Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, especially this year with the pandemic. It has been quite a struggle and no one knows what is happening next or how much longer this will last. The unknown future is creating a lot of anxiety, tension and angst which are all interlinked with depression. We are told to just stay positive, pray and hope for the best until it passes, which is true to an extent. However, crossing our fingers is NOT a coping mechanism, it’s a mindset shift that helps us hold on to the fact that a brighter future is coming. If you are battling depression and you cannot currently afford therapy, then this is for you. There are various approaches to coping with depression holistically.

Here are a few approaches that you can try and continue to do what resonates the most.

Social & Mental Approach

This is the social and mental aspect which we have some control over. Our feelings are products of our thoughts, so the first step here to take is to identify any irrational thoughts. Make sure to catch every thought, and ask yourself “does this really align me with where I want to be?” If the answer is no, ask yourself what is a more productive perspective to look at this. By monitoring your thoughts, you have a handle on a huge part of your healing. Your emotions are always valid, so allow yourself to open up, which takes us to the next point. Reach out to someone you trust and know that you can be yourself with, it could be a colleague, a neighbor, an acquaintance, a friend or family member. There is nothing wrong with asking for support and leaning on someone. Even though our happiness is our responsibility, we are still allowed to let someone hold our hands through this journey. Most importantly, set boundaries for yourself. If it feels too overwhelming to be around too many people, then limit the number of people you hangout with and choose the ones you are willing to let in.

The Personal Approach

This is where you stay in touch with your emotions and become your own best friend. Start your day with the Ho’oponopono prayer, which is a Hawaian Prayer for self-compassion and forgiveness. Give yourself the forgiveness, love and kindness you are seeking from the world by repeating this mantra “I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.” You can place a hand on your heart and close your eyes as you repeat this. Daily mindfulness and meditation really helps ground you and centres you, so make it a habit to meditate 2-3 times a day if you’re dealing with such painful and hopeless emotions. The next thing you want to do is set daily goals to work towards, things to look forward to that are actually healthy for your mind, body and soul. You can make an hour or two out of your day working on a hobby, some time for self-care and reading a book. These are all things that give you a reason to wake up and it reconnects you with yourself. Create a new routine for yourself to implement all of these, and watch yourself blossom and glow!

Overall Health

Physical health and mental health go hand in hand. Our emotional well-being can impact our intake of food, our energy levels and the number of hours we sleep. Physical health conditions, such as hormone imbalance can make us easily agitated and stressed. Therefore, it is important to nurture our bodies the right way. Nutrition, sleep and exercise can drastically change our lives. Start by consuming nourishing foods that are rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and start cutting down on alcohol, sugar and carbohydrates. Our bodies need all nutrients in specific amounts and that depends on your BMI, BMR, gender, age and many more. Speak to a nutritionist if you can to create a new plan or look into the tips that are given here. Add to your diet some serotonin boosting foods such as nuts, seeds, leafy greens, bananas, tofu, lentils and beans. If you’re a meat-eater, eggs, salmon and turkey are great serotonin boosting foods. Next, create an exercise plan that you would enjoy (going for a walk, swimming, yoga, cardio, etc…), as physical exercise can reduce depression by 26%. Lastly, you have to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. The best way to do this is by specifying a specific time to head to bed and wake up. Therefore, you start to train your brain to be ready for sleep at a specific hour.

Let us know which of these of these tips have been helpful. Have a great day because you absolutely deserve it.