Depression is a mental health disorder that can be treated, but it’s not something you can “snap out of” or get over in a week. For most people with depression, the best treatment involves a combination of medication and therapy. While that may sound daunting at first, there are many holistic ways to treat depression as well. Incorporating them into your life can make your recovery process more accessible and more effective.
Learn How to Meditate
Meditation is one of the most popular and effective ways to manage stress. The practice has been shown to improve mood, increase energy levels, and improve overall health. Meditation can also help you sleep better by reducing anxiety and helping you relax at bedtime. There are many different types of meditation available. There are even guided walk-through meditation apps.
Get Your House in Order
Get your house in order. If you live alone and the mess is getting to you, try cleaning things up a bit. Organize your space so that it’s more functional and usable, then add some decorative touches of your choosing.
If you live with other people, make sure they don’t mind if you rearrange things or change their normal routine. For example, if someone has always had their shoes by the door but now prefers them to be put away in a closet instead, try to accommodate them as much as possible. Try doing this without making anyone feel like they’re being forced into having to do something they dislike doing or that doesn’t fit their personality at all times.
Make a list of tasks that need to be done around the house. That way, when depression symptoms flare up again later on in life, there won’t be any surprises about where everything belongs when we’re finally ready again.
Practice Gratitude
Gratitude is an excellent way to keep your mind focused on the positive aspects and people in your life. There are lots of ways to practice gratitude, such as keeping a gratitude journal or writing thank-you notes. Expressing gratitude can improve sleep quality and reduce symptoms of depression. It’s worth trying if you want to feel happier.
Simplify Your Life
One of the things that can help with depression is to reduce the number of things you have to do, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean you should quit your job or drop out of school. It does mean making sure your life is manageable and simple.
You can do this by focusing on the most important things instead of getting caught up in all the little details. Focus on only what matters, and let go of everything else. The things you should reflect on are:
- What’s most important? Figure out what matters most at this moment in time and focus your energy there instead of worrying about everything else.
- How can I make it easy? If something feels like too much work or requires too much effort, find ways to simplify it so that doing it isn’t as daunting as before.
- Don’t feel guilty for not doing more. Don’t feel like you need to prove anything by doing more than necessary because having less stress will help us feel better faster anyway.
Engage With Your Creative Side
We know that creativity is a powerful tool for managing depression. Engaging in creative activities can help people recover from mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, especially when they engage with it regularly. There are many different ways you can use your creative side to help manage your mood.
Painting, drawing, and writing are some common forms of self-expression that many people find helpful when coping with depression or anxiety. You could start by try building up a collection of art supplies. Then create something each day that you’re unhappy about, or maybe even just one piece per week or month. There’s no “right” way to create art. It’s all about finding what works for you.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an amateur artist or someone who has never tried this before. The important thing here is taking action on something which makes sense for you. Not how good you think someone else would say it looks. So get started today by picking up a brush or pencil and getting creative.
Managing Depression Is an Ongoing Process
Depression is a serious condition, and it requires ongoing support and management. Whether you have been diagnosed with depression or are concerned about yourself or someone you know, this process may involve having to learn new ways of coping with the symptoms. While it can be difficult at times, learning how to manage your depression is worth the effort.
It’s important to remember that depression isn’t a weakness. It’s a disorder just like any other disease. There are different types of medication that can help relieve your symptoms along with non-medical therapies that can help you get back on track. Depression doesn’t always look the same way in everyone who has it. Some people might feel sad all day, every day. Others could be irritable one minute but happy a few minutes later without knowing why they’re feeling that way.
If you struggle with depression and anxiety, it can be helpful to learn some coping mechanisms that will help you manage your emotions. These tools are useful in all stages of the journey from depression to recovery, so even if you’re currently feeling fine, it’s never too early or late to start practicing them. You may find that some techniques resonate more than others depending on your personality type and needs at any given time. If you or someone you love is struggling with depression or another part of their mental health, we want to help you overcome and manage your disorder. Give Acera Health a call for more information at (949) 647-4090.
Melody is a highly skilled proactive clinical administrator, with more than 17 years of experience serving the community in the behavioral health field.
Her clinical management career started in 2011 as a compliance manager and program director. In 2018, she became an executive as chief clinical officer (CCO). She is a seasoned licensed marriage & family therapist.
