Depression is a MAJOR epidemic in our world today especially in our modern western society and with everything that has been happening in our world lately.
Have you been feeling depressed?
Here are 5 things that can help you NOW:
1---BE KIND, loving, & gentle with yourself. Depression has the tendency to be the opposite of loving to oneself. It can have the person believing they are worthless, not good enough, comparing to others, feeling like a failure, and have reason to feel shame. Recognize this is the depression speaking and take steps to counteract this by speaking gentle thoughts to oneself, take a bath, get a massage, do something simple and sweet for yourself. Any seemingly tiny gesture is a grand gesture when it comes to depression.
2---Depression feels like a dark, gloomy cloud that lingers and clouds one’s judgement and lense of the world. Counteract this by bringing more LIGHT into your life. Again, tiny gestures can help. Get sunshine and Vitamin D literally into your eyes and on your skin, surround yourself with jewelry and crystals that emit light and beautiful colors, look at imagery of vibrancy, look for the rainbows and prisms of light wherever you may be. If you are not feeling the light within then BRING the light to you.
3---Depression can bring about physical complacency and immobility of movement where one may not feel like doing anything and can struggle just to leave the house. Remember that this is NOT “laziness”. This is the depression that creates this struggle. Do whatever you can to go for even a small walk. Leave the house if even just to go to the store or to go outside to take some deep breaths of fresh air into your body. Small physical movements and getting yourself out of the house can be a big success for someone experiencing depression. Celebrate that and honor yourself for challenging yourself and the depression. This seemingly small gesture can bring relief to your body, mind, and spirit.
4---Remember that depression is all about secrecy, isolation, and aloneness. It will have you believing that you are all alone and we are all going to die so what’s the point. It can create the feeling of a dark lonely isolated world. Recognize this and remember that CONNECTION counteracts loneliness. Reach out if even by phone to a close loved one. Go to the store and even make contact with the person checking out your groceries. Look into the eyes of a stranger and say hello. You never know how much they might need you to connect with them. A little connection goes a long way.
5---Always remember there is help. If you or someone you love is experiencing depression and really needs assistance, there is always a skilled professional or professional resource that can help. Depression can run deep within someone and sometimes it just isn’t possible to pull oneself through it by oneself. We all need help at times. This takes strength and courage to seek it when we are in over our heads.