Practical Ways to Fight

Hi guys!
So I've been struggling with depression off and on.
HOWEVER, I recently discovered just some small and practical ways to help fight it. Cause as most of you know- once you let it start (like for the day) it's like a long spiral down that can be harder and harder to climb out of.

Here's some ideas that have been helping me a lot:
1. Eating Almonds, nuts, and seeds. OR taking Magnesium pills
- Some nuts have magnesium in them which produces serotonin which actually does lighten your mood. I don't know all the science to it but I have found it helpful.

2. Keeping my surroundings clean even if I don't feel like it.
-Been working on my self-discpline. Because when I get depressed the last thing I wanna do is be clean or clean my room. All I wanna do is lay in bed in darkness. INSTEAD- Now I try to keep everything around me clean and I open my window curtains often and don't allow myself to curl up and start overthinking.

3. Changing perspective on friendships
---- I'm a freshmen in college and my friendships have become VERY limited. Normally, a thing to help fight depression would be to try to be social and get out of the house. Unforunately, because of my current situation that is not always an option. So for this one I'm making it into two parts
A) If you have the ability to go out and be with someone or even just go out TAKE IT. You don't have to all the time but a lot of times just staying by yourself can lead to self-focus and that can lead to even more depression. Sometimes just focusing on someone else and be selfless can really help.

B) If you are like me- and seeing people is just not an option because of physical means like a car or limited amount of people- Then I've learned that changing my perspective and actually LITERALLY talking myself out of things can be super helpful.

For example: I tend to get depressed because of my limited amount of people in my life. When these thoughts arrise I have to literally tell myself to stop- that I'm not alone. That nothing is worth hurting yourself over, because there's always somebody and others going through the same thing. And that I will be ok. I have to reverse my natural thinking and tell myself different things.

4. Stretching and taking deep breaths
-- I find the more I stretch and breath deeply or just go out for a walk I am happier. It really wakes my whole body up and I realize I wasn't as tired as my brain was telling me I am.

Alright. Well here was just a few things I've been doing recently that have helped me.

I hope this helps anyone out there. I know every situation is different.

HUGS to you all
-Mystery

Good points Mysterygirl,

Keeping your place clean and opening up the windows/curtains really does help keep the atmosphere light. I've gotten into the habit of doing this every single day. It helps me a lot.

my physician suggested Magnesium pills, 3x a day....for leg cramps. Nice to know that it can help with the depression too, I will be taking the magnesium on a regular basis now.

I know! I sometimes think depression can be mainly environmental at certain times.

That's awesome! Originally I started taking them to get rid of my headaches and they help so much. It's amazing what simple nutrients do for our bodies.

I think so too. Sometimes, we forget how important our environment, our diet and our friends are in helping us recover from or cope with a depressive disorder. I believe our brains need more than just meds for stimulation.

I agree. I don't use any anti-depressant medications and I am doing much better

Me too

Thanks for this. I need a pick me up right now. I did get out and go for a walk because it's sunny out and I knew I needed to be around people. I am not feeling 100% but this post did help a little.

One thing for that worked for me is getting rid of all mirrors in my room, I'm completely OC about my looks, and I noticed that the three mirrors in my room were the triggers, I got rid of all of them, I feel better.

Thats awesome! I agree usually with depression you don't really takee care of yourself and of course that's gonna make you look a mess and if you keep looking at yourself your gonna make it worse. I hardly ever look in a mirror anymore- only to get ready. Then im done. There's no need to obsess over myself