, see if you're suffering from the following problems:

• If you feel worthless, helpless, or guilty without knowing why.
• If you're feeling hopeless about most aspects of your life and can't imagine that anything will improve for you.
• If you feel a decrease in your energy level and are tired no matter what you do.
• If you feel restless at night and have trouble sleeping and waking up in the morning.
• If you've stopped feeling pleasure in the events that used to make you happy, such as spending time with friends, pursuing your hobbies, or being intimate.
• If there has been a dramatic change in your sleeping habits, such as insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping.
• If you have lost your appetite or are overeating but cannot stop.
• If it is much easier for you to be alone than to put the effort into interacting with others.
• If you prefer to be alone than to interact with others.
• If you constantly feel irritable for no reason.
• If you have had thoughts of suicide. If you are thinking suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately

Seek help from a doctor. If you are suffering from serious depression, it is time to see a doctor. Even if you're fixed about not taking anti-depressives or other medications unless it's necessary, talking to a doctor can help you identify some of the medical causes for your depression. You can search for the life-situation causes after you talk to a doctor. Here are some reasons that a doctor may find for your depression:

• Addiction to drugs or alcohol. If you have a drug or alcohol addiction, then this may be a cause for your depression. A doctor can help you see if you have an addiction and can tell you the next steps.
• Genetic causes. If depression runs in your family, you are more likely to be depressed. You can discuss whether other people in your family have suffered from depression, even if they were never diagnosed; you can also talk to your parents or other family members to see if people in your family had depression without you knowing.
• Another illness. A doctor can help you see if you're suffering from another illness that can cause or precede your depression, such as an anxiety disorder such as OCD, or even a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia.
• A side effect of a medication you are taking. If you're taking a medication for another problem, a doctor can tell you if depression is one of the side effects and may be able to switch you to an equally-effective medication without this side-effect.

Start writing a journal.

Starting a journal can help you reflect on your depression and feelings and monitor your sensations throughout the day. Make a goal of writing in your journal at least once a day, preferably in the evenings, when you can wrap up whatever the day brought you. Writing in a journal can make you feel more in touch with your thoughts, less alone, and more aware of the things that make you happy or unhappy. Writing in a journal will also help you focus and shut off your mind from all the stressful tasks around you.

Think positively. Being a more positive thinker will help you look at your life and world in a way that fills you with hope instead of despair. To think more positively, you should learn how to recognize your negative thoughts and to fight them with stronger positive thoughts whenever you can. Find at least five things to be grateful for and happy about every single day.^[12]

• If you act more positively, you will think more positively. Make a point of talking about the positive things in your life and spending time doing things that make you feel positively.
• If you spend less time whining or complaining about the small things that make you unhappy and more time praising the things that make you smile, you will think more positive thoughts.

Improve your diet. Improving your diet will also help you feel less depressed. Even if you're losing your appetite, you need to be determined to eat three healthy and balanced meals a day. You don't need to try to lose weight or be incredibly healthy-conscious when you're dealing with your depression, but eating healthier food regularly will improve your mental and physical state.^[11]

• Don't skip meals -- especially not breakfast. Eating three meals a day, will give you the energy you need to stay positive and focused.
• Add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Substitute them for sugary snacks or unhealthy junk food.
• Make sure to eat a balance of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins every day.
• Let yourself splurge occasionally. You will feel better if you give into your cravings sometimes.

"hope this helps "