It is common to check the mirror before going out, to make sure we look good. It is common to watch what we eat, to make sure our body remains healthy. But it is not common to take the time, to make sure that our mood is on the right track. Depression, as some describe it, may feel like a well of darkness. It is easier to stay away rather than slipping into it. So why don’t we all watch out for depression and try to prevent it? Is that possible?
Yes, we can always try. To prevent depression is to take care of ourselves holistically, not just our exterior.
Taking care of our bodies by eating healthy and exercising could positively affect our mood, as we learned in our last blog. Getting enough sleep is one of the important basic steps to many illnesses prevention not just depression. We can also take care of our mood by keeping our loved ones close. Finding our passions to serve as an ‘outlet’ to our stress and being thankful for what we have may also protect us from depression. We could always try avoiding blaming ourselves and focusing on having a positive attitude. It is also beneficial to have a balanced routine, to fill our time with meaningful activities whether it is work, social engagement, or fun. Getting counselling if we feel overwhelmed during times of grief, stress or low mood is another depression prevention tool.
It may seem tedious, taking care of our mood, but it is an essential step to ensure our mental well being. It may be hard at first, but making it a habit will lead to an easier sustainable good mood.
Depression is a serious illness, which we should not take lightly. It is not just being sad or lonely; it is a complex illness involving symptoms that affect our general physical and social well being, not only mental. Thus, it is imperative to learn about and be aware of depression because by reading more about it and educating ourselves, we make it easier to prevent and recognize.
Taking care of YOURSELF is important, we all owe it to ourselves!
~ Faten B., Humans of Depression Representative
#LetsTalkD #preventioniswellness #boosturmood
Remember to follow Humans of Depression on the following platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/HumansofDepression
http://instagram.com/humansofdepression/
Resources:
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=6141&channel_id=11&relation_id=27878
http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/10-key-questions-about-depression/what-is-depression.aspx
HumansofDepression 