Something we have all been through or are going through isn’t it? This invisible weight that others probably can’t see but, you go through it every day or have been through it at some point in life.
Something we can all relate to TOTALLY!
Then why is it that people still don’t get that Depression exists and its okay to talk about it. It’s not a disease it’s a devious disorder. This is devious because it stops you from doing what it takes to recover, it makes you less productive, makes you lose your self esteem and definitely you feel less energetic.
It has a negative energy that absorbs all of your positive energy and takes away the best out of you. You stop being yourself you only think about the worst that could happen, how you will always be depressed and never be able to pursue your dreams.
Isn’t this too obvious that something so harmful and ruinous needs to be permanently eradicated from our lives?
Now comes the part where we question ourselves and say If only it was that easy why would I have let myself get tortured for so long? What if nothing ever works for me and I eventually become a depressed and lonely person forever? How do I tell people when they ask I don’t know how to explain it? These are some of the very basic questions we ask ourselves or think about but can’t deal with in reality so “its better that I stay this way and let it be”.
So personally speaking how and why did I come out of a number of depressions I had be (Yes, it can be multiple) Post graduation depression, losing a close one to cancer, not finding a job, not matching up to the standards of the society and much more. My issues could be much smaller to another person going through something more serious but, they are still going to be injurious to me. My battle remains hard until I really wish to win it.
This sounds a little dramatic but, it’s true. The answer to every setback you have is YOU. Forget about others who don’t get you and your depression. You don’t need anybody’s sympathy, you really DON’T!
We are all vulnerable to depression due to one reason or another. We are all in different phases of life where new challenges and obstacles are thrown at us regularly and then Depression becomes the major obstacle as it takes up all the energy we have.
I needed to put this into words as I have been through similar stuff to most of you out there. How have I come out of the immense depression I went into that also led to me getting regular Migraine attacks (Which have reduced, without any medication/surgeries).
I am not a psychologist I am just here to share how I have come out of depression stronger and more focused and want to help others to be able to do so although we are have different personalities and point of views towards life but, I believe if your words and actions can help even one person you are doing the right thing.
First and foremost convince yourself that this is taking up too much of my energy hence, I need to admit it and come out of it. Admitting it is the most important part of walking towards the cure as people give a number of excuses like it’s not depression it’s just that I am an introvert. This just pushes them deeper into it and makes it worse over a short period of time. Following this, understand that you would need to bring about small changes regularly to your routine. If not regularly then weekly.
Start your day with Praying/Meditation
(That serves the purpose of making you relaxed and feel at peace) it could only be for 20 minutes. At first it will be hard to stay focused and feel at peace but, you will get there eventually. You can listen to some meditation tips on YouTube some of them have amazingly soothing voices. I personally didn’t need anyone else to help me focus. This exercise helped me get my focus and concentration back.
Your meals are Essentials
Don’t skip meals especially breakfast. What you eat is what you are. So if you think that skipping meals doesn’t make a difference then let me tell you it makes a lot of difference on how your brain and emotions work. Eat what makes you happy. Eating what you like makes a lot of difference to your mood. If you think you don’t feel hungry probably get a deficiency test done. One of the more common deficiencies in this generation are magnesium and calcium.
On a lighter Note, Have a cookie!
Find time for yourself to EXERCISE
As Elle Woods says, Exercise gives you Endorphins, which makes you happy. I am a person who never liked to exercise but, since the time I have started taking out time to exercise I feel my brain is much more relaxed after I exercise 30 minutes minimum everyday than it is otherwise. Exercise overall helps the muscles to relax which keeps your brain at peace. With that Deep Breathing also helps a lot. It increases the amount of oxygen your brain gets. Breath in for 4 seconds, hold it for 7 seconds and release it for 8 seconds. This has made it easier for me to sleep better at night as losing sleep is one of the most common problems attached with depression.
Find your Person
If you think it is necessary find “your person”, by that I mean someone who you can talk to about how you are going through a phase of depression that is harmful for you. This also helped me in a way; I felt more at peace with a couple of close friends and family. And unexpectedly discussing this made me realize it was not only me who was stuck with depression but, a lot of my close ones were also going through the same. We all had different causes of depression but, talking about it really helped us.
Get Organized and Pre-plan
Here I am not just being specific to depression but, generally as well being an organized person makes it a lot easier to carry out your daily chores than otherwise, where you are struggling to make the ends meet. This could be a vast activity by that I mean write down what are your goals for the upcoming week and while having a conversation make sure you say what you have in your mind that makes you straightforward, confident and assertive in turn this increases your self confidence. The aim of this exercise enables you to be ready to face any challenges you could face.
Reward Yourself
This is probably one of the most productive ways of appreciating yourself. You really need to, keep telling yourself how your will power has brought you out of depression stronger and focused. Along with this reward yourself with spending on an experience probably getting into a course, go do some fun activity alone or with friends (i.e. go enjoy at a indoor trampoline park, go paintball or visit some amusement park) I can easily name many more fun activities you can be a part of in Dubai but, I guess you get the idea. If you are more of a person who is into visiting the mall then get yourself something that makes you happy probably clothes, shoes or anything you prefer.
Be comfortable in what you wear
Since all of these points mentioned above are solely based on my personal experiences let me tell you this one helps me every day. When I dress up well (doesn’t matter where I am going) when I feel I am comfortable and happy in what I am wearing my day starts well. I feel more confident and enthralled. Along with that wear comfortable shoes and don’t carry heavy bags or purses with you.
I can go on and on and on about how a lot of other small changes to my mindset and routine have made me a happier person like trusting GOD and thanking him every day for all the blessings I have. Spending time with them and doing something for the less fortunate ones, greeting everyone nicely, sleeping in the right posture, reading books and blogs of impactful writers and capturing memories and looking back at them only to be thankful for the past, present and for the future to come.
Appreciate yourself at each step you take towards betterment and contentment. The main drawbacks of depression are that it makes you lose focus and consumes all your positive energy and makes you a negative, irritable and a lonely person. So don’t give in, think of it as an opportunity to more forward and then never look back.
You can consult with any psychologist if you think you have a specific kind of depression which can be dealt with medication as depression has a number of different types.
This was a serious topic that a few of my growing number of followers had talked to me about so I thought why not write about it to be able to help others and get your response through emails and through my Instagram page about how have you fought depression?
A small note of thank you to everyone who have sent me words of appreciation on my first blog. Keep them coming in it truly makes my day and helps me write the next blog with more passion and dedication.
Email me at makwritesblogs@gmail.com
Follow my Instagram page @MAHAAAMERKHAN